A retired Federal Permanent Secretary and Professor, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, Tunji Olaopa has identified strategies to revive public education in Nigeria.

The don spoke at a lecture delivered at the 2022 Annual General Meeting and Reunion Dinner of Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo National Old Students Association Held at NOSA Hall, Olivet Heights, Oyo on Saturday, the 12th of November, 2022.

Olaopa who highlighted the role of alumni in restoring the glory of public schools said: “Whereas private schools and universities are bridging gaps in terms of access and quality, the cost of private education is prohibitive to majority of applicants (with only 1% of eligible candidates catered for), thus putting a disproportionate demand on public education institutions.”

Olaopa listed the challenges of public education as including: “poor learning environment with dilapidated infrastructure in classroom/lecture rooms, often overcrowded and overstretched, made worse by poor maintenance provision and culture, science-based facilities are running ‘dry lab’ for lack of reagents and tools to conduct physical/real experiments, as laboratories and workshops are old with inappropriate furnishing and consumables absent in most.”

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He mentioned other challenges of public schools as the deterioration of hostel facilities due to overcrowding,overstretched lavatory, kitchenets and poor sanitation.

He continued: ” Overall, public education institutions face an existential crisis; a situation where public schools and colleges are failing by every parameter: Infrastructure/technology for learning/school management

On the way out of the educational cross Olaopa said: “Nigeria will require significant investment in education if it is to meet the requirement of access and quality education that will power a diversified, growing, inclusive, sustainable, globally competitive strong economy, and serve as a knowledge hub to the country

“With the current country’s expenditure on education far less than the 15-20% or the speculated 26% by UNESCO, the government needs to back up its stated prioritization of education sector with requisite funding.

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“In addressing the issues of access and equity, Nigeria needs to implement strategies that will exponentially grow its carrying capacity at all levels, expanding its impact, especially in terms of enrolment in Basic Education .”

Olaopa added that old students’ associations need to “shift from hands-on/out approaches to investment in their old schools that predominantly focus infrastructural development.”

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