Forum for Oke Ogun Progress holds third edition of annual Education Summit
The Forum for Oke Ogun Progress (FFOP) held the third edition of her annual Education Summit so as to discuss the ‘PROLIFERATION OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS AND DWINDLING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS IN NIGERIA: CAUSES; CONSEQUENCES AND PANACEA’ with a view finding lasting solutions to the country’s declining standards of the tertiary education. The FFOP Education Summit had participants from all works of life and from different parts of the country.
The programme commenced at exactly 10.30am with a Keynote Speech delivered by Saheed Adekunle Imran (PhD, FCA, FIMC) and had over 200 people in attendance including the Vice Chancellor, Summit University, Offa, Kwara State, Prof. Musa Aibinu ably represented by Dr. Sakinat Folorunsho, Computer Science Department, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State; Prof. Muhammed Shehu Tijjani, Department of Accounting, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State; Dr. Wale Kareem, Tertiary Institutions Department, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, well represented by Dr. Rashidat Sade Ganiyu, Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Oyo State as well as the Zonal Director, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ibadan, Mr. Dominic Mokikan, ably represented by Reverend Niyi Dahunsi, Deputy Director (Programmes), Radio Nigeria, Ibadan, Oyo State among other dignitaries who came from various works of life. The Occasion was intriguingly anchored by two Media Professionals, viz. Mr. Shakiru Bankole and Mr. Davies Babalola.
The Founder/ President, Dr. Saheed Adekunle Imran during his Keynote Speech congratulated the thirteen (13) tertiary institution students that performed well during the FFOP/ Kareem Alao Scholarship Aptitude Test, which took place on 23rd December, 2023. He used the occasion to mention that the Forum has exemplary processes of automated scholarship application, merit-based selection criteria as well as instant result after the FFOP Aptitude Test. So, as an FFOP scholarship applicant, there is no need to know anybody before being granted scholarship. It is a student’s performance that will stand him/her out among the equals due to the fact the aim of the educational support to the successful students is to continue to breed new generations of scholars. He further mentioned that the award of scholarship is annually conducted only to the glory of God. It is also being carried out to academically enrich the future of this country.
He further stated that the Inductees’ Award of Scholarship is a celebration of risk taking in terms of sitting for the Forum’s Aptitude Test without an assurance of passing. It is also a celebration of dedication and excellence. The FFOP/Kareem Alao Education Support Scheme has therefore provided a template for future initiatives of this nature, the President said.
With FFOP’s scholarship methodology, I can assure you that this is a supportive foundation for building a government of national competence that the country currently needs to move to higher altitude, Dr. Saheed emphasized. The Founder also reiterated that the FFOP not only provides educational support packages to these young intellectuals, a consistent mentorship is also accorded so that they would continue to excel and shine in their various fields of study.
Dr. Saheed Imran then moved to the main purpose of the Summit, which is concerned with the declining standards of Tertiary education in the country and the need to nip it in the bud so that students can continue to gain excellent academic, entrepreneurial and research skills from our various tertiary institutions of learning. He equally stated that relevant stakeholders in the country’s education sector should enhance the performance of our various tertiary institutions in terms of the number of students compared to the teaching staff available in Nigerian tertiary schools; the number of bachelor degree holders relative to the number of doctorate degree holders produced in those same Universities in Nigeria; the Universities’ research productivities compared to the revenue generated from such research works; the proportion of foreign students and staff in the Nigerian universities and; the citations of the Nigerian Universities’ academic research in reputable well-rated journals in the World. He then remarked that the above-mentioned performance indicators are sine-qua-non for rating a university/tertiary institution adequately by Education Rating Agencies in the World.
2.0 PRESENTATIONS
2.1 The first paper presentation was made by Prof. Musa Aibinu, Vice Chancellor, SUMMIT University, presented by Dr Sakinat Folorunso of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State on PROS AND CONS OF THE PROLIFERATION OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA” where he remarkably mentioned that the topic of the pros and cons of the proliferation of tertiary institutions on educational standards is an important and timely one. It raises questions about the impact of the increasing number of colleges and universities on the quality of education provided. The Professor of Artificial Intelligence (AI) therefore highlighted the advantages of Proliferation of Tertiary Institutions in the following ways:
2.1.1 INCREASED ACCESS TO EDUCATION: The proliferation of tertiary institutions allows for greater access to education, providing more opportunities for individuals to pursue higher education and acquire valuable knowledge and skills.
2.1.2 MORE DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS: With the increase in the number of tertiary institutions, students have a wider range of educational options to choose from. They can select institutions that align with their interests, goals, and learning styles, leading to a more personalized and fulfilling educational experience.
2.1.3 POTENTIAL ECONOMIC GROWTH: The establishment of tertiary institutions can contribute to economic growth by creating job opportunities, attracting students from other regions or countries who bring in revenue and foster innovation and research that can drive technological advancements and industry development.
2.1.4 INCREASED ACCESS TO EDUCATION: The proliferation of tertiary institutions has led to increased access to education, making it more accessible to a larger number of individuals. This allows more people to pursue higher education and gain valuable knowledge and skills.
2.1.5DIVERSITY OF PROGRAMS: The proliferation of tertiary institutions has also resulted in a greater diversity of programs and courses being offered. Students now have a wider range of options to choose from, allowing them to pursue their specific interests and passions.
2.1.6ECONOMIC GROWTH: The proliferation of tertiary institutions can contribute to economic growth. It creates job opportunities in the education sector and supports the local economy. Additionally, a well-educated workforce can attract investment and drive innovation, leading to overall economic development.
Prof. Aibinu however mentioned some demerits of Proliferation of Tertiary Institutions as follows:
2.1.7 DECREASED QUALITY OF EDUCATION: The proliferation of tertiary institutions has resulted in a decrease in the overall quality of education. With the rapid increase in the number of institutions, there is a greater likelihood of institutions compromising on academic standards in order to meet the growing demand for education.
2.1.8 OVERCROWDING OF INSTITUTIONS: The proliferation of tertiary institutions has led to overcrowding in many educational institutions. This overcrowding can negatively impact the learning environment, making it difficult for students to receive individual attention and personalized instruction. It can also lead to a shortage of resources and facilities, further compromising the quality of education.
2.1.9 INCREASED COMPETITION AMONG INSTITUTIONS: The proliferation of tertiary institutions has resulted in increased competition among institutions. With more institutions vying for students, there is a greater emphasis on marketing and recruitment efforts, often at the expense of educational quality. This increased competition can also lead to a focus on quantity over quality, as institutions strive to attract as many students as possible.
The Artificial Intelligence Professor concluded that the proliferation of tertiary institutions has both positive and negative impacts on educational standards. While it provides more opportunities for students to pursue higher education, it also poses challenges in maintaining quality and ensuring the relevance of programs. To mitigate these challenges, careful management and regulation of tertiary institutions are crucial. This includes enforcing accreditation standards, promoting collaboration between institutions, and continuously evaluating and updating curriculum to meet industry demands. By doing so, we can ensure that the proliferation of tertiary institutions contributes to the improvement of educational standards and the overall development of society, he stated.
2.2 The second speaker, Dr. Wale Kareem, Tertiary Institutions Department, Federal Ministry of Education presented by Dr. Rashidat Ganiyu, Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, dwelt on the same topic “PROS AND CONS OF THE PROLIFERATION OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA”.
During Dr. Wale’s presentation, he emphasized that the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights provides, among other things, the right of the individual in society to education. He stated further that the provision is contained in article 26 of the document to which Nigeria became a signatory, upon joining the United Nations at the attainment of independence in 1960. Is there any proliferation of universities in Nigeria? Dr. Kareem asked. He then mentioned that in relation to Nigeria’s population of over 200 million, the current number of established Universities is quite low when compared to those of other economies such as Brazil (209 million) 441 Universities, Mexico (126million) 375 Universities, Russia (1445 million) 741 Universities. In Dr. Wale’s emphasis on insufficient number of universities in Nigeria, he referred to the statement of the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed (2022) that ‘the number of universities in Nigeria cannot meet the present demand for higher education in the country’.
Dr. Wale Kareem said further that looking at the Statistics of the lopsidedness in the number of universities in the various geo-political zones, Nigeria still needs more Universities. He cited that there are no private universities in Bauchi, Bayelsa, Kebbi, Yobe, and Zamfara States. Meanwhile, Delta, Kwara, and Oyo States have 7 private universities each. Remarkably, Ogun State has the highest number of private universities in Nigeria (13).
The Director at the Federal Ministry of Education stated further that the implication of the disparity in the location of universities in Nigeria would continue to widen due to the establishment of private universities. This has a direct impact on student access to higher education and has implications for the equitable provision of higher education in Nigeria, as students from rural areas (especially Oke-Ogun and its environs) may not be able to access higher education due to the cost of transportation and accommodation. Particularly, the establishment of Federal, State and Private universities in Oke-Ogun area would have far-reaching implications on the future and prosperity of the people. The presence of universities in different regions can help to promote economic growth and diversification in Oke-Ogun area, particularly. It is therefore essential that the Nigerian government ensure that its educational resources are distributed in a way that maximizes access and equity across the country. This can be achieved through policies such as financial support for students, improved infrastructure, and better facilities. Dr. Wale additionally described some of the benefits of establishing many universities as follows:
2.2.1 OPPORTUNITY FOR CHOICES: Proliferation of universities would offer alternative to citizens. This is a way of breaking monopoly of the existing institutions. Candidates for admission into universities would be provided with opportunities to make the choice of university that appeal to their taste.
2.2.2. HIGH LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY: The existing universities battle with one crisis or the other such as poorcondition of facilities, poor remuneration, incessant strike action, uncontrolled examination misbehaviour and so on. Most of our graduates are ill-prepared due to these problems. World Bank (2002) therefore, envisaged high level of efficiency that has saddled the system as with more universities in the country.
2.2.3.INCREASE IN POTENTIAL FOR INNOVATION: The country has witnessed innovative trend in all aspects of activities. Universities are not an exception; new universities were erected to incorporate technological revolution.
2.2.4.WIDENING THE ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY: Nigerian citizens now have adequate access to university education. Candidates who could not gain admission into state or federal universities can be offered admission in private or missionary universities. This has greatly helped in actualizing the policy statement of ensuring that citizens have access to higher education.
2,2,5, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIETAL/ COMMUNITY NEEDS: Universities are part of the communities in which they are located. They lift up the communities or create new communities around their specialties. The idea of establishing a university is to impact positively and address the need of the community where it is located. For instance,
a) Silicon Valley is powered by Stanford University in United States of America.
b) The University of California at Berkeley has all the major pharmaceutical companies in less than 30 miles radius;
c) The University of California at Davies is the Research Centre for Agriculture and is involved in the California’s Middle Valley Food Production;
d) Princeton University powers pharmaceutical companies in New Jersey.
e) For New York Financial District you have Cornell University and so on;
f) North Carolina has Duke and the Head Quarters of Bank of America. Which university is leveraging on agriculture in Oke-Ogun Region of Oyo State, Dr. Kareem asked?
3.0 DELIBERATIONS/ SUGGESTED REMEDIES
At the end of the 3rd FFOP Education Summit, the following suggested solutions to the poor standard of Tertiary Institutions were proffered:
3.1 REMUNERATION: The take-home of Tertiary Institutions’ staff should be alluring enough to attract and retain the best hands in our education system so as to minimize brain-drain (Japa Syndrome) in the country.
3.2 TEACHING QUALITY: The lecturing job should be for those who have passion for it. (and not for those who couldn’t get job elsewhere who then result to lecturing in the country’s Tertiary Institutions).
3.3 WORKING ENVIRONMENT: conducive office facilities, working tools among other essential materials should be adequately and timely provided for the Tertiary Institutions’ staff members.
3.4 EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA: Our curriculum should be reviewed and tailored towards the developmental needs of our society. Our curricula should also capture skills acquisition, greatly promote hand-made and computer-aided work of arts, science and engineering.
3.5 EDUCATIONAL BUDGET: Higher budgetary allocations and priority should be given to education so as to provide adequate funding for education sector in the country with a view to meeting up with 25 percent (25%) minimum standard recommended by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for education.
3.6 INTER-MINISTERIAL/AGENCY COLLABORATIONS: Ministries of Science & Technology, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment should be able to collaborate with the Ministry of Education, particularly, Tertiary Institutions and Industrialists especially in the areas of research and innovations for national development.
3.7STANDARDIZATION: the Government needs to implement standardized accreditation processes to ensure quality standards across all tertiary institutions.
3.8 QUEST FOR MORE UNIVERSITIES: during the Education Summit, it was notwithstanding recommended that:
3.8.1 At least three (3) Federal Universities should be established in each of the 36 States across the three (3) Senatorial Districts (108 Federal Universities + 1 in FCT);
3.8.2 At least three (3) State Universities should be established in each of the 36 States across the three (3) Senatorial Districts (108 State Universities + 1 in FCT);
3.8.3 At least Six (6) Private Universities should be established in each of the 36 States across the three (3) Senatorial Districts (216 Private Universities + 6 in FCT);
3.8.4 At least One Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) should be established in each of the 774 Local Government Areas of the Federation (774 NOUN Study Centres + 12 in FCT).
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