Education and Politics: Its Implications for National Transformation in Nigeria

Abstract

The history of the linkage between politics and education is rooted in the development of the civil society itself (Adelabu, 2004:188). It is based on this understanding that this paper engages how the interaction between education and politics has been impacting on national transformation in Nigeria. From the colonial administration in Nigeria till the contemporary political dispensations, politics has exerted implied or expressed influence on education policies and their implementations. Successive regimes and administrations in Nigeria have seen education, through their manifestoes and actions, as a political tool. The paper focuses on tertiary education as the case study but with some reference to primary and secondary education. Through theoretical understanding of relevant literatures, it is observed in this paper that the inconsistency in the education policies and programmes in Nigeria is as a result of the interplay between politics and education. This paper is therefore of the opinion that relevance and pro-activeness should be the hallmark of education in Nigeria for national transformation. The paper concludes that education in Nigeria can help in the ongoing transformative agenda if the government demonstrates some political will in the implementation of the national education policy.

Keywords: Education; Politics, National Transformation, National   Policy on Education, Vocational Education