In 2024, Nigeria continues to grapple with a persistently low budget allocation for the education sector, raising concerns about the potential ramifications for the country’s development. The implications of such a financial constraint on education are multifaceted, impacting various aspects of the nation’s socio-economic landscape.
A low budget leads to insufficient funds for building and maintaining school infrastructure. This includes classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and other facilities crucial for a conducive learning environment. Limited funds also result in a shortage of textbooks, teaching aids, and modern educational resources. This can hinder effective teaching and learning processes.
Moreover, budgetary constraints, without doubt contribute to low salaries for teachers, affecting their motivation and performance. Competent and motivated teachers are essential for delivering quality education.
Added to that, inadequate funding may restrict opportunities for teachers to attend training programs and workshops, hindering their ability to adopt modern teaching methods and technologies.
But there are other aspects to the negative impact of low budget for education. A low budget may limit the government’s ability to provide scholarships and grants, reducing access to education for economically disadvantaged students. Rural and remote areas may be disproportionately affected, exacerbating existing disparities in educational opportunities between urban and rural regions, a situation that the government wants to eschew.
A professor of education at the National Open University of Nigeria, Victor Ario, has noted that limited funding may impede research activities in universities and research institutions. He said this hampers innovation and the development of solutions to local challenges, hindering overall national progress.
He said a nation’s educational system significantly contributes to its global competitiveness, stressing that inadequate funding may lead to a decline in the quality of education, negatively impacting Nigeria’s standing in the global knowledge economy.
This can cause insufficient investment in education may result in graduates with inadequate skills for the job market. This contributes to high unemployment rates and hampers economic growth.
Entrepreneurial education and skill development may suffer, impacting the country’s ability to foster innovation and create a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem.
And on a grander scale, low education budget may exacerbate existing social inequalities, as access to quality education becomes a privilege rather than a right. This can contribute to social unrest and hinder national cohesion.
The United Nations has over the years recommended a 26 percent budget for developing countries. Nigeria has never exceeded 5 percent of its budget for education, which bodes ill for the long term development of the country. No country develops without adequate human capital.
Nigeria must compete favourably with other countries if she must develop. Only an educated population can make that happen.
Nigeria’s low education budget in 2024 poses a substantial threat to the nation’s future development. The government must prioritize increased investment in education to address these implications effectively. A well-funded and robust education system is not only essential for individual empowerment but also plays a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of the nation towards sustainable socio-economic growth and global competitiveness.
