Managing Primary Education in a Depressed Economy – The Nigerian example.

The pursuit for development has been emphasized without due and commensurate regard for total education as a binding tool for the attainment of such goal in view. The government is shying away from undertaking the total funding of education in the pretext of pursuing wasteful economic and political policies which cannot materialise in an illiterate society. The economic and financial position of rural populace has made it difficult for patriotic Nigerian children to be given basic primary education. Education which is accepted as a basis for social, political, economic and scientific development is denied to a substantial percentage of the school age children. It liberates and opens the mind to progress. It is the vehicle of social change and an effective weapon for human mobilisation for development. An illiterate society is a stagnant society ridden by diseases, ignorance, poverty and under-development. In the light of the above, this paper sets out to address the problems of managing primary education in terms of funding and financing, manpower needs, professional competencies and entry qualifications of teachers etc. Meaningful suggestions are also given.