Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to consider one of its members as education minister.
USOSA President General, Lawrence Wilbert, made the call in statement after the 35th plenary session of the old students in Lagos.
He said the plenary recognised USOSA’s important role as a guardian of Nigeria’s national ethos and considered the significant investments USOSA and its member alumni associations have made across the 104 unity schools over the last three decades.
As a major stakeholder in Nigeria’s public sector education, and given the diverse professional backgrounds of its membership, and their commitment to the unity and progress of Nigeria, it is time for the Federal Government to look in the direction of USOSA’s over one million members, for a relevant competent professional to serve as the next minister of education, he said.
“The rich educational background, internalisation of national ethos, the passionate enthusiasm, driven by an emotional commitment to a public sector education system that works for all, puts unity college graduates in prime position to drive the Federal Government ongoing public secondary education reforms.’’
He explained that the plenary of USOSA reviewed the state of the nation, especially the persistent and escalating insecurity in the country, and considered the role of the nation’s human resource diversity as a security advantage.
Wilbert noted that the session considered the role of unity schools as a melting pot for engineering sociopolitical and religious tolerance among Nigerians, and reiterated the need for sustained reforms and reinforcement of public sector education, as Nigeria’s best approach to protecting the future integrity of the unity of the country and its people.
“As a community of graduates from the Federal Government secondary schools that has benefited immensely from the unity school concept and a functional public sector education system, with demonstrable track records for consistent support and partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Education, we call on President Buhari to consider naming a former student of the unity schools as the next minister of education,” he said.
