Professor Aderemi Raji, a professor in the Department of English, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, in this interview with TEMITOPE ADETUNJI, decries the proliferation of universities, warning that failure to address the issue will undermine the quality of education, especially given the paucity of funds plaguing existing institutions. With universities facing inadequate funding challenges, is there a need to establish more? The question is rhetorical. We don’t need more universities, especially when we can’t adequately fund those we currently have.
The way universities are established and financed in this country suggests a lack of proper planning in the structuring of the system. In 2023, we had 170 universities at the federal, state, and private levels. But by 2024, we already have 274 universities, which was an increase of 104 within one year.
With this focus on quantity, the quality of education is called into question. Generally, we are witnessing the proliferation of average institutions and the argument for more universities may be to create more opportunities for student admissions. However, it seems that we are paying so much attention to quantity that quality no longer matters.
In what ways does inadequate funding affect the quality of education and research? Funding has always been the primary challenge faced by tertiary institutions. Every other challenge is tied to this. It is at the heart of university administration, efficient teaching, provision of resources, and research facilities.
Funding is essential for research and translational research, which contribute to national development. Without proper funding, universities can’t function as contributors to national development. They are meant to be training grounds for new generations of leaders, scientists, thinkers, and policymakers.
Without intentional funding, training becomes too experimental to be considered above average in most universities. Ideas become mere concepts, and innovations remain dreams. Thus, funding is the challenge of all challenges for university administration and research.
Inadequate funding undermines the establishment and attainment of quality in education and research. Without sufficient funding, providing quality education at both graduate and undergraduate levels becomes impossible. Inadequate funding also hampers research by limiting resources such as conducive learning environments, research stations, and laboratories.
Basic materials necessary for research are often lacking in many institutional laboratories. It is undeniable that inadequate funding has profoundly hindered the development of university education. What do you think prompted governors to establish state universities despite funding challenges? A couple of reasons motivate the establishment of state universities despite funding challenges.
Firstly, there is the issue of poor advice. Some policymakers wrongly advise governors to establish state universities without considering how they would be funded. Also, some universities have several campuses spread across the state for political considerations, aligned with senatorial zoning for political correctness.
Secondly, there is a misconception that establishing more universities is necessary evidence of urban development. Some administrators believe that establishing a university in a village automatically transforms it into an urban centre, even when essential facilities like accommodation for staff and students are lacking. There is also a misconception about the university system as a revenue-generating institution.
It is mistakenly believed that universities can generate revenue for states. On the contrary, states are expected to heavily fund universities, at least in the first five years of their establishment. Universities are large institutions that require significant expenditure in their initial years.
Another motivating factor is the offer of TETFUND grants and needs assessments to state governments. Reliance on TETFUND grants has been a major incentive for the late establishment of state universities in the country. What is ASUU’s official position regarding the establishment of additional state universities? ASUU’s official stance is that there should be no deviation from its decision to discourage the proliferation of state universities across Nigeria.
This is one of ASUU’s current ten demands. How can federal and state governments collaborate to improve the funding of education? This should be left to the policymakers. First, they need to return to the table to reflect on what is expected as basic funding practice for educational institutions.
Following global best practices, the United Nations benchmark requires that each country devote over 20 per cent of its budget to funding education. Education encompasses not just training teachers but also engineers, doctors, farmers, philosophers, policymakers, and all citizens. Almost every federal ministry has an educational component.
Consider the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Technology and Science, Ministry of Industries, and Ministry of Energy, among others; each has educational institutions dedicated to research and development. Therefore, education is at the core of national development, and its funding will determine how relevant other ministries become in the national development project. Currently, funding for education is less than 8 per cent of the national budget.
Related News My mother’s medical profession influenced my career choice – UI best graduating student Association trains students in marketing UI students protest 10-hour electricity rationing, tuition hike How does inadequate funding impact the morale and welfare of academic staff in universities? Morale has always been very low. Yet, there are patriotic lecturers and ASUU members who continue to work under very appalling conditions. Lack of funding, as I mentioned, poses a significant challenge to collective morale.
Historically, in the ‘80s, there was a brain drain, which marked the first major movement of lecturers to Europe and America. Now, four decades later, we are experiencing what can be termed ‘brain flight’ or ‘Japa’ syndrome. Not only are lecturers leaving, but students are also moving, which is increasingly disturbing.
We are witnessing a new generation of scholars, thinkers, innovators, and scientists. When they move to other countries, their allegiance becomes divided between their homeland and the countries offering career opportunities and progress. They find themselves torn in their responses to invitations, especially those urging them to return home and contribute to their country of origin.
If someone leaves this country without proper support from the federal or state government, you can’t expect them to be as patriotic as they might otherwise be. This is a major problem. How do funding challenges specifically affect students in terms of their learning experience and prospects? The impact of funding challenges on students is almost as severe as it is on staff, if not more significant.
It affects indigent students without social welfare the most. While the children of the wealthy may not be as negatively impacted, the majority of students, especially those in federal universities, are worse off. Without learning resources and properly subsidized support, their educational experience becomes extremely difficult.
Learning becomes more daunting for students, especially those in natural and medical sciences. Even for those in the humanities and social sciences, the lack of resources and study facilities means they can’t access materials available to their counterparts in other countries, even within Africa. Consequently, they leave universities less prepared and half-baked, with the rigorous standards of university education failing to benefit them.
How do Nigerian universities measure up against their international counterparts in terms of funding and quality of education? I don’t know of any country of Nigeria’s calibre within the African continent that finances education with less than 10 per cent of its national budget. Countries like Ghana, Egypt, Algeria, South Africa, and Kenya are better in this regard. When comparing expenditure or funding provided by the federal or state governments to sustain quality education, Nigeria falls short.
We can’t compare ourselves to the UK, USA, or Germany. Even when compared to Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt, Nigeria’s performance is disturbing. The resilience of ASUU members and other unions is partly responsible for the presence of some Nigerian universities in global rankings.
The inclusion of Nigerian universities, such as the University of Ibadan, in the world ranking system reflects the dedication and patriotism of generations of teachers and researchers across the country. What are the long-term implications of establishing more universities without adequate funding? Simply put, we will end up creating glorified secondary schools. We will be establishing white elephant projects with beautiful buildings in villages and forests but lacking the necessary infrastructure.
These are the long-term implications, and ultimately, university education will suffer greatly. Based on your experience, what do you consider the most significant challenge as an ASUU member? No one likes a disruptive system. Not knowing what will happen in the next semester is disruptive financially, socially, and academically.
You can’t take your leave when due, and you can’t plan adequately for international travel. Grants that should have been activated are lost due to the lack of consistent planning caused by the incessant and avoidable strikes we’ve experienced. Yet, these strikes are often unavoidable.
The government must understand that certainty, proper funding, and provisions for revitalizing the university system are essential. Only when the government realizes this can we truly say we have a good university system. A university should be a universal institution comparable to others worldwide.
Our system is structurally and academically connected to other universities globally. Disruptions within our system exclude us from the worldwide circle of universities. Therefore, disruptiveness has been a major challenge for me and many other lecturers within the university system.
What are your messages to policymakers regarding the establishment and funding of universities? You can’t build new homes when the ones you already have are dilapidated. We need to be proactive and stop the proliferation of universities within the country. Furthermore, there should be a sovereign national conference involving all stakeholders in the educational system.
This conference suggested years ago, should include lecturers, administrators, and policymakers to reflect on what constitutes a university and its functions. Are the universities we have now functioning as true institutions of learning, or are they merely satellite campuses in different senatorial districts to fulfil political agendas? We need to move beyond localizing the idea of a university if we genuinely want to maintain integrity in the system and ensure these universities contribute to national development..
