Education emergency?

•Such declaration a few months to elections is not the most rational choice

The National Economic Council (NEC) has announced its intention to declare emergency in the education sector. But the details of what such declaration entails are yet to be release, even as explanations for subjecting the sector to emergency procedures a few months to elections has not been given.

Given the importance of education to development, and in view of another announcement by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources that President Muhammadu Buhari intends to declare emergency on water and sanitation on November 8, it is important for NEC to provide details about why this special form of intervention is the best option at this time.

In the circumstance of declaring emergency simultaneously in two ministries, citizens ought to be re-assured by government that there is no crisis in the system of governance, as emergency declaration generally requires special powers.

Declaring emergency is, admittedly, part of the culture of governance, especially as an opportunity for a government to perform actions that it would not ordinarily perform because of constitutional constraints. A state of emergency is often declared to allow government access certain resources and procedures deemed capable of enhancing the state’s response to conditions that had led to demand for special powers. Citizens may also have to change their behaviour in respect of a sector under emergency declaration.

Without doubt, NEC’s listing of areas of  proposed reform: the issue of out-of-school children, promoting adult literacy and special needs education, reviving science, technology, engineering and mathematics and technical, vocational education and training, strengthening basic education, prioritising teacher education, capacity building and professional development, ensuring quality and access in tertiary education, promoting ICT in education, boosting library services in education” captures many issues raised in national discussion of decades-long challenges in the education sector. But a time that NEC is still awaiting final recommendations on the 10 Pillars of Education Reform is not right for announcement of emergency declaration.

Declaring an emergency in any sector less than six months to the end of the government’s tenure does not appear to be the most rational choice. Since 2015, there have been retreats and summits on education. The 10 Pillars of Education Reform, designed to form the basis of an extraordinary intervention in the sector, were prepared three years ago. Whatever has prevented the 10 pillars of reform from being implemented in the last three years stands the risk of being aggravated, just a few months to the end of the current administration. This is more so that emergency has also been declared in respect of water and sanitation for the same period.

Citizens and other stakeholders in the education sector have heard similar promises of instant change of directions for the sector from successive governments in the past. For such promise not to be mistaken for election gimmick, it is better for the administration to work on details of the reform in full consultation with other stakeholders: parents, staff, and students during the remaining few months of the current administration.

Reforming education is too important to be done in a context that is preoccupied with electioneering. The election season is not a good time to declare emergency in a sector that has been at risk for long. Declaring emergency on education must be accompanied by full consultation with stakeholders and concrete actions that can lead to enablement of the sector and at a time not encumbered by electoral politics.