The candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 gubernatorial elections in Imo state, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume has described the free education of the Owelle Rochas Okorocha administration as a hoax.
In an interview with journalists, Araraume lamented that majority of the people are ignorant of what the national policy on education are. He maintained that there is free education from primary to junior secondary level which is free is in all the 36 states of the federation stressing that is the policy of the federal government.
From primary one to six, it is free. It is federal government’s policy. So, no governor can claim to give free education at that level.
“When you talk of senior secondary, it is a different story and when you talk of university, it is also a different story,” he said.
On the issue of free university education to Imo indigenes by the Okorocha administration, Araraume said the governor is deceiving the people.
“There is no free university education in Imo state. When Achike Udenwa was governor, he gave subvention was N160m. When Ohakim became the governor, I think the subvention was over N200m. Now, you have a government in Imo state that says it is giving free university education. Is it free university education for Imo citizens wherever they are? Is it free university education for Imo citizens in institutions in the state?”he queried.
He submitted that if it is free university education for Imo citizens, it means wherever you find Imo citizens in tertiary institutions, they will enjoy free education, adding that if it is free education for those of them who are in institutions in Imo state, there must be clear distinction.
Araraume who said he has more than 40 students on scholarship further lamented that the government has stopped giving subvention to Imo state University while there is also a cap as to the number of Imo state indigenes to be admitted into the university.
If you say Imo state indigenes that will be taken is 30%. You give N100, 000 each to the 30% students to go and pay school fees when it is free education. Meanwhile you have more than 80% who are not admitted.
Assuming the previous government was giving N200m as subvention to the university and you now give money to the 30% admitted which will amount to N50m, the government is now having N150m, and then the university has suffered, he fumed.