NUT says education sector lacks adequate funding

The Lagos wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) on Monday said the basic challenge of the education sector had been adequate funding.

The Deputy Chairman, NUT, Mr Adedoyin Adesina told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the sector was not improving due to underfunding.

Adesina said that the country was yet to meet the UNESCO standard of 26 per cent allocation to education and the maximum students per teacher ratio.

“The basic challenge of education is poor funding; the country has not met the UNESCO standard of 26 per cent.

“The best the country has had is 11 per cent which was last year.

“Aside from the funding, the curriculum planners insert subjects in the curriculum without providing specialists for such subjects,’’ he said.

Adesina said that government at all levels had not met the expected standard of education in every aspect, aside from the promises made.

“For instance, the entrepreneurship that was introduced has no specialists in schools to teach the subject.

“You will be told that if you studied agriculture that you can teach animal husbandry, whereas it goes beyond that because in even in the universities, people study animal husbandry,’’ he said.

He noted the lack of conducive learning environment of the schools with teachers teaching about 180 to 240 students per class, saying “it is emotionally destabilising for both the teachers and students.’’

He, however, urged state governments to do more on education, especially those owing teachers their monthly salaries should urgently pay them.