Boko Haram: Lack of quality education fuels terrorism – Donald Duke

by Rachel Ogbu

Former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, has said that the Boko Haram menace in the country was fuelled by the lack of quality education.

Duke said in a statement released on Wednesday at the annual luncheon and merit award ceremony of the Government College, Ibadan, that the fallen standard in the educational system had left Nigeria with a bleak future.

“Sixty-seven per cent of school age children in Borno State are currently out of school. This is the root of the Boko Haram problem facing the country.

“Something must be done urgently about the educational system; if not, the future is very bleak for our country,” he said.

Duke advised the government to partner those who could raise educational standard in schools.

[READ: Goodluck Jonathan must hear this: Bayelsa has the worst exam malpractice record in Nigeria – Report ]

The Punch report:

A professor of medicine, Oladipo Akinkugbe, shared the same view with the ex-governor.

Akinkugbe said government ownership of secondary schools had worsened the educational system. He said government interference had brought about limitation in the system.

He said, “The incursion of government into the area of ownership of schools had further complicated an already parlous state of affairs. Voluntary agencies had been the forerunners of secondary education for over a century.

“The extent of government participation had been limited to regulating and monitoring through inspectorate divisions or ministries.”

He added, “The pass rate in secondary schools has nose-dived to less than 10 per cent.

Akinkugbe also decried the low morale of teachers, caused by poor salaries, overcrowded classes and understaffing in schools.”

Immediate past chairman of Committee of Pro-Chancellors and Chairman of GCI, Dr. Wale Babalakin, said policies by various governments had led to the down-grading of GCI.