…As new minister resumes
From the inception of the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 1999 when Tunde Adeniran held fort as the minister of education up till now, the history of the nation’s education sector has been marked by woeful tales. Besides, the sector has witnessed a high turnover rate of ministers in the past 11 years, with each recording little or no tangible results, except for Oby Ezekwesili who was redeployed from the Solid Minerals Ministry to education, with the mandate to turn the ailing sector around for the better.
On assuming duty, Ezekwesili carried out a well-thought-out audit, which revealed a sector plagued with many problems. Immediately, she hit the ground running with far-flung reforms among which were: the formulation of a 10-year development plan, a 29-page document meant to serve as an emerging model that would deliver a sound education policy and management for the public good.
But while many criticised the reforms, especially the fire-brigade manner through which they were carried out, others hailed the action as the tonic needed in the sector, but feared that as was the hallmark of the nation, the incoming administration may not implement the exercise.
Expectedly, events in recent times have proved such skeptics right, as many of the reforms have either been reversed or relegated to the backburner. However, last week when Ruqayyat Ahmed Rufai was appointed the new minister of education, yet another chapter was opened in the nation’s education sector. The new minister, who undoubtedly knows the enormity of the task before her and the entire staff of the Federal Ministry of Education, assured of her unwavering determination to make positive changes during the recent screening at the Senate.
Appearing unfazed by the many challenges bedevilling the education sector, she expressed her readiness to deliver the goods by following the roadmap set by her immediate predecessor. The new minister pledged to implement the roadmap, which was approved by the defunct Federal Executive Council in April last year. The roadmap was divided into four key priority areas: Technical and vocational education and training; funding, access and equity, as well as standards and quality assurance.
Meanwhile, the feeling in some circles is that the new minister has little time to address the rot in the nation’s education space, for which reason there is some amount of doubt regarding her assertion. In the estimation of Akin Oyebode, a Law professor at the University of Lagos, no one person has the capacity to formulate a revolutionary policy that would transform the education sector from its near-comatose state to a competitive position that can benchmark global standards.
His view was apparently predicated on two major planks: First, the amount of rot in the system and secondly, given that the incumbent minister has less than a year to implement the roadmap. Calling for a parley comprising education sector stakeholders nationwide, including policymakers, teachers, parents and students, Oyebode highlighted the many sore points in the sector, saying that such would require professional inputs. Mike Kunnuji, a lecturer in the sociology department, University of Lagos, echoed Oyebode’s view. For him, the problem of education in Nigeria is deeper than what can be fixed in one year, while expressing misgivings regarding what the new education helmsman would be able to achieve.
Others who spoke to BusinessDay expressed their reservations over the new minister’s professional competence to tackle the Herculean task headlong, noting that little was known about the minister before she got her new role. “Nigeria is a country full of surprises. The fact that somebody was a former state commissioner for education does not show one’s ability and competence. I thought pedigree and one’s professional strength should be one of the parameters for choosing a minister. This is just one snapshot of the country’s many funny acts,” said one observer.
A look at the bigger picture on the recent ministerial portfolio allocation presents similar surprises. While some had wished the appointments were based on the minister’s track record, others believe that commitment to delivering on promises should be paramount. And so for Ahmed Abubakar, former president and chairman of council of the Nigerian Institute of Management, the choice of Ruqayyat Rufai could not have been a better option.
Abubakar, who described her appointment as a welcome development, described her as not only highly intelligent but also portrayed her as a decent person. “As the first woman professor in Jigawa State and old Kano State, Ruqayyat Rufai has proven to be a woman of excellent qualities and well educated. She is a technocrat and very intelligent. I have no doubt that she is the right candidate for the new job,” he declared. Others who spoke to BusinessDay expressed mixed feelings over the new minister’s credentials, which only a few outside government circles have heard of in the past. Oyebode admitted he knows little about the new minister, describing her as a shot in the dark.
Oye Ibidapo-Obe, ex-vice-chancellor, University of Lagos, also expressed a similar opinion. He, however, urged the new helmsman to quickly address the key issues affecting the education sector.
Culled from Bussinessday; by Philip Okafor (Tuesday, 13 April 2010)
On assuming duty, Ezekwesili carried out a well-thought-out audit, which revealed a sector plagued with many problems. Immediately, she hit the ground running with far-flung reforms among which were: the formulation of a 10-year development plan, a 29-page document meant to serve as an emerging model that would deliver a sound education policy and management for the public good.
But while many criticised the reforms, especially the fire-brigade manner through which they were carried out, others hailed the action as the tonic needed in the sector, but feared that as was the hallmark of the nation, the incoming administration may not implement the exercise.
Expectedly, events in recent times have proved such skeptics right, as many of the reforms have either been reversed or relegated to the backburner. However, last week when Ruqayyat Ahmed Rufai was appointed the new minister of education, yet another chapter was opened in the nation’s education sector. The new minister, who undoubtedly knows the enormity of the task before her and the entire staff of the Federal Ministry of Education, assured of her unwavering determination to make positive changes during the recent screening at the Senate.
Appearing unfazed by the many challenges bedevilling the education sector, she expressed her readiness to deliver the goods by following the roadmap set by her immediate predecessor. The new minister pledged to implement the roadmap, which was approved by the defunct Federal Executive Council in April last year. The roadmap was divided into four key priority areas: Technical and vocational education and training; funding, access and equity, as well as standards and quality assurance.
Meanwhile, the feeling in some circles is that the new minister has little time to address the rot in the nation’s education space, for which reason there is some amount of doubt regarding her assertion. In the estimation of Akin Oyebode, a Law professor at the University of Lagos, no one person has the capacity to formulate a revolutionary policy that would transform the education sector from its near-comatose state to a competitive position that can benchmark global standards.
His view was apparently predicated on two major planks: First, the amount of rot in the system and secondly, given that the incumbent minister has less than a year to implement the roadmap. Calling for a parley comprising education sector stakeholders nationwide, including policymakers, teachers, parents and students, Oyebode highlighted the many sore points in the sector, saying that such would require professional inputs. Mike Kunnuji, a lecturer in the sociology department, University of Lagos, echoed Oyebode’s view. For him, the problem of education in Nigeria is deeper than what can be fixed in one year, while expressing misgivings regarding what the new education helmsman would be able to achieve.
Others who spoke to BusinessDay expressed their reservations over the new minister’s professional competence to tackle the Herculean task headlong, noting that little was known about the minister before she got her new role. “Nigeria is a country full of surprises. The fact that somebody was a former state commissioner for education does not show one’s ability and competence. I thought pedigree and one’s professional strength should be one of the parameters for choosing a minister. This is just one snapshot of the country’s many funny acts,” said one observer.
A look at the bigger picture on the recent ministerial portfolio allocation presents similar surprises. While some had wished the appointments were based on the minister’s track record, others believe that commitment to delivering on promises should be paramount. And so for Ahmed Abubakar, former president and chairman of council of the Nigerian Institute of Management, the choice of Ruqayyat Rufai could not have been a better option.
Abubakar, who described her appointment as a welcome development, described her as not only highly intelligent but also portrayed her as a decent person. “As the first woman professor in Jigawa State and old Kano State, Ruqayyat Rufai has proven to be a woman of excellent qualities and well educated. She is a technocrat and very intelligent. I have no doubt that she is the right candidate for the new job,” he declared. Others who spoke to BusinessDay expressed mixed feelings over the new minister’s credentials, which only a few outside government circles have heard of in the past. Oyebode admitted he knows little about the new minister, describing her as a shot in the dark.
Oye Ibidapo-Obe, ex-vice-chancellor, University of Lagos, also expressed a similar opinion. He, however, urged the new helmsman to quickly address the key issues affecting the education sector.
Culled from Bussinessday; by Philip Okafor (Tuesday, 13 April 2010)
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