Abuja — Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu said weekend in Abuja that the Federal Government would spend a whopping N179.6 billion on universities, federal polytechnics and other tertiary institutions in the 2010 fiscal year.

This represents over 70 percent of the entire N249.086 billion proposed for the education sector in next year's budget which is currently being considered by the National Assembly.

Egwu said Friday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Education under the chair of Senator Joy Emodi that Unity Schools and parastatals under the Ministry were to receive N29.8 billion and N29.7 billion respectively.

He stated that "expansion of access to quality education at all levels through improvement of existing and provision of additional infrastructure and facilities" would gulp N48.9 billion.

Federal universities and agencies of the Federal Ministry of Education had taken their turns to defend how they intend to utilize allocations proposed for them in the budget.

Apart from Egwu, the National Universities Commission led by its Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie and Vice-Chancellors of federal universities were also on hand to defend their budgets.

But speaking at the defence session, Emodi frowned at the drop in the percentage allocation to the education sector despite that the sector is running neck and neck with the Works and Housing sector (the highest spender next year) with proposed N249.425 billion budget.

She, however, admonished of the agencies and parastatals under the Education Ministry to make good use of what the committee would appropriate to them in the final budget.

Emodi urged at the session, attended by some committee members including Senators Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Ahmed Mohammed, Effiong Bob, Omar Hambagda and Ahmad Lawan, that stakeholders should take advantage of the extension given by the Federal Government to its agencies to complete their capital projects.

The Senate, penultimate week passed a N353.6 billion Supplementary budget, which according to the Senate President, Senator David Mark, had effectively extended the life of this year's budget to March next year.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Information, Senator Ayogu Eze had explained that this would give the Senate elbow room to thoroughly consider the 2010 budget proposal prelude to its passage.

Indeed, under the revised budget implementation guidelines issued by the Federal Government to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), they now have a deadline of March 2010 to complete ongoing capital projects, which would be further funded through the Supplementary budget.