For the two years left in his tenure, President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to increase the budget for the education sector by as much as 50 percent, according to a statement from his spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina,.
In a document titled, Heads Of State Call To Action On Education Financing Ahead Of The Global Education Summit, signed as a form of commitment at the on-going Summit in London, United Kingdom, the President stated:
“We commit to progressively increase our annual domestic education expenditure by 50% over the next two years and up to 100% by 2025 beyond the 20% global benchmark.”
The Summit which is being co-hosted by the Prime Minister of UK Boris Johnson and the President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta seeks to give opportunity for leaders to make 5-year pledges to support GPE’s work to help transform education systems in up to 90 countries and territories.
Adesina also released the full text of the President’s commitment. It reads:
“I join my brother, His Excellency, Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya to affirm our commitment to improve learning outcomes in our respective countries by ensuring equitable access to quality and inclusive education for all our citizens, with particular emphasis on the girl child.
“We fully endorse the call for more efficient use of resources and to significantly increase investment in education by strengthening institutions, promoting greater adoption of technology, building the capacities of our teachers and mobilizing additional financial resources through legal frameworks and deliberate intervention on a sustainable basis.
“In this regard, we commit to progressively increase our annual domestic education expenditure by 50% over the next two years and up to 100% by 2025 beyond the 20% global benchmark.
“Let us therefore raise our hands in solidarity to build a more secure and prosperous future for our children.”
