Former Adekunle Ajasin University Vice Chancellor Professor Olufemi Mimiko named Corruption and inadequate money as the two main barriers to higher Education in Nigeria in a pre-convocation address at Federal University, Lokoja. He underlined that Nigeria has failed to meet the UNESCO requirement that Education receive 15–25% of GDP and demanded more Investment for the field. Mimiko emphasised how congested, outdated, and inadequate university facilities are, and how fundamental learning resources are either nonexistent or insufficient. The universities also have a serious staffing shortage.
Further aggravating the situation is corruption, which he vaguely defined as provincialism and underproductive employees. The only way to make colleges competitive and promote national development, according to Mimiko, is to rethink the educational system. While polytechnics should specialise in technical training for middle-level personnel, he also recommended that universities concentrate on conceptual understanding. The talk was commended by Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, the vice chancellor of Federal University in Lokoja, for its applicability to the educational and economic advancement of Nigeria. Insufficient Finance has been a persistent problem for Nigeria’s educational system.
Nig. devotes only about 5.39% of its national budget to education.
In contrast to countries like Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya, which all devote roughly 13%, 20%, and 7% of their national budgets to education, respectively, Nigeria devotes only about 5.39% of its National Budget to education as of 2023, well below UNESCO’s recommended threshold of 15% to 20% of total GDP. This leads to ongoing issues in Nigerian universities, including deteriorating facilities, packed classrooms, and a serious lack of staff and educational resources. The quality of education and students’ ability to compete worldwide are hampered by these problems.
Effective educational reform is exemplified by nations such as Rwanda. Rwanda reorganised its education system following the 1994 genocide by making significant investments in curricular revisions, Teacher training, and Technology integration. By 2023, Rwanda was spending roughly 15% of its national budget on education, which contributed to the development of a more equitable and resilient educational system. With an emphasis on higher education, research funding, and industry-university alliances, Singapore is another example of a modernisation revolution that has made the nation a global centre for Innovation and education.
Academic calendars are disrupted by extensions and strikes.
According to a more thorough examination of Nigeria’s educational issues, corruption exacerbates the situation by frequently taking the form of nepotism in hiring, bribery in student admissions, and improper use of funds. This causes long-term strikes by university employees, deteriorating facilities, and limited access to high-quality education for students. Students’ time at university is extended and academic calendars are disrupted by these strikes, which are frequently motivated by complaints about inadequate pay and working conditions. Faculty members are overworked and underpaid, which limits their ability to do research and contribute to Nigeria’s intellectual and economic development.
Mimiko’s worries are echoed by other experts, like Professor Peter Okebukola, the former Executive Secretary of Nigeria’s National Universities Commission (NUC), who emphasises that, absent significant reforms, employment issues will persist for Nigerian university graduates. Due to insufficient university training and facilities, the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) is concerned that graduates lack the technical and practical skills required in the modern workforce. Poor corruption has a long-term effect on Nigeria’s development objectives. The country’s capacity to innovate, industrialise, and compete in the Global Economy is jeopardised when institutions are unable to generate top-notch researchers or graduates.
Related Article: Challenges Facing Education in Nigeria
Due in part to the education sector’s inability to provide the trained labour force required to propel industrialisation and technology, Nigeria’s Vision 2020 plan, which sought to place the country among the top 20 economies by 2020, failed. Nigeria prioritises raising its education expenditure in order to enhance the Educational System and at least reach the UNESCO standard. To guarantee that money is distributed and used appropriately, this should be combined with more robust anti-corruption measures. Nigeria’s university system may be revitalised and brought into line with national development objectives by making investments in teacher training, Curriculum modernisation, and collaborations with the corporate sector.