Mr Osita Chidoka, Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, has called on Nigerian educational institutions, particularly southeast educators, to reverse the growing ugly trend of importing education that is fast gaining acceptance amongst Nigerians of all classes.
In a keynote address titled “Let Us Build and Export Education: A Vision for Southeast Nigeria, at the Southeast Educators Conference, Chidoka urged educators to reverse the trend.
He said the trend where Nigerians predominantly seek education abroad must urgently be addressed.
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“With over 71,753 Nigerians studying overseas, of which about 11,000 are in African schools and only one international student opting for Nigeria,.:’
Chidoka emphasised that Southeast Nigeria, with its high literacy rates and robust basic education performance, is ideally positioned to become a leading educational hub in Nigeria and Africa.
His address resonated with the audience comprising school administrators, government officials, education technology professionals, and private school owners.
He outlined several practical policy initiatives aimed at enhancing the global competitiveness of Southeast schools and positioning them as leaders in exporting education.
“Southeast Nigeria could reverse the current trend of educational emigration and instead become a prime destination for global learners if the leaders adopt the measures he outlined amongst other Conference proposals”, Chidoka argued.
Chidoka proposes an enhanced regulatory oversight, urging state governments to bolster education quality through robust inspections and adequate supervision.
He said Tax Reform for Educational Institutions must be simplified by consolidating taxes into a single system for private schools, thus enhancing ease of business and inviting more investment.
He proposed the adoption of global benchmarking as international standards and assessments like the Programme for International Student Assessments (PISA) to elevate student performance and global standing.
Other proposals are Infrastructure and Security Improvements, Innovative Training and Scholarships to attract top talent and offering scholarships to support less privileged students in the cost-reflective public tertiary education, among others.
“We envision a Southeast Nigeria where education is a significant export, contributing profoundly to our GDP, rebuilding our diminishing national pride and foreign reserves, and ensuring a pathway to national competitiveness and societal progress,”
Chidoka is a former Minister of Aviation and recipient of the National Productivity Order of Merit award for his innovative transformation of the Federal Road Safety Commission.
