“White Elephant Projects”: Education Expert Reveals Why FG Should Not Establish New Universities

“White Elephant Projects”: Education Expert Reveals Why FG Should Not Establish New Universities

  • Lawmakers in Nigeria have reportedly proposed the establishment of 32 more federal universities
  • The Senate and the House of Representatives have allegedly received 32 bills seeking the creation of new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly
  • However, in an interview with Legit.ng, an education expert in Nigeria, Adesegun Ogungbayi, warned the government against the establishment of new institutions

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria and worldwide

FCT, Abuja - Adesegun Ogungbayi, the board chairman of MIMS Educational Services, has said the push by some stakeholders to create new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education is "misplaced".

No fewer than 32 bills were tabled before the Senate and the House of Representatives for the creation of new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, The Punch reported.

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Nigeria universities/federal universities in Nigeria
Nigeria has 52 federal universities. Photo credits: Afolabi Muhammad, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Source: Facebook

More new universities not welcomed

Ogungbayi, however, warned the government against establishing new institutions while failing to fund the existing ones adequately.

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Legit.ng reports that Nigeria has a total of 52 federal universities. The official data from the National Universities Commission (NUC) also revealed that the country has 63 state universities and 147 private universities.

The National Board for Technical Education also puts the number of federal polytechnics at 40, state-owned at 49 and private at 76. There are 70 federal and state-owned Colleges of Health, while the number of private Colleges of Health is 17.

Additionally, the National Commission for Colleges of Education put the number of Colleges of Education in Nigeria at 219.

Analysis of the bills revealed that Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker of the House of Representatives, led the pack. Abbas pushed for the establishment of the Federal University of Technology, Kaduna, which had its first reading on July 6, 2023. Similarly, the deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu, pushed for the establishment of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende in Abia state.

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There are also bills seeking the establishment of the Federal University of Information and Communications Technology, Lagos Island; Federal University of Agriculture, Ute Okpa in Delta state; Federal University of Biomedical Sciences in Benue state; Federal College of Health Sciences, Gaya; Federal College of Dental Technology, Faggae; Federal College of Agriculture, Agila, Benue state; Federal College of Education, Dangi-Kanam, Plateau state; and Federal College of Education, Bende, Abia state.

There is also Benjamin Kalu Federal Polytechnic, Rano, Kano state; Federal Polytechnic, Shendam, Plateau state; among others.

Speaking with Legit.ng on Monday, December 11, Ogungbayi said the lawmakers only want to satisfy their respective constituencies “thereby abandoning the goal of university creation”.

He told Legit.ng:

“It is on record that there has been a long crisis in Nigeria over the failure of the government to finance the existing universities to the fullest, which has been leading to mass movement of lecturers overseas and some students abandoning public universities.

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“Nigerians expect the lawmakers to solve the existing problems, and not to create more white elephant projects at the citizenries' expense.”

Ogungbayi advocates salary increase for lecturers

Meanwhile, Ogungbayi alleged that the lawmakers are not ensuring that lecturers are well-paid nor putting the right education-related projects in place in universities; hence, it “would be hypocritical to ask for more universities to be established”.

Instead of creating more universities, whether private or public, Ogungbayi asked authorities to provide more funds for the remuneration of lecturers.

He said:

"I can't imagine a situation where all principal officers of the federal house of representatives will be calling for the establishment of higher institutions in their respective federal constituencies when the existing universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education are underfunded and even shut down till date."

Ogungbayi continued:

"Do you know that even though we have been calling our country Nigeria a giant of Africa for decades, our universities cannot compete with those of South Africa and Egypt in the best global universities ranking? 14 out of 26 public universities in South Africa are among the 40 best universities in Africa including the first four on the list, and Egypt has three out of their 20 public universities in the list of the best 40 in Africa.

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“In contrast, we only have the University of Ibadan among the best 40 in Africa. What a shame to those who prefer proliferation of universities than standardisation of universities.”

Tinubu's promise to stop strikes in universities

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ogungbayi reacted to President Bola Tinubu's assurance of halting strikes in Nigerian universities.

Ogungbayi stated that he would be delighted to see President Tinubu establish an uncommon synergy with all university unions in the country.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
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Ridwan Adeola (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content creator with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.