Scratching The Surface: The Nigerian Educational System

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There is a popular belief in my country that education is a fraud. In fact, most of the young citizens believe that since education is not a criterion for wealth, then they don't have to be educated. And then there is the government constantly sabotaging our educational system, which gives these youngsters every reason to run wild with their beliefs and form a belief system of "school na scam."

You see, over the years, our government has paid little attention to the educational sector. In fact, in the Nigeria budget, it is among the least funded sectors. When paired side by side with the UNESCO-approved percentage of 26%, we see how poorly we are ranking in educational budgeting.

When you reason it, it becomes a sad commentary that the government can only allocate a meager 7% from the national budget to the educational sector of the country. Little wonder why the economic activity is crawling because, theoretically, a highly educated populace is equal to a productive state.

Well, regardless of how poorly funded our educational system might be, it has not deterred those who are serious from making something meaningful out of it. If it's any consolation, over the years we've seen prominent writers like Chimamanda Adichie, Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, and the like emerge from this rusted educational system to become international sensations. So, it's safe to say that our educational system is not a lost cause.

You know, mentioning Chimamanda Adichie alongside these two prominent men stirs some sort of joyful feeling. It is worth noting that before now, when it comes to being beneficiaries of education, women have not been fortunate.

Basically it was a belief that since women mostly end up as caretakers of the family and as home builders, educating them becomes a waste of resources. It's even sadder that some women validate the above belief by not making adequate use of their certificate.
I remember back then in uni, it was evening, and I was having a chitchat with my roommates. We were talking about our visions and what we hoped to achieve with our degrees when we eventually got them. It was such a bonding moment until a girl amongst us studying political science said she has no intention of puting her degree to use.

According to her, she hoped to get married to her longtime boyfriend and be a housewife tending to the children and the home. She didn't end there; she went on to inform us that her intentions were the reason she isn't struggling for a good grade because she knows she won't be saddled with the responsibility of 9 to 5, as her husband will provide, and she could maybe do a petty trade on the side.

I was disappointed, to say the least, as I couldn't fathom why she didn't just jump right into marriage after her secondary education. I had so many questions, like why did she bother furthering to the uni? Her actions became more concerning as we were in a private university where the fees were really expensive.
I couldn't just stomach it, so I questioned, "Why didn't you just marry after your secondary education?" Her response was even more disappointing, as she said she was schooling for her parents.

You know, her decisions didn't make sense to me, but then again, it's not my life, and I understand that we all want different things. I also know of a girl who studied law and refused to practice, stating that she wants to be a musician. In a time where women have been given the opportunity to be just as educated as their male counterparts, you would think every woman out there would strive to be educated.

Unfortunately, it's not so, and while it could be disappointing, there are women who think differently and are making the most out of these times. In fact, currently in schools, especially in southern Nigeria, you will find more female than male students in a class.

In the banking sector, we have more female than male ceos and a quick glance at their resume one could see how deserving they are of such positions giving the different educational qualifications from prestigious Universities around the globe.

Even in Northen Nigeria where education is almost a taboo for women, we still see these women pushing against societal boundaries to become educated.

Indeed, the educational system has evolved over the years to accommodate women, which is highly commendable.