The Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Prof. Olanrewaju Olaniyan, has said Nigeria’s future depends largely on the quality of its education system, stressing that the country must strengthen policy implementation, improve security and invest more in teachers and learning infrastructure.
Olaniyan, a Professor of Economics, said Nigeria’s education crisis was no longer mainly about the absence of policies but the failure to effectively implement existing laws and interventions.
Speaking on the growing number of out-of-school children, he identified poverty, insecurity and weak policy implementation as major factors responsible for keeping millions of Nigerian children outside the classroom.
According to him, many families struggling to meet basic needs are unable to prioritise education, while insecurity has made parents increasingly reluctant to send their children to schools in communities affected by attacks and kidnappings.
He noted that Nigeria already has laws designed to guarantee access to free and compulsory basic education but said weak enforcement has limited their impact.
Olaniyan described insecurity as the greatest threat confronting education in Nigeria, warning that learning cannot thrive in an environment where students and teachers fear attacks and schools are forced to close.
He said insecurity affects enrolment, student retention and teacher deployment, adding that investments in infrastructure and curriculum reform would only produce maximum results when schools were safe.
The Vice-Chancellor also described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as one of the most important recent interventions in the sector.
According to him, the scheme is helping financially disadvantaged students remain in tertiary institutions while also supporting schools to improve student retention.
He said the repayment structure, which allows beneficiaries to begin repayment after securing employment, reduces the financial pressure often associated with education loans.
On rising tertiary institution fees, Olaniyan said the concerns of parents and students were understandable but noted that quality education requires substantial funding for laboratories, libraries, ICT facilities, electricity, internet services and qualified personnel.
He called for a balance between affordability and institutional sustainability, stressing the importance of scholarships, grants and student loans.
On teacher education, Olaniyan said the quality of teachers could not be separated from the wider education system, as weaknesses at the primary and secondary levels eventually affect tertiary education.
He, however, called for continuous professional development, stronger teaching practice programmes, improved instructional materials and better teacher welfare.
According to him, teachers must also be prepared for the realities of the digital age.
He said the modern teacher must combine subject knowledge, professional teaching skills and digital literacy, adding that technology should support and enhance learning rather than replace teachers.
Reflecting on his three years as Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Olaniyan said the institution had made significant progress following its transition from a College of Education to a university.
He said the university secured approval for 50 academic programmes, with 49 currently running, while 44 programmes have received full accreditation and five obtained interim accreditation.
The Vice-Chancellor added that student enrolment had grown to about 8,700, while the institution had maintained industrial harmony and recorded improvements in infrastructure.
Olaniyan said his three major recommendations for improving Nigeria’s education system would be mandatory continuous professional development for teachers, digital transformation and infrastructure renewal.
He also stressed the need to further professionalise teaching through appropriate training and certification.
According to him, “Nigeria’s future depends on the quality of its education system and no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers.”
He added that sustained investment in teachers, stronger security, effective implementation of education policies and the adoption of innovation could help Nigeria build an education system capable of driving national development and competing globally.
