Global Scholar Calls for Urgent Overhaul of Nigeria’s Education System

By Fadekemi Ajakaiye

Nigeria’s education system requires urgent reform if the nation is to unlock the potential of its rapidly growing youth population. This was the central message delivered by Ms. Omolola Olajumoke Oladeji, an internationally recognized educator and curriculum development expert, whose groundbreaking research on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has gained global attention.
Oladeji, who has studied and worked across Nigeria, Japan, and the United States, argues that Nigeria must take bold steps to realign its curriculum with labor market needs, properly resource its schools, and rebrand vocational education as a respected and rewarding career pathway.

Her voice carries weight: as a recipient of the prestigious Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship, she trained at Utsunomiya University in Japan and is currently pursuing advanced research in the United States. Her insights have been cited internationally as examples of how to connect education with economic transformation.

According to Oladeji, Japan’s education model offers crucial lessons. In Japan, vocational and technical education is not treated as inferior, but rather as a respected path, tightly integrated with industry. Teachers enjoy professional respect, schools are well-funded, and curricula are updated regularly to reflect modern realities. More importantly, education in Japan is not just a government policy but a cultural value embraced by the entire society. This, she emphasizes, is what sustains reforms over generations.

Nigeria, by contrast, presents a starkly different picture. While the national curriculum is ambitious on paper, implementation is weak. Many schools remain under-resourced, teachers are underpaid and undertrained, and vocational education continues to carry a “second-class” stigma. As a result, young Nigerians chase university degrees for prestige, while industries complain of a shortage of skilled workers. This mismatch, Oladeji warns, has produced millions of graduates who are unemployed or underemployed, leaving the economy vulnerable.

She stresses that Nigeria must act decisively. To reverse these trends, she calls for a rebranding and revitalization of TVET, with government and private industry working hand in hand to modernize vocational schools, expand internship programs, and create clear pathways to employment. Teachers must be retrained and motivated, and most critically, education funding must be treated as a strategic investment rather than an afterthought.

Oladeji’s international perspective adds urgency to her message. Having studied Japan’s disciplined and highly structured system, she believes that while Nigeria cannot simply copy the Japanese model, it can adopt its guiding principles: consistent funding, alignment of curricula with industry needs, respect for vocational training, and empowerment of teachers. Without this, Nigeria’s youth bulge could shift from being a demographic advantage to a dangerous liability.

Her research and advocacy have earned her recognition as a leading Nigerian voice in global education policy discussions. With her rare blend of classroom teaching experience, international training, and business strategy, she is increasingly viewed as a scholar whose insights can help reshape not only Nigeria’s education future but also broader conversations on workforce development in emerging economies.

It is noteworthy that Oladeji is an award-winning educator, researcher, and emerging accounting professional with international experience spanning Nigeria, Japan, and the United States. She graduated with First Class Honors in Accounting Education from Ekiti State University, served as a Financial Accounting Teacher under the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, and later received the prestigious Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship. At Utsunomiya University in Japan, she earned a Professional Teachers’ Training Certificate. She is currently advancing her career in the United States, pursuing an MBA in Accounting at New Mexico Highlands University.

Her expertise in curriculum development, particularly in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), has positioned her as a recognized authority influencing education reform and workforce development policies. She continues to advocate for transformative reforms that align education with Nigeria’s long-term economic growth and global competitiveness.