GOVERNOR TANKOR Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, Nigeria ,on Saturday, advocated state of emergency in the education sector as a way of addressing problems of academic excellence in public schools.

He said that public schools lacked excellent attainments because virtually all infrastructures needed to facilitate such are not in place.

The governor made this known while speaking at the 2013 graduation ceremony of Pacesetters’ College, Abuja saying that unless urgent steps were taken to tackle the downward trend of government-owned schools across the country, it would be heading for the worse.

Al-Makura said that the deficiencies in public schools are heading towards state of emergency because virtually all infrastructure needed in schools are not provided and this, he said, is the reason for absence of excellence in public schools.

“My own consideration in Nasarawa State is to replicate what they have in Pacesetters’ College in various public schools in the state by creating conducive environment for learning, providing books and furniture and ensuring that teachers are properly oriented, Al-Makura said.

“My intention is to professionalize education in order to attain academic excellence,” Al-Makura stated.