IT is no longer news that Nigerian parents pay about $1billion as tuition annually for their children studying abroad. This is part of the strain the naira is facing at the moment, which has made it so weak against other world currencies.
I know those in the middle and lower cadres in the society are not guilty of this. For one to be able to send one’s child abroad for tertiary education, then one will be in government, or be a rich businessman or woman, or one will be into pipeline bunkering.
What is painful here is that the majority of those who have their children studying abroad are also those who contributed to the decay we are experiencing in the education sector today. Why have we failed to upgrade our education system? The answer is simple; the powerful people in the country are aware that education liberates, and the only thing they can use to keep the people down perpetually is by denying them qualitative education.
Therefore, the easiest way to do this is simply by neglecting the education sector. To know how terrible this situation is, one needs to visit public primary and secondary schools around the country. One will weep for our upcoming generation.
Most of the buildings are dilapidated, and it is not uncommon to find students learning on the floor, or under trees.
At the end of the day, those who had left the shores of the country will return to have dominion over those who had their education in dilapidated classrooms.
I believe President Muhammadu Buhari is out to change the situation of things in this country. In fact, education is a sector that can generate billion of dollars for the country. When we have standard tertiary institutions, then foreign students will apply to study here, thereby bringing in a cash-flow of dollars.
Today, the top destinations for students as far as education is concerned is the United States and United Kingdom, and the reasons are obvious. Nigeria can do the same as well with the commitment of our leaders.
- Dr Jeremiah Galong,
Jos, Plateau State.
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