By Maryam Abeeb
President Bola Tinubu’s proposed 2024 budget increased allocations for the education sector when compared to the sector’s allocation in the previous year.
Although the increased spending for the sector is still below the recommendations of the global education agency, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.
According to UNESCO’s recommendation, Nigeria should spend between 15 – 20 per cent of its annual budget on the education sector.
But a review of the proposed budget revealed that the government’s proposed spending for education next year is less than seven per cent. When measured by percentage of the overall budget, it is also lower than the sector’s 8.8 per cent spending for this year.
While Nigeria’s allocation to the sector has grown over the years, it has consistently fallen short of the 15 per cent recommended threshold.
Mr Tinubu’s ‘Budget of Renewed Hope’, recently submitted to the National Assembly proposed a N27.5 trillion expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year.
A review of the budget indicates that the education sector got N1.54 trillion, representing 6.39 per cent of the total budget. This is far below the 15 per cent recommendation by UNESCO.
Although it failed to meet UNESCO’s recommendation, the education sector has one of the highest allocations alongside defence and security (11.8 per cent) and Health (5.03 per cent).
The higher allocation to the defence sector may be connected to the over-a-decade-old war against insurgency in the North-east and other security challenges ravaging different parts of the country.
The health sector has also witnessed significant challenges including a wave of brain drain and the struggles for better funding for the sector and improved welfare for health workers.
