The Impact of Covid-19 on Nigerian Education System

At a time when the Nigerian schools are on a temporary closure following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper looked inwards and reflected on the nature of the education system and revealed its myriads of problems. The COVID-19 pandemic indeed had a huge impact on the educational system in Nigeria. It brought about the cessation of all learning activities in Nigeria except for private universities and secondary schools that swiftly switched to virtual learning platforms. It also illuminated the digital divide between the Nigerian student and his counterparts in other climes. COVID-19 pandemic outbreak also offered an opportunity for the nation to realise the poor status of its educational system. Some of the major problems that have confronted the Nigerian education system, as revealed by this paper, include poor funding, inadequate and dilapidating infrastructure, inadequate teaching facilities, poor teachers' welfare, poor research funding, poor quality of teachers, unconducive learning environment, and the like. The study recommends for the exhibition of sufficient political will by the political leadership for the transformation of the education system as well as the sustained commitment of other stakeholders such policymakers and educational administrators for the transformation of the system to give it its rightful place in our national life.

Reflections on the Dangers and Delusions of Education Tourism for Educational Development in Nigeria.

In contemporary times, education tourism has become such a complex phenomenon vis-à-vis the overall development of education in Nigeria. This paper, after explaining the concept of education tourism, takes into consideration the initial historical imperatives that occasioned the need for Nigerians to travel overseas for Higher Education. It identifies the challenges that prompted a rise in education tourism, noting that the Nigerian education sector in particular, and the Nigerian nation in general, suffers huge capital flights as a result of this phenomenon. A further critical analysis from the paper shows that the recent incidents and experiences with education tourism live some Nigerian students with many dangers and delusions-the delusions arising from the incongruence between the knowledge acquired abroad and the dysfunctional social systems in Nigeria. Consequently, the paper submits that Nigerians will be speared much of the complex problems identified with education tourism if the country can adopt some immediate and remote measures that will revitalize its education and make it attractive to the rest of the globe.

Information Literacy Education in Nigeria

This paper explores the prospects of information literacy education in Nigerian primary schools. It is argued that while information literacy is essential for attaining the objectives of Nigerian education, a number of barriers stand in the way. These include the learning environment, lack of resources, language and literacy problems, and teacher orientation and teaching practice. The information literacy project described in this paper is attempting to break down the barriers through innovative use of available local resources.

School Library Services for Educational Rebirth: The Case of Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria

The paper explores the roles of school libraries in the rebirth of Nigerian Education system with particular focus on Edo state. The strategies employed at Lumen Christi International High School were carefully examined. The paper employed the document analysis and exploratory approach to gather facts for making conclusions. Very prominent among facts gathered from literature were that: there is a decay in the Nigerian Education system; and that school libraries have crucial roles to play in the rebirth of the education system. The paper concluded that for there to be meaningful development in the education system, the school library must be positioned to contribute to the process, and the school librarian must devise strategies to effect a change in the orientation of the students in the primary and secondary schools.

The Nigerian Education Milieu in the SDG Era: The Roles, Values, Challenges and Prospects of ODL and Lifelong Learning

National governments are under increasing pressures to address issues surrounding sustainable development. Interestingly, considerable attention is shifting towards education, which has been widely recognized not only as a fundamental human right but also as a catalyst for sustainable development and a vehicle for confronting the challenges facing societies in terms of profound shifts in demographics as well as socio-economic, environmental and ecological realities. As a corollary, ODL and lifelong learning have equally been identified as constituting a force contributing to social and economic development. As a member of the United Nations, Nigeria is committed to achieving not only the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 but also the Global Goals, especially SDG 4 on equitable quality education. This paper examines the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals and explores, based on a review of extant literature, the conceptual and theoretical dimensions of ODL and lifelong learning in the context of their role, values, challenges and opportunities. The paper also outlines current trends in the context of the Nigerian education system and suggests policy, strategy and institutional considerations for mainstreaming ODL and lifelong learning for the purpose of achieving SDG 4. The review of related literature included a search of both published and conference papers and deployed systematic procedures for an exploration of perspectives and ideologies on the key issues of the Global Goals, sustainable development, education for sustainable development (ESD), ODL, and lifelong learning. The study revealed that while the Global Goals are enjoying increasing buy-ins, progress towards achieving the SDGs – particularly Goal 4 – has been unimpressive in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The study also identified trends, challenges and opportunities for integrating ESD in education, ODL and lifelong learning in Africa in general and Nigeria in particular. Based on an evaluation and analysis of perspectives, the study concluded that Nigeria is still a long way to achieving the SDGs. A number of suggestions were made towards a reasonable achievement of sustainable development goal 4, including the importance of: strengthening relevant constitutional framework on education; providing supportive policy and institutional frameworks; and integrating the philosophies of sustainable development in education and training at all levels.