Nigerian Catholic Priest Links Strikes in the Country’s Education Sector to Low budgeting

He makes reference to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) saying the UN agency “has determined that for a country to develop, that country must commit at least 26 percent of its annual budget to education.”

“In the last 30 years Nigeria has never budgeted 7 percent for education but they would budget 25 per cent for the National Assembly,” says the 77-year-old Nigerian Priest who serves as the Episcopal Vicar of Ikeja Region of Lagos Archdiocese.

He faults the West African nation for “underperforming” and underscores the value of formation education saying, “On education, Nigeria has been underperforming in all fronts, there is no exception; you can never have a developed society outside education.”

“But quality education is expensive, the government should put adequate resources in education and that is the only way out,” the Nigerian Priest says, and adds, “the fees are not within the reach of average Nigerians because if we are going to retain the kind of staff the National Universities Commission, NUC, wants us to have, we have to pay them.”

The education system in Nigeria was once the boast of the advanced world whose nationals came into the country to acquire knowledge, Msgr. Aniagwu laments, adding that the value of a Nigerian degree has depreciated.

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Before 1989, he says, one with a Nigerian degree would have a direct entry into a Master’s program in the United Kingdom and United States.

“But now, you have to do remedial courses before you can do a Master’s degree in these countries, as they do not regard your first degree as a degree,” says Msgr. Aniagwu.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.