Clement Oluseun Fasan, a Professor of Sports Management at Lagos State University (LASU), has called for a complete overhaul of Nigeria's education system, warning that without urgent curriculum reforms and genuine stakeholder collaboration, the country risks producing graduates who are unfit for the demands of the modern labour market.

Fasan made the call while delivering a valedictory distinguished lecture titled "Reshaping Education in Nigeria and Securing a Better Future: The Imperative of Curriculum Reforms and Stakeholder Engagement," ahead of his retirement from the university after more than five decades in the teaching profession.

He described Nigeria's education system as plagued by policy inconsistency, rising population pressure, inadequate infrastructure, skills mismatch and weak technical and vocational education, warning that nations which fail to adapt to changing global realities risk being left behind.

"A nation is judged by its products. If there are reforms in education and there are no reforms in society, particularly in governance and leadership, such reforms may become futile," he stated.

Fasan criticised the practice of formulating education policies without consulting the teachers and lecturers responsible for implementation, insisting that educators must be part of every stage of the decision making process. "The teachers are there; the lecturers are there, get them involved. Whatever you arrive at, there will be a sense of belonging," he said.

He also challenged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board over the conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, arguing that the exercise generates anxiety among candidates without producing meaningful improvements in academic standards. He proposed that tertiary institution campuses be designated as primary Computer Based Test centres to ensure stronger institutional oversight.

"The time has come for tertiary institution campuses to be utilised as the primary CBT centres. This ensures institutional oversight and environment aligned testing," he stated.

Fasan advocated for blended learning, project based assessment and periodic professional development for teachers, drawing comparisons with continuing education requirements in law, medicine and engineering. He also proposed the establishment of a Scholars Research Village to provide first class graduates with accommodation and stipends to pursue research advancing national innovation capacity.

"We do not need an education that keeps us waiting for the next vacancy. We need an education system that equips students to convert community challenges into profitable, value adding enterprises," he said.