Can Private Initiatives Save Nigerian Education?
According to stakeholders in the education sector, for the government to leverage private initiatives to improve the country’s education system, transparency and public accountability must be prioritised. This was highlighted during the 2024 National Education Stakeholders Conference in Ikeja, Lagos, themed “Private Initiatives and the Nigerian Education Sector: Gains, Shortfalls, and the Way Forward.”
In her welcome address, Mrs. Modupe Onabanjo, Chief Executive Officer of Education Update International/Education Sector Television International, explained that the conference aimed to assess whether private sector players in education were truly contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic development. She said
“We are also here to discuss ways to restrategize on our numerous activities, to note specifically where we are, where we are supposed to be, and how to get there. The moment of truth and self-assessment. You will agree with me that everything is not about the government and the government alone.
“Also, we need to ensure that we are on top of our games and stepping up. We also need to challenge different arms of government where necessary. The government must also be alive to its responsibilities and not just take issues and recommendations from gatherings like this with levity. While the private sector is ready to collaborate with the government, the government must be ready to be accountable too.
In her keynote address, Prof. Sidi Osho, the founding Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), emphasised that the current economic challenges in the country highlight the urgent need for collaboration between the government and the private sector to advance the education sector. She noted that awarding scholarships, engaging in philanthropic efforts, and providing support to underprivileged students, their families, and schools had become essential.
However, she cautioned that if the government is not transparent in managing the collaboration, it could frustrate the private sector’s involvement. The private sector is a key driver of innovation. Private companies invest in research and development, which leads to new products and services that boost the economy and improve people’s lives.
“Recently, Dr. Chris Ogbechie, the Dean of the Lagos Business School, emphasised the importance of partnerships between the private sector and the government to improve education outcomes in Nigeria. He called for a reevaluation of the country’s education funding strategy, stressing that investment in education is crucial for Nigeria’s development. In the same context, I also express gratitude to individuals and organisations in the private sector who have supported the schools and higher institutions in the past years. Globally, funding of education is a joint responsibility between the public and private sectors, and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
In making quality education inclusive, accessible, and adaptable to all, there is a need for public/private engagement and partnership in funding and delivery of education at all levels (i.e., early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, and specifically technical vocational education and training).
Osho acknowledged that some features are working against a smooth public-private partnership and also explained how they can manage them.
She stated, “The key to unlocking their full potential lies in addressing these challenges head-on. This includes improving the clarity and fairness of PPP contracts, ensuring a balanced risk distribution that does not overburden the public sector, and enhancing transparency and accountability throughout the project lifecycle. By doing so, PPPs can truly leverage private sector resources and expertise for the public good, driving meaningful improvements in infrastructure development, service delivery, and ultimately, economic growth.
Reeling out statistics of the poor state of education in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, Osho noted, “The universal access to equitable quality education is Sustainable Development Goal 4. UNESCO’s Institute of Statistics provides a sobering reality that the world is nowhere close to achieving this SDG by 2030. 58% of upper secondary school age in sub-Saharan Africa do not attend school. 80% of the children in sub-Saharan Africa are still not being taught a language they speak at home. 15 million primary school and secondary school teachers need to be recruited.
“244–258 million children and youth between the ages of 6 and 18 worldwide were out of school in 2021, of which 118.5 million are girls and 125.5 million were boys/were out of school in 2021, while 484 million children in school are not receiving quality education. There is an annual financing gap of $39 billion for attaining universal pre-primary, primary, and secondary education in low and lower-middle-income countries.
“In most low-income countries, less than 5 per cent of people have completed tertiary education, and in five countries, the number of poor youth attending university is “not statistically different from zero.” Speaking on “Impacts of effective education budgeting in national development,“Prof. Godwin Oyedokun expressed that the government has not given sufficient attention to the sector concerning private school owners. He also advised them to improve their budgeting processes and maintain a reasonable spending pattern. He said, “Guide against emotional spending and have a personal budget. Manage well your finances. Be intentional in your budgeting and expenses and make sure everything is balanced.”
The Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hon. Tolani Sule, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adeniran Kasali, emphasised that education is a core pillar of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Agenda. He reaffirmed the administration’s dedication to advancing education through partnerships with the private sector.
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Content Credit| Igbakuma Rita Doom
Picture Credit | https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/09/pass-mark-bribery-nigerian-schools/context-corruption-nigerias-education-sector
