USA Africa Dialogue Series - On this Matter of the Federal Government creating six ‘Mega Universities’

My People:

Create six "Mega Universities" - 150,000 - 200,000 student-strong  - like NNPC mega-stations? 

Not that easy...

According to the latest information available (see tables below, from a 2012 Assessment Report on universities in the country), all the sixty (61) state and federal universities (not counting the new 9 federal universities) have a population of 1,252,913 students,  37,504 academic staff and 77,511 non-academic staff. for an average size of 20,540 per campus and a student-to-staff ratio of 33:1.

The largest size is Lagos State University Ojo (90,855), followed by UniAbuja (62,528), followed by National Open University (57,759).  So the chosen "mega" universities (most likely the FirstGen universities, which six, UI, UniLag, OAU, ABU, UNN and UniBen) have an average population of 39,252) would almost have to quadruple, quintuple, sextuple, septuple, octuple, nonuple, decuple, undecuple or even duodecuple in student population size, and at least follow suit by halving that -tuple in staff size if a reasonable student-staff ratio is to be maintained.  See: UniBen - 56,501;  ABU -  49,436; UniLag  - 49,179   UI  - 33,481; UniCal - 29,357;   UNN -  23,815;  OAU - 23,100.

Thirty-two (32) of these sixty-one (61) universities have below the average per-campus size, twenty-five (25) of which are state-owned universities, and eighteen (18) of which are in the Northern part of Nigeria.

In my mind, rather than create mega-universities, it would be much better for the Federal Government to ACTIVELY encourage  ALL universities in the country,  through aggressive funding of infrastructure and staff recruitment, particularly state-owned universities, particularly those in the North, to increase their on-campus student population to at least 20,000 in the next five to ten years (some faster than others).  ALL universities can/should also be encouraged to double their on-campus population by use of on-line distance learning (with a stipulated minimum residential component) in certain courses only, but couple the ODL component with very tight academic standards and monitoring.

Most importantly, employment (both self- and other) opportunities are key to the motivation of students while learning.  Duodecupling graduates without jobs will only duodecuple social headache.

And there, we will have it even more.

Bolaji Aluko

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ENROLLMENT TABLE FOR NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES (From Report of Committee on Needs Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities, 2012)

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BUSINESS DAY

Fri, 2013-04-26

FG to create six 'Mega Universities'

Following the recommendation of the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Universities (CNANU), the National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the conversion of one university in each of the six geo-political zones to a 'Mega University."

The 'Mega Universities', according to the Peter Obi-led Technical Committee on the recommendations of the CNANU, would create universities that are capable of admitting 200,000 students as against the less than 30,000 some of the biggest universities in the country grant admission yearly.

The committee's report, which followed an extensive review of the CNANU report presented to the Federal Executive Council on September 19, 2012, made the following recommendations:

"The Committee agreed with CNANU that funding was a big issue in tertiary education and recommended that both the Federal and State Governments should prioritise funding by raising budgetary allocation to schools and guaranteeing that funds for education are disbursed as appropriated to ensure that the necessary facilities are provided.

"It recommended the strengthening of the composition and character, especially of external members, of the Governing Councils of the Universities by populating the board with members who have a direct stake in academics to ensure better management of the universities.

The committee had noted that the Nigerian University system is grossly understaffed and recommended the introduction of attractive incentives towards promoting post-graduate education and upgrading the academic qualifications of all lecturers to PhD level within a given period.

"The Committee also recommended the designation of a focal Federal University per geo-political zone to be upgraded towards expanding its absorptive capacity to between 150,000 – 200,000 students in the medium term," Mr. Obi said.

A decision has not been taken on which universities will be considered for selection.

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Peter Obi Committee Proffers 200,000-capacity 'Mega Universities'

SUNDAY, 28 APRIL 2013 00:00 EDITOR LIFE MAGAZINE - CAMPUS

THE National Economic Council (NEC) last Thursday approved the conversion of one university in each of the six geo-political zones to a 'Mega University.' The recommendation for the conversion was part of those contained in the report of the Peter Obi-led Technical Committee on the recommendations of the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Universities (CNANU).

Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, which had in attendance the president, vice president, state governors, ministers among others, Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, said the president approved all the recommendations of the committee.

The committee recommended the upgrading of one university in each of the six geo-political zones to the status of a Mega University to expand their intakes from the present number of students. Obi stated that government wants to create universities that are capable of taking up to 200,000 students as against the less than 30,000 admitted by some of the biggest universities in Nigeria.

A decision has, however, not been taken on which universities will be considered for selection. The committee's report, which followed an extensive review of the CNANU report presented to the Federal Executive Council on September 19, 2012, therefore made the following recommendations towards changing the fortunes of the universities:

"The Committee agreed with CNANU that funding was a big issue in tertiary education and recommended that both the Federal and State Governments should prioritise funding by raising budgetary allocation to schools and guaranteeing that funds for education are disbursed as appropriated to ensure that the necessary facilities are provided.

"It recommended the strengthening of the composition and character, especially of external members, of the Governing Councils of the Universities by populating the board with members who have a direct stake in academics to ensure better management of the universities.

The committee had noted that the Nigerian University system is grossly understaffed and recommended the introduction of attractive incentives towards promoting post-graduate education and upgrading the academic qualifications of all lecturers to PhD level within a given period.

"The Committee also recommended the designation of a focal Federal University per geo-political zone to be upgraded towards expanding its absorptive capacity to between 150,000 – 200,000 students in the medium term."

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