By Augustine Okezie
Abuja
Former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, yesterday assumed office as Minister State for Education, following minor cabinet reshuffle by President Goodluck Jonathan aimed at filling the gap created by the ministers who had resigned to run for elective positions in 2015.
Speaking during her reception at the ministry by the minister, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, shortly after the weekly FEC meeting, Onwuliri promised to work harmoniously with her new boss at the education ministry to move the sector forward.
She, however, expressed determination to confront the problem of mass failure of students in public examinations urging parents to allow their children to exhibit their potentials.
Onwuliri further cautioned parents against assisting their wards in passing their examinations noting that children would excel if they were allowed to exhibit their potentials.
She noted that the Ministry of Education would not fail to provide direction, counseling to all the necessary departments, agencies and parastatal under the ministry to ensure that each and every one of them do what they ought to do.
She said: “We must change this trend of mass failure in our public examinations because we may create a gap of people who are not serious, students who cannot take over and continue this transformation agenda. The federal government is ready; willing to help us and even fund what is going on.”
Earlier, Malam Shekarau who welcomed the new minister, expressed optimism about the harmonious working relationship between the two, noting that Onwuliri was in a familiar terrain as someone who was taken from the university.
“We lost seven council members and the President has to make readjustment,” he said.