Certification and Overschooling in Nigeria: A Criminological Appraisal of the Socio-economic Dynamics by Brown, Aniekan S. & Umoh, Ubong E.

ABSTRACT
This study aimed at criminologically evaluating the socioeconomic dynamics of certification and over-schooling in Nigeria. Acknowledging certification and over-schooling as discussable concepts in the economics of education lexicon, the study was pivoted by structural functionalism of Robert Merton as a theoretical framework. It
adopted the survey method and followed the qualitative tradition as guide in data analysis. Emerging data reveal that certification is factorial to over—schooling, and both are driven by economic, socio-cultural, and punitive measures. There was also a revelation that certification and over—schooling have been institutionalized and run the risk of increasing in rate. This induces crimogenic tendencies. To stem the tide, certification should be played down by the polity, and infrastructure inconsistencies should be checked in the education sector, and policies should be evolved to engenderan education system that enhances employment.