Olugbemiro JegedeOlugbemiro Jegede

Transforming Education in Nigeria

to Levels of Relevance and Competitiveness

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Pleased to be Here Highly honoured to address the highest and most

distinguished professional organisation within Education in Nigeria.

 Nothing stopping me or indeed separate me from the love of my professional calling. It is a one-in-a lifetime opportunity .

Theme of conference quite apt and amenable to what should look like an after dinner conversation

Once you belong to this choice and 7-star organisation, you wear a new garment of integrity and credibility

Unpacking The Theme Let us unpack the heavy duty statement titled

Transforming Education in Nigeria to Levels of Relevance and Competitiveness.

 To transform means to change completely or embark upon a renewal or revolution.

Transforming education means something needs to change or must witness a complete overhaul.

A simple deduction is that we have established a prima facie case that our education is no more relevant and requires a shot in the arm to make it competitive.

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Unpacking The Theme2 Relevance = ecological significance Competitiveness to be considered in relation to similar

offerings the regional, continental or global environments. In summary, what I can deduce from the theme is that there

is a less-than-quiet dissatisfaction with the way our education is right now.

There is therefore an urgent need for a redress

if so then we are on the same page and indeed the same paragraph

all I need to do this morning is to provide some food for thought and supply the beacons to guide the conversation

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Provoke Your Thought How relevant has the NAE been in shaping

national issues and discourse?

Is it time for NAE to demand from government that no person should be appointed a Minister of Education or Commissioner of Education in the States if s/he does not have a professional education background?

Can we borrow a leaf from the Nigerian Medical Association or the Nigerian Bar Association?

What is all these bastardisation of the title of ‘Doctor’ by any dick and harry in Nigeria? 5

Olugbemiro JegedeOlugbemiro Jegede

Ahmadu Bello UniversityUniversity of Southern Queensland

University of Abuja

Curtin University of Technology, Australia

Open University of Hong Kong

Collateral Learning and the Eco-Cultural Paradigm in Science and Mathematics Education in Africa

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FocusIntroductionEducation and DevelopmentThe Africa We NeedThe Nigeria SituationThe Way Forward

Reclaiming Africa, The Africa We NeedExtending Community ServicePrivate Vs Public UniversitiesCorruption

Way Forward

Education & Development There is no gainsaying the fact that Education

is at the propelling power of any development in any nation or community. 

Unfortunately, the commentary on education in Africa has not been very encouraging.

In terms of funding in Education and enrolment numbers, African appears to be doing well. about 5.1 million in Universities.

In spite of all these, the educational system in Africa is weak in quality and quantity indicators. 8

Education & Development2 Africa is under performing on number

educational indicators. the region has 43% of the world’s out of school

children. 29 million children of primary-school age were

not in school in sub-Saharan Africa. 10 million children drop out of primary school

every year. 38% of Africa’s adults, about 167 million people,

lack basic literacy skills. 1.9 million teachers will be needed in

classrooms by 2020 to achieve Universal Primary Education 9

Education & Development3

the 37th General Conference of UNESCO observing an increase in access was grossly dissatisfied with the quality of graduates.

FIVE main factors contributory to the low quality in higher education in Africa depreciating quality of teachers; research capacity deficit; inadequacies in facilities for teaching, learning and

research; lack of a regional quality assurance framework and

accreditation system; and slow adoption of ICT for delivering quality higher

education including distance education. 10

Education & Development4 our educational institutions are creating any

values at all.

Indeed the values which our higher institutions had between the 60s and the early 80th have long disappeared

Sub-Saharan Africa, has come a long way. From days of colonialism, slavery and slave trade and, zero infrastructural development as per western indicators to a continent with 54 independent countries, regional economic bocks, modest strides in educational development and the economic emancipation of the people. 11

Education & Development5 In spite of all the strides mentioned above, Africa is still far from getting out of the woods.

The continent is heavily threatened by economic strangulation;

political instability; conflicts and terrorism;fragility of some of our nations; endemic corruption; geopolitical imbalances and hatred;

huge capacity development needs; extreme poverty;

a preponderance of unemployed, underemployed and unemployable youths.

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The data indicate that as at January 2015:

over 10 million seek employment annually and that 60 per cent of the unemployed are youths.

at least half of the 1 billion people are still illiterate. Africa has the world’s highest illiteracy rates.

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to at least 30 per cent of the world’s poorest people.

Africa has at least six out of 10 most unequal countries in the world. 13

Education & Development6

Sub- Saharan Africa must engage in the following: Building strong economic foundation; Economic integration regionally and continently; Massive job creation; Embarking on effective food security measures; Health and environmental provisions; Innovations and creativity buoyed by education; Energy reforms and attention to combating climate

change; and Massive investment in education, especially tertiary

education. 14

To Survive the 21st Century

The Africa We Want 2063 the AU Commission/the United Nations Economic

Commission for Africa (UNECA)/the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) in a document called, The Africa We want says by the year 2063 there should be

‘created an Africa of our dreams that is prosperous, healthy, vigorous, creative and exciting’ (Versi, 2015).

To achieve this, as has been done in other parts of the world, Africa must re-focus on using education as the fundamental and virile instrument for continental, regional and national development.

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The Africa We Need

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has opined that we need a

‘’new Africa with prosperous, sustainable and inclusive growth;

one that is peaceful, secure and united,

regionally integrated and globally competitive’’.

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Role of Higher Education Higher education remains the fulcrum upon which all other

developments the key to diversify growing economies build the human resource base; produces the

employable graduates and professionals; reinforces the platform to combat diseases,

reduce energy costs and address climate change; provide the compelling argument for seeking

greater participation from private sector in the collaborative development of the continent.

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Challenges facing HE in Africa

the need to expand access, improve quality, ensure equity, provide massive access to tertiary education,

direct serious attention to innovation and creativity,

rejuvenate the obsolete curricula in higher education,

replace the old dilapidated/build the new infrastructure, and inject huge funds.

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Nigeria’s Failure In spite of the abundance of material and human

resources God has endowed Nigeria with; we have not been able to get our act together since independence.

Several challenges make it impossible for the political and economic development of the country with serious negative effect on education and human capital development.

Some of these challenges include poverty of leadership, political instability, lack of political will, socio-cultural differences, poor development policies and implementation.

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Giant of Africa? the largest economy in Africa, the most populous black nation, the 7th most populous country in the world, the 6th largest oil producing country in the world, the 4th world exporter of oil, the 21st largest economy by GDP ($1.058trillion by

nominal GDP), Nigeria continues to slumber as a slowly-

developing country. In spite of these staggering statistics, the failure of the Nigerian state in socio-economic development status continues to baffle the citizens and the outside world. 20

Sleeping Giant??? Okebukola (2015)

There is palpable hunger in the land;unemployment is high; inflation is biting; budget deficits are insufferably high; debt profile is mounting to an intolerable limit, street begging is a constant; prostitution is rife; fraud and crime rates are high; the manufacturing sector is in a depressed state, infrastructure, electricity, healthcare and

transportation are in poor shape.’ Needless therefore to search why education is

declining, degenerated to irrelevancy and not competitive.

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Goals of the C21st

sustainable development

highly educated, mobile and adaptable workforce

multi-skilled and multi-tasked

a knowledge and a learning society

use of ecological and geographical conditions to a nation’s advantage

What Vision?“Where there is no vision, the people

perish..” Prov 29:18

Hence we are in trouble with Governance and education

Must do something drastic to avoid disaster

….and so we are off to the optometrist for a quick fix ….

In the Beginning…

Things Fell Apart Govts, especially the military detested academic

freedom, university autonomy, demonstrations. Brutal clamp down on campus riots. Military

raped and killed students in Zaire (1992), Burkina Faso (1987) Niger (1989) Cote D’Ivoire (1992) Kenya (1992), Nigeria (1973).

Damaging effects of the 1988 World Bank report on the Education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Jomtien WCE for All (1990) and Dakar WEF (2000) on Basic education.

Civil wars – Liberia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eriteria, Rwanda, Burundi, Namibia, South Africa and Nigeria

Things Fell Apart Govts, especially the military detested academic

freedom, university autonomy, demonstrations. Brutal clamp down on campus riots. Military

raped and killed students in Zaire (1992), Burkina Faso (1987) Niger (1989) Cote D’Ivoire (1992) Kenya (1992), Nigeria (1973).

Damaging effects of the 1988 World Bank report on the Education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Jomtien WCE for All (1990) and Dakar WEF (2000) on Basic education.

Civil wars – Liberia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eriteria, Rwanda, Burundi, Namibia, South Africa and Nigeria

Effects on Higher Education

Establishment of universities stopped abruptly.

Sharp diminishing financial resources.Physical, managerial and intellectual

dilapidation.No more production of human

resources to develop Africa.Flight of the best brains to safe and

greener pastures.

Effects on Higher Education2Dwindling provision of funds to HEUncontrolled proliferation of for-profit

universitiesHuge unmet demand in HEObsolete curricula Inability to meet the skills demanded by the

private sector Inability to address balance between

enrolment and quality of educationUncertainty about what HE means to Africa in

the 21st C

Way forward

Reclaim Africa Reclaiming Africa Through Massive Investment in our Youth Africa has come a long way. As the cradle of human origin and

civilisation. Africa is suffering from both externally and internally invoked

obstacles to development   The good news is that a large, albeit silent majority, are

confident that all is not lost. We must all firmly believe and walk the talk with regard to three

major robust pivots on which the salvation of Africa sitseducation and especially higher educationthat today and the future belong to the youth of Africaharness the strength of our youth and channel them

appropriately and effectively towards reclaiming Africa.

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Embed Value Creation in Higher

Education

Value Creation  Value creation is the performance of actions that

increase the worth of goods, services or even a business. Many business operators now focus on value creation both in the context of creating better value for customers purchasing its products and services, as well as for shareholders in the business who want to see their stake appreciate in value.

According to The Economist, ‘value creation is a corporation's raison d'être, the ultimate measure by which it is judged’.

It is common knowledge that value creation is the bedrock of any business. 33

Process of Value CreationValue is created through an organization’s

business model, which takes inputs from the capitals and transforms them through business activities and interactions to produce outputs and outcomes that, over the short, medium and long term, create or destroy value for the organization, its stakeholders, society and the environment’.

‘A successful business is either loved or needed’ (Ted Leonsis, former Executive of AOL)

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5 Parts of Every Business As it is normally defined in management of business

textbooks, a business is a repeatable process that:

Creates and delivers something of value...

That other people want or need...

At a price they’re willing to pay...

In a way that satisfies the customer’s needs and expectations...

So that the business brings in sufficient profit to make it worthwhile for the owners to continue operation.

 Most businesses that succeed do so through innovation.

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Value Creation Funnel

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All value-creating innovation regardless of what type of business or service must go through three stages of Value Creation Funnel

Corporate Governance in

Higher Education

Some of these factors include:

Interconnections between corporate activity, society and the environment

Create an entrepreneurial venture Globalisation.

Accountability within the public sectorDemand for transparency, placing everyone under scrutiny like

never before. The boundaries of social responsibility are rapidly expandingIn light of the global financial crisis, much commentary in

corporate governance is being directed towards corporate governance in the public sector organizations

Understanding choices of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA).

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Corporate Governance in Higher Education

Accountability – being answerable for decisions and having meaningful mechanisms in place to ensure adherence to all applicable laws, regulations and standards.

Transparency / openness – having clear roles, responsibilities and procedures for making decisions and exercising power, and act with integrity.

Stewardship – enhancing the value of entrusted public assets.

Efficiency – applying the best use of resources to further the aims of the organization.

Leadership – promoting an entity-wide commitment to good governance starting from the top.

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Issues to Be ReviewedFor Nigeria to claim any iota of

success in integrating corporate governance in its public sector with especial attention to value creation a number of issues must be reviewed as a matter of urgency.

Given the time at our disposal, let me mention just four of them.

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Sustainability Culture Developing a culture of sustainability

underlines the importance of balancing economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental accountability.

The concepts of democracy and sustainability are ‘both absolutely indispensable, and further that one cannot be realized without the other’.

To make excellent progress in our race to institutionalise corporate governance in our public sector matters, we must examine the way to incorporate sustainable value.

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Sustainable Value Creation

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Emergence of SDGThe emergence of the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) agreed upon by member states at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which held from 20-22 June, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (popularly known as Rio+20) replaces MDGs

It was decided in the Rio+20 document, The Future We Want, to establish an "inclusive and transparent intergovernmental process open to all stakeholders, with a view to developing global sustainable development goals ".

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Common Africa Position (CAP)

The Common African Position has as its pillars the follow:

Structural economic transformation and inclusive growth

Science, technology and innovationPeople-centred developmentEnvironmental sustainability, natural

resources management and disaster risk management

Peace and securityFinance and partnerships

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Value Creation and Human Capital Development

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Real and Genuine Centres and Networks of Excellence

a centre of excellence often refers to a team with a clear focus on a particular area of research; such a centre may bring together faculty members from different disciplines and provide shared facilities.

 The Centres of Excellence concept should be seen as a way of creating and achieving a critical mass of quality African scientists, engineers and other professionals, with requisite capacity to initiate and drive Africa’s innovation system.

A centre of excellence is one that excels in everything that it does – teaching, research, governance, etc, and not developed by mere proclamation. To be a Centre of Excellence, an institution should have the following 4 Fs (Focus, Facilities, Faculty and Finances) and 2 Rs ( Relevance and Reputation).

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Extending Community Service Tertiary institutions in Nigeria have always chorused the

tripod of teaching, research and community service.

But our community service has very little to write home about.

Must genuinely engage the community to find lasting irreversible solutions to poverty eradication, people-centred and planet-sensitive agenda to address the universal challenges of the 21st century

We must devise creative, innovative and transformational agenda that create jobs, develop infrastructure, raise productivity, improve competitiveness and promote sustainable production and consumption.  

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Partnership Transforming our educational system for relevance

and competitiveness requires a new form of partnership.

The transformation must encourage national and local governments to work with the private sector and civil society to align their efforts behind sustainable development.

 Given the enormity of the challenges facing education in Africa and the huge investment needed, financing development, as appropriately and sufficiently as it deserves, is the only way to guarantee sustainability.

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Partnership2  But the financing requirements of Africa

continues to grow very large in the face of disappearing donor support, global economic meltdown and serious crisis, unacceptable dwindling local revenue levels that is punctuated by wanton corrupt, and fraudulent practices.

The only sensible thing to embark upon now by Africa countries is to seek new partnerships and private investments to help deliver transformational education.

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Essentials for Partnership  First, government must enact policies that bring

in good return to investment which will in turn deliver capacity and bring in the financial resources.

Second, African governments must be open to suggestions to properly manage wealth and not allow leakages and under-the-table deals that injure or destroy the building of the infrastructure.

 Third, African governments and the people must show a resolve to entrench and enthrone peace and stability in the political environment. 50

Framework for Action Education 2030

Another global platform which Africa should explore and exploit for the transformation of education through partnerships and private investments is the Framework for Action Education 2030.

With the realisation that the world will not achieve, in 2015, the six Education for All (EFA) goals which were ambitiously set in 2000, the world is attempting to set fresh education targets for the period from 2015 to 2030.

What makes Education 2030 an initiative that Africa should be interested in is that it has been made an integral part of the sustainable development agenda, forming Goal 4 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Global High Level Policy Forum

The UNESCO and ICDE) organised in July, 2015, a High Level Policy Forum to develop a best practice framework for the higher education sector focusing on access, flexibility, affordability, engagement, success and quality.

 The Forum prepared a report with policy directions for the future higher education we want.

The report synthesised the Incheon Declaration and Qingdao Declaration making it the first global declaration on ICT in education,

The importance of this Global High Level Policy Forum cannot be over-emphasised as it links the SDGs and the Education 2030 to the world of partnerships and private investment in education.

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Conference of Parties (COP21)

One of the main gains already recorded by Africa with the SDGs initiative is that it has galvanised a Common African Position (CAP) focusing on pertinent issues in Africa.

The CAP has called for the need to address ‘the challenges posed by climate change, desertification and land degradation, drought, loss of biodiversity, sustainable natural resource management

According to Makhtar Diop, the World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region, “reliable and real-time weather and climate information is a prerequisite for multiple sectors of the economy, including water, agriculture, transport, energy and public health.”

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 At the 21st annual Conference of Parties (COP) in December, 2015 in Paris member states will, through its Sustainable Innovation Forum (SIF15), discuss business innovation in the climate change arena especially as it affects Africa.

As reported by Versi (2015), a Zimbabwean telecoms tycoon, Strive Massiva, in his expert view has said that : ‘food is rapidly becoming the new oil and Africa, with the

world’s largest tracts of arable but still uncultivated land, can and should become the breadbasket of the world over the next two decades’.

The use of higher education, especially research in agriculture and climate change will ensure that the problems of food insecurity, which pose serious threat to growth and development across Africa, will be considerably reduced. 54

Conference of Parties2 (COP21)

Private Universities The history of public universities is closely linked

to the attainment of independence by African countries and the need to provide access to a growing population of students seeking placement in tertiary institutions.

But the monopoly of public sector institutions in higher learning came to a halt from the late 1980s to early 1990s in Africa and private sector institutions emerged as viable alternative to higher education

 At present, the private sector is the fastest expanding segment of higher education in Africa55

Advantages of Private Universities to National Economy

Tremendous contribution in meeting the unmet demands for university education.

Production of needed human resources to service some critical sectors of the economy.

The fact that although students have lower-level academic profile than those in public universities, their outcome academic performance, in general, is better.

Low drop-out rates and high graduation rates. They have highly motivated students and high

employment rates They have altered the concept of university education

from a supermarket model to a boutique model offering limited but well catered for courses.

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Issues with Private Universities in Africa

Inadequacies in the legal provisions for the establishment of private universities.

Quality and number of staff and preponderance of part-time staff who moonlight.

Lack of or limited infrastructure and equipment

High cost of fees making private education unaffordable to a large segment of the population. It creates its own elitism.

Academic interest and courses not necessary motivated by national philosophy but private needs and financial considerations.

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Courses requiring less investment in terms of infrastructure and other facilities.

For now, teaching is the main function carried out by many of the private universities. Research is rarely emphasised.

In some countries, private universities may contribute to weakening public universities through student and staff attrition/poaching.

Rapid expansion of the higher education system reduces quality of teaching, research and promotional criteria.

Low salaries in public universities as compared with private universities.

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Issues with Private Universities in Africa2

What is this, Senator Akpabio? The immediate past Akwa Ibom governor was awarded an honorary doctorate

degree in Global Economic Development by the university at the event held at the university stadium, Ilishan in Ogun State.

“I want to say here that private universities are better than the other universities and I want to also say that when graduate(s) of privately owned universities present their certificates, they have more opportunities to be considered for employment,” the governor said without providing any evidence for his statement or stating why he could not make the Akwa Ibom State University as good as its private counterparts for the eight years he ruled the state.

 Mr. Akpabio also advised the graduating students to be responsible ambassadors of the university especially as their university is owned by a church.

“Ensure you turn out to be good products of the university. Allow God to go with you; in your future allow God to be with you,” he said. “I remain the only governor in Nigeria who drew his people to God. I have the largest choir in the country called Governor Akpabio Unity Choir.”

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One Too Many!Bastardisation

of education, especially higher education Entrenching

Corruption as a fixed member of the Board

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Addressing the MismatchCapitalised on knowledge economy as power of

the futureAbolished tenure system: no permanent seat or

office for lifeEncouraged job change for personal

development and to broaden career choices and being futuristic

Work force becoming multi-skilled and multi-tasked

Became a learning society as response to change from Industrial to post-industrial society

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Challenges of African Academics

To strive to raise our game in and out of the lecture hall to assist HE in Africa achieve excellence again.

Participate in the war against illiteracy on the continent

Enlist in the fight against corruption in our continent especially in the universities

Strive to be multi-tasked and multi-skilled - be a great academic and an excellent Accountants

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Education Bastardised Education is the best legacy to bequeath to younger

generations. We play politics with education No concerted effort to completely redraft from

scratch our national policies on education Using 19th century tools to solve 21st century issues

and concerns in nation building. youth driven into the hands of ‘militancy’ and ‘Boko

Haramism’ – two perfect examples of a rudderless nation ridden with bad governance, lack of incisive accountability and breading illiteracy and lawlessness faster than the rate maggots reproduce.

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Africa’s Answer to HE Reform

Effective implementation of the 2nd Decade of Education in Africa (2006-2015)

Encourage greater mobility of academic researchers, staff and students

Establish an African HE and Research Space: quality Assurance, harmonisation of academic programmes and recognition of qualifications

Use ICT effectively and appropriately to develop, produce, acquire and distribute knowledge, skills and competencies

Collaboration and partnership on equal and mutually beneficial platforms

Creating centres of excellence

Eradicating Corruption

Transparency International That Nigeria is one of the most corrupt countries in the

world is no more news. But that we seem to think that it has become part of our national and individual dressing code is what is most disturbing. The latest global corruption index from Transparency International says that for 2014, Nigeria is up eight places to 136 out of 175 countries ranked by the index.

As reported by Olaniyan, author of ‘Corruption and Human Rights Law in Africa’, and who is Legal Adviser, International Secretariat of Amnesty International, London, Nigeria shares 136th position with well-known corrupt countries like Cameroon, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, and Lebanon.

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All Have SinnedNo country is entirely free of corruption. But if

corruption is deep enough it can hinder economic growth and good governance, and decay the fabric of society. Corruption is an obstacle to sustainable development, with the potential to enlarge economic gaps and breed organized crime. Unchecked corruption leaves little room for democracy to flourish; little room for freedom to expand; little room for justice to prevail.”

Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada, 2010

Adamu on Corruption“But in reality, corruption is so pervasive in Nigeria

today that there is nothing and no area that has remained unaffected by it. To short change the nation, soldiers have colluded with technocrats; and civilians have colluded with bureaucrats; and businessmen have colluded with all of them. But the real tragedy of Nigeria is that everything is just so awfully wrong with every single issue in every place about everything without exception all over the country. It is as if corruption is the norm, accepted, encouraged and institutionalised.

Daily Trust, Sept 10, 2010

Corruption and the Criminal Justice System

While corruption is widely known to have permeated every stratum and segment of the Nigerian society, its extension to certain critical areas of national life cannot but be a source of worry. Prominent amongst these critical areas is the judiciary. Corruption in the judiciary is so endemic that judges lobby to be appointed to serve in election tribunals in order to make money and influence judgment in favour of their friends in politics. It is common knowledge that officials in the criminal justice system have been making the innocent to suffer while assisting the culprit to escape justice. Of utmost concern is that those entrusted with the vital aspect of sifting facts from fiction to ensure that the cause of justice is served have been partaking in dirty deals because of filthy lucre. To effectively wage a war against corruption, the criminal justice system should be comprehensively reworked. Daily Trust Editorial 26 Oct 2015

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Corruption in Higher Education

Opportunities for corruption are manifold in higher education. The potential for corruption increases when access to higher education is limited and selective, and the monetary and social advantages associated with it are high (Hallak and Poisson, 2007).

Let me mention a few and leave you to fill in the rest.

Miracle centresContracts the recruitment and deployment of academics, during admission and examination procedures. AccreditationPlagiarismFalsification of research evidence 70

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Score card for NigeriaWhat Africa needs is not more strong

men, it needs more strong democratic institutions that will stand the test of time. Without good governance, no amount of oil or no amount of aid, no amount of effort can guarantee Nigeria’s success. But with good governance, nothing can stop Nigeria Hilary Clinton, August 12, 2009

Conclusion

Transformation, Relevance and Competitiveness

In a globalised 21st century technology-dependent world, sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria in particular, require a transformational education that lives on knowledge economy, and an academic community that would enforce national and continental regulatory frameworks including professional ethics.

Higher education in Africa must develop multi-skilled and multi-tasked educated persons who subscribe to advancing their careers through research, within the overall terrain of comprehensive transformation of Africa.

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Knowledge is the Word!

Social thinkers from Confucius through Buddha, Plato, Castro and Castells

all allocate a special place in their theories of development to knowledge.

Manual Castells: “knowledge and networks”

Our rescue will be knowledge-intensive development directed at capacity building with cutting edge training and skills acquisition.

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Thank you