RETHINKING THE FUTURE OF LEGAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA IN A COVID-19 PANDEMIC ERA

Abstract

The paper examined the future of legal education in Nigeria against the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic thatravaged the globe and reordered the way things are done including imposition of complete or partial lockdownand ban or restrictions on mass gatherings to stop its spread. The myriads of problems and challenges thatconfront legal education in Nigeria were identified including the fundamental fact that education is presently nota justiciable right under the Nigerian constitutional order in contradistinction to what a comparative study of theconstitutions of other African countries like Uganda, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana reveal. Using the doctrinalmethod of analysis of the comparative constitutional, statutory and case law authorities on the subject matter, thepaper viewed among other things that there must be a paradigm shift via constitutional amendment on how theright to education is protected in Nigeria and further recommended hands-on solutions to legal education inNigeria including adoption of online learning and examination techniques to reduce physical contact, avoidcommunity spread and maintenance of social distancing consistent with COVID-19 protocols.