Nigerian educational system is warped. TETFUND that is supposed to be used for revitalization of the sector is an opportunity to bridge the gap between lecturers and politicians. Its an opportunity to build a house and throw thrash as research for which the grant is given. Give some key people their cuts and all mouths are shut.

I visited a university in Nigeria and discovered the same books I used in the 90s as an undergraduate are still being used even by lecturers. I checked the books and found out it had not even been revised. Lecturers copy verbatim from the books, type and give students as handouts. They also pay some journals private journals in the Europe and America to publish articles which they count at "publication in international journals" and use them for promotion.

I asked of internet facility or virtual library but that was asking too much. Some of the students have never seen or heard of some academic materials that are common among their mates even in an average academia in SA.

A professor not up to 50 years in age told me he had never made use of internet facility in all his research years shocked I gogooled his name and realised he had neither published in any international journal of repute not attended any international conference. His materials were principally based in his university. How in the world did he become a professor

Just as we are talking of deregulating the oil
downstream sector, can we liberalise the higher educational institutions with some degree of autonomy given to the higher institutions. This will engender academic innovations and administrative efficiency. Education is increasingly being globalised and the developed countries are already running with the tide. Those that never bothered about English language as a medium of teaching are dropping the old idea due to the strategic position the language is increasingly occupying in the global scheme of things. Virtual classrooms are gaining grounds and nations running to bridge the internet gap (electricity has been long conquered). Duplexes for professors are disappearing for momentary hotel bills to lodge a visiting Harvard professor whose academic prowess has gained him a retainership to lecture philosophy in a Nigerian university. He finishes his lectures,( an opportunity to bring down a near havard standard and still save some change for for a prolific academic research) and leaves for US after fixing a date for his exam. He flies in again to conduct his exam, goes back to mark scripts and send result by email. Webinars and other social platforms are there for student's continued interaction with the Harvard professor. If a survey taken at the end of the session among his students does not favour his style of lecture, its time for another egg head. This time a guru from MIT could be invited this time. This trend is rapidly gaining ground in Europe.

The lower academia is not left out in this.

Where are those educational inspectors that would take the classroom teacher unawares participating in his class disguised as a student?

Where are those educational inspectors that would creep into the class and check the notebooks of the pupils accompanied with necessary questions about the teacher?

Where are the large playgrounds that used to be as big as the whole Alimosho Local Government and against the two bedroom flat in a crowded neighbourhood that is converted to a school.

Where are the march past in the morning assembly with the beat of bands in beautiful rhythm transforming us to patriots who are ready to die for the cause of the nation while we march around large ground with pride?

Where are the dedicated teachers who will not spare the rods lest the child spoils, who will not sacrifice discipline for fear of parents?

We have fooled around for so long!!

Educational development in Nigeria
http://articlesng.com/educational-development-nigeria-impact-leadership/