Free university education unrealistic in Nigeria — former UNIOSUN VC

A former vice chancellor of the Osun State University, Osogbo, Professor Labode Popoola, has revealed that it is unrealistic for university education to be free in Nigeria if ivory towers are to compete favourably and be sustainable.

The professor of Forest Economics and Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, explained that stakeholders, especially students, must be made to realise that payment of moderate fees would keep the institutions running and be able to meet up with their responsibilities of teaching, research and community development.

Popoola, who delivered the 27th convocation lecture of the Ekiti State University Ado-Ekiti, entitled, ‘The University System in Nigeria and the Sustainability Question’ stated that public universities in the country do not charge appropriate fees and that the government alone cannot bear the cost.

He said: “The reality therefore is that free education at the university level is most unrealistic, no matter how it may be argued; there is a cost to it and it must be borne by some stakeholders.

“For universities in Nigeria to be competitive and sustainable, we must come to terms with global realities. Free education is no longer tenable even in developed countries, where there may be a semblance of it; it is driven through tax payments and partnerships.”

He said that the government at the state and federal levels should be the major partner in development of education by making deliberate efforts to set aside 10 to 15 percent of their annual budget for education to tertiary education.

The don insisted that the bedrock of any university remained the creative nature of its staff and quality of research undertaken towards gaining visibility and attracting funds through research grants.

Popoola lamented that over the years, higher institutions in the country had failed in their core mandates of generating and imparting knowledge and engaging in  community service due to bad governance and lack of financial discipline.

The vice chancellor of EKSU, Professor Edward Olanipekun, commended the lecturer for, “his well delivered, thought-provoking lecture” noting that the institution is putting in place every mechanism in order to make it sustainable.

He noted that the management of the university would be having a stakeholders’ summit soon to discuss emerging realities and chart a new course for the state-owned institution.