Critics blame successive governments for failing to invest adequately in education
Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, recently stated that the country has “a number exceeding 14.8 million” out-of-school children.
He described the crisis as “compounded by factors such as poverty, insecurity, and cultural barriers.”
UNESCO ranks Nigeria among the top 20 countries globally with the highest number of out-of-school children, a statistic many describe as tragic and shameful. Critics blame successive governments for failing to invest adequately in education, citing annual budget allocations rarely exceeding 10 percent.
Despite constitutional and legal provisions mandating free and compulsory education, implementation remains poor. “Every Government in Nigeria shall provide free, compulsory and universal basic education,” the 2004 UBEC Act states.
Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, called for Nigeria to “rethink education delivery, reimagine learning environments, and embrace innovation.”
Yet, questions linger about government willpower. As Chief Obafemi Awolowo once said, “Nigeria must provide free education at all levels… as a matter of urgency and priority.”