Nigeria’s National Conference: The right to have it right in the education sector

Author: Olaniyi Olayinka
Principal Assistant Registrar (Legal Matters) at The Polytechnic, Ibadan (Nigeria)

Calls for an all-inclusive National Conference to fashion out Nigeria’s national focus dates back to before 1922 – the Clifford Constitution – which until recently was never held. President Goodluck Jonathan in his 2013 Independence Day broadcast appointed a committee to facilitate the realisation of the conference. Author Uzodinma Nwaogbe has identified disunity, lack of faith and trust amongst citizens of Nigeria as some of the issues the conference should tackle and has given his support for the conference. The conference, according to Nwaogbe, is a platform for Nigerians to talk about issues that will help develop the country irrespective of religious, political and ethnic difference.

The Nigerian constitution, per Section 18(1), clarifies educational objectives of the government and provides that:

“Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.”

This article will determine the adequacy of funding for education in Nigeria and how the conference can pave the way for an improvement.

Education is under the purview of both the federal and state governments, and being less generous about funding education is plausible because they both draw from the same purse.

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