DEBORAH TOLU-KOLAWOLE writes that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, as he assumes office on May 29, will inherit multiple problems in the education sector including low funding, brain drain and poor infrastructure
For a sector widely regarded as the bedrock of any society, Nigeria’s education sector has over the years suffered from a wide range of issues.
The issues have ranged from incessant disruptions of academic calendars, due to strikes by unions, to extremely poor funding and allocations far below the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation 15 per cent budgetary benchmark, brain drain, poor infrastructure and research, among others.
The “nearly dead” sector which has been at the mercy of governments at various levels in over 24 years of democratic rule needs more than just manifestos, assurances and promises to be able to stand on its own, experts have argued.
Although Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress who emerged as the president-elect following a highly competitive but controversial presidential election, which observers allege have been marred by violence and rigging, had earlier reeled out his manifesto and plans for the sector, experts say his proposed plans must go beyond “ordinary words” following failed promises and implementations by past governments.
For instance, the regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd) which Tinubu is about to succeed claims to have spent over N6tn on education in the last six years.
Despite this, the Nigeria Union of Teachers headed by its National President, Titus Amba insists that the sector still battles inadequate funding, deplorable infrastructure, low remuneration and the non-implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage in some states at the basic level.
During the height of his campaigns, Tinubu who is a two-term former governor of Lagos State promised to bring reforms to Nigeria’s education sector from the basic to the tertiary level.
He said his administration if elected, would review the education curriculum at all levels “to suit the emerging global best practices and current socio-economic realities.”
The President-elect also noted that the curricula would be reviewed to ensure that Nigerian graduates become conversant with global trends in different fields and sectors where they could contribute productively to the country’s economy.
“This will ensure, our graduates at tertiary level are not only trained for white-collar jobs, but they will be enterprising and innovative,” he said.
But these promises are coming amidst the surge in the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria. The challenge in itself is currently a subject of controversy between Nigeria’s education authorities and global institutions.
What will be President Tinubu’s solution to this challenge?
While the United Nations Children Fund and the United Nations Education and Scientific Organisation put the figure at 18.5 million and 20 million respectively, the government insists the figure is far lesser.
During his ministerial briefing in August, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, stated that the figure remained at 6.9 million, as he had earlier stated in 2020.
This will appear to be a minuscule of the deep-seated problems the president-elect is going to face.
Tinubu would seem to be ready having noted that he would invest ‘heavily’ in infrastructure to allow for proper integration of school-age children into the conventional schools.
Like the current school feeding programme anchored by the Federal Government, Tinubu promised to collaborate with state governments, and traditional, community and religious leaders to provide incentives for children going to school. He added that the training of teachers would be a priority.
“We will work with both states and local governments to reform and retool the system. These reforms will give special attention to curriculum development, welfare and training of our teachers as necessary catalysts for the better system we desire,” he said.
He acknowledged the efforts of the Buhari regime in the education sector.
“The current APC government has rolled out several initiatives, in partnership with development partners, to provide alternative access to education and vocation to this particular demographic. Our administration will build on these existing initiatives and will create opportunities for skills and empowerment to reduce the vulnerabilities of these children and provide them with sustainable social mobility,” he elaborated.
Worrisome too is the level of corruption as has been alleged under the school feeding programme. Will the government be able to bring an end to the challenge?
Speaking with our correspondent, the Programme Director, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said, “Nigeria’s education sector is a very sensitive sector, one that should be prioritized at every level. Be it basic, post-secondary or tertiary level. Oftentimes, we realize that it seems as if the basic level is neglected and too much focus is placed on the tertiary education level.
“Unfortunately, even with the tertiary education level, there are lots of deficits. We all saw what happened in 2020 and 2022. Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education were all shut down. The sector is also witnessing a brain drain. The quality of research is extremely low and we also have to deal with poor infrastructure and poor remuneration for lecturers.
“At the basic education level, which mostly is in the hands of state and local government, it can be said that education is literarily dead. The poor treatment of teachers, poor minimum wage, and non-implementation of benefits for teachers.
“Mostly for us at Reform Education Nigeria, we think one of the most important steps is to increase budgetary allocation to education at the federal level while also ensuring that state governments comply”.
He said, “Similarly, the incoming government needs to find a way to end incessant strikes in tertiary institutions. Enough of committees. We need to have a national policy on higher education. Stakeholders need to come together to find lasting solutions.”
Volunteering perspectives for the new government he said,
“Alternative means of funding should be designed. We have various examples such as the creation of education banks, endowment funds, and the implementation of student loans. The education sector needs thorough revitalization so as not to end up on the brink of collapse”.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Chairperson of ASUU at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Professor Gbolahan Bolarin, insisted that the demands of ASUU as regards the education sector remained the same.
“The demands are the same. We need a total revitalization of the sector. Increased funding, good welfare for academics. When you have good welfare packages then the academics will be motivated to work hard. We need leaders who are committed and ready to work. It is not about blackmails. Increased fundings (research inclusive), end to proliferation of institutions, improved welfare packages for workers in the sector, development of infrastructure among others”.
Sanity, succour and confidence in the education sector will only be seen by Nigerians when the government takes bold, sacrificial steps to resolve all difficult issues both at the basic and tertiary levels as identified by experts. No half-measures and lip service will be tolerated from President Tinubu against the backdrop of his promises.
