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In a significant move to strengthen Nigeria's education sector, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) launched the Education International (EI) “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign in their country. This initiative aims to secure increased funding for public education and its personnel, while addressing the chronic underfunding that has plagued the sector for years.

Building consensus for public education

The campaign was inaugurated during a capacity-building workshop held on September 12th, 2024, which brought together around 100 participants, including NUT state chairpersons, secretaries, and other critical stakeholders. The workshop's primary goal was to empower NUT leaders to advocate against the growing influence of non-state actors in education, who seek to commodify education for profit.

The event also aimed to build consensus among stakeholders and rally support for public education. It emphasized the need for policy reforms to ensure free, inclusive, and equitable quality education for all. Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, underscored the importance of investing in teachers' professional development and engaging in social dialogue with NUT to strengthen the education system. “The future of Africa stays with you, teachers, as well as with a publicly funded, accessible education system. We will partner with NUT, the Education International Africa (EIA) and EI, to tackle issues such teachers’ organizing, status and shortage, and achieve quality public education,” the minister said.

The state of Nigeria’s education sector

NUT National President, Audu Titus Amba, highlighted the dire state of Nigeria's education sector, particularly at the basic level. He pointed out that budgetary allocations to education have consistently fallen short of international benchmarks, with over 18 million out-of-school children and a significant shortage of teachers. Budgetary allocations to education have over the years remained “a far cry” from the internationally recommended benchmarks of at 4 to 6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and/or at least 15 to 20 percent of the national budget, he said.

Amba also noted the increasing privatization of education, which undermines the goal of providing free, universal basic education. “The upsurge in the activities of non-state actors in education is promoted by International Financial Institutions and Development Partners, as well as the failure of government to regulate the operations of these for-profit private providers.”

“Let us go public and fund public education and teacher wellbeing to improve their pay and their working conditions, and to empower them to stay in their well-chosen profession. Let us rise to support, value and respect teachers, who shape the future of mankind, transform society and positively impact our world,” he concluded.

International support and recommendations

The workshop welcomed the focus of the international community on transforming education to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, which calls for free, inclusive, and equitable quality education for all. In its 59 recommendations, the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession has urged governments to ensure equitable funding for education and sustainable investment in the teaching profession, the NUT leader underlined.

The role of teachers

Dennis Sinyolo, Regional Director of Education International Africa (EIA), reiterated that education is a fundamental human right and a public good and emphasized the need for teachers to be at the heart of any new education strategy, as the quality of a country's education system is directly linked to the quality of its teachers.

Recognizing that “it is paramount that our governments take concrete legislative, financing and other measures to bring an end to privatization and commercialization of education” and that “the Governments of Kenya and Uganda took action and succeeded in curtailing the activities of Bridge,” he was confident that “the same and more can be achieved here in Nigeria.”

He also mentioned that, through its “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign, EI calls on African governments to invest in education, teachers, educational infrastructure, teaching and learning resources: “We call for a quality public school for every African and for every Nigerian child. A school where every child is taught by a highly trained, professionally qualified, trusted and supported teacher with decent salaries and working conditions; a well-resourced and healthy school supporting every child and youth to achieve their maximum potential.”

Emphasizing the need to disseminate the “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign throughout Nigeria, he reminded that EI has prepared a toolkit to support its member organisations to better understand and disseminate these Recommendations: Activating the Recommendations of the UN High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession – A Guide for Education Unions.

Sinyolo also highlighted the importance of embracing modern teaching methodologies driven by technology while ensuring ethical use of artificial intelligence in education. “As educators, we should move from the traditional chalk and talk to the modern touch and teach. However, technology cannot replace teachers, nor can online learning replace in-person in-school teaching and learning. The COVID-19 pandemic proved beyond reasonable doubt that teachers and schools are indispensable.”

A call for collective action

The NUT leadership, along with Nigerian education stakeholders, is now tasked with ensuring the successful implementation of the “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign's goals. As Nigeria continues to grapple with the challenges facing its education sector, the campaign represents a crucial step towards securing a brighter future for the nation's children. By investing in public education and supporting teachers, Nigeria can ensure that every child has access to quality education and the opportunity to reach their full potential.