MORE LEARNING TO MORE PEOPLE: HOW CAN NIGERIA BE MORE INNOVATIVE IN BRIDGING IT’S LITERACY AND SKILLS GAP? INTRODUCTION If the successful introduction and implementation of the first free primary Education programme in Africa was carried out in Nigeria and we all have a common speech which goes thus “The Labour of our heroes past shall never be in Vain”, then we are left with no other option than to immortalize a great hero like Chief Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo G.C.F.R, S.A.N. The age of information brought about through the digital revolution of computers has posed significant questions about the value and worth of Education in Nigeria as a Nation. Taking a look at the “Unbridged Literacy and skills gap” in Nigeria we have a big question to ask ourselves, is the unbridged literacy & skills gap in Nigeria caused by our past or present Heroes, past or present leaders, past or present scholars, past or present teachers, past or present parents, past or present students? Then we have a chorus answer that, it is caused by everyone. Being more innovative in bridging the literacy and skilled gap we have in Nigeria, we should know that Education is critical for the long-term success of Nigeria. The country’s ability to stay competitive in a knowledge-driven world is not dependent on Natural resources of a country but rather dependent on the development of the right skills at different levels of human endeavour. At the moment, the challenge of doing this is quite immense because Nigeria is decades behind in the provision of quality Education and Ideal environment for the development of the required skills. Education is central to the actualization of a goal-driven country because of its responsible roles in developing individual skills and “bridging literacy and skills gap” to drive other sectors of the economy and the country as a Nation. With a population over 150 million, Nigeria has an asset that can move the Nation forward. However the large population of illiterates and unskilled people is at the moment considered more of a liability or time bomb and can only be truly an asset worthwhile if thoroughly natured through quality Education in all Diaspora. In a country like Nigeria where you have some “literates who are illiterates” due to corruption, low standard of Education and poor development of the Education sector. We need a strategic plan for the Development of the Education sector and to “bridge the literacy and skills gap” we have in Nigeria as a Nation. These strategic plans for the development of the Education Sector are to tackle the challenges hampering the Nigerian Education system from playing its key national development role. The views of individuals and groups within the Nigerian Education sector should be harnessed and embedded in the plan. They are divided into different Focal areas: Allocating the largest amount of the budget to Education sector in Nigeria’s Budget. Technical and Vocational Education and training Funding, partnership, sponsors Standard and Quality Assurances Proficiency of the institutional management of Education Infrastructure Teacher Education and Development Institutes and Training for the physically challenged and Remand centres Free Education programme to Tertiary Institution at Federal Level Job Creation and Unemployment Benefits ALLOCATION OF THE LARGEST AMOUNT TO EDUCATION SECTOR IN NIGERIA’S BUDGET The lingering crisis in the Nations Education sector is due to long years of neglect and poor funding. In “bridging the literacy and skills gap” in the Nations Education sector, it is therefore imperative for the three tiers of government, not to only allocate the largest amount of the budget to education but to also implement the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) of 26% budget to Education. Though the 2013 budget allocated the largest amount to Education which is a step in the right direction. It is still far below the expected 26% allocation of the budget to education by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in sort the proposed allocation of the N 426.53 billion to the sector only takes 8.67% of the total budget of N 4.92 Trillion in 2013 which is 17.33% below United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)’s recommendation of 26% allocation. If United Nation Education, Scientific and cultural organisation’s (UNESCO) allocation is approved, duly released and utilised judiciously, the sector would record significant improvement in all Diaspora’s and by these education will be seriously tailored to the needs of the society. Government should live up to expectation not only giving attention to the education sector in terms of budgeting but also ensuring that the budget is followed meticulously in implementation in the dimension that is envisaged. FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME TO FEDERAL TERTIARY INSTITUTION If Education and Skill acquisition is paramount for the development of a country in this knowledge-driven world, then it should be for everyone regardless of the class, race, religion etc. If the successful introduction and implementation of the first free primary Education programme in Africa was carried out in Nigeria by immortal Chief Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo G.C.F.R, S.A.N, and we say that “the labour of our Heroes past shall never be in vain” then we are left with no other option than to maintain and carry out the main objective of Free Education Programme, even to the tertiary institution at federal level. Making Education free to the people regardless of class, race, religion guarantees development in all Diaspora of our society and bridging the immeasurable “literacy and skills gap” in our country as a Nation. If Education is a Key factor in the Economical development of a country in all Diaspora and we have to drastically reduce the alarming rate of illiteracy in the country, then it is essential in making free Educational programme up to the tertiary institutions at federal level a necessity, so as to attract the vast majority of the masses who are illiterates due to poverty and the impoverished state of the nation. For instance in Sri Lanka, Free Education is provided by the government at different levels. Government funded schools such as National schools, provincial schools and Piriven provided primary and secondary education free, while assisted schools and semi governmental schools provided the same at subsidized rates. At university level, the state universities provide undergraduate courses free. Grants and Scholarships are provided for a limited number as study allowance. So this is something our government should emulate to better the dilapidating state of Education Sector in the country and it is going to be a step in the right direction for a country like Nigeria. STANDARD AND QUALITY ASSURANCE From time immemorial, standard has always been used to show prudence and Excellence. A country like Nigeria that needs standard and quality Education as a key factor in the Economical development of a country in all Diaspora. The plan for standard and quality Education should identify the responsibilities of departments, units, Parastatals of the federal Ministry of Education, State governments and other Stakeholders towards meeting the set goals of Standard and quality assurance. If we have Various National Systems in the Education sector which are as follows. Nigeria Education Management information System (NEMIS) Teacher Development Needs Assessment System (TDNA) Quality Assurance (QA) School Based Management Committees (SBMC) Guidance and counselling system (G & C) Monitoring Learning Achievement (MLA) The system should strategise and initiate plans that will strengthen the role that the Federal Ministry of Education is expected to play in maintaining standards through the establishment of effective Nation systems. It should be a plan that will attempt to implement strategies that will make “Education” to be more functional beyond “schooling” which it actually is, where emphasis are on certification, we recognise that Education is not synonyms with schooling and what really differs education from schooling is the economical development i.e. it emphasises on development. The purpose of development of individuals is to enable them to contribute to the development of the society in all Diaspora and at large. Nigeria is uniquely positioned to be able to harness and distribute it’s resources for sustenance of it’s population, and this self-reliant disposition can be nurtured and is admired in the Vast population of unemployed youths through standard and quality assured Education and training. There is a saying that whatever is worth doing is worth doing worthwhile; therefore in “bridging the literacy and skill acquisition gap” we need to start from the basics. Which are, The Curricular, The Syllabi, The Extracurricular activities, Discipline, Guidance and Counselling (G & C) e.t.c. The curricula are the subjects included in a course that are taught at school or colleges etc. To create more learning to more people, we have to bridge literacy by improving our curricula because we live in a world where change is constants, and everything is dynamic, so we have to be updated in the curricular of the schools in the country to avoid academical retardation. The syllabi is a list of topics, books etc. that students should study in a particular subject or course at school. And it is to help the subject before they are been taught. The syllabi should be given to each and every student before their holidays to study meticulously so there would be a precocious insight of the subject before resumption. Extracurricular activities are the non-part of the usual course or work or studies at school. It helps in building the I.Q (Intelligence Quotient) and Interpersonal relationship of the students in all Diaspora, so it is a vital key factor in standardizing a quality of literacy and skilled gap in a country’s economical development in all Diaspora’s. Examples are Sporting Activities, Clubs (Chess, Press) e.t.c. Guidance and counselling (G & C) is another key factor in the development of the Education sector. It is a segment in the Education sector that shows the students the right path to tread in all areas (Academically, spiritually, morally, mentally) etc. This is an aspect that deals with the mind of each and every student, so should be handled with extreme prudence and expertise, because it might have a long lasting negative implication if not handled with care. They help the students find out their talents from academical performance and disperse them to various disciplines i.e. (Science, Arts, Commercial, and Vocational training e.t.c.). Discipline goes a long way in developing the Education Sector of an Economy. It is the most important aspect in bridging the literacy and skill gap of an Economy. “If the world were an incurable disease discipline would be the Vaccine”. Moreover we need discipline in our Great Nation Nigeria because of the crunching state of Education at the moment. Discipline is needed in diver’s areas of the Education sector, from the Ministry, to the professors to the vice chancellors, to the lecturers, to the students, to the principals, to the teachers, to the pupils. e.t.c. It is a priority in “bridging the literacy and skills gap” in an economy. Taking a look at the alarming rate of Examination malpractice in the country, which is as a result of indiscipline in the part of the superiors and the students themselves. Discipline should be inculcated in various parastaltals of the sector most especially examinations, so as to curb the epidemic of examination malpractice making the “literacy and skill gap” immeasurable. The menace of Examination malpractice ravaging the country today is placing the future at a risk of economical crunch due to the level of indiscipline in the education sector. We must take preventive measure to curb the dastardly act of indiscipline and examination malpractice, by setting up disciplinary committee in every parastatal in Education sector. The Government should introducing tougher measures to those involved in the act of Examination malpractice and indiscipline to curb the menace. Examination board members involved in an indiscriminate act of Examination malpractice must be sanctioned. Anything that is done toward education that is not good, you and I, and as Nation, we are postponing our doomsday. I hereby challenge the government of the great Nation Nigeria to seize the opportunity of this essay to address this sector in totality. The government should also ensure that effective training and development of the teachers are carried out annually apart from their promotional examinations. INFRASTRUCTURE From time immemorial infrastructure has always being a key factor in the development of any sector of the Economy. This time around it is the Education sector of our great Nation Nigeria that needs the right infrastructure in place so more conducive learning environment can be given to more people to bridge the “Immeasurable literacy and skills gap” caused by poor infrastructure in our education sector. Infrastructure in Education is the basic system and service that is necessary for the Educational sector, Examples, buildings, transport, water, power supplies and administrative systems. The dilapidating state of infrastructure in the Education sector has reduced investors from investing in the Education sector. The government should invest drastically in the infrastructure of the Education sector, For instance in the public primary and secondary schools we have in the country their infrastructure is just too poor, from the classes, to the laboratories, to the staff rooms, to the toilets e.t.c. Learning under such harsh conditions brings about failure and the government keep on complaining on the high rate of failure or poor performances in various external examinations. The cause is nothing else but because of poor infrastructure in the various schools. It also creates problem for other sectors of the economy, for instance schools with poor toilets or pit latrines when used by pupils, get infections thereby causing problem for the health sector. Schools with poor water supply for the pupils, when drank causes cholera and all sorts of diseases thereby causing problems for the health section. The government should invest more on infrastructures of the dilapidated schools, to move the sector and economy to greener pastures. TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TRAINING Being more innovative in “bridging literacy and skills gap” means as a Nation, the voices of the people must be heard irrespective of the class, religion and tribe in the education sector. We have three classes of people in the education sector, we have Precocious (High I.Q E.g. Geniuses) Mediocre (Average I.Q E.g. Average students) Lower Class (Low I.Q E.g. Lower Class student) As a Government we are suppose to carry the three classes of the people along with the growth of the sector, whereby neglecting none. We should have standard and Quality Vocational and technical schools for students who are low academically but very intellectual in skill acquisition. Not everyone is going to get a white Collar Jobs, some people are going to have the blue Collar Jobs, and so it is essential that all classes of people are carried along in the development of the Education sector of the Economy in all Diaspora. The government should aim at having standard and quality vocational centres and technical institutions in all the local government areas in this country, because it is great benefits to the vast majority of technocrats we have in different Diaspora of this country. This is going to help curb the menace of criminal activities taking place in the neighbourhood due to idleness and laziness, various government have not taken education very serious. It has been a sort of policy instability today is 6-5-4; tomorrow 6-3-3-4 day after talking scrapping of UTME and so on and forth for we as a Nation Education should be seen as a vehicle of survival. The government has been talking about 6-3-3-4 which of course has technological education. How far have we gone on it, we should take it as a step in the right direction to accomplish our vision 20-20 goal. The government should also create training institution centres for the physically challenged and remand centres. FUNDING PARTNERSHIP AND SPONSORS If after all these we have accomplished our vision of “More Learning to more people” and “the Literacy and skills gap is bridged”, then we will get more partners, more funds and sponsors in the Education sector in Nigeria, Below are the list of funding partners in the education sector. CRF – Consolidated Revenue Fund DTLC – Direct Teaching and Laboratory Cost Grants NGO – Non Government Organisation PFI – Private Finance Initiative PPP – Public Private Partnership STUMEC – Students Tutoring Mentioning and Counselling Programme TETFUND – Tertiary Education Trust Fund TNAE – Teacher Needs Assessment Exercise TSS – Teacher Salary Structure I as an ambassador of this great Nation, hereby challenge the government of the great Nation Nigeria to seize the opportunity of this essay to address the Education sector in totality. And make available “more learning to more people” by “bridging the literacy and skills gap” in our Great Nation Nigeria.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 02:18:50 +0000
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