QUALITY EDUCATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AS PATHWAYS TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION IN NIGERIA
Faidat A. Badmus and Akeem A. Amodu
Volume 5 Issue 2
Abstract
Access to quality education is a fundamental pillar of achieving sustainable development, especially in developing countries like Nigeria, where education plays a pivotal role in shaping social advancement and economic sustainability. Over the years, various educational reforms have been implemented to realign Nigeria’s basic education sector to meet international standards and fulfil Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) which aims at ensuring “inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.” This paper investigates the relationship between quality education and sustainable development, examining how improvements in Nigeria’s Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme between 2019 and 2024 have contributed to social and economic transformation. It assesses policy frameworks, infrastructural development, teacher training, student performance, and community involvement as fundamental benchmarks of quality education. A mixed-methods approach involving document analysis and stakeholder interviews was adopted to evaluate the state of education and its impact on development. Findings reveal that while policy frameworks are in place, their implementation faces challenges such as financial deficit, inadequate teacher support, poor infrastructure, and socio-cultural hindrances. However, certain regions showing promising results demonstrate that targeted interventions in education can foster national development, reduce poverty, and empower individuals, especially the future generation. The study concludes that quality education remains an effective means to achieving long-term social and economic transformation in Nigeria and recommends increased public sector investment, improved teacher training, and community involvement to bridge the implementation gap. Keywords: Quality Education, Sustainable Development, Universal Basic Education, Nigeria
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