STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING ACCESS TO TERTIARY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
By Adetunji Oni Adeoni2004@yahoo.com
@adetunjioni

TERTIARY EDUCATION:

It is also referred to as third stage, third level, and post secondary education. It is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, University preparatory school. Higher Education is taken to include undergraduate and post graduate education.

Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities are the main institutions in Nigeria that provide tertiary education which are sometimes known collectively as tertiary institutions and generally culminates in the receipts of certificates, diplomas or academic degrees.

On the 14th July, 2010, almost all media: print, radio and television electronic media reported Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, Executive Secretary, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Nigeria as saying “admission into tertiary institutions (in Nigeria) as survival of the fittest.”

He was further quoted as positing that of the 867,000 candidates who scored above 180 marks in the Joint Admission Examinations, 366,000 would not be admitted in 2010 because the combined capacity of Universities, Polytechnics, Monotechnics and Colleges of Education for the 2010 admission year is only 527,000 adding that others who may be qualified would have to reapply in the Year 2011.

It must be understood that the figure of those who may not gain admission in 2010 would certainly be more than what is painted above as some institutions are requesting for candidates with the score of 200 and not 180 for admission as directed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Federal Ministry of Education (FME). In the 2011 Admissions the University of Ilorin rejected 16,043 students who were qualified but which the University had no carrying capacity to take.

The admissions into tertiary institutions situation has been going on like this for over a decade. Prof. Dibu Ojerinde said except access to tertiary institutions is enhanced, the country (Nigeria) will continue to have this lot of people waiting endlessly for admission (into tertiary institutions).

As a result of the changes propelled by the knowledge industry, the quest for higher education is being intensified as can be seen with the numbers that yearly seek access to higher education.

Regrettably, Nigeria and the African Continent do not belong to the communion of knowledge because our contribution to the development of Science and Technology is negligible because the number of tertiary institutions in the Continent is inadequate to generate the size and quality of human capital needed to transform the socio-economic environment of the Continent.

The above picture is well painted by the former Executive Secretary National Universities Commission, Professor Peter Okebukola in an interview in the Guardian in 2004, citing the “2000 and 2002 world Science Report”. The Professor described Nigeria as belonging to the “ignoble group” of scientifically backward nations. Africa, he observed has only 0.4% of the worlds Scientists and Engineers.

This problem of low capacity has to be rectified by expanding opportunities for tertiary education.

The imperative of expanding access to higher education is also highlighted by the United Nations Development Programmes in its 2005, publication, investing in development: a practical plan to achieve millennium development goals where it observed that “enhancing Science and Technology Education has been one of the most critical sources of economic transformation. To develop science, technology and innovation capabilities, developing countries need to expand access to higher education”, especially Nigeria that intends to join the 20 most developed nations by the Year 2020.

Today, there are less than 150 Universities in Nigeria owned by Federal, State and Private individuals/organizations to cater for Nigeria with about 160 million people while for example as at 2002,, South Korea with a population of 45 million people had about 152 Universities. In the United Kingdom in 2005, they have about 350 Universities for their 55 million people. Certainly, Nigeria with its about 160 million deserves to have more tertiary institutions and Universities.

NUMBER OF UNIVERSITIES IN SOME COUNTRIES
SN COUNTRY POPULATION NUMBER OF UNIVERSTIES
1. Nigeria About 160 million Less than 150
2. India 1 Billion 8,407
3. USA 290 million 5,758
4. Argentina 38 million 1,705
5. Spain 40.2 million 145
6. Mexico 10.9 million 1,341
7. Bangladesh 138 million 1,238
8. Indonesia 238 million 1,236
9. Japan 127 million 1,223

POSSIBLE OPTIONS OF ENHANCING ACCESS TO TERTIARY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

Establishment of Campuses of Foreign Universities in Nigeria.
The government of Nigeria through its agencies should encourage foreign Universities particularly of friendly countries to come and establish campuses of their Universities in Nigeria.

The Executive arm of government through its Federal Ministry of Education, National Planning Youth and Foreign Ministries can do a lot in this area. The Legislative arm of Government should also through its Committees on Education, Youth, Foreign Affairs and National Planning do a lot in this area.

The recent fuel subside strike by Labour and its allies and the anger generated in some sections of the country should be a wakeup call for action in this area.

Encouraging Multinationals, Telecommunications giants and Companies and Rich Nigerians to Establish Universities.

The Federal Government is enjoined to through agencies establish contacts with multinationals, telecommunications giants, oil companies and wealthy Nigerians to establish Universities and tertiary institutions in Nigeria to meet the ever increasing need of youths for tertiary education.

Creation of a Central System of Regulated Part-Time Courses leading to awards of some degrees and diplomas by existing Tertiary Institutions.

The Federal and States Ministries of Education in conjunction with other allied agencies be made to create a central system of Regulated Part-Time Courses leading to the awards of some degrees and diplomas by existing Federal, State and Private owned tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Creation of Centrally Regulated Distance Learning Method of Acquisition of Tertiary Education by Existing Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria
The creation of centrally regulated and moderated system of distance learning whereby students will be maintained by a central body involving already existing tertiary institutions.

Increased Funding from Government to Existing Tertiary Institutions
Federal and State Governments are to as a matter of policy increase funding to the education sector to at least 30% of its annual budgets and/or including tertiary education funding into government’s SURE programme as the greatest transformation that can be achieved in the expansion of access to tertiary education in Nigeria.

Expansion and Increased Regulation of the National Open University
Government should as a matter of urgency expand the scope and increase regulation of the National Open University.

Creation of National Laureate Online System of Education
The government through its Federal Ministry of Education, Ministry of Communication and Technology, National Universities Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, National Communication Commission and other Regulatory Agencies create a National Laureate online system of acquisition of higher education whereby existing tertiary institutions would link to people interested in acquisition of a tertiary education.