Issues and Opportunities of Funding Public Tertiary Education in Third World Countries: The Nigerian Experience
Author:
Lawrence O. ODEH
Co-Authors:
Henry M. OBASOGIE
Abstract:
Education has been described as a veritable instrument for achieving nationaland sustainable development in every countries of the world. The major developmentalchallenges in Nigeria at the moment is the poor teaching and research service deliveryof the tertiary education in the country, a problem that has been attributed toinadequate funding of this sector. It is on this basis that this article examined thechallenges and prospects of funding public tertiary education in Nigeria, using thesecondary method of data collection which relies on the consultation of text books,academic journal articles, government documents and circulars, internet sources andso on. After examining various academic materials and documents as well as otherreports on the issue, it was discovered that the tertiary education in Nigeria is grosslyunderfunded, and its management is characterized by lack of political will on the part ofpolicy makers, and endemic corruption perpetuated by the administrators of the tertiaryeducation sector; a trend that has adversely affected its effective performers. In the lightof the above, several recommendations and policy options were proffered as wayforward towards mitigating the ugly trend in the tertiary education sector of Nigeria.These are: the creation of autonomy for universities, drastic eradication of corruption,introduction of affordable school fees, allocation of funds based on institutionalachievement, adherence to UNESCO 26 per cent budgetary appropriation toeducation, embarking on a public-private initiatives of funding tertiary education, andsoon.
Publication Year:
2022
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