What do you think are the practical steps to solve the many problems in the Nigerian education sector?
I understand the problems are many, so your idea(s) needn't cover ALL the problems. Simply identify one of the problems and suggest what you think can help solve or improve things.

Let's limit the discussion to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, schools of health technology and monotechnics.

I think we have to come to the painful conclusion that we can no longer leave things to the politicians whose wards are enjoying quality education on foreign soil.

So, let's go... I will start by identifying the perennial funding problem for our public institutions and suggesting that we start running our higher institutions like one would a company. Each university should start directly offering products and services to the immediate communities they serve. Appropriate business proposals can be drafted and seed fund provided by BOI and other commercial banks and international grants. Specific services and products. For instance,

1.) Faculties of engineering can have workshops open to the public for servicing and repairs (e.g. cars, other electronics) with the lecturers and technologists and students directly engaged with appropriately structured consultancy wages paid while the bulk goes into the IGR.
2.) Agriculture & Food science departments etc should have abattoirs where certified protein can be available for the consumption of the public
3.) The faculties of technology should be able to generate electricity for distribution to the immediate community
4.) Faculties of pharmacy should produce both conventional pharmaceutical products and research-based herbal products certified by NAFDAC and distributed to the communities... It doesn't make sense that over 70% (I am not certain if this percentage is still accurate) of pharmaceutical products are imported when we have faculties of pharmacy who routinely make these products during student training... Simply scale it up and start generating billions yearly in revenue.
5.) Faculties of art and departments including drama and performing arts should have theatres and cinema halls opened to the public
6.) The zoological gardens and museums should really be operated like a business.. I have been to a number of these zoological gardens in Nigeria and I have never ceased to lament how much potential we waste by not taking good care of these centers.
7.) Estate management and related units should seek how to invest money into providing accommodation for students and staff and charge appropriate rent that forms part of the IGR. Imagine a university like OAU where arguably more than 60% of student and staff have accommodation problems... Imagine if such a school can have the foresight to capture that market and so beef up its IGR. They can invite private investors under a properly drafted agreement that benefits both the private party and the university.

The list is actually endless, and I hope you get the gist. This will significantly ensure the autonomy of the institutions and eventually culminate in a situation where each institution in a few decades can function perfectly autonomously leaving the government to focus on governance.

lalasticla