By Tare Youdeowei

Government has been advised to provide enabling environment for private educational institutions that would enable them support government in its quest to raise the standard of education in Nigeria. An educationist and founder of Cayley College, Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Mary Iyayi gave the advice while reviewing the state of education in the country.

According to her, education being a social service should receive support from the government in form of grants and loans, particularly private educational institutions, as a motivation to partner with the government to provide qualitative education to the teeming population of the country.

“When you consider the nature of education, you will know that its effect is pervasive on the society at large. Whether you like it or not, happenings in education sector affect parents, children, family, community, government, corporate organizations as well as religion. This is the reason why government at all levels must give helping hand to the private organizations that have invested so much in the sector as the society stands to benefit handsomely from such gesture from the government.

“You cannot divorce education from the society and vice versa. Schools are part of the society and if you look at our schools very well, you will discover that the ills of the society rub off on them.” She stated. Adding that “the negatives can be reduced to the barest minimum with collaboration from government and other stakeholders.”