EDUCATION AS A TOOL FOR POVERTY REDUCTION IN NIGERIA: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION

Poverty has persisted despite several interventions to ameliorate poverty Index in Nigeria, even in periods of economic growth. In all its forms, poverty continues to be a concern and a challenge to humanity. It manifests itself in all spheres of human existence economic, social, political, and environmental and is intricate, multifarious, and multidimensional. Considering that education is a tool of the society in engendering development and raising the standard of living of the society, the high poverty rate of Nigerians may not be unconnected to the deplorable state of the Nigerian educational system. In its broadest meaning, education is one of the key components of progress. A nation cannot attain sustainable economic growth without making significant investments in its human resources. People's perceptions of the world and themselves are enhanced by education. Their lives are made better, society and individuals gain greatly from it. Education encourages entrepreneurship, technical advancements, and increases people's productivity and creativity. Furthermore, it is essential for maintaining social, economic advancement and also for enhancing income distribution. Various indicators suggest that poverty is a major obstacle to Nigeria’s socio-economic development. Flaws and shortcomings were noticed in the Nigerian educational system shortly after Nigeria gained her independence in 1960 which had its structure from the colonial/British administration. The paper therefore explores the relationship between education and poverty reduction, the state of poverty and education in Nigeria, employment opportunities for the educated, challenges in obtaining quality education in Nigeria and challenges facing the implementation of educational policies in Nigeria