Revamping Nigeria’s University system

As the 20th Nigeria Economic Summit (NES) kicks off its unprecedented discourse on Education today, it is timely to harp on the urgent need of revamping Nigeria’s University system. University education is fundamental to national development, as the system is responsible for the development of high-level manpower within the context of the nation’s needs. Sadly, the story of Nigeria’s University education leaves much to be desired.

There are doubts whether with the current state of Universities they can really lay claim on being central to the national capacity of connecting with the new international knowledge system, adopt, adapt and further develop new technologies and processes required  in a dynamic society.

It has become a ritual for University lecturers, under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to embark on industrial action over agitations ranging from improved salaries, allowances and infrastructural development of universities. The last strike which lasted for close to four months attracted so much attention from stakeholders and revealed once again the many challenges facing the country’s University system.

Nigeria’s University system is faced with a plethora of problems. These include poor funding, deteriorating infrastructure/equipment for teaching, dearth of funds for  research, outdated curriculum, poor synergy between Gown and Town, issue of university autonomy, brain-drain, student unrest and constant industrial action.

Now, with 128 Universities (40 federal, 38 state and 50 private) recognized by the National Universities Commission (NUC), (compared to the 1960s when there were only 4 Universities) growth has indeed occurred, but increasing evidence points to the fact that the quality of learning and graduates have gone down drastically. Employers continue to decry the poor quality of young University graduates and the irrelevance of their study curricula to the needs of industry.

Models for University education in the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, reveal that curricula in use in their Universities are relevant to the socio-economic development of the nation.

For a reversal of the decline in the quality of University education in Nigeria, the issue of funding the system adequately must be done. If quality is to be enhanced in the universities, the infrastructure base of the system needs to be improved. The present decrepit situation of lecture halls, laboratories, calls for an urgent need to make available enough funds for rehabilitation of existing facilities.

While government intensifies efforts in providing more physical facilities in the universities, corporate, bodies, philanthropists and alumni associations should also assist in the provision of these facilities to aid effective teaching-learning activities.  Employers of labour and the industry must as a matter of routine seek ways of interacting with Universities as a means of influencing curricula, and sharing notes with the teaching faculty. Also, the teaching faculty must reach out to Industry to understand their needs and also to gain relevant exposure. Academics should no longer hibernate in the old age idea of an Ivory tower that is all knowing.

The issue of University autonomy should be sorted out appropriately. A reform in University programmes is highly necessary and long overdue. Better training for University students should be vigorously pursued. The curricula need be reformed in content and methodology to give room for the spirit of inquiry, discovery and experimentation, while academic positions in Universities should only be for those who show the aptitude for learning and research. Academic positions should not be open to people whose value system is at variance with the ethos of a knowledge based society.

The incessant culture of industrial actions in the public University system impacts negatively on learning and the output of the system. In this area, government must be pro-active and devise a sustainable and realistic means of meeting with the needs of the country’s public University system to avoid conflicts that would always erode quality and confidence.

We urge all participants in this NES discourse on Education to participate actively by providing proper insights and solutions that would help save the country’s University system from collapse. Government on its part should take the ongoing discourse seriously and treat its findings and recommendations with appropriate concern.