Two Problems of Educational Administration in Nigeria

The Nigerian educational administration is faced with a number of problems, but two problems are explained below:

• Problem of Inadequate Access: All Nigerian children who should be in school are not in school. In the eastern (especially lgbo-speaking) parts one prevalent problem is the boy-child Drop-out syndrome. The boys, for economic reasons, refuse to go to School and those who enter primary schools drop out prematurely. They refuse to complete primary and secondary education because of the economic problems encountered by the educated in society. Many boys are found in mechanic villages as apprentices to crafts masters, in various types of businesses, or in other engagements outside the school. In the northern parts of tine country, the problem is that of girl-child drop- out from school, for reasons ranging from early marriage to cultural values opposed to female education as well as ignorance. Thus, there are more boys than girls in schools in that part of the country.

• Problem of low discipline and Inadequate Funding of Education: The managers of primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria are in consensus that these institutions are grossly under-funded. Evidence exists on the degree of dilapidation that characterizes the primary and secondary school buildings in parts of the country; the non-payment of teachers salaries and allowances as a result of which strikes are the order of the day; the lack of necessary teaching and learning materials at all levels of the educational system; poor working conditions of all teachers in the country, among other indices. It has also been argued that financial mismanagement and lack of accountability by officials led to diverting substantial resources from the educational institutions to other ends.

CONCLUSION

  Obviously, the western educational tradition has remained the most functional in Nigeria's educational history, although the others, indigenous and Islamic education, served the needs of the various communities where and when they existed.

To give solution to the prospects and problem of educational administration in Nigeria, I believe two approaches are relevant. Thus; need to enough funds and the need for responsible and proper management of the funds. How to achieve these two is a major problem in the Nigerian educational system and achieving them holds the key to educational development in the country.