Former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professor Modupe Adelabu, has distinguished herself in academia and public service. She speaks with Solomon Odeniyi on issues plaguing the education sector in the country and how the challenges can be addressed
You just launched a book titled ‘Navigating the Politics of universal education policies in Nigeria’. What was the inspiration behind it?
I began as a student of education and graduated as a teacher. Along the way, I also became a student of education politics and realised that if we define politics properly, we can achieve the best education in this country—not in the way we currently approach politics.
Yes, politics involves the authoritative allocation of values, and no one can allocate values without the authority to do so. That’s why we have legislation and policymakers who are backed by the authority to act.
Education isn’t just about attending school and graduating. To me, education is a value—it’s the value you retain after leaving school. What did you take away from your education? It goes beyond the ability to read and write.
What did you learn in school? How will it benefit you, your community, and the nation? This is why we say that education and politics influence each other. Education, when used correctly from primary school, can indoctrinate children in positive values, and by the time they grow up, they won’t depart from these values.
They will contribute positively to our society. But currently, society is too loose. People go to school, but what about those who leave school? What do they have to offer? What values do they contribute after their education? What values do they add to our policies?
We have been educating our people and moving them away from the values needed to create a good nation – one that values education for an egalitarian society, for a democratic society, and for a vibrant economy.
If we educate properly, those who graduate will provide the results we desire.
Therefore, we must examine how education and politics influence each other. What is the symbiotic relationship between the two? This is what our leaders should consider.
What type of country do we want Nigeria to be? We don’t want corruption in our country. We must train our children from primary to secondary school in the values of hard work. To me, education can create a better society.
For those who can’t attend university, we should develop skills that can make you feed yourself and be self-reliant. That’s one type of education we should be advocating now—not students who expect white-collar jobs and are in trouble when they don’t get them. This needs to be incorporated into the school curriculum, starting from primary school.
It was in primary school that I learned that democracy is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I learned that right from primary school, and it’s still ingrained in my memory.
We should teach other essential values that will guide our children. When they grow up, they will not depart from them.
Would you say your involvement in politics changed your perspective on what education should look like?
No, my PhD is in the Politics of Education. I didn’t know I would go into politics; it just happened that I was able to apply the theory when I entered politics. I have always believed that education can influence politics and vice versa.
So, when I entered politics, I was able to put this into practice. However, I have always believed that we need to reorganise our current education system to solve our nation’s problems.
What do you think are the key challenges facing our education system, and do you believe addressing them will improve the system?
Contrary to popular belief, the main issue isn’t infrastructure. We have enough infrastructure and government spends money on it yearly. We should focus on improving the quality of education. How do we make education relevant to our society and the global community? These are the key challenges. Legislation has already done some work, like sanctioning parents whose children are not in school. But there is no political will to enforce these measures.
It’s in the UBEC Act. If you examine the UBEC Act, it states that if a child is not in school and is caught multiple times, there are penalties. Education is supposed to be free, but it isn’t. There is no political will to enforce this. Education is supposed to be universal, meaning everyone should be in school, but in some areas, you can’t enforce this because people are engaged in other activities they find more lucrative than schooling.
We need the political will to enforce what is outlined in the national education policy and the Universal Basic Education Commission Act. These provisions exist, but there is often a gap between policy-making and implementation. Unforeseen circumstances can disrupt the implementation of a policy, but that doesn’t mean it should be discarded.
For example, the national education policy states that children should be taught in their mother tongue up to Primary Three. This isn’t being done. It also states that students should learn a language different from their own, but this isn’t enforced.
So, our problems are numerous, but if we address them one by one and examine the national policy, it will give us the country we desire.
You called for a curriculum change as part of the move to improve our education system. Why do you think this is necessary?
Because the curriculum dictates the type of country you want. It shapes development. What kind of curriculum do we have? Does it equip students with lifelong skills? Does it only focus on theory?
Are you saying changing our curriculum would change the country?
The current curriculum has been in place for years. What has it achieved? We have bandits across the North, and even the South West, which prides itself on having educated people, is not exempted. Many young people are now internet fraudsters because they haven’t been equipped with a curriculum that provides them with a sustainable means of livelihood.
A curriculum should instil values that will last beyond school. We should revisit the curriculum and ensure it doesn’t exclude the global context. Let’s incorporate global best practices wherever possible.
Do you believe teachers and educators in the country have a role to play in shaping our education system?
Of course, yes. They are the pilots. We need to pay attention to the quality of the teachers we produce. I believe we should review the teacher training curriculum. In the past, we had teacher training colleges with Grade One and Grade Two qualifications.
I think this system is better than what we have now. During the days of free education, there were crash programmes where teachers were trained for six months. We need to revisit this approach. Let’s identify where we went wrong and make corrections because if the foundation is faulty, what can the righteous do?
We should start from primary school. Let’s all go back to primary school. If you can’t go back physically, do so mentally. Review what you learned in primary school and compare it with what our children are learning today. If there’s a need for improvement, let’s make it.
You mentioned returning to our primary schools. If you examine the situation closely, public primary schools are now in a deplorable state. In fact, they have been neglected. What is your take on this?
Our public primary schools are being neglected because we don’t value what we have. Do you know that public primary schools are better equipped than most private schools today? In most public primary schools, the minimum qualification for teachers is NCE, but in some private schools, many teachers only have secondary school certificates.
Private schools are run by entrepreneurs who prioritise their businesses, which is why they seem better. Their proprietors are constantly pressuring their teachers. However, a lack of supervision is also affecting our public schools, even though we have better teachers in public schools than in many private schools. Some parents prefer private schools because they believe their children will speak better. But we conducted a study on the use of the mother tongue, and I’m telling you, if you train your children, especially at an early age, in their mother tongue, they learn better and understand more.
The Japa syndrome has been fuelled by citizens travelling abroad to acquire education. How do you think this can be discouraged?
Many of those travelling abroad for education aren’t doing so to acquire education. They are simply seeking jobs. If you go abroad, you’ll see that most of our graduates excel in their studies. They are there primarily for employment, not education.
Similarly, many of our doctors, nurses, and other professionals have left the country in search of better opportunities.
What advice would you give to current policymakers and educators seeking to improve the education sector?
I’m sorry if this sounds like an advertisement for my book, but they should read it. They will find insights on influencing decisions and policymaking across all sectors, not just education. It also outlines steps they can take to ensure effective decision-making in education. They must focus on measures that will make our education system great for both the present and the future.
Additionally, they should ensure that education is functional—not only relevant to our local environment but also to the international context.
Having excelled politically and academically, what is next for you?
Don’t forget, I’m 74 years old, but I still love to read. For instance, I’ve gathered so much from today’s discussion. I hope to return and see if I can produce the next volume of my book. If God grants me health and life, I will continue to write. In education, you are always researching. The only collateral you have is your brain. I still conduct workshops and engage in consultancies. So, if I have the opportunity to write, I will.
