Poor funding undermining varsities’ ranking globally, says Ex- FUTA VC
FVice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure ( FUTA), Prof Adebisi Balogun, has challenged stakeholders in the nation’s education sector and other wealthy Nigerians to assist government in the area of funding higher institutions, saying no government can fund the sector alone.
In his keynote address at the 14th convocation ceremony of Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State, Balogun noted that poor funding of education has negatively impacted the ranking of the country’s higher institutions globally.
In the lecture, titled ‘ Governance and insecurity: Key issues involved in the management of higher education institutions in Nigeria,’ Balogun said with the proliferation of universities, it is imperative that issues of underfunding be properly addressed.
He said: “It is clearly established that all public universities are poorly funded in Nigeria compared to other countries in Africa, and even some countries in West Africa. While Nigeria budgets are in average of 5.1 per cent for education, countries like South Africa, Togo, Senegal, Namibia and Ghana budgeted an average of 18.4, 20.4, 21.1, 24.8 and 31 per cent respectively for education.” He said the continuous low performance of Nigeria varsities on the global ranking ladder exposed how stakeholders and the government have failed to embrace the responsibility of funding for better system.
He said: “Must we continue to have models where the Federal or state government is responsible for funding universities? Gone are those days when we have a number of bursaries and scholarships, but these days, it is very difficult. So, when we are talking about funding, stakeholders should be involved.” Balogun also expressed concern over poor governance and insecurity, saying they are impeding internalisation of the country’s higher institutions.