Assessing the Oversight Role of The Senate in The Education Sector, 2015-2019
Thesis
Despite the importance of education to human capital development and national development, particularly, providing skilled manpower to a Nation, improve life’s choices and the quality of living, the Education in Nigeria is faced with challenges. The National Assembly, through its Committees on Basic and Secondary Education and Tertiary Education and TETFund, is mandated to make laws and oversee sectoral policy implementation to address the crisis in Education, these Committees have been ineffective in exercising its Oversight functions over the Executive. The adverse consequence is the poor quality of Education. The study was designed to assess the Oversight functions of the Senate Committees, 2015-2019. Particularly, it assesses the effectiveness of the Senate Committee in performing Oversight of the Education Sector, 2015-2019. The study adopted a qualitative research design. Data was collected using semi-structured interview and sessional reports of Committees. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the key informants that provided the primary data, while the secondary data was taken from published materials. The research found that the Senate Committees on Education (Basic and Secondary) and Tertiary Institutions and TETFund have been effective to an extent in performing its Oversight of Basic and Secondary and Tertiary Education sectors. The recommendation includes more funding should be given Educational Institutions with serious infrastructural needs. Second, the Senate should urgently review, approve and publish a new standing order to accommodate the newly appointed Standing Committee in the 9th Senate to avoid conflict of responsibilities or jurisdiction.