PDP’s Presidential Candidate, Owner of Fee-Paying University Regrets Nigeria’s Broken Education System

Amidst ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Thursday expressed regrets over what he called the country’s “broken” educational system.
Atiku, who was tweeting on the occasion of the International Literacy Day, said he plans to work with the state governments for the purpose of reforms and investment in education.
Many Nigerians have questioned Atiku’s commitment to quality education from the public system citing his establishment of a high-fee paying university in his native Yola, Adamawa hometown.
The PDP presidential candidate is the founder of the American University of Nigeria, Yola.
The institution, this week announced that it admitted about 3,000 students.
Many observers believe that the private universities are reaping from the frustrations of parents and students who have been forced to stay home for more than six months as a result of an unresolved standoff between the lecturers and the federal government.
In his tweet, Atiku, a former Nigeria’s vice president said, On this International Literacy Day, I pledge that under my watch and in collaboration with state governments, more attention will be placed on early education that guarantees the ability to read and write.
“To this end, I plan a reform and massive investment in education.
“Regrettably, our education system is as broken as every other sector of our national life. There is a nexus between development and literacy—however, our current literacy level cannot drive the envisaged level of development.”
The ASUU leadership at the beginning of this week vowed to pursue its demand to a logical conclusion. They insisted on not resuming classes until all their demands are met.