The history of educational finance in Nigeria could be
traced from the inception of western educational in the mid 19th Century.
According to Fafunwa (1974) as cited in peremede (1995)
The funding of education at this time was the
responsibility of the various missions who had to rely on their home mission
for financial support
It was in 1872 that the colonial government provided
the sum of å30 to each of the three
missionary societies involved in educational activities.
In Lagos Church missionary society (CMS), the
Wesleyan Methodist and the Catholic–to assist their educational activities
(Fafunwa et la 1974).
Fafunwa and Aisiku (1982), Adesina (1990) and Taiwo
(1982) as cited in Akumah (2002) listed the following as the order in which
colonial government further gave out money for the support of public education
and schooling.
1877
- å200 (This grant continued
till 1882
1887
- å200.10
1889
- å942:65 (Government’s
capital expenditure to
Education and the year
the colonial
Masters
fully took over the management of school).
1890
- å1,562 (This increment was
enjoyed by the schools until 1903 when the first department of education in the
country was established).
Fafunwa and Aisiku (1982) as recorded in Akumah (2002)
recollects that in 1882, the first education ordinance which made provision for
the establishment of the schools by the law, was established. And that since
then till Nigeria’s independence in 1960, it was colonial government in Lagos
that always argument the financing of education in Nigeria before government
finally take over the financing.
As
a result of the rationalization of Nigeria, educational administration was
decentralized Peremede (1995) rightly observed that:
“The regional provisions of the 1954 constitutions
enabled the Western region to embark on the first attempt at universal primary
education in 1955”.
Even the East equally tried the universal primary
education programme in 1956 but had to abandon it in its second year due to
financial constraints.
Akumah (2002) recorded that after the rationalization
till the emergence of the military regime in 1967 and the creation of twelve
states till present thirty-six states structure, financing of education in Nigeria has been a
collective responsibility between the states and the federal government who the
greater responsibility.
The federal government formulates the national
policies on education as develops national educational systems and programames
such as 6-3, -3-4 system and Universal Basic Education (UBE).
Then, the states with their local government councils
have the full responsibility of financing and sponsoring all their state
established educational institutes and programmes. This has been state of
educational finance in Nigeria till date. And the “journey” has not been an
easy one for the country, Nigeria.