Blog 12: Nigeria: 2012 Education Budget and its Implications

Blog 12: Nigeria: 2012 Education Budget and its Implications

This article dated April 12, 2012 reveals the major problem of the education system in Nigeria. It not only has been a huge issue in the past but it is getting worse. Nigeria only allowed 8.43 percent of the budget to education. UNESCO which is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization has recommended that 26 percent of the yearly budget be spent on education. The majority of other African countries are using these guidelines for their education systems. Due to the lack of proper funding for education in Nigeria their problems include quality staff shortages, inadequate classrooms, shortage of books, corruption, and low staff-student ratios. There are some primary schools where students sit on the bare floor. Most of the secondary schools do not have classrooms at all. The ACN, Action Congress of Nigeria, has asked for immediate action to increase education allotments because they believe that education is the “key to the development of any society”.

The recurring theme of lack of support and funding for education in Africa and many other parts of the world is apparent in this article. With a measly 8.43 percent of Nigeria’s yearly budget, how are teachers to be paid and where are the books going to come from? Although it is true that Nigeria has a myriad of problems that they are facing, it would be one of the greatest investments made in order to improve conditions.  Presently, Nigeria is allocating 82 percent of the budget towards recurrent expenditure. Education for all children should be on the top of the list of recurrent expenditures. Mr. Wale Samuel, a policy advisor for the Nigerian Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All, speaks of this by saying that education is a fundamental right which needs to guaranteed and accessible by way of the budget. He urges the government to meet the 26 percent allotment to make this happen. With people like Mr. Samuel, perhaps Nigeria has a chance to meet their educational needs.

                                                                   Deborah Faircloth