Article Summary
- Education stakeholders in Lagos have urged the country’s next administration to restructure and guarantee that institutions are appropriately protected.
- They stated the need to increase the budgetary allocation, public-private partnership
- Others are friendly policies for private investors and prioritizing teacher education and training
Lagos-based education stakeholders have urged the country’s next administration to restructure and guarantee that institutions are appropriately protected, according to reports from nannews.com.
They stated that doing this was essential to ensuring that all students in the nation receive continuous academic instruction at all grade levels.
According to Mr. Yomi Otubela, national president of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), the Federal Government must immediately restructure important facets of the economy, starting with education.
NAPPS demands
Otubela emphasized that in order to save the education sector from total decay, the new administration needs to hit the ground running as it creates an improved agenda.
The need to increase budgetary allocation
- “There is an immediate need to increase the current budgetary allocation to education. This will go a long way in increasing investment in the critical aspects of education.
The need for public-private partnership
- “However, It is glaring that governments alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of providing adequate quality education, therefore public-private partnerships will be needed for effective synergy to reposition education.
Friendly policies for private investors
- “Private investors in education should be encouraged through friendly policies to increase the level of private investments in the education sector.
Prioritizing teacher education and training
- “Teacher education and training should also be prioritised to produce the required manpower to reposition the education sector to its desired state,” he said.
Missed allocation
As he stated, during the two terms of the Buhari-led administration, up to 15 percent of the annual budget was not allocated for education although it is a critical sector of the economy.
- “It did not also make substantial investments in the training of teachers at all levels of the system.
- “In Nigeria today, primary education has continued to flounder much as secondary education, with less infrastructure development and teaching facilities provided.
- “The decay in basic infrastructure and teaching facilities and inaccessibility to both state-owned primary and secondary schools across had paved the way for the proliferation of private schools in the country.
- “Sadly, the majority of these privately owned schools are also operating below the minimum standard approved for operation, and the few that have met the approved standard charge arbitrarily, without any form of regulation.
- “They lay claim to the increasing cost of running schools as their major reason for the arbitrary increase in their school fees,” Otubela said.
Also speaking, Prof. Bidemi Lafiji-Okunneye, Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Ijanikin and Epe campuses, expressed optimism that the incoming administration would perform better in the area of education.
According to her, she believes that the incoming administration would improve on the challenges which the education sector is facing in a holistic manner.
Prof. Okunneye was also positive that the teaching and learning across tiers and all levels will be upgraded and improved upon.
- “Let me state that the Lagos State government has fared very well in terms of education.
- “The establishment of the two new universities is an achievement and the state government has been supporting the stability of the universities.
- “As we transmuted from college of education to university, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave a mandate that no one should lose any job, which we all assured.
- ” Those who were also due for a promotion at the college level, we followed the mandate by implementing the promotion for 2022,” she said.
Mr. Sunday Fowowe, National President, of the Association of Nursery and Primary Education Instructors in Nigeria (ANPEIN), said that one of the current administration’s major achievements was the establishment of a secondary education commission.
Fowowe stated that the Federal Government also increased funds for higher institutions’ research, through TETFUND, established new universities, and Federal Colleges of Education, and introduced 65 years retirement age for willing teachers.
- “The shortcomings in the education sector for the past eight years are; persistent strikes by ASUU that up till now have not been resolved, nonchalant attitude toward higher education, and non–expert as Minister of Education
- “The incoming government should ensure that provision for the scholarship is increased and strengthened.
- “We also want the establishment of an early childhood education commission. This is imperative to allow quality and 100 percent concentration in the foundation, to be well structured and receive attention,” he said. (NAN)