Commercialisation of education, threat to development — Prof Pate

It has been lamented that the commercialisation of education in the country is posing a huge threat to development in every aspect of life forcing not fewer than 84 million people to live far below the poverty line.

The assertion was made by the Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Kashere in Gombe State, Professor Umar Pate while delivering a pre-convocation lecture entitled: ‘Education and Nigeria’s National Integration in Digital Age: Matters Arising’.

It was on the occasion of the 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th Combined Convocation of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi (ATBU) held at the 1000 Seat Capacity Lecture Theatre, Yelwa Campus, Bauchi.

Pate, also decried the segmentation of education in the country based on income, religion and locality, saying that these factors are threats to the educational role in National integration.

According to him, national integration has two important aspects which include first, the existing pattern of State and government, and secondly, the formation and development of the character, mind, and consciousness of every individual or citizen on the basis of common ideas, values, norms, law, beliefs and customs.

The famous communication expert also said that education on the other hand refines and equips its recipient with values for human advancement that infuses knowledge and skills as well as promotes integration, builds and sustains confidence for togetherness.

Pate added “Education is one of the highest-ranking forces for our integration process at the national, state and local levels. The Unity Schools and a large number of federal universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme and the Joint Admission Matriculation Board(JAMB) are all federal government education policies and programmes to promote integration.

“However today, our educational system is under threat on the basis of commercialization. In Nigeria today, 84 million citizens are living below the poverty line, how can they afford the kind of money our institutions are charging.

“Every year, Nigeria produces 3.5 million seekers of employment, the question is, has the government established vocational schools that can cater for those who cannot afford the exorbitant charges by our institutions as well as making plans for these job seekers that are flooding the labour market?”

The University don further stated that some of the consequences of subverting the values of education in National Integration include ethnoreligious violence, insurgency, violent crimes, widespread corruption, poor governance, incompetence and worsening management of diversity and multicultural settings.

He also said that the way forward was for the government to improve the management of diversity, adding that leaders in the nation should live by example, and enhance digital technologies that promote hate speeches.

It should also make public schools attractive to the people and equip citizens with the right skills that will enable them to differentiate between right and wrong information.