Inability of successive government to make informed decision on human capital development, couple with low investment rate of educational expenditure to national income have been identified as the cause of the grumbling education system in Nigeria.
The low evaluation of the role of education in achieving economic development in Nigeria is attributable to the failure to restrain conspicuous consumption and invest excess oil money in education, according to professionals in the education sector.
They observe that the rate of educational expenditure to national income in Nigeria is among the lowest in the world, and it is a clear indication that the government needs to give education system the attention it rightly deserves.
Peter Okebukola, chairman of Council, Crawford University and chairman, Board of Trustees, Caleb University, says a modern education system is the cornerstone of a modern economic system, which contributes directly to economic growth.
Okebukola, while speaking at the second convocation lecture of McPherson University on the topic: Reconstructing the Shattered Education Mirror: Hard Choices We Cannot Side Step, said Nigeria was too endowed to have about 12 percent of its basic education children sitting on the floor or under trees to learn in 2017.
“Less than 20 percent of the public primary schools in the country are sufficiently resourced to deliver quality basic education,” he said.
The Nigerian educational system from basic to higher is characterised by acute shortage of quality facilities in the right quantity, he said, saying unless this is address, the nation will continue to play catch up to her peers.
According to Okebukola, “The overarching strategy to improve access and quality of education and make it more relevant to productive activities, value re-orientation, employment generation and wealth creation lies on funding and proper policy implementation.”
Adeniyi Agunbiade, vice-chancellor of the university in his welcome address, where 45 graduates where found worthy in character and learning, said, “the university continues to employ IT facilities for training people both within and outside the university.” Four female bagged first class among the 45 graduates.
To him, among other achievements, memoranda of understanding are being worked out with a number of institutions and agencies abroad on linkages and collaborative partnerships with the university.
Earlier on, Olurinde Lafe, pro-chancellor and chairman, Governing Council, McPherson University, charged the graduates to be bold, stressing that as one of the few educated elite this country had there were huge expectations from family and friends looking forward to their contributions to pull them out of whatever socio-economic level they were in life.
