By Mark Orgu and Daniel Njienue, News/Comments
From 1999 till date, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have fought endlessly towards a better funding of the university system without achieving meaningful result.
The Union which was founded in 1978 have consistently maintained that Federal government insincerity and political will to honour its own agreement has always suffered setback resulting to various strikes in the country-a language they understand. Chronologically, from the return of Democracy in 1999, ASUU, have gone on strikes under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 1999, it lasted for five months, 2001, it was three months, 2002, two weeks, 2003, six months, 2005, two weeks, 2006, three days, 2007, it was three months, 2008, one week, 2009, four months, 2010, the strike lasted for five months, 2011, it was fifty nine days, 2013, three months, 2017, the strike went on for one month, 2018, three months, 2020, it was the mother of all strike that took almost a year, precisely, nine months, under the late former President Mohammadu Buhari, while also in 2022, it was eight months strike, from February 14, to October 14. An irony of a country that burden less on her educational system, whereas the political class from the local to the top enjoy luxuries of wealth while their children and wards enjoy better education outside the country, to what many of them refer to education tourism.
Punch Newspaper on February 7, 2024 had captured a report where it says that Nigerians’ spending on foreign education, healthcare and personal travels gulped over $98bn in 10 years. This was according to the Central Bank of Nigeria data. It further reported that The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, made the disclosure while addressing the House of Representatives. This alarming report did not bother those in power to rethink the collapsing educational system in the country, almost leading to brain drain and laziness. This even as the Union has given federal government fourteen days ultimatum to heed to its demands.
Meanwhile, our editor-in-Chief, who spoke to few professors on Nigeria at 65, how far has the educational system fare, and what they think should be done urgently, regretted that Nigerian leaders since the inception of civil rule have not paid more attention to education, rather, their preference lies on negligence and corruption.
Declare state of Emergency in Education-Prof. Andrew Obafemi, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state
I am happy interacting with you again, especially on this very issue of educational landscape in accounting, it’s quite unfortunate that we are still where we are because when we look at where we’re coming from and where we ought to be; others are already ahead of us, most importantly, those that started together with us, we are no place with them because of leadership and politics summersault, and it has affected the educational system in various ways. Unfortunately it’s not just at the tertiary level, it’s spread across every sphere in the educational level and I think the time has come for the country’s leaders to have a rethink. at 65 if we have a serious minded government, they need to declare emergency on our educational system because the output are not corresponding to the expectations in terms of what a country should be expecting from the institutions. Within the country’s system, things are not structured and teachers are not well enumerated. When you look at what is happening in other part of the world, where Nigerians are involved especially in education, you will know it’s not about our schools but it’s all about the leaders who are not getting it right.
Nigeria need leaders who will be intentional in revolutionizing the educational system. Nigerians want a country they will be proud of in the next 10 years but if we continue the way we are, I fear for the future. University lecturers need better pay for greater productivity.
I don’t see any reason why a professor should be earning less than N1.5m if a place like Namibia, a professor earns about N1.9m to N2m depending on the institution you lecture, just in Africa here and also in Gambia. We need since approach to education if the country must progress.
Education has suffered consistently and persistently-Prof Solomon Akinboye, Former Dean,School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos.
First of all, we should appreciate God for giving our nation the grace to witness this remarkable period in its historical trajectory. Although the country has undergone severe pains and multitudinous challenges, the fact that we have attained this milestone (65 years of nationhood) and still existing is sufficient justification for us to be inquisitively ruminating on the nation’s political vicissitudes and economic downturn since the despicable era of military authoritarianism. The nation’s predicament has been highly profound and long winding, and government should decisively tackle the multifaceted problems and challenges that are precariously afflicting our nation.
With regards to education, one can say categorically and without equivocation that university education in particular has not fared well. While the government has somewhat catered for the need of the students, that cannot be said of the lecturers. The academia has consistently and persistently suffered in silence. It is unbelievable, for instance, that an agreement which was signed in 2009, has still not been implemented up till today. While it is true that it is not the current government that signed the agreement with ASUU, government is certainly a continuum, and it is a liability that the current government has inherited and which it has an obligation to fulfill. I therefore urge the government of the day to actualize the agreement in order to ensure industrial harmony. Topmost in this regard is the welfare of staff. For instance, compared to what their colleagues earned elsewhere, there is no reason why a Professor should earn anything less than N1.5 million a month. This demands increased budget allocation made to education in general and university education in particular. This, I seriously consider as an imperative political demand.
Education: Systemic Neglect And Gross Underfunding-Ex-VC, University Of Agriculture And Environmental Sciences, Imo State, Prof Patrick Egbule
Education at all levels in Nigeria has not fared well over the past two decades on account of systemic neglect and gross underfunding.For instance, the percentage budgetary allocation to Education declined from 10.79% in 2015,to 4.95% in 2023.This is in gross violation of UNESCO recommendation or 20-25% for Quality education delivery. On the current raging issue of remuneration for Professors in Nigeria,there is need to do a comparative analysis of the salaries of Profesfors in African countries to begin to understand the precarious situation of Nigerian Profesfors.A random sample of three African countries: Equatorial Guinea, South Africa and our neighbour,Ghana are as follows:A senor Professor in Equatorial Guinea earns 2,990USD Monthly(35 883USD yearly;while in South Africa,the pay is 4, 789USD Monthly(57,471USD yearly).In Ghana,a Senior Professors salary is 1, 080USD Monthly(12,960USD yearly)In Nigeria,a senior Professor earns 366USD Monthly (4,400USD).
Education has improved but poor remuneration- Engr. (Dr) Francisca Nwafulugo, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State
At 65, Nigeria has really come of age. It’s expected that other younger nations should be looking up to us by now as role model in so many areas and capacities.
In education, Nigeria has really excelled to some extent like the establishment of new universities and polytechnics, likewise the removal of bottleneck of getting admission to tertiary institutions. This initiative has really expanded access to higher learning. Institutions now advertise for admission unlike what it used to be, so I think it’s an achievement.
Then, we also talk about education for all, efforts is already put in place to improve the quality of education more by the current administration and expand access to enrollment. There are intensify efforts in inculcating skill acquisitions into the existing curriculum. As a former Rector of a Federal polytechnic, Oko, I was part of that exercise, the challenge has always be funding.
Also in education for all, we now have the Nigerian education loan fund(NELFUND), geared towards supporting students, which I think adequate sensitization and awareness should be done in procedure to accessing this funds and made easy so that it will get to the reach of Nigerians at the grassroots level.
I have put 33 years of service in the tertiary education and so, one cannot foreclose the low take home every month. The current economic situation does not tally with our monthly salaries. I will join my colleagues in the Universities to advocate for N1.5 million monthly salary, which is not a bad idea, even something higher should be done, and then what about senior lecturers, It’s the same market, it’s the same country.
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