write an essay on education in nigeria

Education in Nigeria is in a mess from top to bottom. Five things can fix it

University of Benin

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Dr. Omowumi Olabode Steven Ekundayo is affiliated with with the Liberation Party and works with the party as an administrative consultant.

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Nigeria’s education system is based on the (1)-6-3-3-4 formula: one year pre-primary education, six years primary, three years junior secondary, three years senior secondary, and a minimum of four years tertiary education.

The model had been used successfully in China, Germany and Ghana before Nigeria adopted it in 1989.

But it’s never been fully implemented in Nigeria. Although successive governments have theoretically upheld its objectives, none has successfully implemented the policy.

Nigeria’s educational system is in assorted crises of infrastructural decay, neglect, waste of resources and sordid conditions of service. The country has over 10 million out-of-school children . That’s the highest in the world. Another 27 million children in school are performing very poorly . Millions of Nigerians are half-educated, and over 60 million – or 30% – are illiterate .

On top of this, many eligible young Nigerians can’t gain admission into public universities. At the same time prohibitive tuition fees, among other factors, are a barrier to the country’s private universities.

As the Buhari-Osinbajo government starts its second term it should focus on key areas that will dig Nigeria’s education system out of the deep hole it’s in. I have identified five priorities it should attend to first.

Appointment

The new government should appoint an expert Minister of Education, not a political party lackey. In the past, Nigeria’s educational system has fared better under expert education ministers who earned their stripes through the system.

Take Professor Jubril Aminu, who served in the portfolio from 1985 to 1990. The 6-3-3-4 system was inaugurated during his tenure. Aminu also introduced “ nomadic education ” in 1989 for nomadic Fulani and other migrant ethnic groups.

Aminu was followed by Professor Babs Fafunwa (1990 to 1992). He overhauled the national education policy. He also provided room for education in mother tongue, a universal practice which most African countries have not fully implemented. UNESCO recommends education in mother tongue because of its immense advantages .

Lastly, under Professor Sam Egwu (2008 to 2010), a controversial agreement was signed between the government and the union representing the country’s academic staff . The agreement – signed in 2009 after drawn-out negotiations – stipulated conditions of service and remuneration for lecturers, the autonomy of universities and how the government should fund tertiary education.

But successive governments have violated the terms of the pact, claiming that they didn’t have the money to meet some of its terms. Officials claimed that sections of the pact were difficult, and in some cases impossible, to implement. However, the union rejects these claims and has accused the government of using delay tactics and questionable criticisms to frustrate the deal.

Funding is the biggest problem confronting Nigeria’s education system. The percentage of the budget allocated to education annually is abysmally low. In 2018, only 7.04% was allocated to education. This is far below UNESCO’s recommended 15%-26% .

Nigeria’s experience with the commercialisation and neglect of government secondary and primary school levels has led to poorer education outcomes. Nor is privatisation the answer: it’s only likely to widen the gap between the rich and the poor. It will deny many children affordable quality education, increase the rate of illiteracy and reduce academic performance at the tertiary level.

If the government continues to privatise government-owned universities, as is already the case with the proliferation of private universities with high fees, tertiary education will become the exclusive preserve of the rich upper class. This, in a country where more than 90% of the population is currently living in abject poverty .

The government should also cut wasteful expenditure. For example, I would argue that the “school children feeding programme” is a massive drain on resources.

Government reported earlier this year that it allocated 220 billion naira for the programme and of that, about 50 billion naira was wasted. This money could have be spent on more pressing problems such as building more classrooms and equipping them, supplying teaching and learning materials and improving staff welfare and remuneration.

Money for research

Research suffers in three ways in Nigeria. First, researchers work without sponsorship, particularly in the core sciences. The Tertiary Education Trust Fund is virtually the only source of money. The Trust funds and sponsors research projects, gives grants for research and sponsors lecturers for academic conferences, among other things. But its resources are limited and its operations are slow, highly selective and sometimes politicised.

Secondly, study findings are often abandoned on library shelves because the government isn’t committed to research-oriented development. Researchers don’t have the means to promote their work and research findings.

Third, research output is mediocre and repetitive because there are no effective measures in place to track research output nationwide.

Stop incessant strikes

In 1978, the Academic Staff Union of Universities was established to represent academic staff in Nigeria’s universities. Since then , there have been strikes almost every year, disrupting the academic calendar.

To stop these annual disruptions, the government must increase budgetary allocations to the sector and honour agreements that have been signed with the unions.

The only way that strikes will be stopped is if the welfare of all staff, from teachers to lecturers, is prioritised.

In conclusion

If these priorities are successfully implemented, Nigeria’s education system would be well on its way to realising government’s commitment to its own policies and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals .

• Higher education
• Education funding
• Private education
• Teacher pay
• Muhammadu Buhari
• tuition fees
• Peacebuilding
• Academic performance
• Basic education
• Nigeria elections 2019

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The State of Primary Education in Nigeria: A Critical Review

2020, South Asian Research Journal of Arts, Language and Literature

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Improving the educational system in Nigeria

The educational system in Nigeria can best be described in tandem with infrastructural decay and distasteful conditions of service.

According to UNICEF one in every five of the world’s out of school children is in Nigeria. Although primary education is officially free and compulsory, about 10.5 million of the country’s children aged 5-14 years are not in school. Add this to the millions that are half educated due to a decayed educational system. Education as is widely-known, is the root of every development but unfortunately it has taken the back seat in Nigeria which is sad. This is largely due to poor educational infrastructural facilities as a result of neglect and poor funding, inadequate classrooms, ill equipped or non-existent learning facilities, unqualified teachers, terrible learning environments and conditions, as well as some social vices plaguing the educational institutions- talk of strikes, cultism et al Since independence, governments after governments have experimented with policies to improve this very vital sector, some of which have been laudable. However poor implementation, greed, corruption, misappropriation and lack of will have time and time proven to be our stumbling block.

A close assessment of activities has also revealed that other irregularities in schools such as malpractices, strikes and the lack of will to learn on the part of the students have also contributed to the downfall of the educational system in Nigeria. Pray, why will it take one 6 years to study a 4-year course because of a faulty system! This brings me to the reasons why many youths want to study abroad as the system has crumbled and most of our graduates are unemployable; reason being that those who are teaching them are not even ready.

Today, the deteriorating state of the Nigerian educational system has now made it almost a taboo for the typical Nigerian not to aspire to be educated abroad. Truth is, to have the chance to compete in the ever evolving global (labour) world, the students need requisite skills-which is not likely to be handed down to them by the current educational system in Nigeria, and thus, they go in search of it abroad where it is available.

Nigerians studying in tertiary institutions in the USA rose by 5.8% to 13423 in 2018/19 academic year from 12693 in 2017/18 academic year according to the open-door report by the institute of international education (IIE). This is just in tertiary universities in USA. The impact of this is that the country loses its youth and workforce to other countries because many of the students refuse to return. In the USA, 4% of Nigerians hold a PHD compared to 1% of the general US population according to the United States census bureau. 17% of Nigerians hold a Master’s degree while 37% hold a Bachelor’s degree

Over time, there has been a decay in our educational system. There is a system which is not working for the young people. Something is wrong with our education system and it’s time we changed that.

Nigerian students are of high quality and standard that they are now being offered scholarships et al to come study in say UK.

What can be done? For meaningful development to take place in the educational sector, government needs to re-address the issue of funding and there has to be a total re-orientation from the home to the government. There is an urgent need for private-public partnership to invest heavily in education in terms of infrastructures, technology, teachers, funding of researches so as to be able to compete globally.

There is no better time to encourage technical hands-on education than now. Technical adaptation centers must be encouraged and well-funded. Enough of the monolithic approach to knowledge.

Invest heavily in technology for both learning and teaching to be able to compete globally. The research sub-sector that is grossly neglected in Nigeria and played upon is the basis for the socio economic, political, scientific and technological advancement of our most admired developed nations of the world today.

Funding is the biggest problem confronting Nigeria’s education system. The percentage of the budget allocated to education annually is atrociously low. For example in 2018, only a little above 7% was allocated to education. This is far below UNESCO’s recommended 26%. Relatively, this is no way to be able to compete in the global space. Also, the private sector needs to be encouraged to partner with the public sector to provide appropriate funding to lift the educational sector.

In conclusion there is no disputing the fact that the Nigerian educational system requires a total restructuring which is needed to improve the performance of both primary and tertiary institutions. Nigeria entered the 21st century unprepared to compete in the ever-evolving global economy/world- where growth will be based on knowledge.

It is also a fact that the inadequacies always observed among many undergraduates and graduates alike is as a result of the inadequacies associated with the primary and the secondary education system in Nigeria Since no nation can develop above its educational system as education is akin to development, it has become imperative now more than ever to find some solutions to the problems of dwindling resource allocation to the educational sector in Nigeria

Conscious effort needs to be put towards qualitative and durable educational system so Nigeria can stand up to be counted. Mr. Ilouno, CEO, Next Generation Global Association, wrote from Lagos.

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Essay on Nigeria My Country

Students are often asked to write an essay on Nigeria My Country in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Nigeria My Country

Introduction to nigeria.

Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It is known for its rich culture and many languages. The land has forests, mountains, and rivers. Many people live in Nigeria, making it Africa’s most populated country.

Nigerian Culture

The culture in Nigeria is colorful. People enjoy music, dance, and art. They celebrate festivals with joy. Clothing is often bright and beautiful. Nigerian food is tasty and includes rice, soups, and spices.

Places in Nigeria

Nigeria has exciting places to see. There are big cities like Lagos and natural spots like the Zuma Rock. Visitors like to see the wildlife and markets too.

Nigeria faces some problems. Not all children can go to school, and keeping the environment clean is tough. Leaders are working to solve these issues.

Nigeria is a country with friendly people and a strong spirit. It is full of life and has a future full of promise. It is a place many call home with pride.

250 Words Essay on Nigeria My Country

Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It’s known for its colorful culture, rich history, and natural beauty. With over 200 million people, it’s the most populous country in Africa and the seventh in the world.

Land and Nature

The land in Nigeria is very diverse. There are sandy beaches, large rivers, and even forests. The country also has a lot of wildlife, including elephants and lions. Nigeria’s weather is mostly hot since it’s close to the equator, but it also has rainy and dry seasons.

Culture and People

Nigeria is home to many different groups of people. Each group has its own language, traditions, and festivals. Music and dance are very important in Nigerian culture. The country is famous for its Nollywood film industry, which is one of the largest in the world.

Nigeria has a lot of natural resources like oil and gas. These resources play a big role in its economy. Agriculture is also important; many people farm products like cocoa and peanuts.

Nigeria faces some challenges, such as making sure everyone has enough food and access to education. The country is working to solve these problems and make life better for its people.

Nigeria is a country with a lot of diversity and potential. Even though it has challenges, its rich culture and natural resources make it a unique and important part of the world.

500 Words Essay on Nigeria My Country

Nigeria is a country located in West Africa. It is known for its rich history, diverse cultures, and natural resources. With over 200 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous in the world. The land is full of life and color, with many languages spoken and various traditions practiced.

Geography and Climate

The country has a varied landscape that includes beaches, mountains, forests, and deserts. The climate is tropical, with rainy and dry seasons that change depending on the area. The southern part of Nigeria is mostly wet and green, while the north can be hot and dry. This makes Nigeria home to a wide range of plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

Nigeria’s culture is a tapestry of the many ethnic groups that live there. The country has over 250 ethnic groups, with the Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba being the largest. Each group has its own customs, language, and way of life. Music and dance are important in Nigerian culture, with traditional beats like Afrobeat and Highlife being popular. Nigerian movies, known as Nollywood, are famous across Africa and tell stories that reflect the lives of the people.

Nigerian food is as diverse as its people. Dishes are often made with rice, beans, and yams, and are seasoned with spices that make them flavorful. Some popular foods include jollof rice, a spicy dish made with tomatoes and rice, and suya, which is grilled meat with a tasty spice rub. These foods are not just tasty but also a way to bring people together, as meals are a time for family and friends to share stories and enjoy each other’s company.

Nigeria has a growing economy that is one of the largest in Africa. It is rich in resources like oil and natural gas, which are important for the country’s wealth. Agriculture is also a key part of the economy, with many people working in farming to grow crops like cocoa, peanuts, and palm oil. Nigeria’s markets are full of life, with people buying and selling goods every day.

Like any country, Nigeria faces challenges. Some areas have to deal with poverty and not having enough schools or hospitals. There are also times when different groups disagree, leading to conflict. Despite these issues, many Nigerians are working hard to make their country a better place, focusing on education, health, and peace.

Nigeria is a country with a heart full of rhythm and a spirit that shines. Its landscapes are breathtaking, its cultures are vibrant, and its people are strong and resilient. Even with the difficulties it faces, Nigeria continues to move forward, building a future that honors its rich past and looks ahead with hope. For many Nigerians, their homeland is more than just a place on the map—it is a part of who they are.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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