Great post, a topic of vital importance for any country to discuss un depth. As an ex-college professor, I can categorically affirm that the main reason Venezuela felt so deep in this disastrous hole was because the so-called revolution made sure they'd destroy the educational system first.
I wonder how separate is politics from education in Nigeria, especially at college/university levels.
There is no question about the tremendous boost education has given to most African nations. During the time I spent in the States I met scholars from every African country. Brilliant men and women wirh great plans for their countries.
Much has been criticized about Colonialism, but I think the ex-colonial powers (which we can still argue excercise post/neo colonial control) have provided and shared with the ex colonies the tools needed for their development.
How those tools have been used through their ed systems is a different story.
Actually, politics and education are almost interwoven. Quite a number of universities here are owned by government. Even the private institutions are party controlled by government. So I can say that the educational system is part of the Nigerian politics.
Thanks a lot buddy, Prof Henry
:) I have not felt like a prof in months now.
If that is the case, I hope Nigeria can take some measures to veer towards a different direction. Politics killed our ed system, the dirty ideologization, to be more exact. The State desre to control everything saw in our universities potential enemies (because of the whole free-thinking concept). They were right in fearing free-thinking and they did what totalitarianism does best: they made sure universities would kneel and beg for every penny.
Thus, good bye to research, progress, innovation, global interconnections, corporate partnerships, etc.
That progressive soffucation of the university's financial and intellectual freedom turned them into big school totally dependent on "daddy State". When the government decided to neutralize them they just intervene every single thing, form student unions to faculty unions to insurance and retirement funds.