INTRODUCTION
In Nigeria, the demand for education is so
high because education is not only an investment in human capital but it is
also a pre-requisite for economic development (Ubogu, 2011). Thus, education was
one of the most challenging of the Seven-Point Agenda enunciated by the late
UmaruYar’ Adua administration on assumption of office in 2007. The
administration met an educational sector that was in comatose. The universities
and other institutions of learning were in a state of decay with most teaching
staff leaving the country (in a hurry) in search of greener pastures abroad.
Apart from the impact of inadequate funding on the quality of the teaching and
learning process in our institute of education, student support is now
inadequate (Ubogu, 2011).
The face-off-between the Federal Government
and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) always results in the shutting
of the universities for some months. Adewale, Ajayi and Enikanoselu (2006) were
of the opinion that education in Nigeria has been experiencing financial
crises. There is less money to spend on primary, secondary and tertiary
education. There are increasing complaints about the underfunding of the
educational sector while the government accuses the sector of inefficient
utilization of available resources. The donor argues that public spending on
education should be reduced. However, the fact remains that education in
Nigeria has been experiencing loss of facility, deterioration of equipment and
plants, and uncompleted projects as a result of the financial crises facing the
system.
Leaders and the political class – even the
public, have over time pushed education at the foundations down the priority
order. Such attitude indicates the amount of regard and investment given to
this level of education in the context. A common perception about basic
education is that
it is nothing more than mere opportunities
created to help children learn within formalized settings so as to develop into
functional citizens. As such education at this stage is considered as being
simple in content, involving people with low social worth who possess
relatively low mental capabilities and skills, and therefore should be given a
low budgetary allocation compared to other sectors of the economy. However,
this is not so intelligent or professional for anyone to substantiate (posit).
The paper at this point shall attempt to put in right perspectives, the concept
of Education (and its purposes).
Meaning and Purpose of Education.
Education is a derived Greek word which means “to lead out” In other
words, the philosophical premise of education is the assumption of the latent
state of the human faculty and the need for a process “to lead out” and
manifest the latent perfection in man. Knowledge is presumed to exist in the
mind but without form, the instructions (teaching and learning process)
represents the friction required to ignite the body of knowledge, skills and
mental capacities and help to give shape and structure to the cognitive
capacity of the mind. Thus, the interaction of the mind with the environment
unlocks the hidden treasure of nature given knowledge. Rousseau, the 17th
century philosopher posited that education is the child’s development from
within, and all efforts at true education should be to unlock that nature given
cognitive capacity that is hidden in the soul of every human.
Consequently, the purpose of education as suggested by Rand (1982) is to
“teach a student how to live his life-by developing his mind and equipping him
to deal with reality. The training he needs is theoretical/conceptual. He has
to be taught to think, to understand, to integrate, to prove. He has to be
taught the spirit and essentials of life-long learning as a lifestyle. Knowledge
acquisition requires the training and development of an inquiry mind that
leaves a human in a condition of continually asking questions and probing the
status quo with a view to improving his environment and his relationship with
it. The educational system that consistently delivers improved learning
outcomes, enhances experiential learning, challenges critical thinking, and
delivers solutions to mankind is deemed efficient.
Educationist are guided by philosophies which encapsulate their goals,
purpose, structure, and design of curriculum, and delivery methodology of the
teaching and learning process (Combs, 2010). Various philosophers like Plato,
Pestalozzi, et al, have different educational philosophies as many other
educationist today. The different perspective flows from differences on the aim
and purpose of education by educationist. However, the axial pull on the
various thoughts on education should satisfy certain base purpose and functions
described as outcome of the education process; that education is a lifelong
process of disquisition that facilitates the harmony of the four dimensions of
life to the environment and that education is innate in the essence of the
nature given cognitive capacities of human which is maximised when each person
ultimately self-actualise. The purpose of education is to create and sustain an
enlightened mind that can elevate and progressively advance the touch points
between man and his environment through an inquiry predilection of society.
This is consistent with Rosado’s (2000) conceptualisation of true education; as
the “harmonious development of the physical, mental, moral, and social
faculties, the four dimensions of life, for a life of dedicated service” To
educate therefore is the process of awakening the thirst for knowledge and a
desire to develop the entire dimension of the human capacity. The symphonic
slant between the mind (learning) and human environment is buttressed by Tagore
(as cited by Singh, 2013) that “the highest education is that which does not merely
give us information but bring our life in harmony with all existence.
The purpose of education relates to the fundamental goal of transmission
of knowledge, skills, development and sharpening of the cognitive capacity, and
character formation, and this represents the end product of the education
process which is to create a learned and learning population (Yero, 2002). The
functions of education on the other hand pertain to the other outcomes that may
occur as a natural result of the process—by-products of schooling such as the
natural process of applying knowledge learned into solving real life problems
and affective moral values imprint, ingrained from the schooling process. This
academic distinction between purpose and function of the education system at
best can help schools put their main outcome focus in perspective and act as a
guiding mission for the school. Functions are assumed to occur as a consequence
of the purpose without directed effort while the purpose is the fundamental
outcome desired and is effort driven.
Education Outcomes
In developing the education policy of a country, significant thought
must be given to what outcomes are fundamental to the development of the
country and ensure those outcomes drive the policy formulation thrust and are meaningfully
integrated into the overall development plan. We present below a hybrid of the
education outcomes as crafted by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Education
and Skills. The WEF education outcomes are consistent with most generalised
education outcomes.
Outcomes
*Impart
the skills and capacities that people need to be productive members of the
communities;
*Generate
and promote the assimilation of new knowledge to spur socioeconomic,
scientific, technological, and political advancement
*Promote
social equity and cohesion and the legitimacy that comes from equal
opportunity;
*Give
people access to a broad span of knowledge and ideas;
*Promote
the study and development of culture and values as arts and the
humanities;
*Inculcate
the desire and ability to learn throughout life; promote lifelong learning
*Enhance
critical and creative thinking;
*Promote
acceptance and tolerance of difference and diversity;
*Develop
media literacy and the capacity to effectively evaluate large amounts of
often-conflicting information – a reflection of evolving needs in the 21st
century.
At the higher education (HE) level, each institution of higher learning
is expected to craft a unique set of education outcomes consistent with the
mission and philosophy of the school. Whilst generic and basic core courses are
required for each field of study as may be prescribed by the relevant
accreditation bodies, each institution must design its curriculum to suit and
be in sync with its overall mission and goals. The accreditation system has the
responsibility to affirm that institutions stay true to their mission. Nigeria
has a unified accreditation process in higher education. The universities are
accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) while the Polytechnics
and other Higher education institutions (HEI) are accredited by the Nigerian
Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Meaning
of Funding
When funding is mentioned, the first thing
that comes to mind is the availability of money for meeting the need for a
given project or programme. It is a system of apportioning available capital
belonging to an organization for meeting a need. Funding refers to a form of
financial support that is given for the achievement of a project. According to
the Online Business Dictionary (2013) funding is the provision of financial
resources in order to meet a need, project or program. Education financing,
from an economic viewpoint, is an investment. Education helps to develop and
improve knowledge, skills, attitudes and cultures for better living in the
society. It is investment in human capital. Education as an ‘investment in
human capital’ emanated from the work of Schultz (1961a, 1961b). This is an
economic term which is about sacrificing resources today to develop the human
resource for the sake of a stream of benefits in the future (Psacharopoulos,
2006). The formulation draws from a famous passage of Adam Smith’s (1776)
wealth of nations. Smith likened a man that is educated to an expensive
machine. In realization of this value, governments, agencies and individuals
allocate resources, including finance, in return for both short and long term
benefits from education. These key stakeholders make both direct and indirect
investments to enhance educational services. Direct investments are the sum of
the expenditure given to education whilst the indirect expenses are the cost
incurred to produce the individual during the years of education (Al-Hajry,
2002).
Money needed to run a project or programme in
the school may be raised from within or outside the school. When funds are
generated, they are usually disbursed based on the needs of the school. The
process of making the acquired funds available to the units that require them
either in the short or long run is referred to as funding.
Importance
of Funding on Education
The availability of funds plays a significant
role in determining the provision of quality education at all levels. The
quantity of funds made available during budgeting will go a long way in
improving on the quality of education provided. Adequate funding will be of
importance in the provision of quality secondary education in one or more of
the following ways:
It
Leads to Infrastructural Development: The availability of fund is very important in the provision of school
infrastructures. More funding will help the school management in providing more
facilities such as classrooms, laboratories, libraries and instructional
materials. Available facilities will also be provided based on modern
development while obsolete facilities will be discarded. This means that the
higher the level of funding, the more the infrastructures that will be provided
for teaching and learning.
Employment
of Quality Teachers: The
availability of funds is very crucial in the employment of quality teachers.
Various studies have shown that the income level is a factor that is used to
attract quality teachers. It is therefore necessary that funds should be
provided to acquire this crucial human resource. This is because the presence
of quality teachers will help in transmitting quality knowledge to the
students. Most organizations in developed countries now pay workers based on performance
(Podgursky & Springer, 2007). The payment of high wages and salaries is now
used to attract quality teachers and this is based on the availability of
funds.
Reduction
in Education Cost: Adequate
funding of education by various educational stakeholders is a very important
step in reducing the burden of the cost of education on parents and students.
Rich (2012) stated that until alternative funding sources are provided,
students will continue to pay high education cost even if the cost is
unreasonable. Exploring funding sources will therefore help to reduce the
burden of funding education among the various educational stakeholders.
Additional funding from alternative sources will provide avenue for generating
funds for the purchase of learning resources which will reduce the burden of
the cost of education on the government, parents and students.
Increases
the Level of Patronage:
When schools (for instance in Nigeria) are properly funded to the minimum level
specified by UNESCO at 26% of the annual budget, there will be an improvement
in the standard of education provided and this will increase the level of
patronage of Nigerian schools by both citizens and foreigners. This in a long
run can help to improve on the image of Nigerian schools and increase the
country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Proper funding of education will
restore the confidence of parents and the international community on the
standard of secondary education provided in Nigeria.
A
Reflection on the Nigerian Education Funding
For
2021, the FG budgeted N545.10
billion for Ministry of Education as recurrent expenditure, and N484.49 billion
for Statutory Transfers. The Universal Basic Education Commission is to receive
N70.05 billion, while total capital projects for Education is N127 billion.
Altogether, the Nigerian Government will spend 5.6% on education for the year
2021.
Consequently, many
stakeholders including the National Association of Nigerian Students
(NANS) has vehemently condemned the
FG’s 2021 budgetary provision to education, stating, “It was the worst in the
last 10 years.
The
government only apportioned 5.6 % to the sector out of a total of N13.6
trillion budgetary provisions.
When one removes the percentage for basic
education, one is left to wonder what becomes of the tertiary cadre? The
percentage is seemingly ridiculous, low and disappointing. This is one of the
challenges that the average Nigerian faces in the education sector.
According to UNESCO’s “Education for All, EFA, 2000-2015:
achievement and challenges” and “World
Education Forum 2015 final report” highlighted that
“15 per cent to 20 per cent is the international benchmark” to fund education. This
means that with just a budgetary allocation of 5.6%, Nigeria is heavily under-investing
in education.
Analysis
of Nigerian Basic-Education Funding
Financing basic education consequently has
economic implications. Huge monetary investment in basic education is a
sacrifice that is worthwhile. This provides foundational opportunities that are
crucial to the development of a functional individual. It is a very critical
sector in any educational system laying the foundation that not only increases
the quantity, but more importantly the quality of individuals for productivity.
Increased money allocated to basic education, when properly utilized, motivates
school improvement and effectiveness to benefit learners. The application of
alternative allocation strategies therefore implies a greater commitment,
moving forward, to investment financially in basic education in Nigeria. It
arises from an acknowledgement and appreciation of the value of this level of
education to national growth and development. Shared Public Funding of Basic
Education in Nigeria Funding of education is a concurrent responsibility as
contained in the federal constitution of Nigeria (Federal Republic of Nigeria,
1999; Khemani, 2001; Nwoko, 2015). Consequently, the federal, state and local
authorities have statutory powers to fund schools within their areas of
jurisdiction. The UBE Act of 2004 also provides the framework for shared
funding of the UBE among the three levels of government (Steenbergen, Nnodu,
Nwachukwu, Nyager, 2016). Within this framework, however, appears to be a
disequilibrium in the percentage of money earmarked for educations among the
three tiers of government. More so, the notion of concurrent financing of
education is a feature of fiscal federal structure in the delivery of education
in the country. Following the introduction of the UBE in 1999 (Anaduaka &
Okafor, 2013; Salihu & Jamil, 2015), the population of learners has
increased significantly, thus bringing huge implications on financing of
education on the three tiers of government. Besides, Nigeria has consistently
allocated a small percentage from her annual national budget for education.
In fact, Nigeria has not been complying with
the UNESCO’s 26% benchmark of annual budgetary allocation for education (Ajayi
& Ekundayo, 2006). Estimates of expenditure on education in Nigeria as
contained in Hinchliffe (2002) and Ogungbenle & Edogiawerie (2016), and
concerns raised in Ajayi & Ayodele (2004), Aina (2007) etc give supportive
information regarding underfunding of education in the country. Given the
amount of resources Nigeria is endowed with, her national budget for education
is a far cry from what other African countries spend per annum on their
education. A concomitant effect of this issue finds expression in poor
management of schools within the purview of the UBE. There are degradations and
shortages in accommodation, staff, staff remuneration, instructional materials,
infrastructure etc in several schools across the country. It paints a picture
of a builder that decides to put more concrete materials on the elevations than
the foundation of a building. Basic education is critical in any educational
system worldwide. Nigeria recognizes the strategic position of this level in
achieving the purposes of other levels of education. As stated in her National
Policy on Education (2008), basic education is key to the success and failure
of the secondary and tertiary education. That being the case, there is no
amount of money committed to it that can be regarded as a waste or misplaced.
The three-pronged mandate of free, compulsory
and universal basic education has really increased access to school for quite a
number of children from diverse backgrounds nationwide. Available monetary
provisions for education unfortunately hinders the UBE from being able to cope
with a steady rise in the number of children who are eligible to receive places
at school. Limited funds compromises the objectives of UBE and reduces the
opportunity for learners to leave school with good outcomes. While the strategy
to expand and increase access to education keeps changing, the patterns and
attitude of funding education has over time not been reviewed in Nigeria. Much
of Nigeria’s educational sector still relies hugely on grants from agencies,
fees, donations from charity organizations, community participation,
subventions from governments, the UBE intervention fund etc to survive (Oralu
& Oladele, 2015; Nwoko, 2015). Revenue from these sources account for the
money utilized to manage schools under the UBE scheme. Irregular flow of
revenue inherent in the current practice stifle provision of educational
services to benefit the learners, consequently creating problems for basic
education such as those mentioned earlier.
Reasons for Inadequate Financing of Education
in Nigeria
There are various factors that are responsible for the underfunding or
inadequate funding of education in Nigeria. These factors can be human or
administrative; it can also be as a result of errors from the government,
parents and/or students. Some of the reasons for financial inadequacies for the
administration of secondary education in Nigeria are:
Poor Forecasting and Planning: Forecasting is important in determining the
number of students in the school and the amount of resources that will be
enough to cater for their educational needs. The ability to keep records and
trend analysis is a factor that has made it difficult to carry out adequate
forecasting of needed resources and programmes for the improvement of education
in Nigeria. Adeleye, Adu and Olatunde (2012) pointed out that the problem of
record keeping has been a challenge in the computerization of schools’ data.
This has limited the ability to make appropriate plan for schools in the
country.
Population Growth: Edem (1987) in Bua, Olatunde and Amough
(2013:50-51) stated that “Evidence shows an increasing rise in the total
population of the African continent and in particular, school age increasing at
the rate of 2.5 to 3% per annum and enrolment into schools is on the increase
annually”. Increase in population has therefore been a limitation to adequate
planning for the delivery of quality education among secondary school students.
Secondary schools enrollment rate in the last four decades has increased above
the level of resources provided for this level of education. Population
explosion as a result of various religious, social and cultural beliefs has
therefore made it difficult for proper funding of education.
Corruption and Embezzlement: Corruption is a social problem that is
affecting most of the sectors in Nigeria. The educational sector has also not
been left out of the misappropriation and underutilization of funds set aside
for the improvement of the education system. Ayobami (2011) pointed out that
corruption can be systematic in nature but in a long run will affect the whole
life of an institution or society. Corruption can therefore limit the goals of
an institution thereby resulting to wastages. Some of the funds made available
for the provision of quality education are sometimes diverted for selfish use
while in other cases, the budget for the educational sector are
misappropriated. This has given rise to the inadequacy of funds for managing
the levels of education.
Consequences of Inadequate Funding on
Secondary Education
Funding of education remains one of the important resources that are
needed to manage the school system. All levels of education; primary, secondary
and tertiary require sufficient level of funding in order to improve on the
standard of education provided in the country. When funding is not provided in
the right quantity and at the right time, it affects the education sector in so
many ways. Some of the consequences of insufficient funding on the
administration of education in Nigeria include:
Infrastructural decay: According to Sullivan and Sheffrin (2003)
infrastructure is a term used to refer to products, services and facilities
that are needed for an institution to function. It therefore means that the
ability of the school system to achieve her objectives depends on the
availability of these products. Infrastructures are very important for learning
to take place in any educational institution. Eseyin, Okafor and Uchendu
(2014:196) stated that “Infrastructures play a significant role in the
provision of quality education in any nation”. They aid in the dissemination,
assimilation and transmission of knowledge. However, when funds are not
available for the provision and maintenance of these facilities, it could
result into a dilapidation of existing structures as a result of wear and tear
and lack of maintenance. Funding is also required to upgrade facilities in the
school environment and make them useful based on modern trends.
Low Level of Commitment among Staff: One of the benefits of funding is that it
serves as a means of motivating staff in the work environment. According to
Hertzberg (1966) salary is one of the hygiene factors that motivate staff to
work. When this is not forth coming, it reduces the level of commitment of
workers in the organization. The timely and adequate payment of staff salaries
and other welfare package is a factor that stimulates workers willingness to
work. Funding is therefore necessary in other to arouse the commitment of
workers in the work place. The absence of this benefit will result to a poor
level of commitment to work.
Low level of Academic Performance: Availability of facilities such as
libraries, laboratories, workshops, comfortable hostels etc are necessary for a
productive learning. These facilities make it easier for teachers and students
to carry out their basic responsibilities in the school. Students need learning
materials to learn well while the teachers also require teaching aids to be
effective. However, in a situation where these facilities are not available for
self-development, the performance level of both teachers and students will be
very low. This is because teachers and students will have idler time than
productive time. The implication is that study periods will reduce and learning
outcome will be low.
Low Patronage of Nigerian Schools: The quality of staff and facilities in
Nigerian schools is a factor considered by parents and students when making
institutional choices. The availability of these resources in quality and
quantity usually determines the standard of education provided. These resources
cannot be provided as at when due when there is financial inadequacy. This
situation can lead to the patronage of foreign educational institutions rather
than local institutions. For example, over 75,000 Nigerian students are said to
be studying in Ghana alone aside other countries (Punch, 2014). This is as a
result of low expectations from educational institutions in Nigeria which is
attributed to the poor funding policies in the educational sector. Higher Cost of Education: The cost of
acquiring formal education in Nigeria is gradually increasing when compared to
other countries of the world. The cost of education is usually divided between
the individuals and government. Cost sharing in this case makes the cost of
education to be cheaper for individuals who wish to acquire formal education.
However, when the needed funding from the other educational stakeholders is not
forth coming, this will increase the cost of acquiring education by interested
individuals. The implication of this is that the level of enrolment will drop
since interested students may not be empowered to pay for the high cost of
getting education.
Conclusion
From the
forgoing, it is imperative that the Nigerian educational system begin to take
the issues of funding very serious. The government should become more
responsible in the financing of the educational apparatchiks of the country.
The educational institutions should as well attempt to hold their governments
responsible for their duties they are failing in. For instance, ASUU has gone a
mile in helping the University of institution. Other association such as the
N.U.T should harness their strengths to demand and defend the rights of the
Basic Education strata of the country. Also, institutions should start looking
at alternative sources of funding.
References
Aina, O. I. (2007). Alternative modes of
financing higher education in Nigeria and implications for university
governance. In J. B. Babalola and B. O. Emunemu (eds). Issues in higher education: research evidence from subsahara
Africa. Lagos: Bolabay Publications.
Al-Hajry, A. S.
(2002). Human capital theory and the financing of higher education in Oman.
A doctoral thesis submitted to the
University of Sheffield, UK.
Ajayi, I. A. &
Ekundayo, H. T. (2006). Funding initiatives in university education in Nigeria. Being a paper presented at the national
conference of Nigerian Association for Educational Administration and Planning [NAEAP]. Enugu
State University of Science and
Technology, Enugu State.
Ajayi, I. A. &
Ayodele, J. B. (2004). Fundamentals of educational management. Ado-Ekiti:
Green Line Publishers
Anaduaka, U. S. &
Okafor, C. F. (2013). The Universal Basic Education (UBE) Programme in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects. JORIND
11(1).
Federal Republic of
Nigeria (2008). The National Policy on Education. Abuja: NERDC
Federal Republic of
Nigeria (1999). The Constitution. Abuja: Federal Government Press.
Khemani, S. (2001).
Fiscal Federalism and Service Delivery in Nigeria: The role of states and Local Governments. Retrieved via
http://www1.worldbank.org/publicsector/decentralization/march2003seminar/fiscalfedreport.pdf
Oralu, T. &
Oladele, B. K. (2015). The Management and Funding of Education in Nigeria. International Journal of Educational and
Pedagogical Science, 9(7).
Psacharopoulos, G.
(2006). The value of investment in education: theory, evidence and policy. Journal of Education Finance, 32(2), 113-136
Salihu, M. J. &
Jamil, H. (2015). Policy of Universal Basic Education in Nigeria: An
Examination of its Effectiveness on
Implementation and Management. American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 5(6).
Adeleye, M. O., Adu,
E. O and Olatunde, A. O., 2012. Problems
facing computerization of school
records: A Case Study of Secondary Schools in JOS, Nigeria. ARPN Journal of Science and Technology 2(9); 782-787
Schultz, T. W.
(1961a). Education and Economic Growth. Social Forces Influencing American
Education. Chicago: National Society for the Study of Education, pp. 346-388.
Schultz, T. W.
(1961b). Investment in human capital. American Economic Review. 51(1), 1-17
Smith, A. (1776). The
wealth of nations. London: Methuen (ed. E. Cannan) 5th ed., 1904.
Steenbergen, V.,
Nnodu, I., Nwachukwu, T. & Nyager, S. (2016). Public Financing of
Basic Education in Nigeria An analysis
of government budgeting and expenditures on basic school improvement in ESSPIN programme
states. Oxford Policy Management.
Retrieved via file:///C:/Users/EFA%20CRUTECH/Downloads/410%20file%20ESSPIN%20Basic%20Education%20and%20School%20Improvement%20%20Programme%20Financing%20Report.pdf
UNICEF (2015). The
investment case for education and equity. New York: UNICEF
Ayobami, O. O., 2011.
Corruption eradication in Nigeria: An
Appraisal. Retrieved on 18th July, 2014
from http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~mbolin/ay obami.htm
Bua, F. T., Olatunde,
H. O and Amough, C. K., 2013. Effect of administrative problems on the management of secondary schools In Zone “A”.
Educational District of Benue State- Nigeria 5(29); 47-58
Business Dictionary 2013. Funding. Retrieved
from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/funding.html
Eseyin, E. O. Okafor,
E. U and Uchendu, E. E., 2014. Women
education and sustainable economic
development in Nigeria: Journal of Education and Practice 5(16); 194-199
Federal Republic of
Nigeria 2004. National Policy on
Education. Lagos: NERDC
Hertzberg, 1966. Work
and the nature of man. Cleveland: World Publishing
Podgursky, M. J and
Springer, M. G., 2007. Teacher
performance pay: A Review. Journal of
Policy Analysis and Management 26(4): 909– 49
Punch 2014. 75,000
Nigerian studying in Ghana. Retrieved on 10th July, 2014 from http://www.punchng.com/education/75000-
nigerians-studying-in-ghana-study/
Rich 2012. What
universities do with their money: Another debt bubble? Retrieved on May 30,
2014 from
http://letstalkbooksandpolitics.blogspot.c
om/2012/08/what-universities-do-with-their- money.html
Comments
Post a Comment