Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, on Wednesday, berated the acting Minister of Education, Mr. Nyeson Wike, over his comments on the state of the education sector in the states.
The governor said education administration was not for ‘riff raffs.’
Aliyu spoke while signing into law the Niger State University of Education Bill at the Government House, Minna.
Aliyu said, “I don’t know when he got into education; education is not for riff raffs.
“Wike should be warned to stay clear of Niger State. If he (Wike) can fight the governor of his state (Rivers), he cannot fight other governors, he should take his time.”
Reacting to the comment, Wike’s Special Adviser (Media), Simeon Nwakaudu, said the minister would not be distracted by criticisms but would rather focus on the delivery of access to quality education.
Nwakaudu said, “He (Wike) believes that all Nigerian children deserve access to education, hence he advocated that state governments should invest more in education.
“As a seasoned administrator, lawyer and former secondary school teacher, Wike is passionate about education, hence he has consistently built synergy to develop the sector, working closely with governors at all times.
“Nigerians are conversant with the Almajiri girl child and library projects supervised by the minister to uplift access to education in the country. He will continue to focus on the onerous task of improving education in the country.”
Aliyu had said that the Niger State University of Education, to be located at the present site of the Niger State College of Education, Minna, would provide avenue for training of teachers.
Defending the decision of the government to establish the university, Aliyu lamented that all the states in the northern part of the country could not boast of 50 per cent qualified teachers to man their primary schools. He assured that the University of Education in Minna would attempt to bridge the gap.
He said when the university became operational the government would set deadline for unqualified teachers to be certified.
He added that the country had to be more serious about educating its children, insisting that “education should be the priority of every government”.