“It is very clear that we must create a need-based intervention that is not general but specific to every school, every local government, and every education district in Lagos State.” (www.hakeemdickson.com)

Over the years, educational administration in Lagos state has significantly improved, undoubtedly. However, there are still issues with managing the system, and these are issues that should not exist in a 21st-century megacity.

The benefits of the educational system are not spread thin enough or thick enough. While some schools in Badagry, Ikorodu, and Alimosho still lack desks and chairs, some schools in some other parts of Lagos have enough. This orchestrated marginalisation affects the general educational system. Education is a fundamental right of every Lagosian, and as such, all Lagosians should have access to quality education, which is capable of transforming their lives and making them useful and productive members of society.
As a mega city, Lagos should set the pace for other states to follow. It would not be too much to mention that the federal government and the federal ministry of education could copy the Lagos blueprint. It would not be the first either; the Lagos State Government had at one time copied the blueprint of the Surulere Local Government Area on educational improvement and inclusion under the chairmanship of Hon. Hakeem Dickson.

The Lagos State Ministry of Education distributed free essential textbooks to students in primary and secondary schools in Lagos State in 2008, and these books no longer exist due to discontinuation and poor movement of initial copies. Equipping pupils and students with textbooks is like arming their minds and challenging them to bring the best out of them. In addition, it is also a way to improve the reading and learning culture and build an educated society, these values are very important for the continued growth of any megacity.

Hakeem Dickson, a top-dog political leader and voice of the masses, believes that “education should be accessible to everyone, including the children of lower or moderate-income households, adults, and people living with disabilities”. Hon. Hakeem Dickson believes that there is a perfect educational system where everyone benefits, and it begins with the willingness of the government to make positive contributions and take responsibility for the reasons that led people to the polls to vote them in.

While Hakeem Dickson discloses some of his plans, he mentions that primary and secondary educational administration should be need-based rather than the usual practice. He said, “Some parts of Lagos need more facilities than others, while some just need some more manpower.” Therefore, it is very clear that we must implement a need-based intervention approach that is not general but specific to every school, every local government, and every education district in Lagos State”. The system will be more efficient if we look at the needs of each of the local government areas and education districts and attend to their specific needs rather than general needs. He added that the understanding of these needs will enable principals and school administrators to collaborate with their teaching and non-teaching staff members and design a SWOT analysis, which would be used to understand specific situations and attend to them.

Hakeem Dickson added, “Another problem is that we do not use our brilliant minds. We have researchers in various areas of education in our universities. They are experts in their respective fields. They can be funded, motivated to research and come up with a lasting solution to the problems of educational administration and management in their state and country at large”. He promised that these were just a few of the things his administration will address when he becomes governor of Lagos State in 2023.

Let's watch out then