Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,143,272 members, 7,780,612 topics. Date: Thursday, 28 March 2024 at 05:36 PM

Private Universities Vs Government Universities; My Experience - Education - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Education / Private Universities Vs Government Universities; My Experience (1279 Views)

Why Many Nigerian Private Universities May Go Extinct In The Next Decade / FG Approves Six New Private Universities (names) / Private Universities That Are Not Owned By Religious Institutions. (2) (3) (4)

(1) (Reply) (Go Down)

Private Universities Vs Government Universities; My Experience by Nobody: 8:18am On Apr 28, 2016
I have been a regular visitor on nairaland for almost a year now, and when I read posts and comments where people talk authoritatively about what they know little or nothing of, I just shake my head. Why people fail to get their facts right before making authoritative statements is one thing I don't understand. Now, I registered on nairaland recently just to correct some wrong impressions which people have about private universities in Nigeria using my personal experience as examples.
I attended OAU, where I bagged a diploma certificate in Local Government with upper credit. I am curently a first class 400level student in a reputable private university in the South West and so I know a lot about issues relating to university education.
Some of the wrong impressions people have are analysed and clarified below.
1. ONLY RICH PARENTS CAN AFFORD THE FEES: Many people have this impression that an average Nigerian parent cannot afford the fees charged in private universities. I for one, come from an "average Nigerian family". My Dad is a retired teacher, mum is a mid level staff in a federal hospital and they earn very little monthly. My school fees and other expenses in a session runs to about N900,000. My parent are only able to pay my fees timely because they set aside a significant portion of their salaries monthly for it. Loans from cooperative societies also help in making sure i don't lack anything in school.
It is important to point out that most of these private universities allow installmental payment of fees. This shows that an average income family should be able to afford the fees paid in some of these schools if it plans properly
2. ONLY DULLARDS ATTEND PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES: I am not a dullard. In fact, I am a very good student. My UTME score was high enough to have gotten me into any federal university on merit if I had chosen one. This is not to say private universities do not have students who are poor academically. Governmnent universities have students who are poor academically as well. Brilliant students aplenty in private universities just like they are in government universities.
3. GRADUATES OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES CAN ONLY GET JOBS THROUGH CONNECTIONS: Connections may get you through the door for an interview just like your qualifications, but to get the job, you must have something in your head to offer the employer. Using myself as an example, I am currently a first class student, I passed my exam for NIM graduate membership certificate few months ago, I have a certificate in CRM, and I am currently studying to obtain an international certificate on project management from EC Council. With all these, I can get through the door for an interview with a serious employer even if I don't have any connections. Trust me, I have enough in my head to offer any employer who gives me the opportunity. Many of my course mates have more qualifications than all these listed above. This is because there is a conducive environment for it in my university. The university encourages you to acquire more knowledge by creating the environment for it.
4. STUDENTS DO NOT FAIL IN PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES: Students fail here a lot. There are students who have spent more than seven years in this school. Many have been advised to withdraw. Many are on probation.
5. IT IS EASY TO GRADUATE WITH A FIRST CLASS: My department produced two first class graduates last session, but there was no first class for three consecutive sessions before that. I am a first class student but I am not the best student in the department. There are two students whose cgpa are better than mine and these girls can compete with any student on a first class in any government university. Students only perform better here because there are better facilities. When I was in OAU, I know how students struggle to get seats in lecture theatres. Amphi theatre, Ajose, HSLT, ODLT 1 and 2, Chemistry oven etc are always filled up. How do you expect the best from students who got to class at 7:30 for an 8 o clock lecture only to get seats at d back. Students strain their ears in the classes and yet they find it hard to hear. I don't know if things have changed now, but Chemistry oven was an "oven" with no fan or AC back then. In phy 107 practical classes, you see more than seven students huddled around a retort stand to get a glimpse of what is being titrated. The opposite of all these is the case in private universities.
I know many people will ask why I could only graduate with an upper credit in OAU while I am now a first class student. The simple reason is that I decided to up my game by putting in more effort.

2 Likes

Re: Private Universities Vs Government Universities; My Experience by Elxandre(m): 9:11am On Apr 28, 2016
Don't even bother compelling them to listen to the voice of reason.

Nigerians always hate what they can't afford, and have a compulsion to engage in needless superiority battles.

They'll keep hailing their alma mater as better than any private school, but they can't even point out a notable research or discovery their school has made despite the 'astonishing' number of 'professors' they have.

We all know by now that dull students abound everywhere, as confirmed by the OAU student who didn't even know the use of punctuation nor could spell better than a primary school kid. (I'm talking about the guy that created a thread bashing private universities a few days ago.)
Dude even hailed himself as 'brilliant' grin

These same superiority complex ensured the total marginalization of HND graduates today.


I heard Private secondary schools were detested years ago, but every capable parent knows better.
I foresee this happening to universities in a decade or two.
Re: Private Universities Vs Government Universities; My Experience by adelawn: 9:13am On Apr 28, 2016
Ur fact is skew,u can still compare the standard of both institution and being mindful of the fact that u did a diploma program not a degree program so u are not privy to both
Re: Private Universities Vs Government Universities; My Experience by Nobody: 9:28am On Apr 28, 2016
Lame analysis.
Re: Private Universities Vs Government Universities; My Experience by sweet7oyin(m): 10:49am On Apr 28, 2016
Lol...ur high jamb score must be after u finnish ur diploma...are u trying to say dey av equal standards

(1) (Reply)

Do You Know The "O" In BODMAS Doesn't Mean Of / Get Your Undoubtable 100% Success In Gmat, Gre, Toefl, Sat, Cgfns / Free Waec Gce Expo Answer For All Subject

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 28
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.