The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has raised concerns over the persistent underfunding of Nigeria’s education sector, revealing that government allocations to education have consistently remained far below global standards, thereby hampering infrastructure development, research and access to higher education.
Alausa said federal budgetary allocations to education have historically ranged between five and eight per cent, significantly lower than the 15 to 20 per cent benchmark recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
The minister made this known in a paper titled, “65 Years of Excellence: Obafemi Awolowo University and the Future of Higher Education in Nigeria,” delivered at the grand finale of activities marking the 65th anniversary of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
A copy of the paper was made available to journalists on Friday by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju.
According to Alausa, inadequate funding remains one of the major obstacles confronting tertiary education in the country, alongside limited investment in research, brain drain and a growing disconnect between university education and labour market demands.
