The Effect of Corruption on Nigerian Education System (2005-2015)

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THE EFFECT OF CORRUPTION ON NIGERIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM (2005-2015)

Click here to Get this Complete Project Chapter 1-5

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Corruption is seen as a psychosocial beast that has been attacking the different sectors of the society and we have struggled to tame this psychosocial beast by looking at the behaviours of the present and former public officials (civil servants, military and police officials etc), contractors, business associates of public officials. Corruption is the abuse of public power for private gain. Bribery, misappropriation of public fund, nepotism and influencing the formulation of laws or regulations for private gain are common examples of corruption. To fight corruption the past government particular Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration between 2000 and 2003 introduced several measures such as the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

The foregoing background information on corruption can be well appreciated when viewed against the background of definitions of corruption as provided by scholars and institutions. Corruption according to Brunnelle-Quraishi (2011) is derived from the Latin word corruptus which translates as to break. For Khan (1996), corruption incorporates any act that deviates from those rules and regulations that govern the behaviour and action of any one in a position of public authority especially actions that turn such privilege into avenues for personally and privately amassing wealth, power and authority. The World Bank (1998) defines corruption as the use of public office for private gain and in the views of Lawal and Tobi (2006), corruption is any conscious attempt or deliberate diversion of resources from the satisfaction of the general interests to that of the selfish (personal or particular interest). Ojiade (2000) is more inclusive in his definition of corruption when he writes that corruption is any systematic vice perpetuated by individuals, society or a state in general, where not-too-good concepts for equality, social harmony and harmonious living e.g. favouritism, nepotism, tribalism, sectionalism, undue enrichment, amassing of wealth, abuse of office, power, position etc become norms upon which the people and the state operate.

Corruption has weakened the educational sector leading to low efficiency, wastage and misappropriation of resources, low quality service delivery. Corruption in education affects more people than corruption in other sectors, both rural and urban areas basically because schools are breeding grounds for future generations (EFCC, 2009). Therefore, it starts from the grass root and not from the top. When a child is exposed to all these corrupt practices at a tender age, he tends to grow with it and with time exhibits the character anywhere he finds himself in the future.

Corruption is one of the major causes of examinational malpractices in both public and private schools today. It occurs at all levels of both public and private schools in Nigeria both directly or indirectly. All over Nigeria, the perception of corruption especially in private schools is very high and uncontrollable. This is because, corruption undermines every aspect of the Educational System among which are, political development, economic development, social development and so on. It should be emphasized here that it is not just only in governance or educational system that corruption is found; it is equally noticeable in every human society today in Nigeria (Samson, 2012). It is on this note that Samson (2012) postulated that the issue of corruption leads to an extent whereby the common man will look at the trend and say, if the rich could do this, then my own child must survive too. So they will also emulate even if they don’t have the money. The total effect is what we are experiencing today and the ministry of education and the policymakers are not helping matters concerning the issue of the ongoing level of corruption in private schools.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In Nigeria, the policies of successive governments have added little value to educational advancement, lack of good governance, bad policy implementation and the over importance placed on certificates has been ravaged by myriad of problems that keep worsening by the day.

It is saddening that on the average, Nigeria spends less than nine per cent of its annual budget on education when smaller African nations like Botswana spend 19.0 per cent; Swaziland, 24.6 per cent; Lesotho, 17.0 per cent; South Africa, 25.8 per cent; Cote d’Ivoire, 30.0 per cent; Burkina Faso, 16.8 per cent; Ghana, 31 per cent; Kenya, 23.0 per cent; Uganda, 27.0 per cent; Tunisia, 17.0 per cent; and Morocco, 17.7 per cent. An overview of the sector shows that the total federal allocation to education had been on the decline from 11.13 per cent in 1999 to 7.0 per cent in 2001, meaning that the share of both the Gross Domestic Product and total government spending on education have fallen over time.

Corruption is one of the major development challenges in Nigeria educational system. Corruption has also contributed immensely to the fallen standard of education in Nigeria, it has jeopardize the quality of education from primary to tertiary level, teachers, school administrators parents, students and all other stakeholders are involved in the ills of corruption.

It is against this backdrop that this practicum is designed to deliberate and showcase a tip of the ice-berg of how corruption has contributed to the fallen standard of education in Nigeria. The simulation exercise will display the corrupt practices prevalent in the Nigeria education sector. For now, we can boldly say that the state of education in Nigeria is regrettably poor and replete with enormous challenges, requiring the adoption of sincere and pragmatic approach in turning the situation around.

1.3 Aim and Objective of the Study

The purpose of the study is to examine a trend analysis of the effect of corruption on Nigerian education system (2005-2015). The aims and objectives of the study are stated as follows:

To examine the effect of corruption on Nigeria education system.
To find out if corruption has impacted the attitude of students negatively towards education.
To examine the roles of the parents in curbing the nefarious activities of corruption.
To find out the role of government in curtailing the widespread of corruption in the educational system.

1.4 Research Questions

The research questions of the study are buttressed below:

To what extent will corruption affect the Nigeria education system?
How has corruption impacted the attitude of students negatively towards education?
What are the roles of the parents in curbing the nefarious activities of corruption?
What are the roles of government in curtailing the widespread of corruption in the educational system?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H_O: Nigeria Educational System Performance (NES_Performance) is not significant affected by Corruption, WASCE, UTME and Post UTME in Nigeria.

H₁: Nigeria Educational System Performance (NES_Performance) is significant affected by Corruption, WASCE, UTME and Post UTME in Nigeria.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This research study aims at investigating the various corrupt practices in our educational system and ascertains their influences on academic performance of students. For this reason, the research findings when successfully completed shall be beneficial in many ways to various categories of users.

Firstly, this study shall be useful to future researchers, especially university students and students in other institutions who may see the work both as a reference point for researchers in related areas as well as an indispensable source of literature in the course of their study. Furthermore, the recommendations to be made will be of immense benefit to education planners in making sound decisions.

Heads and supervisors of academic institutions will find the study to be of much benefit since it can serve as a basis for assessment, evaluation and possible adjustment for better performance.

This research has aided in examining the damaging influence of corrupt practices in our educational system. It would also profer solution to most of the corrupt practices in our educational system and those other nations with similar fate.

Finally, since limited attention has been given to research of this kind in Nigeria, this study is likely to provoke many researches to be conducted in this area and other

1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study is limited to the evaluation of corruption in the Nigerian educational system and the influence it exerts on academic performance of students in West Africa Examination Council from 2005 to 2015. Other sub-variables in the study include examination malpractices; embezzlement and misappropriation of education budgets, ghost teaching sessions, bribery for admission, all of which influence Students’ learning and by extension their academic performance. Geographically, this study is limited to Nigeria.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

Some perceived constraints may be encounter by the researcher in the course of carrying out the research work. The limitations are as follows:

Inadequate material: Inadequate material constituted one of the limitations of the research work. The non-availability of materials like journals, textbooks etc the research study.
Finance: The researcher also may encounter some financial constraints which will contribute in limiting the work in the sense that fund available was not enough to carry out the research to a logical conclusion.
Time: Time is also another factor or limitation that may affect the research work. The limited time may not give the researcher enough opportunity to do more rigorous work.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Corruption: Corruption is a form of dishonest or unethical conduct by a person entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire personal benefit. Corruption may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement, though it may also involve practices that are legal in many countries.

Education: Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research.

Academic performance: This represents educational performance outcomes that indicate the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals that were the focus of activities in the instructional environments, especially in school, college or university.

Embezzlement: It an act of dishonestly withholding assets for the purpose of conversion (theft) of such assets, by one or more persons to whom the assets were entrusted, either to be held or to be used for specific purposes.

Examination malpractice: Examination malpractice is ˜any irregular behaviour exhibited by candidates or anybody charged with the responsibility of conducting examination in or outside the examination hall, before, during or after such examination’.

Ghost teaching: Ghost teaching connotes the idea of teacher-extreme absenteeism. It involves the creation of fictitious teachers. Teachers who are on record as teachers but are hardly physically present.

Bribery: Money or favour given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust. The offering, giving, receiving or soliciting of something of value for the purpose of influencing the action of an official in the discharge of his or her public or legal duties.

Favouritism: The practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of others with equal claims.

WAEC: West African Examination Council

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