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ISBN : 9780974211428
Title Page
Enhancing the Practicality of and the Accessibility to Education in Nigeria
Augustine Odinakachukwu Ejiogu
Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
Imo State University,
Owerri
+2348034317244
Acknowledgements
I hereby acknowledge the assistance rendered to me by all those whom I used their libraries and
all who read through the work before the final submission. I say thank you very much for all
your contributions towards the success of this work.
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Enhancing the Practicality of and the Accessibility to Education in Nigeria
Augustine Odinakachukwu Ejiogu
Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
Imo State University,
Owerri.
ABSTRACT
Education enlightens, raises awareness, develops and liberates individuals, groups and
communities as well as providing the tools for critical and independent thinking. Provision of
tools for critical and independent thinking includes equipping individuals with practical and
marketable skills for self employment. However, majority of those who go through such practical
based courses as in agriculture hardly find themselves sufficiently equipped with the needed
skills and competencies. This paper argues that for education in Nigeria to truly liberate, we
should consciously implement strategies that effectively reduce to the barest minimum the pool of
the uneducated or undereducated especially to the extent that they lack the skills and
competencies to fend for themselves. We need a starting point towards democratic education by
enhancing the practicality of and the accessibility to education in Nigeria. Specifically, this
paper strongly suggests that in terms of enhancing the practicality of education, vocational and
technical training at all levels of education should sufficiently address the practical aspects. If
we assume that all school leavers should have a minimum of basic training while in school, we
should acknowledge that the schools do not furnish this minimum to all who enter. The rest leave
school with no special training to fit them for work. Specifically, the practical aspects of
agriculture should be sufficiently and effectively emphasized in preparing the students so that
those who go through the relevant programmes can be properly equipped for the world of work.
For enhanced access, increased funding is an imperative.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Education can be broadly defined as the process by which a society deliberately and
systematically transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one generation to
another (SAIH, 2007). It is the communication, administration and development of knowledge.
Education can either be described as formal or non-formal education. Formal education takes
place under a formal, systematized and regulated school system. On the other hand, adult and
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non-formal education embraces functional literacy, remedial, continuing, vocational, aesthetic,
cultural and civic education for adults and young adults outside the formal school system
NERDC (2004). It should be noted that vocational and civic education are also available in the
formal education sector.
Education creates two classes of people: the educated and the uneducated or undereducated
(Esteva, Prakash , & Stuchul , n.d). A good, democratic, functional and responsive education
system should to all intents and purposes pay proportionate attention to both classes of people.
As a result, academic programmes need to be relevant, practical and comprehensive; while
interest and ability determine an individual’s choice and direction in education. Not all education
is good education. Good education enlightens, raises awareness, develops and liberates
individuals, groups and communities as well as providing the tools for critical and independent
thinking.
The quality of instruction at all levels has to be oriented towards inculcating the acquisition of
competencies necessary for self-reliance (NERDC, 2004). When members of the ‘educated’
class are sufficiently deficient in the requisite competencies for the world of work, they are not
better than the ‘uneducated’ and to that extent both are a clog in the wheel of national
development and economic prosperity. One of the negative effects in national development is the
acute lack of marketable and employable skills, in other words: unemployment. The youth
comprising secondary school leavers and university graduates are worse-hit by unemployment.
In Africa, including Nigeria, some of the factors that engender youth unemployment are as
follows: a general lack of employment opportunities on account of the capacity of the economy,
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poor quality education and an education sector that increasingly equips young people with
limited practical and industrial skills. Education, even the best possible available, cannot address
all the problems of society. Evidently, it has the potential to help the recipients make the world a
better place. Conversely, flawed education can cause colossal collateral damage to the society
including breeding a generation of malcontents.
If we assume that all school leavers should have a minimum of basic training while in school, we
should acknowledge that the schools do not furnish this minimum to all who enter. The rest leave
school with no special training to fit them for work. Vocational and technical courses are
therefore needed to attract and hold those who turn up for instruction in institutions of learning
and thereby enable them obtain suitable preparation for useful employment
This paper argues that for education in Nigeria to truly liberate, we should consciously design
strategies that will effectively reduce to the barest minimum the pool of the uneducated or
undereducated who are not only unemployed but also unemployable. We need a starting point
towards democratic education by enhancing the practicality of and the accessibility to education
in Nigeria. Specifically, this paper strongly suggests that in terms of increasing the practicality of
education, vocational and technical training at all levels of education should be enhanced and
access also improved as a part of democratizing education. This study was conducted based on
data derived from secondary sources. The rest of the paper is organized into the following
sections: unemployment in Nigeria; practicality and accessibility of education; technical and
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vocational education; and enhancing the practicality of the Nigerian education system; the way
forward. The paper is summarized with conclusion and recommendations.
2.0 UNEMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA
(Ijere, 1992). In 1964, it was 14%. In 1985, it was 4.3% and increased to 5.3% in 1986 and to
7.0% in 1987. In 1988 it was 5.1% and by 1999 it had risen to 20% only to fall to 10.8% in 2003
(National Planning Commission [NPC], 2005). In 2006, unemployment rate was recorded as
11.9% (African Peer Review Mechanism [APRM], 2008). The figures for 2009, 2010 and 2011
are 19.7%, 21.1% and 23.9% respectively. In all the largest proportion of the unemployed
represented by between 35 and 50% involved secondary school leavers. In 2003 for example, the
unemployed by educational attainment showed that secondary school leavers accounted for
53.6%; primary and tertiary education graduates accounted for 14.7% and 12.45% respectively;
those without schooling for 19.3% (Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN], 2003).
It has been argued that the fall in the unemployment figure between 1987 and 1988 was
attributable to some government efforts aimed at addressing the problem (Central Bank of
Nigeria [CBN], 2003) especially through the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). The
NDE programme emphasizes inculcation of practical skills and self-reliance. This at least goes to
buttress the relevance of practical skills and competences in the learning experiences of the
young adults.
3.0 PRACTICALITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF EDUCATION
Practicality can be construed as the quality of being suitable or likely to be successful. It is the
quality of a thing being workable. It is derived from the word ‘practical’ which means connected
with real things. On this premise, practicality of education in Nigeria should be understood as all
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efforts aimed at ensuring that the content of the education system is functional and so sufficiently
suitable and relevant to needs of the recipients in particular and the society at large. To the extent
that the curriculum content of the educational system is sufficiently rich in and effectively
inculcates practical and employable skills in the learners to that extent will the products of such
educational system be able to use their hands, hearts and head.
It is evident that the Nigerian national policy on education recognizes the need to equip the
learner with practical skills. For instance, one of the goals of primary education is providing the
child with basic tools for further educational advancement including preparation for trades and
crafts of the locality (NERDC, 2004). In pursuance to this, teaching shall be by practical,
exploratory and experimental methods. For the secondary education, one of the goals is to
provide technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for agricultural, industrial,
commercial and economic development. Notably, the national policy on education states that
emphasis on pre-vocational subjects should be on practice.
Enhancing the practical aspects of teaching and learning in Nigeria tends to be incomplete
without a brief focus on the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). SIWES is
the accepted skills training programme which is a part of the approved minimum academic
standards in some degree programmes for all Nigeria Universities. It is aimed at bridging the gap
between theory and practice of engineering and technology, science, agriculture, medical,
management and other professional educational programmes in the Nigerian tertiary institutions.
SIWES is funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria and is jointly coordinated by the
Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the Nigerian University Commission (NUC). SIWES is based
on a tripartite arrangement involving the students, the universities and the industry (Employer of
labour).
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Assessment and monitoring of the SIWES involves daily entry in the log book of the record of
actual industrial activity carried out. The industry-based supervisor is required to weekly go
through the log-book and make relevant comments. The industry- based supervisor is also
required to enforce discipline, ensure punctuality and good conduct of the student-trainee.
Lecturer from the student-trainees’ department in the University also known as the institutional
supervisor is expected to visit the student-trainee at the work place at least three times to
validate the students log-book report and assess the training programme in cooperation with the
industry- based supervisor.
One of the problems confronting the SIWES is that the federal government has not adequately
funded it (www.martinslibrary.blogspost.com/2012/12/guidlines-and-roles-of-stakeholders.html,
access 25 February, 2015). This is borne out of the backlog of unpaid students’ allowances. The
backlog of unpaid allowances has engendered lackluster attitude on the part of students, and the
different categories of supervisors. As a result, a national commission or board mandated to
operate the scheme is advocated. With a commission in place, funds can be directly appropriated
to it as is the case with the National Youth Service Corp. This proposed arrangement is as
opposed to the National Assembly appropriating funds for SIWES through the Federal Ministry
of Industries which releases to the Industrial Training Fund and eventually to the SIWES
beneficiary with all the attendant delays.
Related to the problem of inadequate funding is that lack of quality assurance on account of
insufficient supervision of the student-trainees. The students are expected to be supervised by a
representative from their academic institutions three times during the SIWES programme.
However, not all institutions meet this obligation on account of inadequate funding and poor
logistics.
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Focus on funding of education in Nigeria cannot be complete without due mention of the
activities of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). Education Tax Fund (ETF) was
established under Act No 7 of 1993 with the objective of improving the quality of education in
Nigeria (Akinsanya, 2007). The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), as an intervention
agency in the education sector was established under the TETFund Act of 2011. It is charged
with the core objective of revamping infrastructure and manpower in the country's tertiary
institutions. The TETFund Act of 2011 imposes a two per cent Education Tax on the assessable
profit of all registered companies in the country. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is
statutorily mandated by the Act to assess and collect the tax; TETfund administers the tax
imposed by the Act and disburses same to tertiary institutions at federal and state levels.
TETfund additionally monitors the projects implemented with the funds allocated to the
beneficiaries. The difference between the ETF and TETFund is that in TETFund is targeted at
interventions in public tertiary institutions. During the era of ETF 1993-2011, the fund was
applied across the board from primary institutions to tertiary institutions and so the fund was
thinly applied and could not be very effective. Based on the understanding that the economy is
driven by knowledge-based infrastructure largely dominated by science and technology the
TETFund should consider extending its interventionist funding activities to the private
universities in Nigeria even if it means targeting such science based subjects as agriculture.
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On its part, accessibility refers to the quality of being easily reached, entered, and used and so
on. Accessibility to education in Nigeria can be viewed as the capacity of the education system
to attract, absorb and hold all who need the education, want it and can profit by it. The national
policy on education has also made provisions in support of the need to for all citizens to have
equal access to education. For instance, basic education ‘shall be free and compulsory’.
The practicality and accessibility aspects of the Nigerian educational system should be defined
not only by the effectiveness of skills preparation and acquisition of school leavers but also by
the capacity to attract, retain and efficiently equip all who turn up for instruction. Let us focus
on some typical practical-based courses in the Nigerian educational system and thereby
interrogate their applicability to the system.
4.0 TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
According to Oranu (n.d), vocational education is that skill-based programme designed for subprofessional level education and based on a specific vocation. Technical education, on the other
hand, refers to the acquisition of practical and applied skills as well as basic scientific
knowledge. The main difference between the two terms is that, while vocational education is
designed for a particular vocation, technical education does not target any particular vocation but
gives general technical knowledge. So, while every vocational education programme is technical
in nature, not all technical education programmes are vocational. This subtle relationship
accounts for the interchangeable use of both terms in academic literature.
According to the Nigerian Policy on Education (2004), technical and vocational education is
used as a comprehensive term referring to those aspects of the educational process involving, in
addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and the acquisition
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of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations in various
sectors of the economic and social life. Technical and vocational education is thus understood to
be an integral part of general education. The term general education should therefore be
understood to be the total education programme and so includes both vocational and other types
of educational programmes; vocational education provides education for specific competencies
needed in preparing for or progressing in a vocation.
Two great assets of a nation which enter into the production of wealth whether agricultural or
industrial are natural resources and human labour (Agusiobo,n.d). The conservation and full
utilization of both depends on vocational education. Thus, as a successful vocational education
programme provides the human person with the specific requisite relevant competencies needed
in preparing for or progressing in a world of work, the recipient is thus better equipped with the
skills required to symbiotically and simultaneously work meeting human and environmental
needs in a given economy. In addition to the economic justification for vocational education,
there is also some social need for vocational education. By recognizing different tastes and
abilities and by giving equal opportunity to all to prepare for and enter into work, vocational
education is needed to democratize education. Vocational courses are therefore needed to attract
and hold in schools pupils who may drop out of school because they are unable to obtain suitable
preparation for useful employment.
There is the need to emphasize and thereby enhance the practical aspects of the nation’s
educational system. Furthermore, there is the need for unrestricted access to education for the
generality of the citizens. Thus far, this paper has presented some of the practical-based aspects
of the Nigerian educational system. It has also presented some justification for their inclusion.
The next section interrogates how the practical based courses are taught.
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5.0 ENHANCING THE PRACTICALITY OF AND THE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE
NIGERIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM
While interrogating the way the practical courses are taught with specific reference to the
availability or otherwise of the relevant facilities, this section also connects the interrogation to
the ways and means of enhancing accessibility to the Nigerian education system.
5.1 Enhancing the Practicality of the Nigerian Education System
It is clear that the Nigerian national policy on education recognizes the need to equip the learner
with practical skills so that the recipient will be functional member of the society. It is also
evident that the extent to which this is achieved has been call into question. Oranu (n.d),
identified some problems that are related specifically to the curricular of vocational and technical
education and to that extent the education system. One of the problems is examination-oriented
approaches to curricula implementation.
It is counterproductive to treat practical-based courses as merely preparation for some terminal
examination as opposed to preparation for life. This is however the case with the way practical
based courses is administered in the education system of the nation. For instance, the teaching of
agriculture in the primary as pre-vocational and in the secondary education as vocational course,
the school farm, a facility for the demonstration of the practical aspects of the course content is
non-existent in most schools. Yet these schools present candidates for public examinations on the
subject—an examination which they eventually ‘pass’. This situation is not different from what
obtains in some tertiary institutions.
The methodology and the eventual product in such a sufficiently deficient facility environment
tend to account for some of the ills and banes of the education system. Furthermore, the sad state
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of affairs runs counter to one of the traditional theories of vocational education which states that
‘vocational education will be efficient in proportion as the environment in which the learner is
trained is a replica of the environment in which the learner must subsequently work’ It therefore
stands to reason that if the Nigerian education system is not to be merely to prepare students for
examination as opposed to preparation for life, the practical aspects of the curriculum content
must be enhanced and be effectively implemented.
5.2 Enhancing the Accessibility to the Nigerian Education System
One of the aspects of Nigeria’s philosophy of education is our belief that every Nigerian child
shall have a right to equal educational opportunities irrespective of any real or imaged disabilities
each according to his or her ability (NERDC, 2004). One of the bases of the philosophy is the
provision of equal access to educational opportunities for all citizens of the country at the
primary, secondary and tertiary levels both inside and outside the formal school system. The
foregoing provisions of Nigeria’s philosophy of education presuppose that curriculum must to all
intents and purposes be broadened to meet the needs of all children so that each may have to
develop in accordance with his or her capacity and is prepared to render to society the particular
service of which he or she is capable of. In a word the emphasis is on democratizing education.
One of the impediments to democratizing education in Nigeria tends to be the failure to
effectively, as opposed to nominally, provide for different tastes and abilities of all who are
expected to pass through the system. It is true that all should aspire and are therefore entitled to
acquire education to any level possible. It is also true that not all who enter the primary school
make it to the secondary level; neither all who enter the secondary level eventually make it to the
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tertiary level. So, the education system is fundamentally flaw to the extent that it is merely as a
requirement for the next level of education or worse still as a preparation for examination.
Another impediment to democratizing education tends to bother on fees payable in schools in
Nigeria. The free and compulsory education at the basic education level of the system applies
only to public schools. However, in some schools where free and compulsory education is
supposed to be operative, fees for registration for public examinations and ancillary charges are
borne by students. In secondary and university education, more especially in privately owned
universities, the fees payable are near prohibitive. The situation becomes more problematic
when it is realized that bursary and scholarship awards to deserving students are no longer
emphasized in the system.
6.0 THE WAY FORWARD
If we assume that all school leavers should have a minimum of basic training while in school, we
should acknowledge that the schools do not furnish this minimum to all who enter. The rest leave
school with no special training to fit them for work. The way round the lack of attention to
implementation of the practical aspects of the curriculum includes: provision, maintenance and
proper utilization of such facilities as workshops, laboratories, school farms, and typing
pools/computer laboratories in schools, enforcement and maintenance of minimum standards,
and focus on rich and varied curriculum that serves the interest of all learners. Vocational
technical courses are therefore needed to attract and hold pupils in school and thereby enable
them obtain suitable preparation for useful employment.
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A special case is made for teaching, learning and practice of agriculture as a practical-based
subject. This is based on the role of agriculture as it provides employment and income for over
90% of the Nigerian population. It also provides food and raw materials for the people and
industries. Agriculture provides foreign exchange earnings as the products are exported either as
primary and or secondary goods to other countries. Thus vocationally based subjects especially
agriculture should receive special emphasis in terms of enhancing the delivery of their practical
aspects as well as their theoretical bases for those who choose to profit by it. For instance, under
special arrangement institutions offering agriculture courses can
increase their internally
generated revenue through the economic use of their facilities for production and for pedagogy.
Furthermore, more trained and well-motivated teachers are needed to run the education system in
the country. This is in realization that the system is direly in need human resources especially
well-motivated teaching staff. Provision and maintenance of relevant facilities is important;
equally important and challenging is the availability of well-motivated staff to effectively and
efficiently run the facilities.
Funds are also necessary because running a functional education system is an expensive
enterprise. Adeyemi, 2011 reviewed budgetary allocation to education since the advent of formal
education in the country and observed that funding of education has not been up to 17% in any
given year despite the UNESCO minimum standard of 26% of national budget. It has been
argued that spectacular success story recorded in the fight against Ebola can be replicated in
other areas of our national life such as insurgency. The same can be said about confronting the
ills that bedevil the educational system. If Nigerian parliament can approve the sum of $1b for
the fight against insurgency, a similar facility can be procured for enhancing the practicality and
functionality of and accessibility to education in Nigeria.
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It should be stated that increase in funding to and actual utilization of the funds in enhancing the
teaching and learning of practical based courses makes more economic and financial sense than
using such funds to buy arms with which to fight young adults who had no opportunity of
benefitting from the education system.
7.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 Summary
This paper focused on enhancing the practicality of and the accessibility to education in Nigeria.
Education creates two classes of people: the educated and the uneducated or undereducated. A
good, democratic, functional and responsive education system should to all intents and purposes
pay proportionate attention to both classes of people. While no education programme has ever
totally solved problems of a people, a functional educational system should be able to reduce the
mass of uneducated or undereducated. This paper argues this can be achieved through enhancing
the implementation of the practical aspects of education and thereby ensuring the
democratization of the educational system.
7.2 Conclusion
Nigeria’s educational system is deficient to the extent that the operators either see it as merely
for preparing students for examination or for transiting from on academic level to another. Those
who enter the into any level of the educational system may not be able to progress to the next
level and as such must be sufficiently be provided with requisite skills and competencies to lead
a useful life. To this end, emphasis should be placed on the teaching and learning of vocational
and technical education. The nations that make up the first world are obviously those that have
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funded their concept of Science and Technology well. It is then wise that Nigeria should lay
more emphasis on funding science, vocational and technical based learning experiences. No
singular approach is insufficient in its own, absence of a measure is not tantamount to failure.
7.3 Recommendations
The following recommendations are made based on the discussions:
1. Proper attention
should be paid to the implementation of the practical aspects of the
curriculum. In this regard, facilities for practical activities in the school should be
provided. For institutions preparing learners for agriculture, the role of the availability of
a functional school farm cannot be overemphasized.
2. Monitoring and supervision of the SIWES programme should be given the deserved
attention.
3. Qualified and well-motivated teachers should be engaged to run our educational system.
Provision and maintenance of relevant facilities is important; equally important and
challenging is the availability of well-motivated staff to effectively and efficiently run the
facilities.
4. Special funding of the educational sector with the 26% minimum budgetary allocation in
focus is also recommended. While a special loan facility similar to that for fighting
insurgence obtained by the government is proposed, multi-national companies and
wealthy individuals are expected to partner with government to fund the education
system. The interventionist funding activities of TETFund are recognized and it is
recommended that the intervention be extended to private universities for such courses as
agriculture.
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