Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike has resigned!

THE Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, has said he has no regrets serving President Goodluck Jonathan for three and half years.

Wike is to officially tender his letter of resignation from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, as directed by President Jonathan during a valedictory FEC for him and six other ministers on Wednesday.

Speaking on Thursday, in Abuja, at separate valedictory meetings with the Head of Parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Education and Principals of the 104 Federal Government Colleges, Wike hinted he had only today (Friday) to work as Minister of State for Education.

The minister, who is resigning from the FEC to enable him to pursue his political ambition in Rivers State where he hails from, said he was leaving Jonathan’s cabinet fulfilled.

“I want to thank you for the cooperation I received from you in the last three and half years I had worked with you. But if in the course of the work, I did anything you did not like, please forgive me, it was not anything personal.

He told the heads of parastatals and directors under the ministry who might have perceived his actions as high-handed in managing the affairs of the sector wrong, saying his intentions were noble and not necessarily aimed at intimidating anyone.

Wike said he had to do all he did in order for the sector to move forward, adding that he needed to make necessary impact in line with the Federal Government’s transformation agenda.

He said: “As politicians and my experience with civil servants, when you come into office and on a daily basis, all you do is to smile a lot with your staff, they would begin to perceive you as being unserious.

“If you are given a job you have to be serious with your job. I thank all of you for your support and I will urge you to continue in that direction,” he said.

The outgoing minister also criticised admission quota in the Unity Colleges, nationwide where 30 per cent was based on merit and 70 per cent by other factors, including political sentiments.

He said such practice tends to discourage academic excellence, noting that ideally 60-70 per cent ought to be based on merit while 30 per cent should go for other factors.

Wike strongly advised that for the education sector to reach a desired destination, 60 per cent should be given to merit while 30 per cent to other factors as requirement for entry into Unity colleges.

The minister said catchment area and tribalism had found its way into the colleges and rather than based on merit, mundane issues were considered at the detriment of sound education.

He also discouraged the growing trend of double promotion, which he said, was a minus to the overall sector.

Source: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE