Members of the House of Representatives has tasked Federal Government with the urgent need to address the falling standard of education in Nigeria.

The lawmakers gave the charge during the debate on a motion sponsored by Hon. Ganiyu Johnson, who expressed displeasure over the dwindling budgetary allocation for education in the last five years, ranging from 7.38% in 2017, 7.03% in 2018, 7.05% in 2019, 6.7% in 2020 and 5.6% in 2021 Appropriation Acts.

In his lead debate, Hon. Johnson, who called for quality education as a crucial tool for the economic growth of any country, underscored the provision of Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which focused on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting life-long learning opportunities for all.

“The House also notes that Section 18 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that the Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.

“The House is aware that Nigeria’s education system within the last decade has been on a steady decline, ranging from influx of illegal institutions of learning as well as unqualified teachers in the system to poor funding, overcrowding and plethora of decaying infrastructure in schools across the Federation.

“The House is also aware that according to the United Nations, Nigeria has one of the largest populations of out-of-school youth in the world, with more than ten million Nigerian children, 60 percent of them girls, not in school and will therefore not have the skills they need to get jobs and build secured and stable future.

“The House recalls the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Reports that for a nation to achieve the goal of providing quality education for all by 2030, the country would have to allocate at least 26 percent of its national budget to Education, however, Nigeria’s budgetary allocation for Education in the last five years are 7.38% in 2017, 7.03% in 2018, 7.05% in 2019, 6.7% in 2020 and 5.6% in 2021, a far cry from the expected standards.

“The House acknowledges that Nigeria has achieved some progress in expanding access to school under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the domestic Universal Basic Education (UBE) Scheme, however, the expansion has not resulted in improved learning, as the flat learning curve in Nigeria is a proof that getting children to school does not automatically translate to adequate infrastructure, qualified teachers, conducive learning environment, frequent attendance, grade progression, effective classroom governance and more importantly, learning,

“The House is concerned that the adverse effects of falling standard of education on a nation is very grave, and the fall in educational standard in Nigeria implies a continued decline in its level of economic growth.

“The House is also concerned that with the current population of about 200 million, 45 percent of which are below 15 years, there is high demand for learning opportunities translating into increased enrolment which has created challenges in ensuring quality education since resources are spread more thinly.

“The House is worried that the burden on education in Nigeria has become even more overwhelming, resulting in more than 100 pupils to one teacher as against the UNESCO benchmark of 35 pupils per teacher; culminating in students learning under trees for lack of classrooms and other harsh conditions.

“The House is cognizant that if no urgent action is taken, the problem will gravely affect the young and future generations as well as stifle economic and social developmental prospects of the country,” he noted.

To this end, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning to give further considerations to Education in the subsequent budgetary allocations in order to attain the UNESCO projection by 2030.

While ruling, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, mandated the joint Committees on Tertiary Education and Services, Basic Education and Services, Youth Development and Appropriations to liaise with relevant stakeholders with the aim of providing lasting solutions to the falling standard of education in Nigeria and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has urged parents to guide their children to watch only programmes that add value to their lives.

Ogundipe said this at the recent graduation ceremony of a six-week 2021 summer training in coding and robotics at the university.

He said, “Parents should guide our children to watch more robotic programmes, rather than just any other programme.”

“We want to catch them young. We cannot afford to lag behind, and that is why today we are celebrating the future of Nigeria. What we have done is to bring these children together, which started in 2018. We also brought them together in 2019 to learn more about robotics and artificial intelligence.” He added.

He noted that “we are trying to expose children between ages 11 and 15, especially girls,” in the area of robotics and artificial intelligence so that they will learn science and technology.

Ogundipe also appealed to public-spirited individuals to support the university with sponsorship to keep the initiative going.

He also urged the children to pay more attention to programmes focused on robotics, artificial intelligence, and programme writing.

The Coordinator, Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Lab of the university, Dr. Chika Yinka-Banjo, noted that the essence of the ceremony was to give the graduands the platform to showcase what they had learnt all through the summer.

She said a total of 56 children, especially girls enrolled on the programme, but 49 of the total number made it to the end.

”The aim is to build skills in the future generation of this country. You know if you have a skill and you understand what is going on in the area of technology in the world, you will be able to make a choice as you grow older, and you will be able to learn some skills that will help you become an independent entrepreneur,” she added.

Funmi Anyike, the sponsor of this year’s summer camp, expressed satisfaction with what the children learnt in the short period.

”I am highly impressed with what I have seen here today, the way they are manipulating the software. It is indeed a life-changing experience for these children,” said Ayinke. ”Artificial intelligence, robotics and coding is the trend now, and we are happy. These ones have made us proud as they can compete favourably with their counterparts from other climes.”

The Lagos State Ministry of Education is set to commence implementing the experimental fee regime for its new model colleges.

Speaking during a meeting involving officials of the Ministry of Education, parents and lawmakers, the Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo, disclosed that N35,000 would be paid by all model colleges and upgraded school students for the next two terms.

“There will be a review after the second term; to analyse the expenditures, gaps, needs and adequacy of N35,000 to cater for a boarding student per term. This will allow for a true reflection of the workability of the new boarding school fee,” she said.

The menu list of the students will also be reviewed and standardised in terms of necessary nutrition. Schools are also expected to incorporate available local menus and seasonal foods.

The commissioner said the government would incorporate the parents’ body representatives into the boarding house committee to ensure inclusive supervision.

Already resumption of students into model colleges and upgraded schools commenced on September 19 with SS2 students, while new JS 1 students and other returning students will resume on October 2 and 9, respectively.

The commissioner commended the parents for their understanding while assuring all stakeholders of continuous support of Gov Sanwo-Olu’s administration for quality education.

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, have organised a training workshop for lecturers and heads of tertiary institutions in the North-East on grant-writing skills.

President Muhammadu Buhari recently approved the increase of the National Research Fund (NRF), domiciled in TETFund from N5 billion to N7.5 billion in 2020.

Declaring open the five-day workshop held at the Command Guest House, Bauchi, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro, lamented the poor performance of North-East tertiary institution lecturers in writing grant proposals for research.

The TETFund boss, represented by the DG National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, Dr. Danlami Ibrahim Mohammed, said, “For too long, we academics have been operating in our silos, clapping with one hand. That is unacceptable. No wonder we are not getting the outcome of research that solves problems of the society of technology and the economy.”

He added, “It’s for this reason that we agreed on this training at TETFund, and we spoke with the VC of ATBU just as I spoke with the VC of the University of Benin, University of Nigeria Nsukka and ABU that complacency could destroy our rating and ranking. And that is precisely why we called this meeting.”

He urged the participants to rise to the occasion by coming up with the most recognised and acceptable research and grant proposals that the North-East can benefit from.

On his part, the Vice-Chancellor of ATBU, Prof. Mohammed Abdulazeez, stated that the university is working assiduously to contribute its quota in proffering solutions to Nigeria’s problems.

“Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University is trying to solve issues. One of the issues is the insecurities of this country. People don’t even look at it, and I think as a university, we are supposed to find solutions to this issue. One of the things that we are doing is that we have gotten a centre of excellence on the diary in ATBU,” said Abdulazeez. “Our target is to show to our brothers that the best way to keep your cattle is to keep it around your house, feed it well, and you will find out that you don’t have to move around.”

Abdulazeez also thanked Bogoro for organising the workshop, noting that research and development will bring development and stability to the nation.

A Nigerian, Olanrewaju Shitta-Bey, has been appointed as a Professor of Philosophy and Humanities by the University of Maryland Global Campus, USA.

Until his promotion, the university lecturer was an associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Humanities of the university.

Shitta-Bey has said his promotion will benefit Nigeria and humanity.

He said, “Nigerians and humanity in general stands to benefit from my hard work and experience owing to community service associated with my field of expertise. A good example is “The Shitta-Bey Undergraduate Prize” award launched early this year.

“I do feel differently but not because the promotion is coming from a foreign institution. I feel differently because I got what I worked hard for and it came at a record time just like my doctoral degree.”

On some of the challenges he faced, the Professor said, “No challenge really getting promoted. What many people will call challenges are NORMAL occurrences. As a goal getter, you don’t see challenges, you see opportunities to get better and do better to achieve more.”

Shitta-Bey, however, advised the Nigerian government to improve the education standard in the country.

He urged his colleagues leaving the country to be considerate, saying, “My honest advice is that they should follow their hearts but should not neglect to help the country in whatever capacity they can because Nigeria really needs the help of experts at this critical time.

“Anything and everything the government should do to improve standard and develop education in Nigeria is known to government, what is left is the goodwill to do the needful moving forward.

“Government and the country has financial, material, and human resources to develop education and other critical sectors of the country but lacks the goodwill to make it happen.”

Prior to becoming a Professor, Shitta-Bey was an adjunct in the Department of Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences, Howard University and Prince George’s Community College, USA, Faculty and Researcher: Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, Lagos State University.

A 2004 Philosophy graduate of the Lagos State University, Ojo, Shitta-Bey later bagged a Masters Degree in Philosophy from the University of Lagos and subsequently capped it with a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan in 2014.

In 2016, he was on a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship Programme in the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Uludag University, Bursa – Turkey.

Shitta-Bey has over 16 publications to his credit in reputable local and international journals and has attended well over 14 conferences in Nigeria, Ghana and USA.

He is a Member of American Philosophical Association, Nigerian Philosophical Association, International Social Ontology Society, Association for Political Theory, Society for German Idealism and Romanticism and Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa.

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board has said 10 local government areas in Lagos State has the highest number of out-of-school-children

Speaking during the ‘Sensitisation on Enrolment into Public Primary Schools’ programme in Lagos.’  LASUBEB Executive Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King, explained that the board decided to go round all the 10 LGAs with the highest number of out-of-school children to encourage parents to bring their children to school.

However, Alawiye-King did not mention these LGAs.

Alawiye-King and some members of the board visited the Ikosi-Isheri market and Bariga Market where they spoke to members of the society.

At each of these sensitisation ground, LASUBEB, deplored the use of some nollywood actors who addressed members of the community to enrol their kids in school.

“It has become a routine and tradition for us to come out when resumption is approaching to sensitise and mobilise parents on why they must enrol their children in school. This is simultaneously going on in 10 local government as we speak, those LGAs are strategically chosen because they are the LGAs with the highest number of out-of-school-children.

If we are able to surmount the problem, we will be able to face other areas more.”

He encouraged parents across the state to enrol their children in school as it was free with modern technological learning facilities.

“Take your children to school, register them, it is our task to train them in school, stop making them to hawk goods for you. Children are not supposed to sponsor the family, let children go to school any parent  who do not allow children to go to school will be sanctioned.” He said.

Morenike Alausa-Sulaimon also known as Iya Ereko encouraged market women at the Bariga Market to make education of their children a priority.