Nigeria needs more varsities for admission seekers – Prof. Kwanashie

The Vice Chancellor of Veritas University, Abuja, Prof. Michael Kwanashie, speaks on the way forward in 2018 for secondary and tertiary education in Nigeria

As we move into the new year, what are the critical areas in the education sector that requires the Federal Government’s attention?

If you look at our education system, you will see that the government needs to first concentrate on ensuring that the mass majority of Nigerians at the primary and secondary levels are able to get into tertiary institutions.

In other words, the government must acquire the facilities; give adequate funding, structure and manpower that are needed to create a pool of qualified candidates for tertiary institutions. This has to do with the quality of the public primary and secondary education in the country.

Secondly, the government must intensify the integrity of the examination bodies in the country such as the West African Examinations Council, the National Examinations Council and the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board so that we can have well-baked products for the universities.

Education in Nigeria is run by both private entrepreneurs and the government. What should be the role of the government in this arrangement?

There is a wrong mindset in this country that private institutions are not the government’s business and do not require government funding. But the students in private secondary and tertiary institutions are also Nigerians. They desire the support of their own government. If government says these are private enterprises and investing public funds in them is like making money for the proprietors, the government can at least establish scholarship schemes that would enable an average Nigerian to be able to go to those schools.

When we first started having private secondary schools in this country, the government gave them what we called “grants in schools.” The government knew then that it needed the expertise of these schools. In those days, mission schools, though private, helped to expand the educational base of the country.

The tertiary education is presently at that stage in the country.

If you look at the number of students in these private institutions, they are still so small. But the essence of establishment is to be able to create enough space for the Nigerian children and admission seekers.

One of the turbulent issues which affected education in 2017 was the industrial actions by the labour unions. How should the government handle these agitations in 2018?

The various labour unions are also very enlightened and have a highly developed manpower. The government must continue to explain to them the state of the finances of the country. The unions are not crazy people.

Let me tell you where the main problem comes from: Nigerians sit down before their televisions and radio sets and hear that billions of naira are being looted out of this country. They are listening to the level of corruption. They see that you have a state, a political class whose primary reason for existence is to grab as much national wealth as they can. There is no way the labour will see this and not agitate for more salaries.

Therefore, the government has to solve the problem of corruption to improve the education sector. The labour unions are not unreasonable people. The problem is not about the unions, but the government itself must be honest and transparent in its dealings.

Another issue was the crisis of Nigerian first-class graduates on Federal Government scholarships abroad, who were languishing all through last year; what is your advice?

That is a very straightforward talk. Any government that gives scholarships must fulfil its obligations. You send these children out so that you can create quality manpower for the society when they return. You are not doing them any favours essentially.

Unless the government looks at it this way, this problem won’t be addressed. Nigerians should insist on the prompt response by government. It is not fair to send children outside the country and then get them stranded. In this new year, the government should settle all these students on scholarships and make sure they complete their studies.

Last year, the Federal Government gave approval for the establishment of six new private universities. What impact will this have on tertiary education in 2018?

I think that if you compare the number of universities vis-à-vis the number of admission seekers in the country, we still do not have enough universities to cater for them. I believe that every child who desires university education and can afford it must be given the opportunity. I don’t think that university education should continue to be seen as an elitist venture.