Making education accessible and relevant

Sir: The inability of our educational system to provide youths with the demands of industries has led to increased frustrations. The teaching and learning that takes place in Nigerian schools,

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The Nation

January 16, 2026·4 min read

By Daniel Ighakpe

Sir: The inability of our educational system to provide youths with the demands of industries has led to increased frustrations. The teaching and learning that takes place in Nigerian schools, even at the basic education level, must look beyond simply promoting literacy and numeracy. Vocational education and training needs to be given serious attention, too. There is also a need for the government to collaborate with the private sector. Vocational education necessitates stronger partnerships between school and industries to ensure that students gain valuable real-world experience. Companies can provide internships, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training, thereby helping students transition smoothly from school to the workforce.

With the rise of technology, there has been greater emphasis on ensuring that everyone has the digital skills needed to thrive in the digital world. Also, there is growing recognition that education is essential for addressing the climate crisis. Efforts are being made to integrate environmental awareness and sustainability into the school curricula. Integrating climate education into the school curricula and training will foster climate-conscious citizens and leaders, making it a powerful tool for mitigating climate change. This is because educated individuals are more likely to adopt sustainable practices, understand climate risks and support climate policies.

Education for climate action plays a vital role in developing green skills, including technical, socio-emotional, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) abilities that are essential for careers in a sustainable economy. Platforms like ActualTests.com reflect the growing importance of continuous learning and skill development in today’s evolving world. It also encourages innovation and creative thinking to help address the ongoing climate challenge.

Furthermore, education drives climate action as it prepares communities for climate impacts, teaching disaster preparedness, resilience, and coping mechanisms. Youths educated in climate action can become powerful advocates in driving behavioural change, innovation and adaptation, as well as demanding action from governments and institutions.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come with the potential to enable new forms of teaching, learning and educational management. Teachers, being the primary users of AI in education, are expected to be the designers and facilitators of students’ learning with AI. To assume this responsibility, teachers need to be supported to develop their capabilities to leverage the potential benefits of AI, while mitigating its risks in education settings and wider society. AI tools should never be designed to replace the legitimate accountability of teachers in education. While AI offers opportunities to support teachers in both teaching as well as in the management of learning processes, meaningful interactions between teachers and students, and human flourishing, should remain at the centre of the educational experience.

Education is a fundamental human right, a public good, and a public responsibility. Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all, it will be difficult to break the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth, and adults behind.

Nigeria is a ‘country of the young,’ with around 43 percent (almost half the entire population) currently under the age of 15. Nevertheless, it is reported to have the highest number of out-of-school children in the world, even though primary education is officially free and compulsory.

This constitutes a serious problem. Many people feel that the main purpose of education is to earn a living. However, some educated people are unemployed or do not earn enough money to meet basic needs. This may cause some parents to think that it is not beneficial to send a child to school. But it is good to note that schooling does more than prepare someone to make money. Education equips an individual for life in general.

However, even for children who attend school, there still exist some challenges that can hinder the child from receiving proper education. These challenges include: overcrowded classrooms, which make learning difficult; the absence of suitable learning facilities due to poor funding; a poorly remunerated and therefore unhappy teaching staff; and so on.

To deal successfully with these challenges, other sectors of the society particularly the private sector, media, and community can support the efforts of the government by providing aids and grants to educational institutions, building new classroom blocks in public schools, donating educational infrastructure such as school furniture, textbooks, libraries, etc. Some private organizations and individuals could even identify some less-privileged out-of-school children, verify them, and sponsor their education.

A good education is one of the greatest assets that we can ever invest in for our future. So, let us all join hands together to ensure a good education for all!