Nigerian universities’ poor global ranking embarrassing ― TETFund

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has raised great concern over the poor global ranking of Nigerian universities, saying the situation is not only disturbing but embarrassing and therefore totally unacceptable.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof Elias Bogoro raised this concern at a two-day capacity building workshop organised by the agency for Nigerian public universities across south-geopolitical zones of the country, in Lagos,

According to him, the success of universities internationally, aside from benefits derived through research that helps create jobs and businesses, also helps countries to secure a share of global growth and influence.

“So, it is undeniable to say that universities remain big players in the economies of advanced nations and indeed that of the developing countries including Nigeria,” he added.

Bogoro said though the Nigerian government over the years is committed to improving the situation, more concrete efforts are required to put the country on a path of real progress, with repositioning of universities as a veritable process towards such status.

He said it is disheartening that no Nigerian university is ranked high by any of the four reputable global universities ranking organisations across ages till present.

He said universities from the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe usually dominate the list of top-ranking universities globally by different organisations while only the universities from South Africa and Egypt are at times featured relatively well in those rankings while Nigerian universities have always performed far below expectation.

He said this situation is not only worrisome but embarrassing and calls for reflection and action on the part of the government, the Nigerian intelligentsia, and indeed, the Nigerian people.

According to him, if the Asian countries for example were able to rise to such an enviable place along with the ranking of world universities, nothing stops Nigerian universities from making similar progress, if determined.

While identifying some of the factors causing the poor ranking to include inadequate funding, workers’ incessant strikes, decaying infrastructure, corruption in the system, poor attitude of lecturers to teaching and research, Bogoro listed others to include low research outputs, low performance on international collaborations as well as loss of quality lecturers and brilliant students to foreign institutions and so forth.

He said though TETFund is primarily meant to perform a funding intervention role to tertiary schools, the agency has now become a life wire in terms of funding for public universities in the country.

While emphasising the importance of research and development as a way for any country to transit and be part of the knowledge economy, he disclosed that TETFund would soon establish another 12 research and development centres to further promote, and stimulate research activities in the country.

He, however, urged universities to make do with only lecturers with a minimum of academic doctorate degrees, develop strong democratic leadership in their administration, collaborate with industries, foreign universities, and donor agencies in multiple capacities that would increase funding for research, teaching, and other essential facilities.

He equally asked them to identify strong programmes and build on them through the endowment of chairs in medicine, engineering, pharmacy, and other fields of science and technology, all with the overall objective of contributing to national development.

Similarly, Chairman Board of Trustees of TETFund, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim- Imam and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abubakar Rasheed, represented by his deputy, Dr Chris Mayaki, as well as the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun, who is the coordinator of the workshop, also re-echoed this thought at the event.

They said of indeed, Nigerian universities are not doing well when compared to others particularly in the developed countries hence, the importance of the workshop, the replica of which is to be held in Abuja in December for universities in the northern region.

Some of the facilitators and participants at the workshop which ended on Tuesday include former executive secretary of NUC, Prof Peter Okebukola; former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof Olufemi Bamiro; Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; Vice-Chancellor designate of University of Jos, Prof Tanko Ishaya and VC, University of Calabar, Prof Florence Obi, among others.

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