This article was published by The Sun (voice of the Nation).
25th April, 2022
If Nigeria wants to become a developed country and move forward in this technological age then it must pay attention to education, otherwise, it is just not possible for Nigeria to move forward.
The government of Nigeria must pay full heed to the problems and hurdles that surround the educational system and this is why we will be having a look at some of the ways in which the Nigerian educational system can be improved:
Increase Funding To The Education Sector
Increasing funding to the education sector is very important. To make Nigeria prosperous, it is the job of both government and private sector to put their funds and resources into the development of the education sector in the country. We are seeing the educational system of the country suffering for decades because of underfunding and corruption.
According to the recommendations of UNESCO, a nation should allot 26% of the budget to the education sector, which is about 1/4th of the total budget and it shows the importance of education, however, in Nigeria, the budget allocated to the education sector has never exceeded 10%, which is a moment of reflection for us Nigerian.
Elimination Of Examination Malpractices
Examination malpractices also need to come to an end, otherwise, our country won’t be able to produce skilled graduates. Because of the rising cost of education fees and other associated costs, students and even parents go to any length to ensure that they don’t fail and end up getting involved in malpractices.
We, as a nation, should think about where we stand in terms of producing skilled and trained graduates and end up with these malpractices for the development of our nation. We have the example of India which is emerging as one of the top nations in the world just because of how good its education system is and how most of the graduates are able to get good Government Jobs easily.
Vocational And Technical Centers
There is also a dire need for quality vocational and technical centers across the country. There are only a handful of technical and vocational centers in Nigeria that are not properly equipped and staffed. To be able to progress forward, we also need to have more vocational and technical centers across the country.
Quality & Affordable Education
Quality and affordable education should also be made vastly available across the country. It is evident that quality education helps to fight off poverty and ignorance, which are two major curses that prevent a nation from moving forward. Nowadays, quality education wholly and solely depends upon monetary conditions, and only those students are given quality education who can pay for quality education, which is injustice and equality to deserving, yet poor students.
This trend needs to be eliminated all across the country and quality, affordable education should be made available all across the country from nursery and primary levels, all the way up to bachelor’s level. In India, we see the government providing quality education at affordable costs to all and the government has also set up various scholarships programs for deserving students, which is why we are seeing many students in India acing in Sarkari Result.
Equal Opportunities
Equal opportunities should be given to all the deserving citizens of the country, whether it is for job placement or for getting a quality education. Merit-based opportunities should be made available for all Nigerians.
Inclusion Of New Topics In The Curriculum
Another way to improve education in Nigeria is to adopt new topics in the curriculum. We see everything in the world changing with every passing day and that also includes curriculum too. Modern subjects and topics should be included in the curriculum such as entrepreneurial and computer skills, which are very popular all across the world.
The inclusion of such new topics in the curricula would help the nation to produce talented and skilled graduates who will be able to contribute to the development of the country.
