SlideShare a Scribd company logo
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.5, No.16, 2014
1
A Review of Nigerian Tertiary Institutions of Learning and
National Transformation
Christina T. Audu1*
Ajibola A. Lukman2*
Mohammed Nyah N3*
Department of Integrated Science, Department of Educational Foundations and Department of Early Care
Childhood Education, C.O.E, Zing, P.M.B. 1021, Taraba State, Nigeria
Email:lajibola8@gmail.com
Abstract
The paper examines the status quo of Nigerian tertiary institutions of learning in the light of the ongoing national
transformation. It could be said that national development remained main target of many administrations in the
history of Nigeria. The paper contends that education is a weapon with which national development could be
attained through inculcation of right attitudes and social interaction towards addressing the intricacy of national
disintegration. To this end, tertiary institutions of learning hold a sensitive key to formation and transformation
of our nationhood. When education is generally considered as a mechanism for development, the paper argues
that tertiary education teaches learners to be transformative agents in order to sustain the development. In lieu of
this, the paper concludes that tertiary education is a functional tool in achieving national transformation in
Nigeria supposedly is properly funded and monitored towards blending and interfacing local wisdom with global
knowledge, values and skills, which will equip the student to become a citizen of this country as well as a citizen
of the global village.
Keywords: tertiary education, national transformation, national development
1. Introduction
Nigeria’s President won the 2011 Federal Government elections on the groundswell of popular support, and the
promise of a transformation agenda. Transformation is a strong word that portends a radical, structural and
fundamental reappraisal of the basic assumptions that underlie our reforms and developmental efforts. The
challenge before government is how to move the nation away from an oil-dominated economy, institute the
basics for a private-sector driven economy, build the local economy on international best practices, transform a
passive oil industry to a more pro-active one, and restructure the country along the lines of a more decentralized
federalism.
But beyond this, there is a scourge of corruption that has stunted the growth and development of young people;
especially the students, which has contributed to the management and leadership challenges such as building an
efficient and effective polity, inspiring a shared vision, remodelling a corrupt polity, building character and
integrity in our leaders, redefining the imperatives of transformational leadership, and creating the Nigerian
dream that will inspire patriotism and commitment in the citizenry.
However, the recent findings on the state of higher education in Nigeria as conducted by the World Bank and
UNESCO in 2006 had confirmed the degradation of the Nigerian educational system. In the 80s Nigeria was a
country that produced world-class university graduates that could compete with their counterparts around the
world and hard work was their watchword. Today, we only produce the worst set of uneducated tertiary
graduates that cannot structure a simple sentence. For instance, the minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,
while delivering an address at the second Prof. Bart Nnaji biannual lecture series at the Enugu State University
of Science and Technology said that graduates from the country’s higher institution of learning were not
employable. This is because Nigerian higher institutions were plagued by inadequate science and technological
facilities and materials for practical skills development and the country was shunning out thousands of
unemployable science and technology graduates each year. `
Odekunle (2012) blamed the political class for the corruption in Nigeria which stunted the development of the
youth. He also identified incessant disputes, brain-drain in the academia, under-funding or poor financing of
education, cultism, corruption and abuse of trust as some of the major challenges facing the educational sector.
He therefore, advocated a return to sound moral and family values as a means of renewing commitment and
patriotism among Nigerians.
In lieu of the above, national transformation needs functional institutions of learning that will equip Nigerian
youths required skills for transformational agenda. This is because tertiary institution of learning occupies a
central and primary place serving the functions of teaching, learning and research in the creation of new
knowledge, promotion of current information in professional practice and transmission to posterity of the
learning and culture of the present and past age (LawaI, 2004).
2. An Overview of Tertiary Institutions of Learning in Nigeria
The current state of education in Nigeria even in this 21st
century leaves much to be desired. There is a general
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.5, No.16, 2014
2
neglect and decay of educational facilities at all levels of education in Nigeria occasioned by the long standing
culture of poor funding of education by successive governments in Nigeria. This situation prompted the
comment in the editorial of the Guardian (2007, May, 25) that there must be something anti-intellectual about the
policies and allocation of resources in our country especially under past military governments, sadly, the
civilian administrations have not fared any better. Still commenting on the same issue especially in the face of
the proposal of the Federal Government to establish six more Federal Universities in Nigeria, the Punch (2010,
November, 18) observed that:
“From the 1990s to date funding of tertiary education has been problematic
as successive governments showed marked preference for other priorities and
corruption became endemic. Budgetary allocation has declined to the extent
that universities and other tertiary institutions are barely able to pay the
salaries and allowances of personnel, libraries, laboratories and engineering
workshops have long been in decay with the result that most products of the
nation’s tertiary institutions lack the intellectual preparation and critical skills
required to drive the development process in any sphere of national life”.
The Nigerian tertiary institutions of learning are far too ill-equipped to train and develop new graduates suitable
for the 21st century, their products are mediocre. Analysis of the situation point to the extreme level of
infrastructural as well as pedagogical deficiency in Nigerian Universities, this being the result of underfunding of
public universities (Nwakanma, 2010). Sanni (2010) while commenting on the Nigerian content Act passed in
2010 to regulate the activities of the Nigerian content Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC), lamented that so far the effect of the law is not yet felt in Nigeria. This is because the International Oil
Companies (IOCs) are reluctant to comply with it. They complain that Nigerian graduate engineers required in
the industry do not have the basic engineering knowledge and skills largely due to inadequate training in the
Universities. It is perhaps in the light of such deficiencies that Okecha (2008) and Peretemode (2010) decried the
very poor level of funding of Nigerian education and universities and referred to the world universities
ranking in which Nigeria Universities did not feature at all. African Universities were also ranked at
the continental level in 2007 and this revealed that the first Top 8 African universities are located in South Africa.
Among Africa's Top 100 universities, twenty are based in South Africa, 16 from Egypt and 10 from Morocco.
Only four of Nigerian Universities, featured among the 100 universities in the 44th
- Obafemi Awolowo
University, 65th
, University of Ibadan, 79th
University of Benin and University of Lagos in the 96th
position
trailing far and miserably behind universities in some African countries such as Egypt, Tanzania, Zimbabwe,
Senegal, Namibia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Morocco. (Okecha, 2008).
While decrying the poor state of education in Nigeria and the resultant effect on Nigeria, Ibrahim (2009)
lamented that Nigeria was losing quite a huge sum of foreign exchange because of applicants seeking foreign
university education. He hereby gave a comparison of universities in Nigeria and Britain, noting that in an
average British university, all facilities are available for research with libraries having the latest books on
different subjects unlike in Nigeria. The Nation (2010, November, 23) its editorial observed as follows:
“A recent report claimed that Nigerians are among the largest foreign students in the
United States and Britain. Nigerians are also moving in large numbers to study in
Ghana, other European and Asian universities ... but this is at a cost. For instance, a
recent report suggests that Nigerian students spend N 137 billion to acquire
education in Britain and the United States alone in the last two years”.
To say that the state of education at all levels in Nigeria is miserably poor is an understatement. Infrastructure is
at abysmally low level, students are crowded in hostels and lecture rooms like animals, necessary equipment
machinery and current journals are absent (The Nation, 2010, November, 23). Furthermore, while expressing
anger over plans by the Federal government to scrap colleges of education and polytechnics in Nigeria, the union
of colleges argued strongly that government's poor attitude towards the teaching profession has affected the
quality of teaching and teaching practice in the country. It is clear from the policy summersaults and ad hoc
measures" that government is largely responsible for the failing in the education subsector, (The Guardian, 2010,
November, 30). While delivering his inaugural lecture titled, "What is Higher in Higher Education", Peretomode,
(2010), was emphatic in his submission that the library should be given priority in funding in tertiary institutions
of learning. This is because, for the educational institution to be strong academically, the library which is the
heart of the college or university must be strong. He noted that the top universities in the world have strong
libraries. For example, Harvard university library consists of 80 individual libraries and has over 15 million
volumes of books thereby priding itself as the largest academic library in the world. This is the case with all the
topmost universities in the world. Also, the University of California, Berkeley's library has 10 million volumes
of books and 70,000 serial titles, Stanford university library has 8 million volumes of books and 19 libraries.
However, in Africa, the University of Cape Town (South Africa) has one main library and 9 branch libraries
containing 1.5 million volumes and over 27,000 journals titles. All these when compared with the situation in
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.5, No.16, 2014
3
Nigeria where the premier university of Ibadan which was ranked 65th
among universities in Africa has one
million volumes of books, 60,000 journals and subscription to 20 databases, gives a rather gloomy and
discouraging picture of the state of the other tertiary institutions in Nigeria as regards their libraries. Thus, if the
present state of the tertiary institutions of learning in Nigeria is left unturned, Nigeria and Nigerians may not
compete with other countries of world economically, technologically, politically and otherwise.
3. Nigerian Institutions of Learning and National Transformation
Arising from the goals of tertiary education, the National Policy on Education (2004) specifies that university
education will make optimum contribution to national development by: Intensifying and diversifying its
programmes for the development of high level manpower within the context of the needs of the nation, thereby;
1) Making professional courses contents to reflect our national requirements;
2) Making all students as part of a general programme of all-round improvement in university education to offer
general study course such as history of ideas, philosophy of knowledge and nationalism.
4) University research shall be relevant to the nation's developmental goals.
In this regard, tertiary institutions of learning shall be encouraged to disseminate their research results to
both government and industries, in the opinion of Okebukola (2009), in a developed society characterized by
developed economics to which Nigeria aspires; higher education plays a key role. It provides high level human
resources for driving the economy and ensures rapid societal transformation. The greater the opportunity given
to the citizenry for higher education, the more expansive the horizon for rapid socio-economic development. The
tertiary institutions of learning are at the forefront of this mandate of production of the necessary manpower for
national transformation since they provide the higher level manpower required for national development. Aguolu
(2002) noted that the tertiary institutions of learning are the heart of the societal development. It is equally true
that the academic health, intellectual vitality and effectiveness of any university depend largely upon the
excellence of its funding which is its lifeblood.
It is obvious from the foregoing that Nigerian tertiary institutions of learning have always had the mandate to
produce higher level manpower for national development. Harbison and Myers (1964) opined that national
development is the transformation of all aspects of life of a society - cultural, social, political and economic.
Thus a well-developed nation is usually associated with high income per capital, many employment
opportunities, availability of cheap food and other necessary human requirements, better roads, housing, water,
advancement, among others. This goes to buttress the opinion of Todaro (2009) and Onokerhoraye and Okafor
(2004) that development is a multi-dimensional process involving changes in structures, attitudes and institutions
as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and the eradication of
absolute poverty and a high birth rate.
Being the central focus of this paper, tertiary institution of learning is a key factor in the national transformation
agenda of this administration. It could be affirmed that Nigeria is no longer stranger to economic reforms. For
instance, before the 1980s, the reforms were purely in the form of extended national perspective plans that
attempted to mobilize human, material and natural resources of the nation to achieve goals of national life. There
was the 1962-68 Plan, then the 1970-1974 Plan, the 1975-1980 Plan, and the 1981-1985 Plan. Often, these Plans
went beyond mere economic prescriptions to address social, human and political goals. Thus, the 1970-74 Plan
defined the national objectives to be the building of:
a) A united, strong and self-reliant nation;
b) A great and dynamic economy;
c) A just and egalitarian society;
d) A land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens; and,
e) A free and democratic society.
In implementation, these Plans hardly involved any fundamental restructuring of the national economy. They
were in the main monetarist prescriptions that did little or nothing to address the structural and fundamental
distortions in the economic, social and political life of the nation. By the 1980s the need for reforms paved the
way for the Stabilization/Austerity Measures of the Shagari Administration. The sharp drop in the international
spot market price for oil resulted in plummeting national revenues, putting in dire peril all the budgetary
projections and planning for the period. The hurried and fire-brigade approach to the emerging problem, failed to
address the root causes of a national economy in great distress and fundamental disequilibrium.
In 1986, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was introduced by the Babangida Administration to
address the fundamental and structural imbalance in the economy, diversify the economy, strengthen the
currency, and build a viable, sustainable industrial infrastructure upon which real economic growth and
development can be founded. The reform exercise rested on a tripod of measures: Liberalization of foreign
exchange transactions, Rationalization of public sector agencies and parastatals, and Optimization of the capacity
for domestic production and stimulation of non-oil exports.
Next in the line was the Vision 2010 introduced by Abacha Administration in 1998. The aim was to “develop a
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.5, No.16, 2014
4
blueprint that will transform the country and place it firmly on the route to becoming a developed nation by the
year 2010" (Vision 2010 Report, 1998). The general objective was to transform the country into “a united,
industrious, caring and God-fearing democratic society, committed to making the basic needs of life affordable
for everyone, and creating Africa’s leading economy”. The Policy projected that by 2010, the Nigerian people
would re-discover themselves and revert to being God-conscious and God-fearing, caring, sincere, honest,
accountable in their dealing with public trust, and proud of their country and heritage.
In 2004, the Obasanjo Administration introduced NEEDS - National Economic Empowerment and Development
Strategy. The NEEDS reform programme rested on four key strategies (NEEDS, 2004):
▪ Reforming Government and Institutions;
▪ Growing the Private Sector;
▪ Implementing a Social Charter;
▪ Value Re-Orientation.
The complimentary tools for the realization of the above goals included Pension Reforms, Energy and Power
Reforms that led to the desegregation of NEPA into 18 successor companies, the GSM Telecommunications
Reform, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the Corrupt and Allied Offences Commission (ICPC),
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Reforms in the Financial Sector.
With the advent of the Yar’Adua Administration in 2007, the Federal Government articulated the 7-point
Agenda for national development. The policy thrust revolved around the seven-point contract of that
Administration with the Nigerian people: Energy, Education, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Wealth Creation and
Poverty Alleviation, Land Reforms, and Security. The point was further made, that these reforms would catapult
Nigeria to the rank of one of the 20 most developed countries of the world by the year 2020.
On April 16, 2011, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan won a pan-Nigerian mandate that swept through the
North and South of the nation. He ran on a promise to radically transform the nation and overhaul every aspect
of the national life. The Transformation Agenda Final Report defines the goal of the reform exercise in these
words:
During 2011-2015, the policies and programmes directed at addressing governance will focus
on the public service, security, law and order, the legislature, anti-corruption measures and
institutions, the judiciary, economic coordination, and support for private investment... These
will be addressed through the implementation of the recommendations ... in the areas of public
service reforms, judicial reform, anti-corruption initiative, electoral reform, land use reform,
fiscal management reforms, power sector reform, police reform, financial sector reform, infra-
structural development reform, and information and communication technology (p. 51; Cited
by Asobia, 2012).
On the close examination, it seems that the NEEDS provided the common denominator upon which the 7-point
Agenda, the Vision 20 2020, and the Transformation Agenda rest. The expectation was that all the above reform
measures would culminate in the fulfilling of the 2001 Kuru Declaration:
To build a truly great African, democratic country, politically united, integrated and stable,
economically prosperous, socially organized, with equal opportunity for all, and responsibility
from all, to become the catalyst of [African] Renaissance, and making adequate all-embracing
contributions, sub-regionally, regionally and globally (NEEDS: viii, 2004).
Sadly, after more than fifty years of policy reforms, Nigeria has painfully remained:
i) A public-sector led economy with a bloated government presence in every facet of national life;
ii) A nation with very weak private sector which has grown a “rent-seeking and unproductive culture of over-
dependence on government patronage and contracts, with little or no value added” (Harneit-Sievers, 2004);
iii) A mono-crop economy with preponderant influence of one commodity in determining the nation’s revenue-
expenditure profile and the balance of payment position;
iv) An extractive and primary economy that produced unrefined raw materials for export, either in the form of
agricultural products or crude oil. Manufacturing was at a very rudimentary stage, and industrialization remained
an inconsequential factor in the nation’s economic equation;
v) A nation without an effective industrial infrastructure for economic take-off - no petro-chemical industry to
fuel the industrialization process, no effective iron and steel complex to produce flat steel, a deficient power and
energy sector, insecure and inhospitable environment, and poor communications;
vi) An economy with a weak and tottering national currency that was the whipping boy of the international
financial community.
The mandate to reform and transform Nigeria has been most emphatically communicated in the majesty of the
democratic process. The dream is for bold and audacious transformation programme that will radically,
fundamentally, structurally and massively transform the national economy, reinvent the politics of our nation,
secure the polity, care for the underprivileged, and provide responsible, responsive and credible leadership to
Africa’s largest and most promising economy.
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.5, No.16, 2014
5
The above discussion points to the fact that education must inculcate core values of the land into the learners
because it could be affirmed that men without values constitute a blot on the nation’s psyche, in the case of
tertiary institutions of learning: A Teacher without proper values will sell grades for sex and money; an Engineer
without sound values will build roads and utilities that will neither endure nor give real service; an Architect
without values will design buildings that will collapse and kill their occupants; a Judge without values would be
a stranger to justice, selling and buying ex-parte motions, and standing fair conduct on its head; a Politician
without values will be an opportunist in the corridors of power - greedy, malevolent, deceitful, master of double
speak, dishonest and above all, dangerous to the nation’s well-being; and, an Accountant without values will
substitute “expediency for priority, imitation for innovation, cosmetics for character, style for substance, and
pretence for competence” (Covey, 2003).
5. Recommendations
From the foregoing, the following recommendations are offered:
1) The Nigerian government must urgently mainstream tertiary institutions of learning in the education sector of
the NV 2020 project in order to demonstrate seriousness in developing the necessary quality manpower to
achieve its goals. This is the only way by which the NV 2020 project can be a driving force for the national
transformation;
2) Government at all levels in Nigeria should change its poor attitude towards the funding of education
especially at tertiary level. There should be massive injection of funds into the education sector;
3) That the display of ignorance by the government and people of Nigeria about the importance of education to
national transformation should be changed radically. In this regard, mass media in Nigeria should mount
aggressive enlightenment campaigns to enlighten the general public at all levels on the importance of education
to the national transformation.
4) There is the need for a special National Policy on Information to be put in place by the government of Nigeria,
so as to awaken the consciousness of all Nigerians to the importance of tertiary institutions of learning and
research institutes to national transformation. This could be done through massive publicity in both the print and
electronic media.
5) For the purpose of achieving the NV 2020 project, the government of Nigeria at all levels must rise to the
occasion and do all it takes to bring tertiary education and the academic libraries in Nigeria up to the standards of
the topmost economies of the world by providing the necessary funding and infrastructure. All that the
government has been doing wrongly or failing to do in this regard should be corrected after a necessary study of
the inputs being made in this regard by advanced countries.
6) The Education Tax Fund (ETF), has been giving financial support to tertiary institutions and other relevant
institutions and their libraries to enable them develop better. These funds should be strictly utilized for the
purpose. A situation where such funds are being diverted to other uses in some of the institutions will not augur
well for the accelerated development of academic libraries. The utilization of funds should be closely monitored
by ETF so that they can support the massive funding required for the national transformation.
7) For national transformation agenda to be realistic there is need for a genuinely interested leader in serving
rather than being served.
8) Nigerians deserve a leader with the ability to create the vision, inspire and motivate followers, and through
consistent, persistent and focussed guidance, empower individuals to achieve results greater than they ever
imagined.
9) At this point of lives, Nigerians need a leader who will unite us rather than divide us, ennobles rather than
demean us, truly transforms rather than deform us - who will diligently search out and celebrate
subordinates better than himself.
10) Nigeria politicians are expected to model what they preach, and claim to leadership on the force of their
convictions, the elegance and style of their performance on the job, and the integrity of life and practice.
The mandate Nigerians gave to this Administration for transformation of the polity is one that seeks for
the style of governance that will:
▶ Recreate our value system as a people - replacing patronage appointment with an insistence on merit, and
restoring the moral tone of our public officers;
▶ Inculcate a healthy work ethic in the citizenry - developing the individual worker intellectually and
equipping him to do a good job, providing efficient supervisory and management skills at the workplace,
selection and placement of staff on merit rather than on nepotic and ethnic considerations, and a fair
reward-incentive scheme that motivates;
▶ Resolve our national identity crisis by forging one united people out of the diverse ethnic nationalities that
comprise our nation. One of the enduring wonders of our age remains how the United States has
become a melting pot of different nationalities living together just as Americans, notwithstanding the
fierce nationalistic struggle and rivalry that described their past. Today, whether they are Italian-
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.5, No.16, 2014
6
Americans, German-Americans, Anglo-Americans, or Afro-Americans, they all have one proud
heritage as Americans. Perhaps, the best gift any Nigerian leader can bequeath to his countrymen today
is to forge one united nation and people out of the disparate peoples of Nigeria.
▶ Lead the nation in a deliberate and determined battle against corruption. Corruption has penetrated the
warp and woof of the Nigerian society. The boss and his messenger, the police officer and the recruit,
the classroom teacher and his student, the politician and the voter, the judge and the lawyer, the pastor
and his parishioner - none can remain untainted by this stigma. The greed of the ruling class, plays upon
the poverty of the larger majority of the people to perpetuate this scourge. Unfortunately, the battle
against corruption is being prosecuted by men who are not morally qualified to lead in the crusade.
Success in this battle demands on the part of the leader, commitment, sincerity, and consistency, and
must be pursued relentlessly, no matter whose ox is gored.
▶ Redefine our national priority in favour of hard-work, diligence, honesty and patriotism. So long as
people make it because of their connections, so long as tribe and old school ties are the basis for
progress in public service, so long will all the talk about National Rebirth and Reorientation, be mere
talk. We must build a system that respects excellence. No country ever went to the moon, or
transformed into a developed economy by federal character. Excellence must become our national
motto, if we are to remain relevant in the new millennium.
▶ Unleash the creative potential of our people. This will mean encouraging challenges to current ways of
thinking and doing, establishment of goals that explicitly contain creative components, cultivating an
attitude of focussed freedom to apply natural and acquired skills in a defined area of activity, and
associating creative efforts with specific evaluative domains.
6. Conclusion
The task of transforming the Nigerian nation from socio-political and economic perspective requires more than
the hard factors of growth and development. Also needed, are the soft factors of management and leadership
skills to be imbedded in our students especially at tertiary levels. Rightly has it been said that there are no under-
developed countries; only under-managed ones. The need of the hour is for transformational leaders able to
articulate their vision, possessing assessment skills, communication abilities, and at the same time very sensitive
to the skill deficiencies of the graduates turning out from our tertiary institutions of learning. Therefore, tertiary
education is crucial to national development and national transformation of current administration.
References
Aguolu, C.C. (2002). Libraries and Information Management in Nigeria. Maiduguri: Ed- Linform Services.
Asobia A. (2012). “Challenges of Governance: Need for Transformational Leadership”, Presented at National
Conference of ANAN, Held at Abuja, October 9.
Covey (2012) Chairman’s Remarks on the Challenges of Governance: Need for Transformational
Leadership”,Presented at ANAN National Conference, held at Abuja, October 9.
Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004): National Policy on Education (4th ed) Yaba, Lagos: NERDC Press.
The Guardian (2007, May, 25). Nigeria Universities and World Ranking. P. 14.
The Guardian (2010, November, 30). Scrapping Colleges of Education and Polytechnics? P.14.
Harbison, F. & Myers, C. (1964). Education, Manpower and Economic Growth: Strategies of Human Resource
Development. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Harneit-Sievers, G. (2004) “Human Development” in Osisioma B. C. (ed.) Transformation for National
Development. Lagos: ANAN Pub.
Human Rights Commission (2007), “What is Good Governance?”
Ibrahim (2009) Electoral Reforms and Good Governance: Path to a New Dawn”, Presented at Inauguration of
Governor of Anambra State, Awka, March 16.
Lawal, 0.0. (2004, June). Libraries as Tools for Education Development. Paper presented at the National
Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Library Association, Akure, Nigeria.
Nwakanma, O. (2010, November, 21). The South-East and Its Universities. Sunday Vanguard, p.17.
Odekunle (2012) The South-East and Its Universities. Sunday Vanguard, p.17.
Okebukola, P. (2009, April, 29). Education Reform Imperatives for Achieving Vision 20:2020. The Guardian,
p.36
Okecha, S.A. (2008). The Nigerian University: An Ivory Tower With Neither Ivory Nor Tower. Owerri: Edu-Edy
Publications.
Onokerhoraye, A.G. & Okafor, F.e. (1994). Rural Development and Planning for Africa. Benin City:University
of Benin Press.
Peretomode, V.F. (2010). What is Higher in Higher Education? Abraka: Delta State University Press.
The Punch (2010, November, 18). On-Federal Government's Proposed Universities. The Punch, p. 14.
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.5, No.16, 2014
7
Sanni, O. (2011, January, 4). Nigerian Content: Not Yet Uhuru for Indigenous Operators. Nigerian Tribune, p.
20.
Todaro, M. (2009). Economics of a Developing World. London: Longman.
World Bank/UNESCO (2006) Higher Education in Developing Countries: Peril and Promise. Report of the
Independent World Bank/UNESCO Task Force. Washington, DC.
The IISTE is a pioneer in the Open-Access hosting service and academic event
management. The aim of the firm is Accelerating Global Knowledge Sharing.
More information about the firm can be found on the homepage:
http://www.iiste.org
CALL FOR JOURNAL PAPERS
There are more than 30 peer-reviewed academic journals hosted under the hosting
platform.
Prospective authors of journals can find the submission instruction on the
following page: http://www.iiste.org/journals/ All the journals articles are available
online to the readers all over the world without financial, legal, or technical barriers
other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. Paper version
of the journals is also available upon request of readers and authors.
MORE RESOURCES
Book publication information: http://www.iiste.org/book/
Recent conferences: http://www.iiste.org/conference/
IISTE Knowledge Sharing Partners
EBSCO, Index Copernicus, Ulrich's Periodicals Directory, JournalTOCS, PKP Open
Archives Harvester, Bielefeld Academic Search Engine, Elektronische
Zeitschriftenbibliothek EZB, Open J-Gate, OCLC WorldCat, Universe Digtial
Library , NewJour, Google Scholar

More Related Content

What's hot

Funding Higher Education in Nigeria
Funding Higher Education in NigeriaFunding Higher Education in Nigeria
Funding Higher Education in Nigeria
iosrjce
 
THE SUPREMACY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL GROWTH
THE SUPREMACY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL GROWTHTHE SUPREMACY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL GROWTH
THE SUPREMACY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL GROWTH
Frank Ukoro (AISLT,ASTON,NIFST)
 
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING INTENDED FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING INTENDED FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITYPSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING INTENDED FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING INTENDED FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY
IAEME Publication
 
Refocusing higher education research for sustainable development
Refocusing higher education research for sustainable developmentRefocusing higher education research for sustainable development
Refocusing higher education research for sustainable development
Alexander Decker
 
Vocational education and poverty reduction
Vocational education and poverty reductionVocational education and poverty reduction
Vocational education and poverty reduction
Alexander Decker
 
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
paperpublications3
 
234429741 1-janneth-r-albino-doc
234429741 1-janneth-r-albino-doc234429741 1-janneth-r-albino-doc
234429741 1-janneth-r-albino-doc
homeworkping3
 
Enhancing Vocational, Technical & Special Education in Ekiti State (Ekiti Sta...
Enhancing Vocational, Technical & Special Education in Ekiti State (Ekiti Sta...Enhancing Vocational, Technical & Special Education in Ekiti State (Ekiti Sta...
Enhancing Vocational, Technical & Special Education in Ekiti State (Ekiti Sta...Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria
 
Vocational and technical education a tool for sustainable development in nigeria
Vocational and technical education a tool for sustainable development in nigeriaVocational and technical education a tool for sustainable development in nigeria
Vocational and technical education a tool for sustainable development in nigeria
Alexander Decker
 
Technical and vocational education and training (tvet) in nigeria and energy ...
Technical and vocational education and training (tvet) in nigeria and energy ...Technical and vocational education and training (tvet) in nigeria and energy ...
Technical and vocational education and training (tvet) in nigeria and energy ...
Alexander Decker
 
African journal of education and developmental studies . vol 5., no 1, july, ...
African journal of education and developmental studies . vol 5., no 1, july, ...African journal of education and developmental studies . vol 5., no 1, july, ...
African journal of education and developmental studies . vol 5., no 1, july, ...
ejournals
 
Effects of Alternative Sources of Financing Education on Provision of Teachin...
Effects of Alternative Sources of Financing Education on Provision of Teachin...Effects of Alternative Sources of Financing Education on Provision of Teachin...
Effects of Alternative Sources of Financing Education on Provision of Teachin...
paperpublications3
 
Socio economic and religious factors contributing to drop out
  Socio economic and religious factors contributing to drop out   Socio economic and religious factors contributing to drop out
Socio economic and religious factors contributing to drop out
Alexander Decker
 
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIA
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIAHUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIA
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIAMomodu Sophia
 
Integrating technical and vocational education in youth empowerment programme...
Integrating technical and vocational education in youth empowerment programme...Integrating technical and vocational education in youth empowerment programme...
Integrating technical and vocational education in youth empowerment programme...
Alexander Decker
 
Aje ds volume 8 no. 1 september 2011
Aje ds volume 8 no. 1 september 2011Aje ds volume 8 no. 1 september 2011
Aje ds volume 8 no. 1 september 2011
ejournals
 
Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...
Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...
Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...
Sagir Iliyasu
 
The interplay between politics and education in nigeria
The interplay between politics and education in nigeriaThe interplay between politics and education in nigeria
The interplay between politics and education in nigeria
Alexander Decker
 

What's hot (19)

Funding Higher Education in Nigeria
Funding Higher Education in NigeriaFunding Higher Education in Nigeria
Funding Higher Education in Nigeria
 
THE SUPREMACY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL GROWTH
THE SUPREMACY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL GROWTHTHE SUPREMACY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL GROWTH
THE SUPREMACY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL GROWTH
 
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING INTENDED FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING INTENDED FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITYPSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING INTENDED FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING INTENDED FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY
 
Refocusing higher education research for sustainable development
Refocusing higher education research for sustainable developmentRefocusing higher education research for sustainable development
Refocusing higher education research for sustainable development
 
Vocational education and poverty reduction
Vocational education and poverty reductionVocational education and poverty reduction
Vocational education and poverty reduction
 
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
 
234429741 1-janneth-r-albino-doc
234429741 1-janneth-r-albino-doc234429741 1-janneth-r-albino-doc
234429741 1-janneth-r-albino-doc
 
Enhancing Vocational, Technical & Special Education in Ekiti State (Ekiti Sta...
Enhancing Vocational, Technical & Special Education in Ekiti State (Ekiti Sta...Enhancing Vocational, Technical & Special Education in Ekiti State (Ekiti Sta...
Enhancing Vocational, Technical & Special Education in Ekiti State (Ekiti Sta...
 
Vocational and technical education a tool for sustainable development in nigeria
Vocational and technical education a tool for sustainable development in nigeriaVocational and technical education a tool for sustainable development in nigeria
Vocational and technical education a tool for sustainable development in nigeria
 
Technical and vocational education and training (tvet) in nigeria and energy ...
Technical and vocational education and training (tvet) in nigeria and energy ...Technical and vocational education and training (tvet) in nigeria and energy ...
Technical and vocational education and training (tvet) in nigeria and energy ...
 
African journal of education and developmental studies . vol 5., no 1, july, ...
African journal of education and developmental studies . vol 5., no 1, july, ...African journal of education and developmental studies . vol 5., no 1, july, ...
African journal of education and developmental studies . vol 5., no 1, july, ...
 
Effects of Alternative Sources of Financing Education on Provision of Teachin...
Effects of Alternative Sources of Financing Education on Provision of Teachin...Effects of Alternative Sources of Financing Education on Provision of Teachin...
Effects of Alternative Sources of Financing Education on Provision of Teachin...
 
Socio economic and religious factors contributing to drop out
  Socio economic and religious factors contributing to drop out   Socio economic and religious factors contributing to drop out
Socio economic and religious factors contributing to drop out
 
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIA
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIAHUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIA
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIA
 
Ac4301157160
Ac4301157160Ac4301157160
Ac4301157160
 
Integrating technical and vocational education in youth empowerment programme...
Integrating technical and vocational education in youth empowerment programme...Integrating technical and vocational education in youth empowerment programme...
Integrating technical and vocational education in youth empowerment programme...
 
Aje ds volume 8 no. 1 september 2011
Aje ds volume 8 no. 1 september 2011Aje ds volume 8 no. 1 september 2011
Aje ds volume 8 no. 1 september 2011
 
Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...
Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...
Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...
 
The interplay between politics and education in nigeria
The interplay between politics and education in nigeriaThe interplay between politics and education in nigeria
The interplay between politics and education in nigeria
 

Viewers also liked

Acura consulting one year business model
Acura consulting one year business modelAcura consulting one year business model
Acura consulting one year business model
acuraconsultingpvtltd
 
Location reconnaissance template 4
Location reconnaissance template 4Location reconnaissance template 4
Location reconnaissance template 4
Jamie109
 
Title sequence 5 final
Title sequence 5 finalTitle sequence 5 final
Title sequence 5 finalGeorgeAtkinson
 
Web Design Trends 2015
Web Design Trends 2015Web Design Trends 2015
Web Design Trends 2015
Marketing Eye Global
 
Christner.WhatParentsWantFromEmailsWithTheirPediatrician.PtEducAndCounseling....
Christner.WhatParentsWantFromEmailsWithTheirPediatrician.PtEducAndCounseling....Christner.WhatParentsWantFromEmailsWithTheirPediatrician.PtEducAndCounseling....
Christner.WhatParentsWantFromEmailsWithTheirPediatrician.PtEducAndCounseling....Jenny Christner
 
Universidad de catolica de cuenca sede san la
Universidad de catolica de cuenca sede san laUniversidad de catolica de cuenca sede san la
Universidad de catolica de cuenca sede san la
jonathan1212
 
Buffalo Storage Devices
Buffalo Storage DevicesBuffalo Storage Devices
Buffalo Storage Devices
Ucpartners.com.au
 
stampede newsletter #6
stampede newsletter #6stampede newsletter #6
stampede newsletter #6Taylor Moyer
 
financial_benefits_elastic_core_acg
financial_benefits_elastic_core_acgfinancial_benefits_elastic_core_acg
financial_benefits_elastic_core_acgPranav Dharwadkar
 

Viewers also liked (12)

Acura consulting one year business model
Acura consulting one year business modelAcura consulting one year business model
Acura consulting one year business model
 
Location reconnaissance template 4
Location reconnaissance template 4Location reconnaissance template 4
Location reconnaissance template 4
 
Title sequence 5 final
Title sequence 5 finalTitle sequence 5 final
Title sequence 5 final
 
Web Design Trends 2015
Web Design Trends 2015Web Design Trends 2015
Web Design Trends 2015
 
Christner.WhatParentsWantFromEmailsWithTheirPediatrician.PtEducAndCounseling....
Christner.WhatParentsWantFromEmailsWithTheirPediatrician.PtEducAndCounseling....Christner.WhatParentsWantFromEmailsWithTheirPediatrician.PtEducAndCounseling....
Christner.WhatParentsWantFromEmailsWithTheirPediatrician.PtEducAndCounseling....
 
Universidad de catolica de cuenca sede san la
Universidad de catolica de cuenca sede san laUniversidad de catolica de cuenca sede san la
Universidad de catolica de cuenca sede san la
 
Crimp terminals
Crimp terminalsCrimp terminals
Crimp terminals
 
Buffalo Storage Devices
Buffalo Storage DevicesBuffalo Storage Devices
Buffalo Storage Devices
 
stampede newsletter #6
stampede newsletter #6stampede newsletter #6
stampede newsletter #6
 
Justicia
JusticiaJusticia
Justicia
 
financial_benefits_elastic_core_acg
financial_benefits_elastic_core_acgfinancial_benefits_elastic_core_acg
financial_benefits_elastic_core_acg
 
Poster
PosterPoster
Poster
 

Similar to A review of nigerian tertiary institutions of learning and national transformation

Effect of Government Spending on the Nigerian Education
Effect of Government Spending on the Nigerian EducationEffect of Government Spending on the Nigerian Education
Effect of Government Spending on the Nigerian Education
ijtsrd
 
Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Co...
Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Co...Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Co...
Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Co...
ResearchWap
 
Education hub magazine 2
Education hub magazine 2Education hub magazine 2
Education hub magazine 2
Oginni Catherine
 
The role of academic institutions and Professional Bodies as strategies for ...
 The role of academic institutions and Professional Bodies as strategies for ... The role of academic institutions and Professional Bodies as strategies for ...
The role of academic institutions and Professional Bodies as strategies for ...
NSEAkure
 
An assessment of stakeholders’ perception of the implementation of universal ...
An assessment of stakeholders’ perception of the implementation of universal ...An assessment of stakeholders’ perception of the implementation of universal ...
An assessment of stakeholders’ perception of the implementation of universal ...Alexander Decker
 
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
paperpublications3
 
Development Administration and the Challenges of Neo-liberal Reforms in the E...
Development Administration and the Challenges of Neo-liberal Reforms in the E...Development Administration and the Challenges of Neo-liberal Reforms in the E...
Development Administration and the Challenges of Neo-liberal Reforms in the E...
RSIS International
 
An appraisal of the philosophy of nigerian education for sustainable liveliho...
An appraisal of the philosophy of nigerian education for sustainable liveliho...An appraisal of the philosophy of nigerian education for sustainable liveliho...
An appraisal of the philosophy of nigerian education for sustainable liveliho...
Alexander Decker
 
D272129
D272129D272129
Entrepeneural education in nigeria universities a recipe for national develop...
Entrepeneural education in nigeria universities a recipe for national develop...Entrepeneural education in nigeria universities a recipe for national develop...
Entrepeneural education in nigeria universities a recipe for national develop...
Alexander Decker
 
EDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN NIGERIA
EDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN NIGERIAEDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN NIGERIA
EDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN NIGERIA
paperpublications3
 
Challenges of human capacity development in federal universities in akwa ibom...
Challenges of human capacity development in federal universities in akwa ibom...Challenges of human capacity development in federal universities in akwa ibom...
Challenges of human capacity development in federal universities in akwa ibom...
Alexander Decker
 
Presenting a two way grid for assessment of quality assurance in higher educa...
Presenting a two way grid for assessment of quality assurance in higher educa...Presenting a two way grid for assessment of quality assurance in higher educa...
Presenting a two way grid for assessment of quality assurance in higher educa...
Alexander Decker
 
Tertiary education trust fund intervention on academic staff capacity buildin...
Tertiary education trust fund intervention on academic staff capacity buildin...Tertiary education trust fund intervention on academic staff capacity buildin...
Tertiary education trust fund intervention on academic staff capacity buildin...
Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn)
 
Formulation And Implementation Of Educational Policies In Nigeria
Formulation And Implementation Of Educational Policies In NigeriaFormulation And Implementation Of Educational Policies In Nigeria
Formulation And Implementation Of Educational Policies In NigeriaROCARE / ERNWACA
 
Curbing Candidates Desperate Desires for University Education against Other T...
Curbing Candidates Desperate Desires for University Education against Other T...Curbing Candidates Desperate Desires for University Education against Other T...
Curbing Candidates Desperate Desires for University Education against Other T...
inventionjournals
 
Influence of Accreditation on Physical Facilities and Quality Assurance in Ni...
Influence of Accreditation on Physical Facilities and Quality Assurance in Ni...Influence of Accreditation on Physical Facilities and Quality Assurance in Ni...
Influence of Accreditation on Physical Facilities and Quality Assurance in Ni...
YogeshIJTSRD
 
Higher institution students’ access to information and communications technol...
Higher institution students’ access to information and communications technol...Higher institution students’ access to information and communications technol...
Higher institution students’ access to information and communications technol...Alexander Decker
 
11.higher institution students’ access to information and communications tech...
11.higher institution students’ access to information and communications tech...11.higher institution students’ access to information and communications tech...
11.higher institution students’ access to information and communications tech...
Alexander Decker
 

Similar to A review of nigerian tertiary institutions of learning and national transformation (20)

Effect of Government Spending on the Nigerian Education
Effect of Government Spending on the Nigerian EducationEffect of Government Spending on the Nigerian Education
Effect of Government Spending on the Nigerian Education
 
Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Co...
Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Co...Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Co...
Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Co...
 
Education hub magazine 2
Education hub magazine 2Education hub magazine 2
Education hub magazine 2
 
The role of academic institutions and Professional Bodies as strategies for ...
 The role of academic institutions and Professional Bodies as strategies for ... The role of academic institutions and Professional Bodies as strategies for ...
The role of academic institutions and Professional Bodies as strategies for ...
 
An assessment of stakeholders’ perception of the implementation of universal ...
An assessment of stakeholders’ perception of the implementation of universal ...An assessment of stakeholders’ perception of the implementation of universal ...
An assessment of stakeholders’ perception of the implementation of universal ...
 
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH CORP MEMBERS IN TEACHING IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING...
 
Development Administration and the Challenges of Neo-liberal Reforms in the E...
Development Administration and the Challenges of Neo-liberal Reforms in the E...Development Administration and the Challenges of Neo-liberal Reforms in the E...
Development Administration and the Challenges of Neo-liberal Reforms in the E...
 
An appraisal of the philosophy of nigerian education for sustainable liveliho...
An appraisal of the philosophy of nigerian education for sustainable liveliho...An appraisal of the philosophy of nigerian education for sustainable liveliho...
An appraisal of the philosophy of nigerian education for sustainable liveliho...
 
D272129
D272129D272129
D272129
 
Entrepeneural education in nigeria universities a recipe for national develop...
Entrepeneural education in nigeria universities a recipe for national develop...Entrepeneural education in nigeria universities a recipe for national develop...
Entrepeneural education in nigeria universities a recipe for national develop...
 
Ab4301153156
Ab4301153156Ab4301153156
Ab4301153156
 
EDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN NIGERIA
EDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN NIGERIAEDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN NIGERIA
EDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN NIGERIA
 
Challenges of human capacity development in federal universities in akwa ibom...
Challenges of human capacity development in federal universities in akwa ibom...Challenges of human capacity development in federal universities in akwa ibom...
Challenges of human capacity development in federal universities in akwa ibom...
 
Presenting a two way grid for assessment of quality assurance in higher educa...
Presenting a two way grid for assessment of quality assurance in higher educa...Presenting a two way grid for assessment of quality assurance in higher educa...
Presenting a two way grid for assessment of quality assurance in higher educa...
 
Tertiary education trust fund intervention on academic staff capacity buildin...
Tertiary education trust fund intervention on academic staff capacity buildin...Tertiary education trust fund intervention on academic staff capacity buildin...
Tertiary education trust fund intervention on academic staff capacity buildin...
 
Formulation And Implementation Of Educational Policies In Nigeria
Formulation And Implementation Of Educational Policies In NigeriaFormulation And Implementation Of Educational Policies In Nigeria
Formulation And Implementation Of Educational Policies In Nigeria
 
Curbing Candidates Desperate Desires for University Education against Other T...
Curbing Candidates Desperate Desires for University Education against Other T...Curbing Candidates Desperate Desires for University Education against Other T...
Curbing Candidates Desperate Desires for University Education against Other T...
 
Influence of Accreditation on Physical Facilities and Quality Assurance in Ni...
Influence of Accreditation on Physical Facilities and Quality Assurance in Ni...Influence of Accreditation on Physical Facilities and Quality Assurance in Ni...
Influence of Accreditation on Physical Facilities and Quality Assurance in Ni...
 
Higher institution students’ access to information and communications technol...
Higher institution students’ access to information and communications technol...Higher institution students’ access to information and communications technol...
Higher institution students’ access to information and communications technol...
 
11.higher institution students’ access to information and communications tech...
11.higher institution students’ access to information and communications tech...11.higher institution students’ access to information and communications tech...
11.higher institution students’ access to information and communications tech...
 

More from Alexander Decker

Abnormalities of hormones and inflammatory cytokines in women affected with p...
Abnormalities of hormones and inflammatory cytokines in women affected with p...Abnormalities of hormones and inflammatory cytokines in women affected with p...
Abnormalities of hormones and inflammatory cytokines in women affected with p...Alexander Decker
 
A validation of the adverse childhood experiences scale in
A validation of the adverse childhood experiences scale inA validation of the adverse childhood experiences scale in
A validation of the adverse childhood experiences scale in
Alexander Decker
 
A usability evaluation framework for b2 c e commerce websites
A usability evaluation framework for b2 c e commerce websitesA usability evaluation framework for b2 c e commerce websites
A usability evaluation framework for b2 c e commerce websitesAlexander Decker
 
A universal model for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
A universal model for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banksA universal model for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
A universal model for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banksAlexander Decker
 
A unique common fixed point theorems in generalized d
A unique common fixed point theorems in generalized dA unique common fixed point theorems in generalized d
A unique common fixed point theorems in generalized dAlexander Decker
 
A trends of salmonella and antibiotic resistance
A trends of salmonella and antibiotic resistanceA trends of salmonella and antibiotic resistance
A trends of salmonella and antibiotic resistanceAlexander Decker
 
A transformational generative approach towards understanding al-istifham
A transformational  generative approach towards understanding al-istifhamA transformational  generative approach towards understanding al-istifham
A transformational generative approach towards understanding al-istifhamAlexander Decker
 
A time series analysis of the determinants of savings in namibia
A time series analysis of the determinants of savings in namibiaA time series analysis of the determinants of savings in namibia
A time series analysis of the determinants of savings in namibiaAlexander Decker
 
A therapy for physical and mental fitness of school children
A therapy for physical and mental fitness of school childrenA therapy for physical and mental fitness of school children
A therapy for physical and mental fitness of school childrenAlexander Decker
 
A theory of efficiency for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
A theory of efficiency for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banksA theory of efficiency for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
A theory of efficiency for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banksAlexander Decker
 
A systematic evaluation of link budget for
A systematic evaluation of link budget forA systematic evaluation of link budget for
A systematic evaluation of link budget forAlexander Decker
 
A synthetic review of contraceptive supplies in punjab
A synthetic review of contraceptive supplies in punjabA synthetic review of contraceptive supplies in punjab
A synthetic review of contraceptive supplies in punjabAlexander Decker
 
A synthesis of taylor’s and fayol’s management approaches for managing market...
A synthesis of taylor’s and fayol’s management approaches for managing market...A synthesis of taylor’s and fayol’s management approaches for managing market...
A synthesis of taylor’s and fayol’s management approaches for managing market...Alexander Decker
 
A survey paper on sequence pattern mining with incremental
A survey paper on sequence pattern mining with incrementalA survey paper on sequence pattern mining with incremental
A survey paper on sequence pattern mining with incrementalAlexander Decker
 
A survey on live virtual machine migrations and its techniques
A survey on live virtual machine migrations and its techniquesA survey on live virtual machine migrations and its techniques
A survey on live virtual machine migrations and its techniquesAlexander Decker
 
A survey on data mining and analysis in hadoop and mongo db
A survey on data mining and analysis in hadoop and mongo dbA survey on data mining and analysis in hadoop and mongo db
A survey on data mining and analysis in hadoop and mongo dbAlexander Decker
 
A survey on challenges to the media cloud
A survey on challenges to the media cloudA survey on challenges to the media cloud
A survey on challenges to the media cloudAlexander Decker
 
A survey of provenance leveraged
A survey of provenance leveragedA survey of provenance leveraged
A survey of provenance leveragedAlexander Decker
 
A survey of private equity investments in kenya
A survey of private equity investments in kenyaA survey of private equity investments in kenya
A survey of private equity investments in kenyaAlexander Decker
 
A study to measures the financial health of
A study to measures the financial health ofA study to measures the financial health of
A study to measures the financial health ofAlexander Decker
 

More from Alexander Decker (20)

Abnormalities of hormones and inflammatory cytokines in women affected with p...
Abnormalities of hormones and inflammatory cytokines in women affected with p...Abnormalities of hormones and inflammatory cytokines in women affected with p...
Abnormalities of hormones and inflammatory cytokines in women affected with p...
 
A validation of the adverse childhood experiences scale in
A validation of the adverse childhood experiences scale inA validation of the adverse childhood experiences scale in
A validation of the adverse childhood experiences scale in
 
A usability evaluation framework for b2 c e commerce websites
A usability evaluation framework for b2 c e commerce websitesA usability evaluation framework for b2 c e commerce websites
A usability evaluation framework for b2 c e commerce websites
 
A universal model for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
A universal model for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banksA universal model for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
A universal model for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
 
A unique common fixed point theorems in generalized d
A unique common fixed point theorems in generalized dA unique common fixed point theorems in generalized d
A unique common fixed point theorems in generalized d
 
A trends of salmonella and antibiotic resistance
A trends of salmonella and antibiotic resistanceA trends of salmonella and antibiotic resistance
A trends of salmonella and antibiotic resistance
 
A transformational generative approach towards understanding al-istifham
A transformational  generative approach towards understanding al-istifhamA transformational  generative approach towards understanding al-istifham
A transformational generative approach towards understanding al-istifham
 
A time series analysis of the determinants of savings in namibia
A time series analysis of the determinants of savings in namibiaA time series analysis of the determinants of savings in namibia
A time series analysis of the determinants of savings in namibia
 
A therapy for physical and mental fitness of school children
A therapy for physical and mental fitness of school childrenA therapy for physical and mental fitness of school children
A therapy for physical and mental fitness of school children
 
A theory of efficiency for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
A theory of efficiency for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banksA theory of efficiency for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
A theory of efficiency for managing the marketing executives in nigerian banks
 
A systematic evaluation of link budget for
A systematic evaluation of link budget forA systematic evaluation of link budget for
A systematic evaluation of link budget for
 
A synthetic review of contraceptive supplies in punjab
A synthetic review of contraceptive supplies in punjabA synthetic review of contraceptive supplies in punjab
A synthetic review of contraceptive supplies in punjab
 
A synthesis of taylor’s and fayol’s management approaches for managing market...
A synthesis of taylor’s and fayol’s management approaches for managing market...A synthesis of taylor’s and fayol’s management approaches for managing market...
A synthesis of taylor’s and fayol’s management approaches for managing market...
 
A survey paper on sequence pattern mining with incremental
A survey paper on sequence pattern mining with incrementalA survey paper on sequence pattern mining with incremental
A survey paper on sequence pattern mining with incremental
 
A survey on live virtual machine migrations and its techniques
A survey on live virtual machine migrations and its techniquesA survey on live virtual machine migrations and its techniques
A survey on live virtual machine migrations and its techniques
 
A survey on data mining and analysis in hadoop and mongo db
A survey on data mining and analysis in hadoop and mongo dbA survey on data mining and analysis in hadoop and mongo db
A survey on data mining and analysis in hadoop and mongo db
 
A survey on challenges to the media cloud
A survey on challenges to the media cloudA survey on challenges to the media cloud
A survey on challenges to the media cloud
 
A survey of provenance leveraged
A survey of provenance leveragedA survey of provenance leveraged
A survey of provenance leveraged
 
A survey of private equity investments in kenya
A survey of private equity investments in kenyaA survey of private equity investments in kenya
A survey of private equity investments in kenya
 
A study to measures the financial health of
A study to measures the financial health ofA study to measures the financial health of
A study to measures the financial health of
 

A review of nigerian tertiary institutions of learning and national transformation

  • 1. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.5, No.16, 2014 1 A Review of Nigerian Tertiary Institutions of Learning and National Transformation Christina T. Audu1* Ajibola A. Lukman2* Mohammed Nyah N3* Department of Integrated Science, Department of Educational Foundations and Department of Early Care Childhood Education, C.O.E, Zing, P.M.B. 1021, Taraba State, Nigeria Email:lajibola8@gmail.com Abstract The paper examines the status quo of Nigerian tertiary institutions of learning in the light of the ongoing national transformation. It could be said that national development remained main target of many administrations in the history of Nigeria. The paper contends that education is a weapon with which national development could be attained through inculcation of right attitudes and social interaction towards addressing the intricacy of national disintegration. To this end, tertiary institutions of learning hold a sensitive key to formation and transformation of our nationhood. When education is generally considered as a mechanism for development, the paper argues that tertiary education teaches learners to be transformative agents in order to sustain the development. In lieu of this, the paper concludes that tertiary education is a functional tool in achieving national transformation in Nigeria supposedly is properly funded and monitored towards blending and interfacing local wisdom with global knowledge, values and skills, which will equip the student to become a citizen of this country as well as a citizen of the global village. Keywords: tertiary education, national transformation, national development 1. Introduction Nigeria’s President won the 2011 Federal Government elections on the groundswell of popular support, and the promise of a transformation agenda. Transformation is a strong word that portends a radical, structural and fundamental reappraisal of the basic assumptions that underlie our reforms and developmental efforts. The challenge before government is how to move the nation away from an oil-dominated economy, institute the basics for a private-sector driven economy, build the local economy on international best practices, transform a passive oil industry to a more pro-active one, and restructure the country along the lines of a more decentralized federalism. But beyond this, there is a scourge of corruption that has stunted the growth and development of young people; especially the students, which has contributed to the management and leadership challenges such as building an efficient and effective polity, inspiring a shared vision, remodelling a corrupt polity, building character and integrity in our leaders, redefining the imperatives of transformational leadership, and creating the Nigerian dream that will inspire patriotism and commitment in the citizenry. However, the recent findings on the state of higher education in Nigeria as conducted by the World Bank and UNESCO in 2006 had confirmed the degradation of the Nigerian educational system. In the 80s Nigeria was a country that produced world-class university graduates that could compete with their counterparts around the world and hard work was their watchword. Today, we only produce the worst set of uneducated tertiary graduates that cannot structure a simple sentence. For instance, the minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, while delivering an address at the second Prof. Bart Nnaji biannual lecture series at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology said that graduates from the country’s higher institution of learning were not employable. This is because Nigerian higher institutions were plagued by inadequate science and technological facilities and materials for practical skills development and the country was shunning out thousands of unemployable science and technology graduates each year. ` Odekunle (2012) blamed the political class for the corruption in Nigeria which stunted the development of the youth. He also identified incessant disputes, brain-drain in the academia, under-funding or poor financing of education, cultism, corruption and abuse of trust as some of the major challenges facing the educational sector. He therefore, advocated a return to sound moral and family values as a means of renewing commitment and patriotism among Nigerians. In lieu of the above, national transformation needs functional institutions of learning that will equip Nigerian youths required skills for transformational agenda. This is because tertiary institution of learning occupies a central and primary place serving the functions of teaching, learning and research in the creation of new knowledge, promotion of current information in professional practice and transmission to posterity of the learning and culture of the present and past age (LawaI, 2004). 2. An Overview of Tertiary Institutions of Learning in Nigeria The current state of education in Nigeria even in this 21st century leaves much to be desired. There is a general
  • 2. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.5, No.16, 2014 2 neglect and decay of educational facilities at all levels of education in Nigeria occasioned by the long standing culture of poor funding of education by successive governments in Nigeria. This situation prompted the comment in the editorial of the Guardian (2007, May, 25) that there must be something anti-intellectual about the policies and allocation of resources in our country especially under past military governments, sadly, the civilian administrations have not fared any better. Still commenting on the same issue especially in the face of the proposal of the Federal Government to establish six more Federal Universities in Nigeria, the Punch (2010, November, 18) observed that: “From the 1990s to date funding of tertiary education has been problematic as successive governments showed marked preference for other priorities and corruption became endemic. Budgetary allocation has declined to the extent that universities and other tertiary institutions are barely able to pay the salaries and allowances of personnel, libraries, laboratories and engineering workshops have long been in decay with the result that most products of the nation’s tertiary institutions lack the intellectual preparation and critical skills required to drive the development process in any sphere of national life”. The Nigerian tertiary institutions of learning are far too ill-equipped to train and develop new graduates suitable for the 21st century, their products are mediocre. Analysis of the situation point to the extreme level of infrastructural as well as pedagogical deficiency in Nigerian Universities, this being the result of underfunding of public universities (Nwakanma, 2010). Sanni (2010) while commenting on the Nigerian content Act passed in 2010 to regulate the activities of the Nigerian content Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), lamented that so far the effect of the law is not yet felt in Nigeria. This is because the International Oil Companies (IOCs) are reluctant to comply with it. They complain that Nigerian graduate engineers required in the industry do not have the basic engineering knowledge and skills largely due to inadequate training in the Universities. It is perhaps in the light of such deficiencies that Okecha (2008) and Peretemode (2010) decried the very poor level of funding of Nigerian education and universities and referred to the world universities ranking in which Nigeria Universities did not feature at all. African Universities were also ranked at the continental level in 2007 and this revealed that the first Top 8 African universities are located in South Africa. Among Africa's Top 100 universities, twenty are based in South Africa, 16 from Egypt and 10 from Morocco. Only four of Nigerian Universities, featured among the 100 universities in the 44th - Obafemi Awolowo University, 65th , University of Ibadan, 79th University of Benin and University of Lagos in the 96th position trailing far and miserably behind universities in some African countries such as Egypt, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Namibia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Morocco. (Okecha, 2008). While decrying the poor state of education in Nigeria and the resultant effect on Nigeria, Ibrahim (2009) lamented that Nigeria was losing quite a huge sum of foreign exchange because of applicants seeking foreign university education. He hereby gave a comparison of universities in Nigeria and Britain, noting that in an average British university, all facilities are available for research with libraries having the latest books on different subjects unlike in Nigeria. The Nation (2010, November, 23) its editorial observed as follows: “A recent report claimed that Nigerians are among the largest foreign students in the United States and Britain. Nigerians are also moving in large numbers to study in Ghana, other European and Asian universities ... but this is at a cost. For instance, a recent report suggests that Nigerian students spend N 137 billion to acquire education in Britain and the United States alone in the last two years”. To say that the state of education at all levels in Nigeria is miserably poor is an understatement. Infrastructure is at abysmally low level, students are crowded in hostels and lecture rooms like animals, necessary equipment machinery and current journals are absent (The Nation, 2010, November, 23). Furthermore, while expressing anger over plans by the Federal government to scrap colleges of education and polytechnics in Nigeria, the union of colleges argued strongly that government's poor attitude towards the teaching profession has affected the quality of teaching and teaching practice in the country. It is clear from the policy summersaults and ad hoc measures" that government is largely responsible for the failing in the education subsector, (The Guardian, 2010, November, 30). While delivering his inaugural lecture titled, "What is Higher in Higher Education", Peretomode, (2010), was emphatic in his submission that the library should be given priority in funding in tertiary institutions of learning. This is because, for the educational institution to be strong academically, the library which is the heart of the college or university must be strong. He noted that the top universities in the world have strong libraries. For example, Harvard university library consists of 80 individual libraries and has over 15 million volumes of books thereby priding itself as the largest academic library in the world. This is the case with all the topmost universities in the world. Also, the University of California, Berkeley's library has 10 million volumes of books and 70,000 serial titles, Stanford university library has 8 million volumes of books and 19 libraries. However, in Africa, the University of Cape Town (South Africa) has one main library and 9 branch libraries containing 1.5 million volumes and over 27,000 journals titles. All these when compared with the situation in
  • 3. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.5, No.16, 2014 3 Nigeria where the premier university of Ibadan which was ranked 65th among universities in Africa has one million volumes of books, 60,000 journals and subscription to 20 databases, gives a rather gloomy and discouraging picture of the state of the other tertiary institutions in Nigeria as regards their libraries. Thus, if the present state of the tertiary institutions of learning in Nigeria is left unturned, Nigeria and Nigerians may not compete with other countries of world economically, technologically, politically and otherwise. 3. Nigerian Institutions of Learning and National Transformation Arising from the goals of tertiary education, the National Policy on Education (2004) specifies that university education will make optimum contribution to national development by: Intensifying and diversifying its programmes for the development of high level manpower within the context of the needs of the nation, thereby; 1) Making professional courses contents to reflect our national requirements; 2) Making all students as part of a general programme of all-round improvement in university education to offer general study course such as history of ideas, philosophy of knowledge and nationalism. 4) University research shall be relevant to the nation's developmental goals. In this regard, tertiary institutions of learning shall be encouraged to disseminate their research results to both government and industries, in the opinion of Okebukola (2009), in a developed society characterized by developed economics to which Nigeria aspires; higher education plays a key role. It provides high level human resources for driving the economy and ensures rapid societal transformation. The greater the opportunity given to the citizenry for higher education, the more expansive the horizon for rapid socio-economic development. The tertiary institutions of learning are at the forefront of this mandate of production of the necessary manpower for national transformation since they provide the higher level manpower required for national development. Aguolu (2002) noted that the tertiary institutions of learning are the heart of the societal development. It is equally true that the academic health, intellectual vitality and effectiveness of any university depend largely upon the excellence of its funding which is its lifeblood. It is obvious from the foregoing that Nigerian tertiary institutions of learning have always had the mandate to produce higher level manpower for national development. Harbison and Myers (1964) opined that national development is the transformation of all aspects of life of a society - cultural, social, political and economic. Thus a well-developed nation is usually associated with high income per capital, many employment opportunities, availability of cheap food and other necessary human requirements, better roads, housing, water, advancement, among others. This goes to buttress the opinion of Todaro (2009) and Onokerhoraye and Okafor (2004) that development is a multi-dimensional process involving changes in structures, attitudes and institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and the eradication of absolute poverty and a high birth rate. Being the central focus of this paper, tertiary institution of learning is a key factor in the national transformation agenda of this administration. It could be affirmed that Nigeria is no longer stranger to economic reforms. For instance, before the 1980s, the reforms were purely in the form of extended national perspective plans that attempted to mobilize human, material and natural resources of the nation to achieve goals of national life. There was the 1962-68 Plan, then the 1970-1974 Plan, the 1975-1980 Plan, and the 1981-1985 Plan. Often, these Plans went beyond mere economic prescriptions to address social, human and political goals. Thus, the 1970-74 Plan defined the national objectives to be the building of: a) A united, strong and self-reliant nation; b) A great and dynamic economy; c) A just and egalitarian society; d) A land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens; and, e) A free and democratic society. In implementation, these Plans hardly involved any fundamental restructuring of the national economy. They were in the main monetarist prescriptions that did little or nothing to address the structural and fundamental distortions in the economic, social and political life of the nation. By the 1980s the need for reforms paved the way for the Stabilization/Austerity Measures of the Shagari Administration. The sharp drop in the international spot market price for oil resulted in plummeting national revenues, putting in dire peril all the budgetary projections and planning for the period. The hurried and fire-brigade approach to the emerging problem, failed to address the root causes of a national economy in great distress and fundamental disequilibrium. In 1986, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was introduced by the Babangida Administration to address the fundamental and structural imbalance in the economy, diversify the economy, strengthen the currency, and build a viable, sustainable industrial infrastructure upon which real economic growth and development can be founded. The reform exercise rested on a tripod of measures: Liberalization of foreign exchange transactions, Rationalization of public sector agencies and parastatals, and Optimization of the capacity for domestic production and stimulation of non-oil exports. Next in the line was the Vision 2010 introduced by Abacha Administration in 1998. The aim was to “develop a
  • 4. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.5, No.16, 2014 4 blueprint that will transform the country and place it firmly on the route to becoming a developed nation by the year 2010" (Vision 2010 Report, 1998). The general objective was to transform the country into “a united, industrious, caring and God-fearing democratic society, committed to making the basic needs of life affordable for everyone, and creating Africa’s leading economy”. The Policy projected that by 2010, the Nigerian people would re-discover themselves and revert to being God-conscious and God-fearing, caring, sincere, honest, accountable in their dealing with public trust, and proud of their country and heritage. In 2004, the Obasanjo Administration introduced NEEDS - National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy. The NEEDS reform programme rested on four key strategies (NEEDS, 2004): ▪ Reforming Government and Institutions; ▪ Growing the Private Sector; ▪ Implementing a Social Charter; ▪ Value Re-Orientation. The complimentary tools for the realization of the above goals included Pension Reforms, Energy and Power Reforms that led to the desegregation of NEPA into 18 successor companies, the GSM Telecommunications Reform, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the Corrupt and Allied Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Reforms in the Financial Sector. With the advent of the Yar’Adua Administration in 2007, the Federal Government articulated the 7-point Agenda for national development. The policy thrust revolved around the seven-point contract of that Administration with the Nigerian people: Energy, Education, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Wealth Creation and Poverty Alleviation, Land Reforms, and Security. The point was further made, that these reforms would catapult Nigeria to the rank of one of the 20 most developed countries of the world by the year 2020. On April 16, 2011, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan won a pan-Nigerian mandate that swept through the North and South of the nation. He ran on a promise to radically transform the nation and overhaul every aspect of the national life. The Transformation Agenda Final Report defines the goal of the reform exercise in these words: During 2011-2015, the policies and programmes directed at addressing governance will focus on the public service, security, law and order, the legislature, anti-corruption measures and institutions, the judiciary, economic coordination, and support for private investment... These will be addressed through the implementation of the recommendations ... in the areas of public service reforms, judicial reform, anti-corruption initiative, electoral reform, land use reform, fiscal management reforms, power sector reform, police reform, financial sector reform, infra- structural development reform, and information and communication technology (p. 51; Cited by Asobia, 2012). On the close examination, it seems that the NEEDS provided the common denominator upon which the 7-point Agenda, the Vision 20 2020, and the Transformation Agenda rest. The expectation was that all the above reform measures would culminate in the fulfilling of the 2001 Kuru Declaration: To build a truly great African, democratic country, politically united, integrated and stable, economically prosperous, socially organized, with equal opportunity for all, and responsibility from all, to become the catalyst of [African] Renaissance, and making adequate all-embracing contributions, sub-regionally, regionally and globally (NEEDS: viii, 2004). Sadly, after more than fifty years of policy reforms, Nigeria has painfully remained: i) A public-sector led economy with a bloated government presence in every facet of national life; ii) A nation with very weak private sector which has grown a “rent-seeking and unproductive culture of over- dependence on government patronage and contracts, with little or no value added” (Harneit-Sievers, 2004); iii) A mono-crop economy with preponderant influence of one commodity in determining the nation’s revenue- expenditure profile and the balance of payment position; iv) An extractive and primary economy that produced unrefined raw materials for export, either in the form of agricultural products or crude oil. Manufacturing was at a very rudimentary stage, and industrialization remained an inconsequential factor in the nation’s economic equation; v) A nation without an effective industrial infrastructure for economic take-off - no petro-chemical industry to fuel the industrialization process, no effective iron and steel complex to produce flat steel, a deficient power and energy sector, insecure and inhospitable environment, and poor communications; vi) An economy with a weak and tottering national currency that was the whipping boy of the international financial community. The mandate to reform and transform Nigeria has been most emphatically communicated in the majesty of the democratic process. The dream is for bold and audacious transformation programme that will radically, fundamentally, structurally and massively transform the national economy, reinvent the politics of our nation, secure the polity, care for the underprivileged, and provide responsible, responsive and credible leadership to Africa’s largest and most promising economy.
  • 5. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.5, No.16, 2014 5 The above discussion points to the fact that education must inculcate core values of the land into the learners because it could be affirmed that men without values constitute a blot on the nation’s psyche, in the case of tertiary institutions of learning: A Teacher without proper values will sell grades for sex and money; an Engineer without sound values will build roads and utilities that will neither endure nor give real service; an Architect without values will design buildings that will collapse and kill their occupants; a Judge without values would be a stranger to justice, selling and buying ex-parte motions, and standing fair conduct on its head; a Politician without values will be an opportunist in the corridors of power - greedy, malevolent, deceitful, master of double speak, dishonest and above all, dangerous to the nation’s well-being; and, an Accountant without values will substitute “expediency for priority, imitation for innovation, cosmetics for character, style for substance, and pretence for competence” (Covey, 2003). 5. Recommendations From the foregoing, the following recommendations are offered: 1) The Nigerian government must urgently mainstream tertiary institutions of learning in the education sector of the NV 2020 project in order to demonstrate seriousness in developing the necessary quality manpower to achieve its goals. This is the only way by which the NV 2020 project can be a driving force for the national transformation; 2) Government at all levels in Nigeria should change its poor attitude towards the funding of education especially at tertiary level. There should be massive injection of funds into the education sector; 3) That the display of ignorance by the government and people of Nigeria about the importance of education to national transformation should be changed radically. In this regard, mass media in Nigeria should mount aggressive enlightenment campaigns to enlighten the general public at all levels on the importance of education to the national transformation. 4) There is the need for a special National Policy on Information to be put in place by the government of Nigeria, so as to awaken the consciousness of all Nigerians to the importance of tertiary institutions of learning and research institutes to national transformation. This could be done through massive publicity in both the print and electronic media. 5) For the purpose of achieving the NV 2020 project, the government of Nigeria at all levels must rise to the occasion and do all it takes to bring tertiary education and the academic libraries in Nigeria up to the standards of the topmost economies of the world by providing the necessary funding and infrastructure. All that the government has been doing wrongly or failing to do in this regard should be corrected after a necessary study of the inputs being made in this regard by advanced countries. 6) The Education Tax Fund (ETF), has been giving financial support to tertiary institutions and other relevant institutions and their libraries to enable them develop better. These funds should be strictly utilized for the purpose. A situation where such funds are being diverted to other uses in some of the institutions will not augur well for the accelerated development of academic libraries. The utilization of funds should be closely monitored by ETF so that they can support the massive funding required for the national transformation. 7) For national transformation agenda to be realistic there is need for a genuinely interested leader in serving rather than being served. 8) Nigerians deserve a leader with the ability to create the vision, inspire and motivate followers, and through consistent, persistent and focussed guidance, empower individuals to achieve results greater than they ever imagined. 9) At this point of lives, Nigerians need a leader who will unite us rather than divide us, ennobles rather than demean us, truly transforms rather than deform us - who will diligently search out and celebrate subordinates better than himself. 10) Nigeria politicians are expected to model what they preach, and claim to leadership on the force of their convictions, the elegance and style of their performance on the job, and the integrity of life and practice. The mandate Nigerians gave to this Administration for transformation of the polity is one that seeks for the style of governance that will: ▶ Recreate our value system as a people - replacing patronage appointment with an insistence on merit, and restoring the moral tone of our public officers; ▶ Inculcate a healthy work ethic in the citizenry - developing the individual worker intellectually and equipping him to do a good job, providing efficient supervisory and management skills at the workplace, selection and placement of staff on merit rather than on nepotic and ethnic considerations, and a fair reward-incentive scheme that motivates; ▶ Resolve our national identity crisis by forging one united people out of the diverse ethnic nationalities that comprise our nation. One of the enduring wonders of our age remains how the United States has become a melting pot of different nationalities living together just as Americans, notwithstanding the fierce nationalistic struggle and rivalry that described their past. Today, whether they are Italian-
  • 6. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.5, No.16, 2014 6 Americans, German-Americans, Anglo-Americans, or Afro-Americans, they all have one proud heritage as Americans. Perhaps, the best gift any Nigerian leader can bequeath to his countrymen today is to forge one united nation and people out of the disparate peoples of Nigeria. ▶ Lead the nation in a deliberate and determined battle against corruption. Corruption has penetrated the warp and woof of the Nigerian society. The boss and his messenger, the police officer and the recruit, the classroom teacher and his student, the politician and the voter, the judge and the lawyer, the pastor and his parishioner - none can remain untainted by this stigma. The greed of the ruling class, plays upon the poverty of the larger majority of the people to perpetuate this scourge. Unfortunately, the battle against corruption is being prosecuted by men who are not morally qualified to lead in the crusade. Success in this battle demands on the part of the leader, commitment, sincerity, and consistency, and must be pursued relentlessly, no matter whose ox is gored. ▶ Redefine our national priority in favour of hard-work, diligence, honesty and patriotism. So long as people make it because of their connections, so long as tribe and old school ties are the basis for progress in public service, so long will all the talk about National Rebirth and Reorientation, be mere talk. We must build a system that respects excellence. No country ever went to the moon, or transformed into a developed economy by federal character. Excellence must become our national motto, if we are to remain relevant in the new millennium. ▶ Unleash the creative potential of our people. This will mean encouraging challenges to current ways of thinking and doing, establishment of goals that explicitly contain creative components, cultivating an attitude of focussed freedom to apply natural and acquired skills in a defined area of activity, and associating creative efforts with specific evaluative domains. 6. Conclusion The task of transforming the Nigerian nation from socio-political and economic perspective requires more than the hard factors of growth and development. Also needed, are the soft factors of management and leadership skills to be imbedded in our students especially at tertiary levels. Rightly has it been said that there are no under- developed countries; only under-managed ones. The need of the hour is for transformational leaders able to articulate their vision, possessing assessment skills, communication abilities, and at the same time very sensitive to the skill deficiencies of the graduates turning out from our tertiary institutions of learning. Therefore, tertiary education is crucial to national development and national transformation of current administration. References Aguolu, C.C. (2002). Libraries and Information Management in Nigeria. Maiduguri: Ed- Linform Services. Asobia A. (2012). “Challenges of Governance: Need for Transformational Leadership”, Presented at National Conference of ANAN, Held at Abuja, October 9. Covey (2012) Chairman’s Remarks on the Challenges of Governance: Need for Transformational Leadership”,Presented at ANAN National Conference, held at Abuja, October 9. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004): National Policy on Education (4th ed) Yaba, Lagos: NERDC Press. The Guardian (2007, May, 25). Nigeria Universities and World Ranking. P. 14. The Guardian (2010, November, 30). Scrapping Colleges of Education and Polytechnics? P.14. Harbison, F. & Myers, C. (1964). Education, Manpower and Economic Growth: Strategies of Human Resource Development. New York: McGraw-Hill. Harneit-Sievers, G. (2004) “Human Development” in Osisioma B. C. (ed.) Transformation for National Development. Lagos: ANAN Pub. Human Rights Commission (2007), “What is Good Governance?” Ibrahim (2009) Electoral Reforms and Good Governance: Path to a New Dawn”, Presented at Inauguration of Governor of Anambra State, Awka, March 16. Lawal, 0.0. (2004, June). Libraries as Tools for Education Development. Paper presented at the National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Library Association, Akure, Nigeria. Nwakanma, O. (2010, November, 21). The South-East and Its Universities. Sunday Vanguard, p.17. Odekunle (2012) The South-East and Its Universities. Sunday Vanguard, p.17. Okebukola, P. (2009, April, 29). Education Reform Imperatives for Achieving Vision 20:2020. The Guardian, p.36 Okecha, S.A. (2008). The Nigerian University: An Ivory Tower With Neither Ivory Nor Tower. Owerri: Edu-Edy Publications. Onokerhoraye, A.G. & Okafor, F.e. (1994). Rural Development and Planning for Africa. Benin City:University of Benin Press. Peretomode, V.F. (2010). What is Higher in Higher Education? Abraka: Delta State University Press. The Punch (2010, November, 18). On-Federal Government's Proposed Universities. The Punch, p. 14.
  • 7. Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.5, No.16, 2014 7 Sanni, O. (2011, January, 4). Nigerian Content: Not Yet Uhuru for Indigenous Operators. Nigerian Tribune, p. 20. Todaro, M. (2009). Economics of a Developing World. London: Longman. World Bank/UNESCO (2006) Higher Education in Developing Countries: Peril and Promise. Report of the Independent World Bank/UNESCO Task Force. Washington, DC.
  • 8. The IISTE is a pioneer in the Open-Access hosting service and academic event management. The aim of the firm is Accelerating Global Knowledge Sharing. More information about the firm can be found on the homepage: http://www.iiste.org CALL FOR JOURNAL PAPERS There are more than 30 peer-reviewed academic journals hosted under the hosting platform. Prospective authors of journals can find the submission instruction on the following page: http://www.iiste.org/journals/ All the journals articles are available online to the readers all over the world without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. Paper version of the journals is also available upon request of readers and authors. MORE RESOURCES Book publication information: http://www.iiste.org/book/ Recent conferences: http://www.iiste.org/conference/ IISTE Knowledge Sharing Partners EBSCO, Index Copernicus, Ulrich's Periodicals Directory, JournalTOCS, PKP Open Archives Harvester, Bielefeld Academic Search Engine, Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek EZB, Open J-Gate, OCLC WorldCat, Universe Digtial Library , NewJour, Google Scholar