…resist move to remove it from present location
By Haruna Salami
Stakeholders in the education sector at a public hearing Thursday threw their weight behind a bill to give legal backing to the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Ondo, Ondo state.
The public hearing was organised by the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary).
The Institute was established in 1992 by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNESCO/International Institute for Educational Planning(IIEP) as a Staff College for Planners and Managers in the Nigeria education sector and West Africa sub-region.
The Senate President Ahmad Lawan who declared the public hearing open saw the bill as an opportunity to try to see that the institute is better supported to enable it discharge its mandate more effectively and efficiently”.
Emphasising the importance of planning in education, Lawan said “if you want direct foreign investment (DFI) or any investment at all, labour is critical”.
He said in the 21st economy, “if you want to develop you don’t need to bring people from outside because that will drain your foreign earnings”.
With proper educational planning, research and focus in the sector, Lawan said “we could be talking of about 20 million out of school children”, not 10-14 million being churned out.
In his welcome address, the chairman of the Senate Committee, Ibrahim Gaidam said the institute was established in 1992 with three-fold mandate which was intended to move forward the professionalization of educational planning and administration.
Speaking at the commencement of the public hearing, the sponsor of the Bill, Senator Ayo Akinyelure said “sadly despite the institute’s enormous potentials and it’s long years of existence and operations, it does not have an enabling law to regulate it’s activities to strengthen and entrench its core mandates.
Akinyelure, who was vehemently opposed to some subterranean moves to relocate, said the institute has operated peacefully for over 30 years from Ondo, Ondo state.
Other stakeholders, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna, National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) all spoke in support of the passage of the bill and we’re unanimous in the call to retain the institute in Ondo town of Ondo state.
The Osimawe of Ondo kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo, while supporting the retention of the institute in Ondo said the community donated 801 hectares of land to the institute with 91 buildings, road infrastructure and sporting facilities.
The paramount ruler was represented by Prof. Femi Mimiko, former Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo state.
