Nigeria educational system is balanced, deep and encompassing. It is aim at making Nigeria great and her citizens good. It is continuously being updated and reversed as required, and I dare say, it is good and achieving its preset goal. Many Nigeria graduates, which are products of Nigeria educational systems have gone ahead to other countries to break academic feat just to reconfirm the notion that Nigeria education is good and working. Education is to develop the soul and thinking capacity of man. The recipient of education needs to apply himself in order to derive the maximum benefits from education.
If we use a building for an analogy, the foundation
is important. Therefore Primary, secondary and first-degree education is
foundational and important. If Nigeria first-degree graduates are doing well in
Nigeria and in other countries they relocate to, we can conclude that our education
is good and that means our economy is in the hands of good professional with good
educational foundation.
1. 100% Electric Power Supply - In Nigeria, our power supply is not yet 100% though we are working towards it. The implication cut across the economy and affects what the graduates of our educational system that remain in Nigeria will create and the ones that relocates to another country with 100% electric power supply will create. In Nigeria, our engineers will not build electric powered cars and trains because we don’t have 100% electric power supply. If an electric powered train going through the Kano to Kaduna underground tunnel loses power suddenly, what happens. If an electric car that is running low on battery stops at Adekunle charging hub and there is no power supply, what happens. The two scenario shows why a Nigeria engineers will build an electric powered cars and trains but rather hybrid or fuel powered cars and trains.
2. Government Policy - Some Countries have
policy that enforces the prioritization of their local educational certificates
and experience for labour workforce employment. We need to pursue such policy.
Imagine the inflow in educational, visa, health and rent fees if we apply this
policy. This type of restriction also creates a system that attracts only the best
from other country to come into Nigeria labour workforce, who will contribute
economically to our country.
3. Cost implications - There is a general
tendency to assume something of higher price command higher value. Joke and
Janet are friends and both just bagged Bachelors in Economics from the
prestigious University of Lagos. Both made second class grade. Joke is going to
Oxford University for a Masters in Economics with a tuition fee of £25,000.00 (#1,000.00
* £25,000.00 = #25,000,000.00) while Janet is going to Ahmadu Bello University
in Zaria for a Masters in Economics with a tuition fee of #400,000.00. The
difference in the price amount might make us conclude one education is better but
this is not because both universities will teach each curriculum, which is dependent
on each country educational system.
4. The mathematical edge - The rigour and
technicality needed to do well in mathematics make mathematical oriented
professions and engineers achieve more success in life than other professionals.
There is no ruse in mathematics. The need to build systems upon system, precepts
upon precept, logic upon logic in order to creates a logical and systematic
approach to life that is aim at achieving dependable solution really help in equipping
mathematical professionals and engineers.
5. Industry backed education - All industry
backed education only provide education relevant to the respective industry. Bank
industry powered education is aim at producing bank employees. Manufacturing industry backed education is aim
at producing manufacturing industry employees, etc., therefore we cannot use industry
backed education as the standard for Nigeria educational systems.
The generic statement that Nigeria university
graduates are not employable is not a balanced truth because even the
proponents of such policy still employ from the Nigeria graduates pool. Industry
wants ready-made graduates; that is graduate with prior industry experience.
Experience is not possible without an industry opportunity. What the proponents
of Nigeria graduates are not employable is simply saying is, we want a graduate
who doing his study have worked in the industry either during SIWES (Students
Industrial Work Experience Scheme) or session break or NYSC (National Youth
Service Corps). A graduate that is not able to get an industry prior experience
before completing NYSC is termed an unemployable but this is just a cost reduction
policy. The industry wants to pay you as intern to learn industry basics and
pay you as graduate trainee to hit the ground running.
When you contextualise the five above points
and Nigeria educational system, you will conclude that the educational system is
doing fine and it is still making Nigeria great, while ensuring her citizens are
good.
Image from the internet.