Education is universally recognised as the bedrock of development in any nation. For Nigeria a country blessed with vast human and natural resources the educational sector should be one of its strongest pillars. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Nigeria’s schooling system is plagued with numerous challenges that deny millions of young Nigerians the quality education they deserve.
This article provides an in-depth look into the problems facing the Nigerian schooling system and proposes practical, long-term solutions to transform the system into one that can truly empower the next generation.
🔴 The Current State of the Nigerian Schooling System
Nigeria operates a 6-3-3-4 educational structure:
6 years of primary school
3 years of junior secondary
3 years of senior secondary
4 years (minimum) of tertiary education
In theory, this structure is sound. But in practice, the system is riddled with deep-rooted problems that prevent it from achieving its purpose.
1. Poor Infrastructure
A walk through many public schools in Nigeria especially in rural areas will reveal a disheartening picture:
Dilapidated classrooms with leaking roofs
Students sitting on bare floors or under trees
No access to clean water, electricity, or functional toilets
Scarcity of learning materials like textbooks, lab equipment, or computers
In some extreme cases, students are forced to share classrooms or study in shifts because there aren't enough facilities.
2. Underqualified and Undermotivated Teachers
Teachers are the backbone of any education system, but in Nigeria, this group is highly neglected:
Many teachers are underqualified or lack proper training.
According to UBEC, thousands of primary school teachers lack the minimum teaching qualification (NCE).
Teachers are poorly paid and often go for months without a salary.
Low morale leads to absenteeism, lack of motivation, and in some cases, teachers engaging in secondary jobs during school hours.
Without well-trained and motivated teachers, no educational system can thrive.
3. Outdated and Irrelevant Curriculum
The Nigerian curriculum is overly focused on rote learning and memorisation rather than:
Practical application of knowledge
Critical thinking
Problem-solving
Creativity or innovation
This leads to students graduating with certificates but no relevant skills to thrive in a modern economy. Many graduates are not job-ready and lack basic digital or entrepreneurial skills.
4. Widespread Examination Malpractice
Cheating in exams has become normalised in Nigeria. Students now expect to pay for "expo" or assistance during national exams like WAEC, NECO, or JAMB. The causes include:
Pressure to pass
Lack of confidence due to poor teaching
Corruption among invigilators and school administrators
This undermines the credibility of Nigerian certificates and breeds a generation of students who see cheating as a means to succeed.
5. Access and Equity Challenges
Millions of children in Nigeria are out of school, particularly in the North. According to UNICEF:
Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world—over 10 million.
Girls, children with disabilities, and those from poor homes are disproportionately affected.
Some parents can't afford uniforms, books, or transportation.
In conflict zones like Borno, Yobe, and Zamfara, thousands of schools have been closed due to insecurity caused by insurgency, banditry, or kidnapping.
6. Low Budgetary Allocation
The UNESCO-recommended benchmark for education funding is 15–20% of the national budget. Nigeria consistently falls far below this, with allocations hovering around 6–8% in recent years.
As a result:
Infrastructure remains in poor condition
Teachers go unpaid
No major investment in digital learning or innovation
Education simply isn't treated as a priority.
7. Graduate Unemployment
Tertiary institutions churn out thousands of graduates yearly, but many remain unemployed or underemployed because:
The curriculum doesn’t equip them with relevant, practical skills
There’s a mismatch between school training and labour market needs
Entrepreneurship is barely encouraged in schools
✅ How to Fix the Nigerian Schooling System
Despite these challenges, all hope is not lost. With the right policies, funding, and commitment from both government and private stakeholders, Nigeria can turn its education system around. Here’s how:
1. Increase Education Funding
Money isn’t the solution to every problem, but it is the fuel for building a stronger system. The government must:
Allocate at least 15% of the national budget to education
Ensure proper disbursement and monitoring to reduce corruption
Invest in building and rehabilitating schools, especially in underserved communities
2. Revamp Teacher Training and Welfare
Teachers must be seen and treated as nation builders. That means:
Hiring only qualified and passionate individuals
Providing continuous professional development
Offering attractive salaries, housing allowances, and bonuses
Promoting merit-based recruitment and career growth
3. Modernise the Curriculum
The curriculum should be overhauled to meet 21st-century demands by:
Including digital literacy, robotics, coding, and critical thinking
Promoting vocational and technical education
Teaching financial literacy, civic responsibility, and entrepreneurship
Students should leave school not just with head knowledge, but with practical life skills.
4. Leverage Technology and EdTech
Digital tools can revolutionise access to education. Government and partners should:
Equip schools with computers, projectors, and internet access
Distribute offline learning tablets in rural areas
Partner with Nigerian edtech startups to scale e-learning platforms
Train teachers in tech-based instruction methods
5. Fight Examination Malpractice
The integrity of examinations must be restored through:
Better surveillance during exams (e.g., CCTV, biometric verification)
Strict penalties for schools and officials involved in malpractice
Promoting a culture of merit from primary school onward
6. Promote Inclusive Education
The system must ensure that no child is left behind by:
Building schools closer to rural and underserved communities
Offering free meals and school kits to encourage attendance
Making schools disability-friendly
Running campaigns to promote girl-child education in conservative areas
7. Tackle Insecurity
The government must prioritise the safety of students and teachers by:
Deploying security personnel around vulnerable schools
Relocating schools from conflict zones to safer regions
Rebuilding destroyed schools with help from NGOs and development partners
Education cannot thrive in fear.
8. Encourage Public-Private Partnerships
Private organisations, religious bodies, and NGOs can support education by:
Adopting public schools
Offering scholarships
Sponsoring teacher training programs
Donating infrastructure and materials
Everyone has a role to play.
A country cannot grow beyond the quality of its education system. Nigeria’s schooling system is broken, but not beyond repair. The problems are real, but so are the solutions. With collective will from government, civil society, communities, and individuals Nigeria can rebuild its education system into one that truly empowers its citizens.
We must stop treating education like a favour and start treating it as the right and foundation it truly is. The time to act is now.