"As a citizen of this country and a politician who shares the view that the Nigerian child, irrespective of their backgrounds, should have access to quality education, I align myself with the calls on the government to fulfil its promise made to the teachers in the agreement signed way back in 2009," Belgore said in a statement on Monday by his media aide Rafiu Ajakaye.

Belgore, a former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kwara State, said the future is bleak unless Nigeria jerks up its commitment to educate the Nigerian child.

The statement reads: "It is sad indeed that the government is issuing subtle threats to the lecturers to go back to the classroom when it cannot say with verifiable facts that the teachers were making unreasonable demands. This was an agreement freely signed by both parties, and it is unacceptable for either party to renege on it. Indeed, if the government must renegotiate the demands of the teachers it should first and foremost admit its shameful failure to honour a gentleman agreement. It is frustrating when the government now said it cannot meet the demands of the teachers - four solid years after it freely pledged to meet such demands!

"Nothing should ever take precedence over strengthening public education because the future is bleak for any nation with poor, non-competitive human capital. We cannot continue to grandstand about Vision 2020 and all sorts of things when the Nigerian child is not empowered to compete in an age where the human brain is the reigning currency.

"I therefore urge the government to reconsider its priorities and, like my party APC has said, cut down on wastages so we can devote meaningful resources to revitalise public education."