Opinion
Issues In Dwindling Fortunes Of Education
Recent reports indicating the near zero performance of candidates at the last WAEC examination in the country is really worrisome and calls for urgent steps to critically re-examine the education sector. The standard of education is dwindling as the days go by like a desecrated tree which leaves are hasting to kiss the dust. If nothing is done the standard will certainly come to nought.
Considering the degree of deterioration and ignominy that has enveloped the education system, students of tertiary institution are no longer proud to go by the name undergraduate or even graduate from a Nigerian institution of learning.
The generally believed aphorism that education is the bedrock of the nation is gradually fading away like the stars of the morning as the reverse has obviously become the case. Education, which was once the footmat of the nation has become a sore point. A major factor that is militating against the educational system is mal-administration , our leaders in position have lost touch with the relevance of education in the society as they always display apathy and disdain for our educational system. Of course, the reason for this is not far fetched. Majority of them have their children in schools abroad and therefore do not pass through the stress our brothers and sister experience in Nigerian schools.
Our so-called leaders rather than sit and ponder over what their actions are likely to orchestrate in the nearest future, prefer spending tax payers money on frivolities and chasing shadows which makes them throw their sense of rationality to the wind, forgetting that those overseas countries they send their children to school took pains to develop to the level they are. If the leaders of those countries had failed to develop their nation what would have fascinated the interest of our leaders?
It baffles me that our leaders behave as though they emerged from the blues and as if nobody impacted knowledge into them because their conception and perception about leadership, socio-cultural norms and values always run contrary to societal needs.
From indications our leaders seem to have lost focus in not according due attention to the development of education in the country which have resulted in prolonged frequent closure of schools due to strikes over lack of conducive teaching facilities and poor remuneration for teachers.
It is pathetic that in place of veneration they receive humiliation, in place of comfort. They are faced with agony and vain glory, while the monthly emolument of a local government councillor is higher than that of a professor and cannot be equated to the annual salary of a teacher.
That the monthly emolument or other allowances received by political office holders cannot in anyway equate a teacher’s monthly pay is a slap on the ego of teachers and the educational institution at large.
Our leaders do not seem to be abreast with the word motivation in their lexicon. It is really an irony where one is not getting the best of attention but expected to produce the best result. How possible is that?
What is happening to the educational system in our country has thrown a lost of parents and guardians off balance, majority of the government schools have been handed over to missionaries. The idea is not bad but what about the implications? Our leaders should have a rethink and retrace their footsteps. The issue is not just putting new structures in place for learning. The ones that have been in existence should be renovated and revitalized because if they are not, there is every tendency that what happened to the old buildings will equally happen to the new ones.
It is high time they woke up from their slumber and faced the reality. Education should be accorded the attention it deserves. Teachers should be motivated and given the fullest remuneration because without them, the society exists in a vacuum and the future is vague for our generation and generations unborn.
The admonition of Samuel Johson should remain paramount and indelible in the minds of our leaders as he says: “He that teaches us anything which we knew not before is undoubtedly to be reverenced as a master”.
Patterson Koko
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo