World Bank and Unesco’s Post Independence backups in Nigerian education: A historical Analysis

Abstract

Generally, the Nigerian education system is characterized by deteriorating facilities and equipment; inadequate textbooks and other teaching materials; poorly stocked libraries, unequipped laboratories, poor administrative and managerial strategies, insufficient or incompetent teachers etc. These and more are the responsibilities the government sees as being far from what it can solitarily contend with, thereby making a clarion call for external involvement of different agencies, organizations and other partners as donors. The duo of International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD/ World Bank) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have been identified to have pragmatically responded to this call. The paper therefore x-rays the various ways and patterns of their involvement, using a historical method. The world bank is singled out as the largest single source of external finance to education in the world, while UNESCO spends up to 60% of its budget on education. Also highlighted are a number of suggestions that focus on all stakeholders in Nigerian education to be more responsive to and proactive in their responsibilities.