Dr Kingsley Moghalu, president of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation, has emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to overhaul its education system to enhance human capital development and global competitiveness.
Speaking at the fifth Arthur Mbanefo Lecture at the University of Lagos, Moghalu addressed the topic “Education and National Development: Meeting Nigeria’s Challenge in the 21st Century.”
Moghalu stressed the necessity for an educational policy that prioritizes access, quality, literacy, skills, and national values.
He lamented the progressive collapse of values in Nigeria over the past decades, attributing it to the country’s neglect of its educational foundation.
Highlighting the core purpose of education, Moghalu asserted, “Purpose must be at the heart of education and the education system. The socioeconomic strength of a country is directly proportional to the strength of its education.”
He called for a shift from rote memorization to skill development, which he believes is crucial for forming a robust human capital base capable of driving economic transformation and global competitiveness, particularly in the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Moghalu advocated for the integration of technology into classrooms to enhance teaching and learning experiences.
He proposed that the classroom environment should encourage active participation, inquiry-based learning, and critical reflection, using cooperative learning structures, Socratic questioning techniques, and experiential activities.
These strategies, he said, would lead to pedagogical reform, improved teaching and learning outcomes, and a conducive environment for student success and academic excellence.
In his critique of the current educational landscape, Moghalu pointed out the entitlement mentality among many Nigerians and the stark salary disparity between senators and university vice-chancellors.
“Our priorities are totally misplaced, and until we realize that if we don’t address the misplaced values on education, people will continue to ‘japa’ (leave the country),” he stated.
Folasade Ogunsola, the vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos, in her opening remarks, celebrated Arthur Mbanefo, a former pro-chancellor of the university, on his 94th birthday.
She highlighted Mbanefo’s contributions to education, particularly through the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre (AMDRC), which has been a pioneer in digital research and learning since its full operation began in 2018.
She noted that the University of Lagos is one of the most digitized universities in Nigeria, with over 23 research centres and four innovation and technology hubs.
Mbanefo, the celebrant, echoed Moghalu’s sentiments regarding salary disparities and misplaced priorities in Nigeria’s governance.
He criticized the allocation for research in many Nigerian public universities, which he noted is often less than 15 per cent of the total institutional budget.
Dignitaries present at the lecture included Tolulope Adewale, managing director of NSIA Advanced Medical Services; Ernest Ebi, chairman of AMDRC; Bode Karunwi, member of AMDRC; Taiwo Ipaye, director of AMDRC; Ayodele Atsemuwo, deputy vice-chancellor of development services at UNILAG; Yetunde Zaid, UNILAG’s librarian; and Bolanle Shoga, board secretary, among others.
