The Bishop of the Diocese of Ife, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Olubunmi Akinlade, has called for increased investment in Nigeria’s education sector, warning that funding students alone without adequately supporting lecturers will not resolve the system’s challenges.
Akinlade made this appeal during the 3rd Session of the 12th Synod, where he acknowledged recent efforts by the Federal Government to expand access to higher education through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
While commending the initiative for disbursing billions of naira to assist indigent students, the cleric stressed that such interventions would have limited impact if academic staff remain underfunded.
“If you fund the students to go to school and the lecturers are underfunded, you have not solved the problem. More has to be done for those who teach the students so that they can deliver quality education,” he said.
The bishop lamented the declining status and remuneration of university lecturers in Nigeria, noting that the profession once attracted some of the nation’s brightest minds and commanded significant respect.
He also raised concerns about the growing wave of brain drain in the education sector, as many lecturers continue to relocate abroad in search of better opportunities and improved wages.
To address this trend, Akinlade urged the government to prioritise better remuneration and improved working conditions for academic staff, alongside sustained investment in infrastructure and learning resources.
He further criticised the level of funding allocated to education, pointing out that the 2026 budget allocation of 6.1 percent falls short of the 15–20 percent benchmark recommended by UNESCO.
The cleric also called for consistent policies aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children across the country.
Highlighting local efforts, Akinlade noted that the Diocese of Ife has implemented scholarship and bursary schemes for indigent students. According to him, the diocese currently supports over 30 students at Divine Royal College and provides bursaries for about 10 students in tertiary institutions.
He disclosed that the initiative costs between ₦4 million and ₦5 million annually and is open to students regardless of religious background.
“We said money will not deter them from having the education they need,” he added.
Reiterating the need for a holistic approach, the bishop emphasized that meaningful education reform must combine student support with adequate funding for teachers to improve learning outcomes.
He also appealed to the Osun State Government to return mission schools previously taken over from the church and called for urgent renovation of dilapidated facilities to restore their original standards.
