Challenges of Innovative Developments in Nigerian Education Systems : The Nexus between Expectations and Realities in Basic Education, Science and Technology

Focusing on the challenges of innovative education development in Nigeria, the paper examines the nexus between expectations and realities in the area of Basic education as well as science and technology. It is established that since independence in 1960, all education systems that were introduced were considered innovative since they were all successful from where they were copied or adapted except for how implementation is handled in Nigeria. Of all factors queried for their failures, poor implementation was seen as the pillar. A number of other factors are tied to the poor implementation. Examples were drawn from the current Universal Basic Education system in Nigeria and Federal Ministry of Education strategic plan in conjunction with UNESCO for 2007/08 to 2015/16, a period of 10 years. Consequently, poor financing, over dependence on foreign aids for funding, inequality in the country, not emphasising on appropriate technology as well as corruption are identified as the huddles that must be pushed aside. It is recommended among others that Nigeria should have a paradigm shift from being wasteful country, overdependence on foreign sponsorship, and so on to be able to effectively implement her educational programmes