Group urges restructuring of education sector

In commemoration of the International day of the girl child, a non-governmental organisation, ActionAid has called on the government to restructure the education sector to address the imbalances.

The Country Director, Ojobo Atuluku opined that the restructuring should focus on the management and funding of public education by the different tiers of government as well as the distribution of public investment between primary, secondary and tertiary education.

Atuluku spoke at a research presentation on private education in Nigeria organised by the group and titled, “Public dialogue on impact and implication of privatisation of education’ .

She lamented that privatisation of education has failed to, and is unable to deliver universal access to quality, functional and productive education, adding that public education remains the only means through which universal access can be ensured.

According to her, “state funded education enhances equity, and enables equal access to opportunities.” Atuluku also called on the ministry of education to monitor private schools in the country, alleging that some of them are operating beyond government’s regulations.

She disclosed that the result of the research on Bridge International Academy (BIA), a chain of private schools indicated that the schools do not target poor families as it was intended.

He explained that BIA comprises chains of private schools that have grown exponentially in this part of the world.

“It started only with two schools in Autumn 2015, and growing to 23 by Autumn 2016. BIA claims to provide a ‘world-class education’ using centrally designed and standardised lesson plans delivered with a teaching tablet.’’