IMPACT OF EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL PLANNING ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study evaluated the impact of educational planning on economic development in Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population comprised educational planners, administrators, lecturers and graduates across the senatorial zones in Bayelsa state of Nigeria. A sample of 372 respondents was selected using multistage sampling technique. Questionnaire and interview guide were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that educational planning influences the acquisition of relevant skills and competencies among graduates for national economic productivity in Nigeria and significantly contribution to the growth and diversification of key economic sectors in Nigeria. However, challenges such as mismatch between graduate skills and labour market needs, inadequate funding and weak implementation limit the full impact of educational planning.  It was concluded that effective educational planning is critical to driving economic development in Nigeria. The study recommended that government should align educational planning with labour market demands, increase funding and expansion of technical and vocational education, integrate educational planning into national development plans to support economic diversification, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation of educational plans for effective implementation.