Expert Urges Nigeria to Reform Education with Evidence-Based Model

A Nigerian scholar, Dr. David Masagbor, has called for a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s education system, drawing from findings in his doctoral research at Rutgers University, United States.

Dr. Masagbor, who recently earned his PhD in Public Policy, said his study on “Engendering College Readiness in Underserved and Disadvantaged Students” provides practical lessons that could help developing nations, including Nigeria, improve academic outcomes among young learners.

Speaking on the relevance of his work to Nigeria, he said, “Our schools have bright students, but too often they lack the academic enrichment, guidance systems, and teacher support that sustain long-term excellence.”

His research focused on the LEAP Academy Charter School Network in Camden, New Jersey, and identified early enrichment, rigorous instruction, mentorship, and family engagement as critical factors that enable low-income and minority students to excel.

According to him, these lessons are directly applicable to Nigeria, where classrooms still struggle with inadequate teacher development, overstretched resources, and limited opportunities for creative or research-based learning.

“Countries like Singapore transformed their economies by investing in teacher quality, curriculum depth, and early interventions. Nigeria can do the same,” he said.

Dr. Masagbor outlined several recommendations, including the introduction of structured enrichment programs that develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills from junior secondary levels, stronger partnerships between schools and industries, and greater investment in teacher training and retention.

He also advocated for collaboration between public and private sectors to replicate successful education models such as LEAP’s “pipeline” system, where learning from preschool to high school is intentionally connected.

“The conversation must shift,” he said. “We can’t talk about economic growth without talking about education quality, teacher development, and early support systems.”

Dr. Masagbor’s international experience — spanning Fordham University (New York), University of Trento (Italy), Otto von Guericke University (Germany), and prior studies in Egypt — has informed his perspective on how governance and education intersect in developing countries.

He has also served as a United Nations summer associate, contributing to policy and digital-archiving projects for the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

While at Rutgers, he founded the Highfliers Program, which offers advanced tutoring, internships, and college application mentoring to students in Camden.

“The data already show improvements in standardized-test scores and student confidence,” he said. “It confirms what we know intuitively — when you challenge students and support them simultaneously, they rise.”

Dr. Masagbor believes Nigeria can achieve similar progress by creating academic pipelines that connect skill development, mentorship, and opportunity – not just isolated interventions

“The conversation must shift,” he insists. “We can’t talk about economic growth without talking about education quality, teacher development, and early support systems.”

For policymakers seeking evidence-based guidance, Dr. Masagbor’s research offers a blueprint: education reform that begins in the classroom but extends into the community.

In a world increasingly defined by innovation and knowledge economies, his message resonates: “To prepare a nation for the future, prepare its children to think.”