No fewer than 40 Registrars have convened at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, on a two-day Conference of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria (COREG), holding to chat a way forward for technological education in the country.

Nineteen-year-old Wukeh Egem-Odey on Friday emerged the overall best graduating student of the Covenant University, Ota in Ogun in the 2011/ 2012 academic session.

It doesn’t seem far-fetched that a six-year-old should be confused because of the mumbo-jumbo of half baked policies that our educational system has been at the mercy of, over the years. As it is, stakeholders on both sides of the classroom, as well as those who built the classrooms are perplexed.

“We demand payment of our 27 per cent arrears in salaries.” “We need to be paid our duty post allowance.” “Government has failed to provide teaching aids and instructional materials to teach these children.” “We are not promoted as at when due”. These are some of the challenges which teachers across the nation say are hindering them from effectively teaching.

Dr Tosanwumi Vincent Otakunefor, is a university don who had his education both in Nigeria and overseas. He is the founder and executive secretary of Alpha Education which emerged sequel to his observations abnormalities in the educational sector in Nigeria. As an expert in education who has been in the system since 50’s to date, in this interview, speaks on sundry issues bedeviling the sector and suggested ways to stem the downward trends. Excerpt: