Nigeria needs functional education system to develop – Educationist

Education
By Yinusa Ishola
Omu-Aran (Kwara), July 30, 2019 (NAN) Dr Daniel Abegunde, an educationist on Tuesday urged government at all levels to seek new direction through functional education system in order to achieve the desired growth and development.
Abegunde, a retired principal and Proprietor of Hopeland Academy in Omu-Aran,Kwara,  said the country’s present system of education was inadequately funded.
According to him, the education curriculum also placed too much emphasis on foreign culture and history.
Abegunde defined functional education as pragmatic education, rather than decorative, that benefits both the individual and the society at large.
He said a functional education system is one that supports the development goals of any society or a country.
“It is referred to as an educational system that works, brings  about behavioural changes and possesses  core values and skills acquisition.
“It also produces knowledgeable citizens, self reliant  individuals as well  as boosts manpower development and national development.
“It is, therefore, not an exaggeration to state that a country would only be developed to the extent of the functionality of its education system.
“The aggregate position is, therefore, that for a society to optimally benefit from the education of its people, such education must be a functional one.
“The technological, vocational, and socio-economical components of a functional education system must be fully harnessed if the society must reap maximum benefit from such system,” he said.
He noted that the shortcomings in the sector was evident as the country continued to struggle to break loose from the clutches of insecurity, poverty and hunger.
“No country can achieve sustainable economic development without sustained investment in human capital development.
“Functional education raises people’s productivity and creativity; it promotes entrepreneurship, technological advances and improve income distribution,” he said.
Abegunde, therefore, suggested an efficient and effective tackling of  corruption as a menace in order to achieve the desired functional education system in the country.
“Corruption in Nigeria affects every sector,  including the educational sector.
“Funds meant for educational infrastructure, salary payments,  maintenance and running of schools and institutions are being diverted and mismanaged.
“The present administration’s giant stride in tackling this menace head long is a right step in a right direction which has started yielding positive results.
“It was a different case entirely in the past when  providing quality and qualitative education was the topmost and major pre-occupation of  education stakeholders,” he said.(NAN)
ISHO/MAM/OJO

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(Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Mufutau Ojo)