By Hauwa Mohammed
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently allocated N3.52 trillion to the education sector. The budgets for 2025 centres around improving education, healthcare and infrastructure, in line with his ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ targeted at growing the economy and addressing the national priorities.
In an interview with students in primary, secondary, tertiary institutions students and a teacher, they shared their views on how the government should spend the 3.52 trillion allocated to the sector.
A 300 level student of Nnamdi Azikwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Ezembanefo Chidinma, she listed areas the allocation should be spent, which are on teachers’ salaries and provision of infrastructure in schools.
“Government should ensure that teachers are treated well and this can lead to better quality teaching, which can directly impacts on learning outcomes. Government should invest in infrastructure because schools lack the necessary facilities,” she noted.
She recommended that the Tinubu administration focus on improving public education rather than providing financial support to private schools, adding, “public schools serve the majority of students, and enhancing their quality can lead to a more equitable education system. By investing in public education, the government can ensure that all students, regardless of their financial background receive quality education.”
According to her, government should use the allocation to improve facilities in the universities and that with better funding, universities can hire qualified faculty, and provide more resources for research and extracurricular activities.
Femi Omowunmi Anna, a 400 level student of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, currently studying Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management in an interview wants the government to focus on infrastructures and also salaries of teachers’ as a means of motivating them.
On grants, she supports the administration to focus attention on public schools because most of them need intervention to make the schools better as well as increase teachers’ salaries to enhance better service delivery.
She advised the Tinubu administration to invest the N3.52 trillion in primary education, a sub-sector that is crucial and as the foundation of education in a country.
In his contribution, Daniel Kelechi, a Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), proposed the administration use the allocation on teacher welfare, infrastructural development and university education that would have a positive effect on students and teachers.
He also advised the government to accord priority to public schools, which he acknowledged are in a bad state, noting, “private schools are established for profit and that only few rich people can afford private education.”
Kelechi suggested the government invest in human capacity development, saying, “when you invest in education, you invest in people’s minds and develop a whole nation.”
Kolawole Folashade, Head Girl of Festac Girls School, Lagos, wants the government to use the allocation to pay teachers’ regular salaries, build classrooms and give grants to private schools to boost the sector?
“I would support raising teachers’ wages as a top priority. The morale of students’ are influenced by their teachers, and raising the standard of education requires addressing their wellbeing. Paying teachers more will not only boost their morale but also aid in luring and keeping qualified teachers,” she stated.
Kolawole urged the administration to give private schools grants and also ensure public school teachers enjoy good salaries and better welfare package.
She added: “Many private schools hire unqualified teachers, which lowers the standard of instruction pupils receive. The government should also concentrate on hiring more educators for public schools.
“Prioritizing key areas such as teacher salaries, provision of infrastructure, and the employment of qualified educators would significantly improve the quality of education. By allocating huge resources, the Tinubu administration can achieve success not only in the management of funds but also in fostering growth and progress within the educational sector,” Kolawole advised.
A Basic 2 Nazareth School, Lagos, student, Chizaram Uchendu advised the government to build schools and equipped them with modern facilities to create a conducive learning environment.
She is of the view that the government pays teachers better salaries so that they can impact knowledge.