By Dr. Godwin Eni, Vancouver, Canada.
For a variety of reasons, which include civil wars and corrupt practices, it is difficult for many African countries to rise above inherited colonial education systems, or to implement a need-based national system of accountability in education. My experience as a consultant and advisor in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe informs me about the challenges developing countries face in fulfilling educational needs that lead to significant national development. What, therefore, are the challenges facing a developing country such as Nigeria since the end of colonialism, civil war, and the discovery of petroleum?
Post-colonial Development in Nigerian Education
The educational gains that were achieved in limited areas of study that led the country out of political dependence and colonialism were quickly dissipated soon after the civil war of the 1960s and the proliferation of academic institutions without supportive resources. Today, Nigeria has 50 universities, many of which have marginal pedagogy, equipment and resource support. As Division Chair, Director of a Graduate Program, and Chair of the Admissions Committee in one of the top three Canadian universities, I was astonished at the extremely poor performance of a graduate student from one of the newly established Nigerian universities compared to other students; as well, as a visiting professor to a top-tier Nigerian university in 2008-09, I was amazed at the lack of supportive resources and equipment to encourage quality professional education.
How, therefore, can Nigeria revisit its education policies, structure, and content to achieve incremental developmental progress? It seems that much of the colonial educational mentality still remains in Nigeria as students focus on knowledge acquisition and not on sufficient skill development in areas necessary for national development. The theory that works is the theory that gets the job done. Getting the job done is achieved through the acquisition of relevant knowledge and skill.
The fast-changing world of knowledge and skill acquisition
It seems that many educated Nigerians simply follow an established occupational or professional template in fulfilling their jobs. Some Nigerians with technical expertise fail to engage in critical thinking, devoid of personal gain, that contributes to development within their jurisdiction. We know that technological change, the utilization of appropriate information, and new ways to organize labour, skill and production are essential elements to the national development process. These factors have transformed the world economy more than machines and manpower alone. According to the 1990 World Bank Report, “education is a key to developing that knowledge and the sense of personal efficacy needed to adjust to rapid change.” Some developing countries such as Korea, Singapore and Malaysia recognize the importance of planning for change in development. Since 1990, these non-oil producing countries have moved up, at least one tier, on the ladder of development because of adherence to well-planned changes in approach to education policy and training for national development.
Professor Eni and 5th Year Med Rehab students, University of Nigeria Medical School.
We also know that economic development accrues from investment in formal education and training. We can assume that civil wars, corruption, inadequate planning and governance issues lead to economic crisis and mediate national development. We can also assume that continuing economic crisis constrains the ability of a developing country to maintain present levels of educational achievement or the ability to be competitive globally. More importantly, there is a widening gap in knowledge base between developed and developing countries. New products or modifications to existing products are rolled out every year in developed countries. Nigeria provides an attractive market population for many of these products as consumers. Will it be advantageous for national development for Nigeria to explore changes in education policy that would prepare future generations to innovate, produce quality products and compete successfully in the global market?
Avenues for Improvement
The recent World Bank economic update on Nigeria is encouraging in the sense that it suggests ways to advance progressive policies for economic development. The report suggests better coordination of policies and activities between the federal and state government policies as well as the establishment of an institutional framework for macroeconomic management. Although the macroeconomic outlook is strong, “poverty reduction and job creation have not kept pace with population growth, implying social distress for an increasing number of Nigerians.” Furthermore, the report notes that although the states possess significant financial independence and autonomy which can be potentially advantageous for development, Nigeria is nevertheless constrained by minimal market connectivity, governance challenges, and wealth policy coordination resulting in market fragmentation. As a result, “Investors with the potential to set up large scale operations and create many jobs will be reluctant to do so if they cannot service a larger market. Under these conditions, a number of Nigerian states have limited opportunities to attract significant investors.” A well-articulated and coordinated federal/state education policy, which understands the relationship between economic development and education, including measures for improving the quality of education and assessing successes and failures of previous education and training policies will go a long way to advance national development opportunities. We therefore suggest the following:
- Identify gaps in the education system that hinder critical thinking, innovation, and “hands-on” skill development that is consistent with modern times and jettisons the colonial education mentality of just possessing a degree as end-product, doing the job routinely, and not thinking of the best way to innovate or to make a difference. The “acquisitive consumer mentality” has become very pervasive in Nigerian society. Education policy should encourage contribution rather than what Nigerians take from society.
- Identify and develop relevant skills for “modern jobs” in technology, trades, entrepreneurship, industry, and manufacturing including the non-institution-based jobs and those that were once categorized as non-prestigious blue-collar jobs. According to the World Bank, “Skilled workers are more likely to have jobs, earn higher incomes, and are better able to take advantage of economic opportunities. Research shows that the level of skills in the workforce is a better predictor of growth than years of schooling. But skills levels, particularly in poorer countries and among disadvantaged groups, are inadequate, and skills mismatches persist.”
- Develop and implement tools to measure skills. A generalized tool for measuring gaps in selected professional and occupational skill-sets necessary for national development will go a long way to improve the quality of products made in Nigeria. The areas may also include cognitive, behavioral, technical and social skills.
-Change student achievement assessment systems using the SABER Benchmarking System for Workforce Development.
The foundation of the SABER system includes: investing in people’s knowledge and skill to promote development; building knowledge-base and strengthening education and training systems; systematically documenting and benchmarking against evidence-based global standards; workforce development and fostering dialogue, and action on reforms. The five-step approach to education includes: (a) getting children off to the right start; (b) ensuring that all children learn; (c) building job-relevant skills; (d) encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation; and (e) facilitating labour mobility and job-matching.
Conclusion
The transition from knowledge acquisition to knowledge application requires the transformation of a colonial education system and expectations to those of a modern, industry and technology-driven system. An appropriate institutional framework that coordinates federal and state education policies in ways that encourage the identification of relevant skills necessary for national development and the implementation of credible evaluation tool to measure, improve and follow-up on outcomes, would lay a solid foundation for future improvements. The economic outlook for Nigeria is encouraging compared to some developing countries. Regardless of her income from petroleum reserves, Nigeria has adequate manpower and ability to move up the development scale in future.
Dr. Eni addressing the audience at the launch of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PolicyGuidelines in Freetown, Sierra Leone, 2012.
About the Author
* Born in Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Eni became the first Nigerian university graduate physiotherapist. He came to Canada in 1970 and undertook graduate studies in Neuro-Muscular Facilitation Techniques at the University of Saskatchewan, then moved to British Columbia to pursue further studies [M.Sc.] in Health Services Planning and Administration, and a PhD in Medical Sociology and Epidemiology at the University of British Columbia. A renowned Canadian health care authority, Dr. Eni has represented Canada abroad and consulted for governments and international organizations in health and education in 22 countries.
Credit: The Rising Africa magazine, Ottawa, Canada.
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