Nigeria’s Education System Needs Comprehensive Overhaul, Not Just Student Loan- Shafaudeen

The founder of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Professor Sabit Ariyo Olagoke, has urged the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu to prioritise a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s education system, going beyond just the introduction of student loan programmes.

While Professor Olagoke acknowledged that expanding access to higher education through student loans is an important component, he emphasised that a truly transformative approach must address the systemic challenges plaguing the entire education sector.

Speaking in Ibadan during the annual end of the session programme of Shafaudeen Group of Schools lecture titled, “Education Administration and impartation:Avoid Moral Rot and Discipline,” Prof. Olagoke maintained that President Tinubu got education policy wrong when it failed to improve the quality of education in universities and other tertiary institutions in the country but rather, opted for student loan which will not improve their curriculum.

He explained that what was needed is the improvement in the educational curriculum of student which will in turn, impact their lives positively and make them better graduates in contrast to what the universities are churning out as products.

Olagoke who is also an Islamic cleric, also noted that the quality of teaching should also be improved upon so as to enable the teacher impart sound education into the students who will end up being quality students after their graduation such that the world which he observed is now a global village by virtue of ICT will appreciate them.

He decried a situation where teachers work with inadequate facilities which does not enhance their output adding that he owes what he is today to the education he received from his teachers more than fifty years ago.

Prof. Olangoke oted that nothing significant should be expected from teachers when they are owed stressing that they need to be appreciated as heroes of yesterday pointing out that Nigeria got it wrong when it dumped the old national anthem with the cliche that the labour of our heroes past shall not be in vain for the one instead of operationalizing it positing that teachers too should lead by exemplary behavior which students should emulate.

According to him, teachers are bound to step on toes but should be very accommodating to those who wronged them by showing love and unity emphasizing that Shafaudeen Group of Schools must not go into oblivion as the teachers must lead by example besides asking for facilities that will enhance their work.

Professor Olagoke noted that teachers position are not static as the world is a dynamic one which we see them moving from one place to the other places where they will come across those they have taught who will appreciate them for their impartation in the past.

He stated further that religion has affected our democracy which connotes that their must be justice and fair play which is absent observing that religion is now a conjecture since the words in the Bible and Quoran are not being followed religiously as they ought to be hence quality education is sacrificed as students are now being made to obtain loans instead of government bequeathing sound education to them.