Educational Economist and Policy Scholar, Dr. Richard Anietie has advocated for the infusion of entrepreneurial thinking into leadership of tertiary institutions in the country to address growing shortfalls in budgetary allocations.
He lamented that despite the surge in UTME applicants which reflects both the thirst for education and the strain it imposes on the university system, federal and state allocations to education have remained abysmally low, consistently below UNESCO’s 15–20% recommendations.
Anietie who spoke with News men in Uyo on Tuesday said given the disparity in funding and the demand for education, the only pathway is for school authorities to adopt entrepreneurial model to address the situation.
He emphasized the need for principals and rectors to innovate; leveraging school-based enterprises, strategic partnerships, and community engagements to supplement government allocations and rather than merely administrators, noting that innovation alone is not enough, adding that school authorities must address the issue of educational waste dropouts, premature withdrawals, and the inability of learners to complete programs due to financial setbacks.
