Bad Politics Begets Terrible Educational System

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There is a difference between a leader and leadership. A leader needs money to execute some task. Leadership does not need money but influence. A leadership style that has robust command of influence should be talking of free education in Nigeria not opening more universities.

With its 177,155,754 people, Oil rich Nigeria is the 7th largest country in the world by population. It is the 32nd largest country in the world by area with 923,768 square kilometers. However, the cost of ejducation in the political entity called Nigeria is too high. It is above the  standard of living of an average citizen. There is no better way to eradicate poverty in this nation until our education is given a second thought on how to go about it.

The fight against corruption will not yield the much needed result until our education system is hijacked from the so-called upper class who can pay their children school fees  from stolen and ill-gotten wealth.

For a start, the professional courses – Medicine, Law, Banking and Finance, Pharmacy, Mass Communication – should be made free if at all the country’s economy cannot meet up all.

In a country of about 200M, we just have 16,000 certified resident doctors determined to travel abroad someday. If our education is not made free. The best brain will disappear into thin air keeping us poorer. Right now some trained Medical Doctors are jobless, busy walking along the Nigerian street while a negligible privileged few travel abroad for greener pasture which should be seen as a sacrilege rather than the norm.

It is in recognition of this Gospel truth, the President of Liberia, George Weah declared free University education for his people. This singular act will serve as a litmus test for other African countries like Nigeria. Because it will remain a show of shame for the same politics responsible for  free education in Liberia is the one killing Nigeria educational system, if it is not a bad one in practice.

Liberia is a low income country heavily reliant on foreign assistance for revenue. Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia’s economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically elected government in 2006, several have returned.

Liberia is a low income country heavily Rebuilding infrastructure and raising incomes will depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation. The country has achieved high growth during 2010-12 due to favorable world prices for its commodities.

Without mincing words, the revenue base of Liberia is $380.90 million, ranked 189th across the globe. A country that has produced the likes of George Weah, who became world’s best footballer, (and now the number one person in the country) cannot be said to be weak in talent. However, the oil rich Nigeria revenue is $22.35 billion ranked 67th, that it is 59 times more than liberia cannot boast one free kindergarten school. Abomination. We must show that we are stronger with high sense of creativity and innovation from decision making to implementation for positive change.

President George was elected late last year on a platform of fighting poverty and kick starting an economy still affected by two civil wars between 1989 and 2003, as well as providing stability and growth.

“Today, I’m excited to announce that I have declared the University of Liberia and all other Public Universities in Liberia tuition free for all undergraduates.

“The inability of our young people to continue their education is very troubling,” he said on campus.

Liberia has four state universities: the main University of Liberia, the Booker Washington Institute, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law and the William Tubman University.

– Inah Stephen Eyiene, Lokoja


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