Who Will Bail The Nigerian Education Sector?

BY JOHN ALUKO

Who will bail the Nigerian education sector?

This is an important question to ask, because of the situation that the education sector finds itself in Nigeria currently.

An investment in knowledge pays the interest, says an American statesman, author and publisher, Benjamin Franklin.

Another way to look at it is to say that there is no investment that can equal that one made for education. Its interest is the highest. However, not many Nigerian youths of today could say the same.

In fact, many of them have come to regard education as a scam, based on what is happening in the country.

When a child starts school; there is always the rhythm of “you are the future of tomorrow”, recited for the child by the teacher and the larger society.

But with faulty foundation, and the challenges that confront the education sector today, where is that song that was usually recited for the children?

Today, where is that child who was told yesterday that he is the leader of today?

Who is to blame for the rot that has eaten the education system in the country. Is it the government, the young ones or the system?

If the Architectural design and building Engineer fail to lay a good foundation for the building, they should be ready for the consequences.

The Nigeria Government has been very negligent of the education sector denying it of needed funds

The Nigerian first elected President, Late Alhaji Shehu Shagari introduced our current system of education which 6-3-3-4 with the primary focus of meeting the educational needs of it citizenry and equipping the youths with sellable skills that will make them to be self-reliant.

However the 6-3-3-4 means six years in primary educational school, Three years for Junior Secondary another Three years for Senior Secondary while  established Four years for Tertiary education but 39 years after the system, has our education changed the nation to good or stagnated our development?

Can our primary core of education be restored? Although in past years those accepted education as tool to unveils  power and knowledge to progressive people, but now it does not seem to be so again.

Before now, things were better. Before you graduated an organisation had already employed you but currently, where is the work, and where are the literate youths to be employed?

Like Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has suggested, the school curriculum should not just be about science, Technology and mathematics among others but include critical thinking and entrepreneurship saying Nigeria.

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Meanwhile, currently Nigeria government agencies of tertiary institutions have introduced entrepreneurship as part of courses and programmes offered by Higher Institutions but where is the enabling environment for all young entrepreneurs to thrive?

There are many other questions to ask, like, who will bail the Nigerian education sector?