


































 Global Journal of Education and Allied  

Research (GJEAR) 
Volume.15, Number 11; November-2024; 

ISSN: 2837-3707 | Impact Factor: 7.80 

https://zapjournals.com/Journals/index.php/gjear  

Published By: Zendo Academic Publishing 

 

 

pg. 1 

MANAGING THE NIGERIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM: A BLUEPRINT 

FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION AND EMANCIPATION 
 

1Hazzan Moses Kayode, Ph. D. and 1Adeogun Ademola Adewale, Ph. D. 

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2933-5798 

Email: moseshazzan4@gmail.com; adewalemola@gmail.com /walemola2016@gmail.com/ 

+2348140718141/+2347039877233 

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8292-5329 

 

Article Info  Abstract 

Keywords: Education, 

Indigenous education, traditional 

education system, pre-colonial 

and post-colonial education 

systems, economic 

diversification and emancipation 

 

DOI 

10.5281/zenodo.14073092 

 It is axiomatic to underscore that a well-managed education system is 

deemed globally a crucial prerequisite for not only the growth and 

development of every society or geopolitical space but also one of the 

veritable hallmarks of a diversified and functional economy that will, 

in the long run, culminate in economic emancipation of the people. The 

education industry faces enormous challenges in several African 

countries, and Nigeria is no exception. Even though education remains 

the bedrock or superstructure on which other societal structures such 

as politics, culture, religion, economics, etc. are laid; it is quite 

disheartening that education in Nigeria is not effectively and efficiently 

managed for economic diversification and the emancipation of the 

recipients of such education. Indeed, the industry faces innumerable 

challenges, especially in contemporary times when the education 

system is essentially functional. The hydra-headed nature of the 

challenges facing Nigeria’s educational system has inevitably resulted 

in different dimensions of economic quagmires entangling the country 

and making most of its citizens find it extremely difficult to escape and 

survive. The level of dysfunction in various sections of the education 

system has made it seemingly intractable to palliate the economic 

predicaments confronting the country, let alone emancipate it from the 

monoculture of its overdependence on oil. The authors of this treatise 

are diagnostic in their approaches to understanding the intricacies of 

the challenges facing the Nigerian education system and deprive it of 

being a veritable tool for a functional economy as well as a catalyst for 

the economic emancipation of its people. Through analyses of relevant 

literature, this paper amplifies the conceptual and operational 

dimensions of the identified challenges, offers probable suggestions on 

how the challenges can be tackled, and finally concludes. 
 

                                                           
1 University of Ibadan, Nigeria 

https://zapjournals.com/Journals/index.php/gjear
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2933-5798?lang=en


Global Research Journal of Management and Social Sciences (GRJMSS) Vol. 15 (11) 

 

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1. Introduction 

Contrary to the mainstream view of education as a process of teaching and learning, usually at schools, colleges, 

or universities, education can be conceptualized as a way in which members of a society are trained about the 

knowledge and skills deemed necessary for survival in such a society (Akinpelu, 2018). Education serves as the 

defining essence of human life, separating humanity from lower animals. Hence, every society endeavors to 

provide education in various forms to guide its youth toward embracing their desired cultural norms and ways of 

life. As is the case in societies worldwide, education has been an inherent aspect of Nigerian life since time 

immemorial. In pre-colonial Nigeria, education served as a potent tool for imparting essential skills, ethics, 

customs, traditions, and values to every child, empowering them to participate actively and contribute to society. 

Analyzing two key national objectives of education outlined in the National Policy on Education (NPE - FRN, 

2013) reveals their pivotal role in securing the economic liberation of the Nigerian populace. First, the emphasis 

on instilling appropriate values and attitudes crucial for individual and societal survival underscores the 

importance of fostering a strong ethical framework and communal ethos. Second, the emphasis on acquiring the 

necessary skills, abilities, and competencies, encompassing both mental and physical aspects, provides 

individuals with the tools needed to thrive within their society. Together, these provisions form the cornerstone 

for the economic empowerment of the Nigerian citizenry.  

Education, as outlined in these provisions, serves as a vehicle for cultivating citizens with positive values and 

equipping them with essential skills for personal economic empowerment and overall national development. This 

approach aligns with the imperative to diversify the economy and foster a dynamic and inclusive growth trajectory 

for the nation. Thus, education in a broad sense is a process through which an individual acquires physical, mental, 

and social capabilities and/or skills demanded by the society in which he/she is born to function (Uwadia, 2010). 

It is to a nation what the mind is to the body. For instance, just as a diseased mind is handicapped in the 

coordination and direction of bodily activities, a dysfunctional educational system will also affect the functioning 

of a geopolitical space or country in terms of the emancipation of its citizens as well as the diversification of its 

economy. 

Similarly, Education can be conceptualized as a weapon for combating ignorance, poverty, and disease; as a 

bridge between confusion and comprehension, like a dam for conserving man’s store of civilization and for 

generating the power to move to greater civilization; as a rocket for transporting man from a state of intellectual 

subservience to a state of intellectual sovereignty (Yoloye, 1980). Indeed, education equips individuals with the 

skills necessary to leverage economic resources, enabling them to overcome poverty. Moreover, it fosters the 

development of crucial social skills and facilitates effective social interactions and relationships. Additionally, 

education propels the acquisition of technical capacities essential for economic emancipation and diversification, 

ultimately leading to enhanced living standards for recipients. A prime example of a nation that restructured its 

education system to reflect national circumstances and promote the economic liberation of its citizens is South 

Korea (Yoloye, 1980). Despite being categorized as a very poor country in the 1960s, South Korea has undergone 

a remarkable transformation as an economic powerhouse. This transformation has been largely driven by the 

aggressive improvement of the country’s education system, highlighting the critical role of education in fostering 

economic development and national advancement. 

Before colonialism began, unemployment was a rare phenomenon in Nigeria. This is because Nigerians and 

people in other African geopolitical spaces are considered highly entrepreneurial, and therefore, they are 

productively engaged. Nigerians across the then three regions – West, East, and North – were highly 



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entrepreneurial as indigenous and traditional education practiced invariably amplified social responsibility, job 

orientation, political participation as well as spiritual and moral responsibilities (Okoli, 2011). In other words, 

education was geared toward functionality, and there was no room for idleness. This indigenous education was 

not for mere cognition (head knowledge) but was important to the socio-economic advancement of the individual 

and society at large. This, perhaps, might have in one way or another influenced the current emphasis on the need 

for increased entrepreneurial education through the development of problem-solving curricula and the promotion 

of lifelong education. 

However, the beginning of the colonial era in Nigeria marked a downward trend in emphasis on indigenous or 

traditional education systems. Indeed, the colonial overlords did not introduce any new system of education to 

Africa in general and Nigeria in particular, but rather distorted the already existing structure. It was an education 

for underdevelopment (Rodney, 1972). Therefore, unlike pre-colonial African education that grew out of the 

immediate environment and available resources, the colonial education structure reveals that it was not intended 

either to emancipate Africans economically, socially, or otherwise or to enhance the diversification of its 

economy. Rather, the education system is configured to make the people of Nigeria subservient to the dictates of 

the colonial government. 

In post-colonial and contemporary times, several changes were made in the NPE, but up to now, they have not 

been implemented to reflect the educational blueprints contained in the Policy. For instance, to what extent has 

secondary education in Nigeria (as a post-basic education) been able to train students for career development, 

prepare them for the world of work, and help them contribute positively to society (Osuji and Koko, 2018) as 

contained in the NPE (FRN, 2013)? Meanwhile, the essence of secondary education is to give the youth the right 

to acquire the necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values that will enable them to lead life and become 

productive individuals in society. 

Tertiary education is the linchpin of a nation’s advancement, contributing to both human and material resources. 

In essence, it serves as the primary driver of human capital formation, which is indispensable for fostering 

economic growth and overall development. This viewpoint has been supported by reputable sources such as the 

World Bank (1999) and scholars like Alade (2006). Tertiary education in Nigeria plays a pivotal role in various 

aspects of national development, as outlined in the National Policy on Education (FGN, 2013). It serves as a 

critical platform for training high-level workers, instilling proper values, fostering intellectual capacity 

development, acquiring physical and intellectual skills, and promoting community service. These functions 

underscore the significance of tertiary education in shaping the trajectory of the nation's socio-economic and 

cultural landscape. However, as lofty as these objectives are, they are not reflected in the lives of most graduates 

who find it extremely difficult to be employed because of their lack of employable skills. 

Hence, it is plausible to emphasize that the execution of educational policies in Nigeria may not have prioritized 

the comprehensive development of individuals or facilitated their attainment of deeper insight and mastery over 

themselves and their surroundings (Akanbi and Jekayinfa, 2019). This perspective underscores potential 

shortcomings in the implementation of educational policies, possibly impeding the achievement of their intended 

objectives regarding personal growth and empowerment. For quite some time, the education system in Nigeria 

has been criticized for its theoretical nature and its failure to adequately address the needs, desires, and aspirations 

of its recipients. According to Osokoya (2016), the focus of this education system is primarily on producing 

individuals who are geared toward seeking white-collar jobs, despite the predominantly agrarian environment. 

Consequently, learners struggle to develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their surroundings, and the 



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rapidly changing world. This critique underscores the need for educational reforms that better align with the 

realities of the modern era and empower learners to navigate dynamic environments effectively. 

2. Trajectories of Nigeria’s Education System: Conceptual Clarifications 

2.1 Traditional Education System  

Before the advent of colonial rule, Nigerian societies had a traditional educational system. Pre-colonial traditional 

education was informal and concerned with training individuals to equip them with the skills needed to become 

useful persons within society and to survive in it. Children were taught traditional crafts, trades, and vocational 

skills through an apprenticeship system. This system inculcates in the citizenry an appreciation of their heritage, 

culture, ethics, and civics, and an appreciation of social obligations. On the whole, traditional education, though 

informal, was comprehensive, integrated, and holistic. This underscored the primacy of society and not 

individuals (Ajayi, 2017). 

2.2 Western Education System 

The genesis of Western education in Nigeria can be traced to the period of Christian missionaries. Various 

missionary groups emerged, including the Methodists, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics, all from Europe from 

the early 1840s, as well as the Baptist Mission, from America that came in 1850. The essence of this system of 

education was to proselytize and gain more converts into Christendom. 

2.3 Colonial Education System 

  The educational system introduced by the colonialists was modeled on the British system. It was laden with a 

heavier emphasis on subservient attitudes and white-collar skills. It was ineluctably based on the assumptions of 

colonial and capitalist societies. This meant that colonial education induced attitudes of human inequality and, in 

practice, underpinned the domination of the weak by the strong, especially in the economic field (Nyere, 1967). 

All through the colonial era, therefore, education was restricted both in scope and quality to the base-level 

requirements of the regimes and was structured in such a way as not to threaten the hegemony of the imperial 

order. Hence, colonial education alienated its beneficiaries from their own culture and entrenched cultural 

imperialism in society. Therefore, through this ‘imported’ education, some Nigerians become deluded hybrids, 

seeing themselves as world citizens and not the citizens of their immediate environment (Akinpelu, 2018). This 

system of education was principally predicated on ‘how much’ its recipients could consume with whatever they 

accumulated rather than what they could create (Olutayo, 2010). 

2.4  Post-Colonial Nigeria’s Education System 

At independence in 1960, Nigeria inherited a colonial education system that was largely designed to meet the 

needs of the colonial administration. They were mainly grammar schools that produced white-collar, job-oriented 

labor. Practically no technical curriculum exists in the school system. The colonialists were not interested in 

producing the engineers, scientists, and other professionals needed to develop the young Nigerian nation. In 

Nigeria, the education system comprises three distinct sectors: basic education, which spans nine years; post-

basic or senior secondary education, which lasts three years; and tertiary education, which varies in duration from 

four to six years depending on the chosen program of study (FRN, 2013). Suffice it to say that at present, the 

entire education system is in a pitiable state (Ajayi, 2017). There is no gainsaying the fact that the major 

stakeholders in the educational system, namely, parents, the government, and the larger society, have reduced the 

school system to merely avenues for ‘certificate’ acquisition, the products for ‘jobs’, notably white-collar ones, 

and no more (Akinpelu, 2018). It is common knowledge that education is expected to achieve certain objectives, 

one of which is to produce good citizens - men and women of good character. The current education system has 



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invariably failed to equip its products with the enduring values of society, such as honesty, integrity, transparency, 

discipline, justice, and a sense of fairness, etc. (Lina Markauskaite, 2018).  

 

2.5 Economic Emancipation  

Emancipation, according to the Memidex dictionary (www.dictionary.com), is the process of liberation or the 

state of being free. It signifies liberation from constraints and freedom from social inhibitions and conventions. 

Economic emancipation can therefore be viewed in the context of the freedom of an individual from poverty 

and/or financial challenges and an appreciable level of standard of living. A country can be said to be 

economically emancipated if it can efficiently and effectively harness its resources, get its citizens gainfully 

engaged, and provide for the needs of its citizens without being heavily dependent on foreign economies to 

survive. 

2.6 Economic diversification 

This is the process of dynamics in an economy that is characterized by shifting an economy away from a single 

income source (mono-cultural economy) to multiple sources (dynamic economy) from a growing range of sectors 

and markets. In the meantime, this approach has been adopted and applied by several countries as a strategy to 

encourage positive economic growth and development. For instance, Nigeria will diversify its economy when it 

exploits resources and develops other sectors of its economy and the potential of its citizens to reach fullness. 

3.  The Nigerian Education System: A panoramic view of its inherent dysfunctions 

The Nigerian education system is currently inundated with a myriad of challenges such as poor funding, 

inadequate infrastructure, lack of teaching and learning tools, indiscipline, poor governance, the politicization of 

education, and corruption among others (Jaiyeoba, 2018) as well incessant strike actions, brain drain, poor quality, 

and relevance of output (Babalola, 2011). 

However, as lofty and laudable as the goals of Nigerian education as enunciated in the NPE (FRN, 2013), there 

exists a wide chasm between what is amplified in the policy document and what is practiced in the Nigerian 

education system. Perhaps, this lacuna became pronounced because there was no total decolonization of the 

mentality of the key educational stakeholders or actors coupled with the faulty academic content of the 

curriculum. Numerous scholars have strongly argued that a significant proportion of university graduates are 

unemployable or face challenges in securing jobs due to a lack of essential skills necessary for their chosen fields 

(Babalola, 2011; Ajayi, 2017; Akinpelu, 2018; Adedeji, 2022). They contend that the educational curriculum 

places greater emphasis on cognitive development while neglecting functional education, which is holistic in 

terms of human development (Akinpelu, 2005; Innocent-Ene, 2008). 

4. Managing the Nigerian Education System for Economic Diversification and Emancipation: Hints and 

Useful Strategies 
Every education system in the global community is established and saddled with the responsibility of transmitting 

knowledge that can transform the economy and modernize society; building the human capacity needed for 

accelerated economic growth and development as well as influencing the diversification of the economy to get 

people engaged optimally, alleviate poverty, and improve their standard of living (Jaiyeoba, 2018; Adedeji, 2022). 

Thus, managing the Nigerian education system is a herculean task that requires serious and concerted efforts from 

all stakeholders. Hence, designing an education system to fit domestic or local needs, resources, culture, etc., 

boils down to ‘engineering issues’. A critical review of the education system since independence shows that 

Nigeria has been operating on inherited education systems coupled with faulty curricula (Yoloye, 1980). Serious 

attention is therefore needed to the engineering and restructuring of the Nigerian education system considering 

each of the following suggested strategies.  

4.1 Creation of a Symbiotic Nexus between Town and Gown 



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There is a disconnect between the Nigerian education system and organically formed indigenous knowledge. 

Consequently, not only is the current system clearly at variance with the primordial indigenous system, but there 

is also an obvious separation between the town and the gown. For example, the Nigerian university system, in 

particular, and the educational system in general, do not interact as much with the immediate environment. 

Policymakers and society at large today place much emphasis on the acquisition of university degrees, with less 

emphasis on vocational and technical training as well as relevant skills that will enhance the quality of people 

living in every society.  

The reality is that the gown cannot ignore the town because the developmental processes of any geopolitical space 

cannot be divorced from its organically formed knowledge and Indigenous knowledge culture. Instances abound 

in every society in Nigeria, as in many other parts of Africa, that most of the ‘so-called’ educated elites and 

eggheads depend more on roadside technicians, many of whom do not have a university education to make certain 

aspects of their daily life more meaningful (Ajayi, 2017). Also, most accident victims are treated relatively easily 

in traditional orthopedic hospitals, many cases of which could have attracted amputation. Unfortunately, the 

system pays less attention to these “unschooled persons and their indigenous knowledge” because they never saw 

the four walls of the educational system. A rider to the above question is to ask the pertinent question: what have 

our universities done to improve the food crisis, debt crisis, social crisis, etc.? This put into question the local 

relevance of many Nigerian higher-learning institutions. 

Individuals who receive high-quality tertiary education are expected to demonstrate capabilities in addressing and 

resolving various societal challenges spanning economic, technological, socio-political, moral, and 

developmental domains. However, a discernible gap persists between the knowledge acquired within educational 

institutions and the practical skills necessary for effectively addressing these challenges (Qiang, 2003). Therefore, 

it is imperative to incorporate principles from African traditional education, including functionalism, into modern 

educational policies to bridge this gap.  

4.2 Glocalization of Curricula Content and Amplification of Vocational and Entrepreneurial Education 

One of the fundamental features of the colonial educational legacy was the uncritical adoption of an education 

system that placed a premium on academic degrees to the disparagement of technical and vocational careers. 

Prioritizing vocational and technical education is paramount at this critical juncture. Such education should be 

structured to incorporate entrepreneurial training and support the diversification of the economy, aiming to create 

a nation that is not only robust and self-sufficient but also economically liberated. Consequently, it is imperative 

to enhance the curricula at all educational levels, making them more innovative, contemporary, pertinent, and 

oriented toward practical application rather than theoretical concepts. 

To reposition the education system for economic diversification and emancipation, robust collaboration between 

industry and educational institutions is indispensable. This collaboration should focus on three interconnected 

innovation paths: curriculum revision, skills training, and R&D initiatives. These efforts must be tailored to meet 

the evolving needs of society, both domestically and internationally (Olasehinde-Williams, 2018). In reality, no 

nation develops and emancipates itself from every form of economic doldrums by copying others verbatim. It 

must ‘indigenize’ what is learned from other nations. However, such indigenization is impossible without the 

ownership and control of the means of survival (Akinpelu, 2018).  

The system of education inherited from British colonial education was too deeply ingrained in Western concepts. 

To this day, the system is still deficient in terms of being culturally centered; there is apparent difficulty in 

successfully producing people who are deeply ingrained in the culture, values, and norms of their people. In other 

words, the current educational system alienates beneficiaries from their indigenous values and makes them 



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beholden to foreign values. There should therefore be a working mechanism to make the educational system 

meaningful, relevant, and sustainable for Nigerian and African cultures, while at the same time having a critical 

appreciation of other cultures (Ajayi, 2017). It is significant to deconstruct the knowledge presented by the 

colonial overlords to bring the knowledge of the forebears to the fore by showing how their intricate and 

progressive knowledge, with the use of their contextual understanding of their environment, helped to create 

empires (Akinpelu, 2018). The Asian Tigers (South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong) hitherto 

experimented with this, and this resulted in their economic emancipation. 

4.3 Skill-Based Education System and Emphasis on Sabiticates2rather than Mere Certificates 

Sabiticate is equal to what we sabi or what we know in term of the practical application of knowledge acquired 

to solve problems. What is the relevance of a paper certificate that cannot empower its bearer? This implies that 

neither a country nor its citizens can be economically emancipated until the practicality and application of what 

is known are achieved. There is a need for education to acquire knowledge and not just certificate acquisition. 

The realities of the contemporary Nigerian situation call for more job creators rather than job seekers because the 

employment market is already saturated. Therefore, emphasis should shift from mere certificates to skill 

acquisition. Every educational institution in Nigeria at all levels must brace to ensure that its products are 

sufficiently well-equipped to respond to the myriad challenges facing the education system. It is important to 

realize that the more educated, in the Western way of life, Nigerians become, the more they distance themselves 

from the obvious opportunities around them. However, Nigerians employ almost irrelevant means of labor, to 

create new social relationships that depend on foreign knowledge and ideas. Meanwhile, means of labor are 

central to understanding the nature of labor and the objects on which it operates. It is therefore unfortunate that 

both the means of labor and labor depend on the imported object of labor such that attention is drawn more to the 

external than to contextual existential realities (Akinpelu, 2018).  

Students should be re-oriented for survival strategies with less emphasis placed on ‘theoretical distinction and 

credits’. Various levels of education must begin to take an interest in how Nigerian students can compete for 

survival. To do so, they need to learn to appreciate societal needs based on society’s defined needs (Akinpelu, 

2018). It is expedient for the Nigerian education system to embrace and learn from the forebears in science, 

medicine, agriculture, socio-economic relations, and so on, while the so-called knowledge from abroad should be 

clinically studied to find out its relevance to the country’s survival (Akinpelu, 2018). 

4.4 Need for Quality Teachers and Adequate Remuneration 

The significance of teachers cannot be overemphasized, as they serve as the cornerstone of a nation’s educational 

system. Without well-prepared and highly skilled teachers, a nation cannot advance beyond its educators’ 

capabilities. It is therefore essential that teachers receive thorough education and pedagogical training, particularly 

in teaching high-level curricula. Failing to provide such training would inadvertently communicate to students 

that their aim is merely to attain academic adequacy rather than striving for academic excellence (UNESCO, 

1996, p. 37). Furthermore, learners should be consistently reminded of the practical implications of their daily 

classroom learning to help them understand the significance of their education in shaping their future pursuits. 

Teachers at all levels of education should also be motivated by being adequately remunerated as and when due 

(Ajayi, 2017). The current pauperization of teachers in social circumstances of unbridled materialism is not likely 

to bring out the best in them, no matter their level of commitment. Is it any wonder that the average teacher in the 

                                                           
2This indicates the skills, ingenuities and practical knowledge that characterized the Indigenous and organic knowledge 

system as distinct from the theoretical ‘head knowledge’ that is predicated on degrees/certificates (the term was neologized 

and used by Akinpelu (2018). 



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Nigerian school system today, regardless of his/her level of commitment, has had to look for additional means of 

sustenance or coping strategies? The point being emphasized, therefore, is that teachers as major stakeholders 

also need adequate motivation, a sense of life, and recognition for optimal performance. Furthermore, teachers 

themselves should demonstrate greater commitment to the teaching of the students entrusted to them (Ajayi, 

2017). 

4.5 Emphasizing Value-Oriented Education 

Before the introduction of Western education, Nigeria had a thriving traditional education system. This system 

placed great importance on values such as industry, integrity, honesty, transparency, and contentment, all of which 

were highly respected (Fafunwa, 1974). These virtues were deeply ingrained in Nigerian culture, evident in 

traditional religious practices, dances, dramas, folklore, and arts and crafts. Similarly, the concept of 

"omoluwabi," which refers to a person of good character in all aspects, served as the central focus of educational 

efforts aimed at Nigerian children (Fabamwo, 2012). Traditional education placed great emphasis on this concept, 

recognizing that the goal was not only to acquire skills but also to nurture good character in individuals and 

prepare them to become valuable members of society. 

In contemporary Nigeria, individuals emerging from educational institutions must not only acquire knowledge 

but also internalize and demonstrate positive attitudes to effectively integrate as productive members of society. 

It is significant to stress that the resources with which Nigeria has been bestowed since independence are 

adequately sufficient to diversify its economy and develop the country’s human capital, thereby emancipating its 

citizens from the shackles of economic savagery comparable to what other countries, especially in South East 

Asia, many of whom went through the same colonial experience, have done. Given all the resources found in 

Nigeria, one is tempted to speculate that indiscipline at all levels is a cog in the wheel of steady educational 

development and economic emancipation. Therefore, the Nigerian government must build an education system 

that advocates for increased moral fiber and downplays ethical absurdities and materialism.   

4.6 Funding of Education 

Sufficient funding for the education sector is crucial if Nigeria genuinely aims to make its education system 

relevant and effective. A substantial increase in budgetary allocation to the education sector is needed to support 

the enhancement of both content and processes in education. From elementary school to the highest level of 

education, the scarcity of essential equipment and materials crucial for practical learning is increasing. This 

deficiency can be directly linked to inadequate funding for the education sector. Government expenditure on 

education is continually dwindling, more so in recent years, against the backdrop of fluctuations in national 

economic fortunes (Ajayi, 2017). There is an urgent need to ensure adequate funding to provide world-class 

physical structures, functional teaching equipment, and a social environment conducive to qualitative education 

for the common people. 

4.7 Taming the Ferocity of Corrupt Practices in all Strata of the Education Sector 

In modern Nigeria, there is a prevalent moral decline both within and outside the school environment. Teachers 

and administrators exhibit decreased dedication to their duties, leading to a devaluation of the certificates awarded 

by schools. Additionally, examination malpractice, in its octopod dimensions, has become rampant across all 

educational levels, with parents, teachers, and other stakeholders often complicit and actively supporting and 

facilitating this unethical behavior. Compounding this issue is the stark reality that a significant proportion of 

graduates emerging from the education system lack the essential technical and professional skills required to 

thrive in modern workplaces. Hence, beyond the scarcity of available jobs, a considerable number of Nigerian 

graduates are simply not equipped with the skills necessary for employment. 



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5. Conclusion 

Diversification of the Nigerian economy and the economic emancipation of its citizens require different 

diagnoses. In summary, there is no single solution to the question of economic emancipation in Nigeria. What is 

certain is that true economic emancipation and diversification of the Nigerian economy can only be realized when 

the country’s economy is growing at its full potential, which can be attained through a well-planned and 

implemented educational policy and critical overhauling of the education system. Despite the glaring enormous 

challenges Nigeria and its citizens face in the educational system, giant strides could be made toward ensuring 

that education at all levels is structured to liberate the country from the present state of the economic quagmire it 

finds itself. Given a more favorable environment, therefore, the country could make more contributions to the 

economic emancipation of its people through a well-overhauled education system. 

Education for economic emancipation and diversification is not a commodity that can be lifted from a shell and 

given life. Nor do mere policy statements and statements of intent bring them into being. Therefore, all the 

education stakeholders, in all circumstances, must partake in the sacrosanct responsibility of overhauling the 

Nigerian education system to embrace functionalism. Perhaps, it may be apt at this juncture to quote one of the 

thought-provoking remarks succinctly made by Professor Toyin Falola to amplify the essence of diversifying the 

Nigerian economy. He said inter alia:  

We are in the age of the knowledge economy. Knowledge economies are more lucrative than oil 

economies. Oil is a depreciating asset; knowledge is not. Oil needs a knowledge economy to generate 

progress: oil as a commodity requires a greater amount of knowledge to make it useful. Oil does not 

create the human capital needed to move society forward; knowledge does. The knowledge economy is 

linked to all forms of technologies and information that generate progress (Falola, 2016, page 58). 

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Authors’ Biographical Information 

1Dr Hazzan Moses Kayode (B.Ed., M.Ed., MA, and Ph.D.) is a seasoned research scholar from the University 

of Ibadan, Nigeria. His areas of research focus/interest are eclectic and these cut across personnel administration 

in education, comparative studies of global and African educational assessments, basic, secondary, and higher 

education, human resources development, African history, African indigenous/organic knowledge, 

historiography, and studies on intergroup relations. His current research interests focus on international education 

in the contexts of cosmopolitanism and global citizenship, teacher personnel and student academic achievement 

at basic and secondary schools in Nigeria, and historical dynamics of gender issues in Nigerian society. 
2Dr Adeogun Ademola Adewale is a scholar in Teacher Education and Political/Economics, Business, and 

Educational Management with a keen interest in Leadership, Policies, Human capital, administration, and global 

economy from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He is a multidisciplinary researcher whose interests cut across 

Leadership, African Politics, African Education in the context of pre-colonization, Business Management, 

Personnel Administration in education, and human capital management. His current research interests focus on 

socio-cultural factors and policy implementation in federal universities in Southwestern Nigeria. 

http://www.apjce-org/files/APJCE-09-1-25.pdf
http://www.apjce-org/files/APJCE-09-1-25.pdf

