A former Minister of Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has said that Nigerians spend N300bn annually in Ghana and an estimated N162bn annually in the United Kingdom on foreign tertiary education.
Abdullahi, who is also a former Minister of Sports, spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Friday on the sidelines of a summit of the Nigerian Union of Teachers.
He said the British Council had reported that the number of Nigerian students studying abroad had increased by 75 per cent since 2002, with a current estimate of about 19,000.
Abdullahi said, “In the middle of this crisis, government interventions over the years have been business as usual at best, and misguided at worst; indicating either a woeful lack of understanding of the problem or its sheer inability to apply the right measures of solution to bring about the desired turnaround.’’
The ex-minister stated that funding was about the most important issue in any conversation about education in Nigeria. He added that while government had argued over the years that it could not effectively fund education, the argument had become even more pertinent now that Nigeria is suffering from economic recession.
Abdullahi said, “Available statistics show that between 2000 and 2012, an estimated N800bn might have gone to the states in UBEC intervention alone. That is an average of N22bn to each of the states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“If we add other direct expenditure by the various state governments, this figure could go up to trillions of naira. Yet, evidence abound that the majority of our children completing basic education from our schools have not achieved the required standards in basic cognitive skills.”
from punch
He said the British Council had reported that the number of Nigerian students studying abroad had increased by 75 per cent since 2002, with a current estimate of about 19,000.
Abdullahi said, “In the middle of this crisis, government interventions over the years have been business as usual at best, and misguided at worst; indicating either a woeful lack of understanding of the problem or its sheer inability to apply the right measures of solution to bring about the desired turnaround.’’
The ex-minister stated that funding was about the most important issue in any conversation about education in Nigeria. He added that while government had argued over the years that it could not effectively fund education, the argument had become even more pertinent now that Nigeria is suffering from economic recession.
Abdullahi said, “Available statistics show that between 2000 and 2012, an estimated N800bn might have gone to the states in UBEC intervention alone. That is an average of N22bn to each of the states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“If we add other direct expenditure by the various state governments, this figure could go up to trillions of naira. Yet, evidence abound that the majority of our children completing basic education from our schools have not achieved the required standards in basic cognitive skills.”
from punch
Do u blame them parents?
ReplyDeleteIt is that painful. We dont have good educational system here. Imagine Ghana
ReplyDeletesmfH. .What do u mean by imagine Ghana? Some of u Nigerians are so disrespectful...No respect for fellow Africans. .why would the west respect us?
DeleteAnon pardon yori yori. Based on logistics we are still supposed to be the 'giant'. However, the giant is now sleeping. Deep sleep the type God put Adam to before he removed his rib
DeleteYori travel out of your small box. Ghana has gone advanced. Their currency is more than that of Nigeria. And their schools are getting expensive. Especially the private ones. My sis goes to a private primary school here. She pays about $7k per session. That's because she's in primary. By secondary that fee will double. You people should learn. ....
DeleteNigeria has a lot to learn from Ghana when it comes to education. I am a proud alumini of the university of Ghana. Paid a lot as fees yes! But its worth it.
DeleteEvery good thing has a downside though and I beg Nigerian parents to research properly before sending their kids to school in Ghana. So many mushroom schools.. Container schools are springing up to accommodate the teeming Nigerian students. Pls don't attend Sikkim manipal university, jayee university college, Wisconsin(infact bribery wan kill them there),AAU..infact them plenty. I tire to type. Pls pls.prospective students don't rush without proper investigations... Your friends will lure you because they will either get a laptop or school fees reduction when they bring a new student. If its not a govt university, pls attend either central university, valley view,Asheshi(the baba of private uni), Pentecost uni. The rest na mostly wash oooooo.
Look at this yori yori,be staying in one village feeling funky....can you even get a school in Ghana to admit you?
DeleteYou don chop?
Go ask Evans the kidnapper how much he pays for his children.
Yeye shild!
Abeg it's Not govt funded so allow the parents spend!!!!
ReplyDeleteYes it is not. Ghana? Are they paying in dollars or naira. If they are paying in dollars it affects everyone of us. The strain on our foreign exchange savings is much. You are looking at over $1 billion dollars for schooling in ghana and in the UK . The decay in our educational sector have been there for over 3O years, so l am not expecting miracles from the present government. Universities ought to be reasearch centres but our lecturers are intellectually lazy. In the 70s and 80s when government was giving them research grants they did nothing, instead womanised and bought more cars.
DeleteThey are paying dollars
DeleteBecause of your useless jamb giving admission to who cheats better or have money to influence. I have an orphan who scored 240 something last year but those he used to teach scored higher because they used special centers. He got lower this year. He said he was not efficient with computer because he is not used to it, as he doesn't have any. I wish I got him one to practice with . If I had the resources, I would have sent him to Ghana to study medicine.
ReplyDeleteSchooling in Ghana is expensive, we are regarded as international students pays fees in dollars. What we pay is more than five times what the citizens pays. Lots of Nigerians drop out every semester some go to Togo and other French countries to continue their studies. Jamb continue to jam students okay.
ReplyDeleteMost Ghanaian students score between aggregate 7-12... But most foreigners come with aggregate 20-30. Some come with better grades though. You have to pay more to get admission. Even Ghanaians with high aggregates are called full fee lying students. Although they pay less than foreigners, they pay almost triple what the regular student with good grades pay
DeleteThen what ,the billions your kids spend in uk and american universities nko.Tell us the school your child is or graduater from before i will take you serious ndi ara
ReplyDeleteA Nigerian nursing student in one of the universities in Ghana pays $2500 dollars per semester dropped out at 200L now in Nigeria because of recession.
ReplyDeleteAnd I bet it most of the money went to those their mushroom private universities in Ghana......chai
ReplyDeleteSome will changed like three schools because of fees and still dropped out after three years with nothing to show for it. It pathetic. Some even make Ghana their home and refused to go back to Nigeria cos of shame of what people will say.
ReplyDeleteJust negodu
ReplyDeleteJust negodu
ReplyDeleteInternational students in Ghana pay fees in dollars and that includes Nigerians
ReplyDeleteNigerian students in Ghana pay fees in dollars
ReplyDeleteNo mushroom university in Ghana! They teach very well compare to universities In Nigeria! No fear of Lectures asking for sex and no buying of handouts.
ReplyDelete😱😱
ReplyDeleteMe I've sha schooled in both situations and the difference is clear. I don't blame parenrs cos ASUU is chopping all allocated funds given to universities
ReplyDeleteJust go and tell them you want to install computers and academic software and hear what they will say. If thru dont get away with excuses they will politically frustrate all efforts to improve tetiary education system. Something wey countries don do rest.
ReplyDeleteFor elementary and secondary there's still hope in good private schools.