Ambode vows to take education to next level

Provost calls for increase in budgetary allocation

AWARD of Diploma in Catechetical Studies, Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) as well as presentation of prizes to graduates in B.Ed. Degree among others took place at the 21st Convocation Ceremony of St. Augustines College of Education, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos. The school is affiliated to University of Ibadan.

The Provost of the College, Professor Julia Omokhodion, said the institution was not just particular about specializing students to become academic intellectuals but also moulding them to be morally upright.
“Moral decadence is very rife in the nation and we feel we have to tackle it from both sides, as we know that being brilliant and not being upright could be negative.

“We, therefore, decided to focus on both so that they (our graduates) would go out there, not only to be examples to others, but also be entrepreneurs because they were taught how to venture into business,” she said.

Omokhodion who frowned at the meagre budget on education said there was need for the government to draw up scale of preference before allocating budget to various departments, stressing that education should take priority.

“All policy makers would not be where they are today if not for the good education they had and I am surprised the way education is being handled in this nation. Everyone of us started from a humble background and by virtue of education, we are where we are today,” she said.

She advised the government to increase the budget on education, and monitor its utilization to ensure that the money is not filter away through corruption.

The governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Omolara Erogbogbo, gave assurance that the Lagos State government would take education to the next level.

“This government knows the importance of knowledge and while we are encouraging entrepreneurship, we are also calling on students to focus on their academics and refuse to be distracted. The government would continue to support this school as it has been doing with donation of vehicle and other things. We hereby call on the graduating students to go out there and be role models,” he said.

The Registrar, University of Ibadan, Mr. Olujimi Olukoya, who was represented by the Deputy Registrar, Dr. Ike-Oluwapo Mudi, advised the graduating students not to keep on thinking of what the country would do for them but what they too would do for their country.
The Coordinator, Catechetical programme and Head of Department, Religious Studies, Adenike Regina Oke, said she was sure the graduating students would go out to represent both the institution and the country well.

In his valedictory speechs, the Best Graduating Student in teaching practice, economics and over-all best students, Paschal Amaechie, promised that the entire students would be good ambassadors of the institution anywhere they go.