Rep Kingsley Uju-Chima ( PDP Imo) has implored the National Assembly to ensure that the 2023 budget for teachers and education development is increased in appreciation of their impact on the society.
NAN recalls that the World Teachers’ Day was celebrate on Wednesday with the theme “The Transformation of Education begins with a Teachers”.
Uju-Chima who represents Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Oru constituency,who conveyed the suggestion in a statement in Lagos, advised that the house of representatives must find a way to reflect more for teachers as soon as it receives the 2023 budget from the President Muhammadu Buhari.
He added:”As parliamentarian, I want to urge us today that the budget we are going to receive from Mr President (Muhammadu Buhari) in a couple of day, we devote enough percentage for teachers and enough percentage for the development of education system in Nigeria.
“Why I say this is because, the United Nations charter says ‘education should be given upmost priority in order to develop a nation.If we watch the level of insecurities today in the country, it borne out of the level of ignorance and illiteracy, ” Uju-Chima said.
According to him, there was need for every Nigerian to appreciate teachers because without them, members of the house for instance, including him would be in their various villages.
He noted that our lingua franca existed because of teachers otherwise lawmaking would have been almost impossible considering the difference tongues and tribes represented at the assembly.
“I am very optimistic that if the teachers were not there, maybe some of us might be farming, being in the village and not have the opportunity of coming to Abuja to see the level of development we have seen or are seeing today in Abuja.
“This is why it is very imperative for us to use this medium again to celebrate the teachers, most especially the ones that taught and impacted directly on my life as a student either in primary, secondary or in the university,” Uju-Chima said.
He added that teachers inculcated most of virtues and discipline being exhibited as lawmaker.
He said most of them hated many of these teachers for being disciplinarian but their discipline paid off.
He commended the Speaker of the House for creating opportunity to celebrate the teachers on the World Teachers’ Day marked on October 5.
The lawmaker, who noted that no one can become anything without going through the school system, said that school system made each member of the parliament what they were.
“This is one major transformation the teachers have actually given to us members of the national assembly”,he said
He urged the members of the parliament to deemphasize “on whatever projects that would not impact positively on the lives of our children and the lives of those students who are out of school because of ASUU strike.
He commended the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila for devoting almost two week to intervene in ASUU strike to see to its end.
