JK Randle Slams FG over Education in Nigeria

Former president, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Bashorun J.K. Randle, has criticized Federal Government’s neglect of education in the country, saying, the sector deserves more than what it presently receives in the budget.

According to the renowned chartered accountant, despite being key to human capital development of any nation, education is not given the right attention on the priority list.

Speaking as a Special Guest at the Government Secondary School, Owerri (GSSO), Old Boys Association, Lagos Branch, 2023 End of Year Banquet Award Night and Fundraiser, Bashorun J.K Randle, lamented that education in Nigeria has been left to suffer a huge decline, adding that the sector needs an urgent action to recover lost ground.

Continuing, he said that government is not doing enough to provide quality education to Nigerians.

“Education in Nigeria has suffered a huge setback and the tragedy is that a lot of money we should be spending on education, is being spent on other things, while the pro-catalyst for development – human capital for development is education. This has been proven over and over in so many countries, but is not getting the right attention in Nigeria.

Recall that the President Bola Tinubu’s led federal government in its 2024 Budget Appropriation, Defence and Security received the highest sectoral allocation of N3.25 trillion which represents 12 per cent of the 27.5 trillion, while Education comes next with 2.18 trillion representing 7.9 per cent.

 He said, “At the beginning, we were doing a lot for education – free education, scholarships and bursaries; but all of that have stopped. Right now the schools are in a pitiable state. You would be shocked if you go round the country, you will see that the facilities have rotted away, and buildings have remained uncompleted.    

“Even, in those areas of the country where education was already a problem, they have stopped going to school because they are afraid of being kidnapped, raped, and assassinated; it is a horrible situation.”

Speaking further on the effect of insecurity on education in the country, the chairman of J.K. Randle Professional Services, said, that the rise in insecurity was because people have lost hope in the country with the belief that they have been impoverished due to poor governance.

“Now that we have insecurity; what created insecurity?  That’s because people have lost hope.  They don’t have jobs, they don’t have homes and they have nothing. They are wandering all over the country, frustrated and lost, angry. Whereas if they attend school, had good education and jobs, they would become responsible citizens,” he added.

He urged government to pay more attention on education, adding that efforts should be made to ensure that every student in Nigerian school is exposed to certain skill acquisition to make them self-employed and contributory to the nation economy.

“Government has to get its priority right, understand and appreciate that education is very critical. It is not enough to educate, you have to give them skill with which they can make meaningful contribution to the economy. That’s the way they will create prosperity and when you create prosperity the insecurity will diminish. But if on the other hand, you spend more and more money on security, whereas your education system and your jobs are declining, it is a zero sum game,” he added.

He commended members of Lagos Chapter of GSSO Old Boys Association for their support to the alma mater and urged them to do more for the growth of education in the country.

“They are doing the right thing, trying to raise money for the school. Whatever money they raise should be to complement whatever government is able to do to fill its own basic obligations.

 Also speaking at the event, a development Consultant, Dr. Ndi Emma Onuekwusi, blamed bad leadership for the present economic hardship Nigerians are going through.

Dr. Onuekwusi, who is also a gynecologist and a grand patron of GSSO Old Boys Association, said, Nigeria should have been among the top world countries if the past leaders had been upright with the governance.

He expressed regret at government’s failure to tackle the steady fall in the education sector which in the 60s was the pride of the country as it attracted many foreign teachers and lecturers.

Onuekwusi however, expressed optimism that Nigeria will soon bounce back to greatness and advised the current government of President Tinubu to tackle Nigeria’s challenges headlong without any form of favouritism.