Falling education standards, global problem – Adikwu

Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja, Professor Michael Adikwu, has said that the falling standard of education is a global phenomenon.
Various nations, however, have put in place several approaches in tackling them. It should be noted that no “fire-brigade” approach can be used in reversing the trend. One system and global approach that has been used to strengthen education is the post-doctoral method.
The postdoctoral approach is a top-down method. There is no bottom-up approach that can successfully transform the education sector. All that is required is that the tertiary education sector where there are people to produce the teachers, researchers, curriculum, research materials, is made strong.
This matter is not primarily a funding problem as we are often told. It is more a matter of capacity.
According to the university don, “My experience on STEP-B project shows that many institutions in Nigeria have not cultivated enough culture of research. Many of the institutions saw the project as a means of acquiring many pieces of equipment for accreditation and possibly for ‘whoever’ and ‘whenever use’. My experience also showed that there are research facilities scattered all over the country that are being underutilized. This is because many people do not even know that such facilities exist and many also lack the necessary capacity to utilize them”.
Adikwu concluded that for the Nigerian educational system to reverse the current trend there should be a foundation backed up by law to effect this approach. The money for such can be obtained from sources such as the TETFund or PTDF.
“The money for such a project can be deposited in a separate bank account and the proceeds can be used to invite fresh PhD graduates to our laboratory in Nigeria. Just N100-200m can be fixed and the proceeds are then used for the project,” he said.

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