Imagine sitting in a Nigerian classroom, grappling with the intricacies of the Pythagorean theorem, endlessly searching for the elusive ‘x’ that may never be found or rather has never been found. While this seems like a valuable exercise in critical thinking, it reflects a much deeper issue with Nigeria’s education system one that is rooted in the pursuit of knowledge with little to no practical relevance. Meanwhile, across the world, in places like China, students are busy designing innovative solutions to global challenges, such as solar rechargeable lanterns specifically tailored for African markets. While Nigerian students remain trapped in the webs of outdated theories, their global counterparts are constructing the future with their hands. It’s not difficult to see why China has emerged as a global manufacturing powerhouse. They don’t just reward certificates; they value ability and innovation. Yet here in Nigeria, we are stuck in an archaic education system, obsessed with teaching concepts that have long lost their relevance in today’s fast-changing world.
Nigerian classrooms are dominated by theories from bygone centuries, many of which are completely out of touch with contemporary realities. Take political science as an example. Students are still being taught the intricacies of Marxism, an ideology that fell out of favor after the Cold War. While this theoretical knowledge may have historical significance, it has little relevance to the myriad challenges facing Nigerian society today. Leadership crises, governance issues, and inefficient public management are rampant across the country, yet our education system does little to equip students with the tools they need to tackle these pressing problems. Instead, we churn out graduates who can recite the works of Karl Marx but are clueless when it comes to addressing critical issues like the unemployment crisis, the worsening healthcare system, or Nigeria’s glaring infrastructure deficit.
The situation becomes even more absurd when you look at other fields of study. In agricultural science, for example, students are still being taught to memorize outdated tools like the hoe and sickle. These tools, which have long been surpassed by modern technology, remain central to the Nigerian agricultural curriculum. In a class, a student once asked, “What’s the purpose of a sickle?” The teacher, in all seriousness, responded, “To harvest crops, of course!” The irony, however, is that in many parts of the world, farmers are using drones to monitor crops, while we are still teaching young Nigerians the mechanics of farming tools that should be displayed in a museum. It’s almost laughable that, in a world where vertical farming and sustainable agriculture are at the forefront of tackling global hunger, our curriculum remains stuck in the past, teaching methods that can barely feed a family, let alone a nation.
Engineering education in Nigeria is no different. While students in other parts of the world are busy designing electric cars, developing renewable energy solutions, and exploring ways to mitigate climate change, Nigerian engineering students are being taught how to construct kerosene stoves. Yes, in the 21st century, we are teaching the next generation of engineers how to build devices that not only contribute to air pollution but also perpetuate Nigeria’s reliance on fossil fuels. One can only wonder how many more generations will have to endure this educational absurdity before meaningful change is made.
Then there’s the medical field. While countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany are training their medical professionals in cutting-edge techniques like robotic surgery and precision medicine, Nigerian medical students are learning how to diagnose ailments with century-old textbooks. Don’t get me wrong here is great value in foundational knowledge. But when our doctors can’t keep up with modern medical advancements or offer the most up-to-date treatment plans, it becomes painfully obvious that our curriculum is outdated and ill-equipped to handle the healthcare challenges of today’s world. We risk sending our doctors into a future where they are ill-prepared to compete on the global stage or even to address the needs of the Nigerian populace effectively.
And perhaps one of the most ironic cases is that of computer science. In a country where the tech industry has the potential to revolutionize the economy and create countless jobs, we are still teaching students to code in programming languages that were outdated decades ago. It’s like trying to teach someone to use a smartphone by giving them a manual for a typewriter. The world is moving at breakneck speed toward artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technology, but Nigerian computer science graduates are left struggling with obsolete coding languages that will do little to secure them a competitive place in the global tech industry.
The time for change is not just imminent it is long overdue. Our education system must move away from an obsession with abstract, outdated knowledge and toward the cultivation of real-world skills. In political science, we should be teaching courses on effective governance, leadership for development, conflict resolution, and policy analysis that actually equip graduates to solve societal problems. In the sciences, the focus should be on innovation and research, making students capable of contributing to global challenges like climate change, renewable energy, and health crises. Nigerian students should be at the forefront of addressing these issues, not lagging behind in a quagmire of irrelevant theories and obsolete practices.
Countries like China serve as a glaring example of how an education system can be transformed to produce graduates who are equipped to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. In China, final-year engineering students aren’t just completing academic exercises for the sake of it; they are developing real-world solutions that can be scaled and applied globally. Take that solar rechargeable lantern designed with African markets in mind it was more than just a school project; it was a prototype of a commercially viable product, created by students who are being taught to think globally and act locally. The significant gap between the education Nigerian students receive and the skills required in the workplace. Due to underfunding and poor infrastructure, many Nigerian schools fail to adequately prepare students for professional industries such as banking, manufacturing, and petroleum. This skills shortage forces businesses to invest heavily in training programs to equip graduates with even the most basic professional skills, such as communication and teamwork. The failing education system burdens employers with additional costs and time spent on training, which could otherwise be avoided if students received proper education from the start.
By contrast, we are still producing graduates who can discuss political ideologies that collapsed decades ago, but who are utterly unprepared to lead Nigeria into a sustainable, innovative future. Our students are still memorizing mathematical formulas with little to no real-world application. In agriculture, engineering, medicine, and beyond, our education system continues to fail the very students it should be empowering.
Our leaders and curriculum designers need to take a long, hard look at the state of education in Nigeria. The world has moved on while we remain stagnant, clinging to outdated teaching methods and irrelevant knowledge. We don’t just need reforms; we need an educational revolution. The curriculum must be reimagined, focusing on equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Nigerian students deserve more than a system that traps them in the past; they deserve an education that prepares them to compete and lead on the global stage.
It’s time to stop searching for the lost ‘x’ in problems that no longer matter. We need an education system that values ability, fosters creativity, and empowers students to tackle real-world challenges. Until then, Nigeria will continue to churn out graduates who, instead of designing the next breakthrough product, will be left wondering why they wasted years of their lives learning knowledge that has no place in today’s world.
Stephanie Sewuese Shaakaa
University of Agriculture, Makurdi Benue state.
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