By Lawrence Egede
Education in Nigeria has walked a long, winding road from the mission schools of the colonial era, through government takeovers after the civil war, to today’s sprawling mix of public and private institutions. Yet, one fact is undeniable: the nation’s education system is bleeding, and both the government and private operators must share the responsibility for saving it.
Formal education in Nigeria did not begin with government. It was pioneered by missionaries who built private schools that combined learning with moral instruction.
In those days, discipline was the golden rule. Brilliance and intellect followed naturally, but only after humility, honesty, and obedience were instilled in pupils. The product of that system was a generation trained not only for examinations but for life.
The civil war changed everything. Mission schools lost their strong leadership as foreign and local principals departed. The Federal Government stepped in, seizing control of all schools. What started as an emergency measure soon became a permanent structure.
But with one “head” carrying all the weight, cracks spread fast. Discipline collapsed. Standards slipped. Political influence replaced merit. Sectional favoritism thrived. Schools became breeding grounds for mediocrity, and Nigeria’s once-proud educational foundation was weakened.
It was parents themselves who cried out, demanding the return of private schools when it became clear that public schools alone could no longer deliver. Over time, private proprietors rose to the challenge, building institutions that offered alternatives. Today, the growth of private schools has become a rescue mission for a sector that still groans under the weight of decay.
Population explosion has pushed public schools to the brink. Classrooms overflow, teachers are overwhelmed, and basic infrastructure is overstretched. In this chaos, private schools have provided relief, absorbing students that government institutions can no longer accommodate.
Yet, even here, cracks are showing. Mushroom private schools sprout daily, some operating without registration, qualified staff, or adequate facilities. Instead of blanket closures, government should issue strict deadlines for compliance, ensuring schools meet registration, staffing, and infrastructure requirements. To stop them outright is to punish children who are blameless.
The core issue remains discipline not only of students but of entire systems. Without it, no amount of investment or expansion will yield true learning. Government inspectors should not merely check boxes for registration but enforce discipline, integrity, and standards in both public and private schools.
Nigeria cannot afford to toy with education. Knowledge has no end, and neither should improvement, expansion, or discipline. Every serious regime must partner with those willing to invest in schools, creating an enabling environment where both public and private institutions can thrive.
Anything short of this is betrayal, not just of parents and teachers, but of the nation’s future.
To God be the glory forever.
