State of emergency on education

The decision of the federal ministry of education to declare a state of emergency on education is long overdue as education for decades continues to occupy the back seat in the policies and plans of successive administrations that busy themselves with security and economic matters. Education is believed to have little impact on national development even though it is explicitly stated in the national policy on education that education should be used as a means of developing the country.

The rate of school dropouts continues to rise almost geometrically, out-of-school children are increasing and literacy level, disappointedly, does not reflect seriousness that the important but relegated, sector should enjoy. The final product of viable and productive education should manifest vividly on the overall development of the country. Out of ignorance and unprecedented illiteracy, suicide bombers, Fulani herdsmen constitute threats to national security of Nigeria. Graduates are turned out yearly in large numbers from universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to contribute their own quota to the development of the nation. What do we have? They search for jobs that are far-fetched, joining the millions that struggle to get jobs, helping the unemployment rate to rise along with crime. The budget allocation for education has never met the requirements of the UNESCO, then should we expect to reap what we never sowed?

The ministry should first check some of its policies that are not effective in increasing the literacy level. Truly, the NPE that contains the plans and policies of education are often reviewed and updated, but total overhauling that will see to the removal of ineffective ones that would be replaced with other ones that reflect the needs of Nigerians. All policies in education are formed with a view to educating Nigerians equally in all regions irrespective of the antecedents of each of the regions. All the states and regions are expected to develop at the same pace. If the policies thrive in a part, it may woefully fall through in another. Though there should be national aims and goals, the needs of each region should be considered first, and designing plans for each region based on its needs is an urgent step to be taken.

Timothy Faboade,

Gbongan, Osun State.