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More can be achieved with improved funding, facilities, training

By James Kayode Makinde
01 October 2015   |   3:57 am
Education is society’s dynamic bridge spanning the turbulent waters of the present (today) to connect a nation’s past (yesterdays) with its future (tomorrows).
Makinde

Makinde

Education is society’s dynamic bridge spanning the turbulent waters of the present (today) to connect a nation’s past (yesterdays) with its future (tomorrows). Or, as naturalists would figuratively paint the graphic picture, education represents the tree trunk that connects its roots to its fruits. The story of Nigeria’s 55-year turbulent adventure into nationhood is most accurately told by tracing the fortunes (and/or misfortunes) of its educational system.

The resilience of Nigeria’s educational sector cannot be creditably questioned with it’s still very strong vital signs of life in the face of morbidly vexing issues ranging from unstably confusing, and often outright contradictory government policies, inadequate and deteriorating funding, blatant corruption, lack of instructional aids, current textbooks and laboratory/technical equipment, obsolete curriculum and didactics, campus violence and unstable sessional academic calendars, etc.

But since the long overdue advent of private universities in 1999, the 21st century seems to have ushered in a new era of remarkably noticeable quantitative and qualitative upward turn in industry-moderated capacity building in the industry.

The initial skepticism and even historical hostility that greeted the licensing of private universities saying they could be at best, no more than glorified secondary schools, have under the weight of evidence of industry-driven demand for the superior knowledge acquired and character imparted, since yielded ground to a reversed accusation of elitism.

But with overall expanded access provided by private universities and recent revaluation and global market acceptance of Nigerian academic degrees and professional skills certification, Nigerian education with all its travails and challenges has successfully weathered its symbolic 40-year post-independence wilderness wandering, and now is faced with relevance and currency of 21st century curriculum content, pedagogical methodologies and a learner-friendly environmental upgrade.

Working with much less in terms of resources and rewards, Nigerian education has proved resilient and even resurgent. Which means if we continue in the current direction the best is yet to come.

Prof. Makinde is President/Vice Chancellor, Babcock University

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