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Some Nigerian academics have advocated for a quality education system in the country for human capital development and global competitiveness.
The dons made the call at the African Heritage Institution forum on Education in Nigeria, held in Enugu at the weekend.
The Guest Speaker, Prof. Gregory Ibe, Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu, Abia State advocated for quality education and the need for policy makers to recognize and ensure skills are embedded into Nigeria education system.
Ibe said that the non-fusion of proper skills has reduced the level of Nigerian education, making the youths to loiter.
“There is need for skills development in every level of education to produce critical mass of personnel and promote research and development which will lead to innovative and practical solutions to the nation’s needs,” he said.
He called on state governments to create Educational Trust Fund to strengthen the system more.
Prof. Uche Eze, Enugu State Commissioner for Education, regretted that examination malpractice has destroyed the education system, adding that if Nigeria must go forward, Nigerians must show commitment in seeing that education was practiced as it should.
He called on parents to pay more attention to their children’s education activities for quality education and to enable them compete globally.
Prof. Charles Soludo, former Governor of Central Bank, observed that only quality teachers and lecturers could produce quality students.
Soludo urged government at all levels to always recruit qualified teachers and lecturers if education system in Nigeria must compete globally.
Prof. Dominic Ngwoke, Lecturer from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) advocated for the review of education curriculum and embibing of industry skills into the Nigerian educational curriculum for students.
Ngwoke also called for private public partnership in funding education in Nigeria.
He said that the fall in the standard of education in Nigeria could be traced to the value system, and called for a change of mind from certificate possession to performance.
Prof. Eric Nwagwu, Head of Department of Social Sciences, UNN, asked for the strengthening of the primary and secondary schools in the country.
He urged government not to operate what he called obsolete education system, as well as make the cost of education within the reach of the citizens.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Executive Director, African Heritage Institute, Prof Ufo Okeke-Uzodike, attributed the challenges of education to the system of leadership in Nigeria and low budgetary allocation for education.
NAN reports that the theme of the forum is “Higher Education in Nigeria: Developing Human Capital for Global Competitiveness”
