…as Finland points way
Rising poverty in Nigeria is exposing holes in the country’s education system, revealing deep systemic issues that hinder the nation’s human capital.
With an estimated 133 million people living in multidimensional poverty, many Nigerian families are struggling to afford basic needs, let alone quality education.
The economic strain is pushing more Nigerian children out of school, especially in rural areas, where educational resources are already scarce.
Analysts argue that the country should rejig its education goal to a system that is competence-based to produce innovative students that can compete in the 21st century.
They say Nigeria can take a leaf from Finland and South Korea to produce the type of education that can take citizens out of poverty.
Finland, South Korea and the state of North Carolina in the United States are three systems that have successfully harnessed higher education in their economic development initiatives.
Finland has not followed standardised tests or school inspections, but its education system leans on ‘intelligent accountability.’
The Finnish education policy values more quality and less control and competition. Schools, teachers and local authorities are trusted and there is a political consensus about the commonly agreed goals of education. Its education system is industry-focused and tech-driven, with its polytechnics called ‘universities of applied science.’
Finland transformed it economy from an agriculture-based one in the 1950s to innovation-driven, knowledge-based and high-tech economy.
Some 10 years ago, the country faced considerable challenges domestically and internationally in efforts to maintain its societal sustainability and economic competitiveness.
Read also: Govt must prioritise investment in Nigeria’s education system, says Rhodes-Vivour
As increasing numbers of Finns entered the middle-class, there were demands for a better education system, accessible to all children regardless of their socioeconomic background or where they lived.
In 1968, the Finnish parliament introduced legislation to reform the education system.
Free comprehensive schools for children between seven and 16 replaced the two-tier system of grammar schools and civic schools. Initially, the comprehensive school system was centrally controlled, before the eventual transfer of authority to local municipalities and teachers.
The outcomes of the reforms are clear: education standards have increased in Finland, educational inequality has decreased, and Finland has a competitive economy based on its highly-educated, skilled workforce.
Kingsley Moghalu, president of the Institute for Governance & Economic Transformation, buttressing the need for quality education, said that good education works to develop not only learners’ understanding of established knowledge but also sharpens their mind and enhances their capacity for thinking, creativity, and innovation so they can become active creators of new knowledge.
“Well-educated individuals are not only confident to lead fulfilling personal lives but also actively engage in problem-solving within their societal contexts, thereby elevating overall societal welfare and fostering social cohesion,” he said.
As of 2020, Nigeria’s Human Capital Index, as assessed by the World Bank, stood at 0.36, positioning it 168 out of 173 countries globally, a marginal improvement from 0.34 in 2018, where it ranked 152 out of 157 nations surveyed.
This sluggish growth underscores the persistent obstacles hindering the effective education of Nigeria’s populace.
In 2021, 33.0 percent of the population in Nigeria faced multidimensional poor. In 2022, it was 63 percent and 46 percent in 2023.
Isaiah Ogundele, an educationist, affirmed that a poor educational system gives rise to a knowledge gap, which is a serious disease in Nigeria.
“Lack of proper education paralises economic activities because when the unqualified people are occupying some sensitive positions in the absence of qualified people, they will mismanage the resources to the detriment of the masses,” he noted.
Friday Erhabor, director of media and strategies at Marklenez Limited, said illiteracy, poverty, and crime share common boundaries.
“Education is the first step to climb out of poverty and when illiteracy abounds, poverty and crime become commodities,” he said.
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