EDUCATION GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A REVIEW OF EDO-BEST POLICY

Abstract

The realization of the Sustainable Development Goal4 (SDG4) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda will be a mirage in Nigeria if the state governments are not proactive in the formulation and implementation of initiatives that are measurable and effective in giving all targets quality education. This prompted the Edo State government in 2018 to initiate Edo-BEST to promote governance in education, teacher training and development, and community partnership through strengthening the local education board with a view to achieving quality education and equal access to education. This paper therefore examines the Edo-BEST policy initiative from the political dimension of education with a view to assessing its impact on governance and also to determine if the policy can adequately sustain both access to education and quality education in the state. Methodologically, the study adopted a qualitative technique for obtaining relevant materials through the content analysis of documents such as journal articles, relevant books, and government official publications. The findings of the paper revealed that the Edo-BEST policy has a positive drive toward the actualization of SDG4 targets through access to quality education by students notwithstanding their family status. Hence, the study recommends a total overhaul of the policy to accommodate the major stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of further educational policies. The state government should reassess the policy periodically by considering input from the general members of the public rather than relying on its own assessment alone.

Keywords: Policy, Sustainable Development, Edo-Best Policy, Educational Reform, Education Governance