NANS, others flay FG over ‘irrelevant’ course remarks
By Ndigwe Ifunanya
The Federal Government’s plan to phase out university courses considered irrelevant to the national economy has brought about criticisms from student leaders and undergraduates who view the move as an attack on academic freedom.
This follows recent comments by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who described several disciplines, particularly in the social sciences, as irrelevant. The Minister further caused a stir by suggesting that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, should not be granted to students pursuing such degrees.
Reacting to the policy shift, Executive Director of Special Duties for the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Southwest Zone D, Comrade Salako Olawale Ayomipo, said dismissing entire disciplines as deficient ignores the structural problems of the Nigerian labour market.
Ayomipo, a Master’s student at the Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, noted that fields like Economics, Political Science, Sociology, and Psychology are globally relevant. He argued that many Nigerian graduates from these departments excel abroad, which shows that the issue is not the value of the courses but a curriculum that has failed to keep pace with industry trends.
The Executive Director maintained that instead of discrediting these fields, the government should focus on modernising the educational framework by incorporating technology and practical learning. He also said that the conversation should be about reform and not the outright scrapping of departments.
Lending his voice to the debate, Southwest Secretary General of NANS Zone D, Comrade Ojetola Babatunde Yussuf, insisted that no knowledge is a waste. Yussuf stated that reforming courses is a far better alternative to scrapping them. He also tackled the government on the student loan issue, saying that NELFUND was created for all Nigerian students and should not be restricted to specific disciplines.
The anxiety caused by the Minister’s directive is already being felt on campuses. A 400-level Psychology student at the University of Lagos, Alaran Halima, described the threat to withhold loans as a blow to students. Halima pointed out that it is unfair to penalise students who have already spent years in school for choosing paths the government now considers worthless. While admitting that some curricula are outdated, she argued that the solution lies in better internships and resources.
Halima said, “I think my curriculum is outdated. I am studying Psychology and we do more theoretical learning than practical which should not be. The only saving grace is internships, which my school does not even offer.”
Sharing this frustration, a 400-level English student, Agha Virginia, described the labelling of certain courses as unfair. She lamented that the English department’s reading lists are stuck in the past and fail to reflect modern African literature.
On the loan restrictions, Virginia noted that many students lack the financial support to navigate university without help. She said, “I was never a big fan of NELFUND but regardless, it is not everyone that has the financial support to go through school comfortably. Restricting loans based on course choice will limit a lot of people’s opportunity.”
Closing the argument, Ayomipo called for a participatory approach to the proposed curriculum reset. He insisted that student representatives and industry experts must be part of the decision-making process. He warned that education funding like NELFUND should be used to empower every Nigerian student, regardless of their field of study.
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