USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: The fate of private universities

Thanks for this piece Prof. I have been puzzled for a long time about the practice of excluding private universities from TETFUND grants. Given that NUC exercises regulatory powers on them and they are expected to contribute to the wider research and development agenda of all Nigerian universities, private universities ought to at least enjoy some benefits in terms of research grants - even if the condition would be that they partner with colleagues from some public universities. 

It is obvious that many private university academics can give public institution scholars a run for their money, and compete favourably in most fields. As you suggested, I believe it is time to privatise state-owned and even some federal universities, either wholly or fully to give them the competitive edge of privately owned universities. 

Babs Fafunwa always mused that the ideal of scholarships is to reward only the most able students, instead of a one-size-fits-all subsidy system that is presently in force.  Schooling may be offered to some people free, but someone always picks the bill; what is presently existing is the practice of free education or subsidized education without paying the attendant back-end costs. This leaves the system wobbly and inadequate. We claim that university students need not pay for hostel accommodation at cost-recovery levels, yet funding to provide and maintain such accommodation is not granted to the universities. This leaves a gaping hole in maintenance leading to decay, overcrowding and anti-social sub-cultures. 

On Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 6:51:45 PM UTC+1 toyinfalola wrote:

https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2020/09/02/the-fate-of-nigerias-private-universities-by-toyin-falola/


Sent from my iPhone

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