Saving Nigeria’s Education From Fire-Brigade Policies -By Hon. Muslim Kola ADEWALE

Nigeria’s education system, already gasping for breath, now faces another round of confusion and disarray under the current Minister of Education — a medical doctor whose policies, though well-intentioned, have shown a worrying lack of planning, consultation, and understanding of the education sector. His recent approaches to reform, rather than rescue the system, seem to be deepening its instability.

One of the most troubling examples is the sudden push to introduce Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for WASSCE and NECO examinations starting from 2026. In a country where thousands of public schools still lack electricity, functioning computer laboratories, or even chairs and tables, this directive feels more like an experiment than a reform. Bigger and better-equipped nations still rely on the traditional pen-and-paper system because it ensures fairness, accessibility, and reliability. Yet, Nigeria’s leadership seems determined to run before learning to walk.

Equally alarming is the hasty implementation of the newly revised curriculum. Teachers across the nation are confused and unprepared. Schools have not been given adequate timeframes to understand or implement the new structure. There are no approved textbooks, no training workshops, and no teaching guides to support these major changes. Yet, schools are being directed to start teaching new subjects immediately, with SSS3 students expected to sit for exams on topics they never learned in SSS1 or SSS2. This is not reform — it is academic injustice.

Even more disturbing is the reported decision to phase out Economics and Geography as cross-departmental subjects. These disciplines are fundamental to national development and civic understanding. Economics shapes our grasp of national and personal finance, while Geography teaches environmental awareness and global citizenship. Limiting their accessibility only narrows students’ intellectual horizon.

The truth is that education cannot be reformed by decree or media announcement. It requires careful planning, stakeholder consultation, and adequate preparation. Teachers must be retrained. Schools must be equipped. Textbooks and instructional materials must be developed before implementation. Anything less is a fire-brigade approach — flashy on the surface but destructive in the long run.

Nigeria does not need hurried reforms; it needs thoughtful reconstruction. The future of millions of students should not be a testing ground for experimental ideas. Education is not a hospital ward where emergency procedures are performed — it is a lifelong foundation that determines the fate of generations.

If this government truly wishes to save education, it must first listen — to teachers, to principals, to examination bodies, and to parents. It must respect the realities in our classrooms and act with wisdom, not haste. Only then can we begin to rebuild a system worthy of the name “education.”

Hon Muslim Kola ADEWALE
UGBE Akoko, Ondo State