How Deep Does It Run?

"What's the essence of booting out corruption at the top, if the 'FUTURE' is more corrupt than the people at the top?"... Adam
The above comment by Adam, one of my readers is both accurate and frightening.

Does corruption run so deeply through every system, institution, and age group in Nigeria that future generations are already lost to it?

As you've probably noticed, this column is titled 'State of Our Nation'. It is not, and never will be partisan or bias towards any one individual or party.
Our concerns should never be about any one individual or party, but about the health of our nation.

According to Adam, the current state of our nation isn't too healthy. I can't say I disagree with him.
Since he quite rightly believes that future generations are already adversely affected, let's have a look at today's education system.

After I posted 'Corruption Is The Bane of Your Progress' a few days ago, one of my bbm contacts pointed out that there are other factors that are preventing people from making progress; such as poor education.

I fully agree. However, corruption is actually at the root of the education problem.

Put simply, the funds that should be invested in the education system are being syphoned out by various individuals for personal gain.

It would be interesting to compare the figures allocated with the amount actually spent on the education system.

In second and first world countries the level of education is taken extremely seriously. They recognise the important role that education must play in the growth and development of their nations / economies. Therefore significant money is pumped into public education systems. To be a school teacher or university lecturer is something to be proud of in western nations. Teachers / lecturers are appreciated, admired, and decently paid.

The reverse is the case in Nigeria. Teachers and lecturers are paid pittance, if ever at all; resulting in their having to resort to bribery and extortion in order to survive.

Let's have look at this scenario.

Lack of funding leads to poor facilities and underpaid teachers - this leads to a lack of motivation to teach, and good teachers opting to teach abroad, or embark on other careers / businesses - leading to poor education standards; the teachers that have no other choice but to teach in Nigeria resort to extorting money from students in order to survive. Finally, students are more or less encouraged to take short cuts to get what they want. In other words not only does corruption result in poor facilities and poor teaching standards, but also an early Induction to the 'man must chop' culture for millions of teenagers.

By the time most young people graduate from universities, they're already firmly ingrained into 'the way things work'.

There is a distinct correlation between poverty and mass illiteracy. There is also one between mass poverty and poor education. Nigeria has both.

There is absolutely no reason why an oil rich nation should not be able to invest the necessary resources to develop a robust education system.

The money has always been there.

It simply never reaches the necessary areas.