I have in the past, written comprehensively on how we can solve the Agbero issues in Nigeria. Let me be the first to say that there are no singular solutions, but we can ONLY put forward templates and ideas.

- Where my ideas come from?
In choosing tertiary institutions in the Western hemisphere, there are many things that students and parents consider.
1. Are you smart? [/b]If you are a super intelligent student, you consider certain schools because you have a high chance of getting in. If not, you pick other schools....we call them safe schools. Schools like you overqualify for, and you will almost definitely get admission
[b]2. Cost - Some people get into Top schools and choose not to go there because the financial package was not the best. So not all students that got into Harvard attend Harvard. Some choose universities based on financial packages.
3. Amenities, Social Programs, Food, and so on - Surprisingly, people pick schools for many other reasons too...Football, Basketball programs, Food, Party school, Nice auditorium, Fraternity, Sorority, Proximity to home, and Legacy...My Dad went there, so I must.

In Nigeria, students pick schools randomly in most cases...because we rarely visit them or look them up on websites, pick courses, take JAMB, and then figure out how to pay for them or figure out later if its the best fit. Let me say, we start everything backward.

Solution
- Cost of Tuition: Should be pegged to Inflation. As materials and cost of living go up, tuition costs should go up. This is typical in normal countries. An average Fed University should cost about N500k per year. Top courses like Engineering and Medicine should cost N750k or more for Tier 1 Universities like UI, OAU and UNN.. Tier 2 Universities can cost N100k less per annum, so students will have options to attend other universities based on costs. Engineering and Medicine will take 25% - 30% differential in their tuitions to buy equipment annually. Their lecturers should also get paid more. Basic Salary and you can call the extra stipend - Courses of National Importance LOL

- Loans and Scholarships - About 10-20% of the tuition collected should be made available to students as Scholarships, so the very brightest of students can have the opportunity to attend high-tuition Tier 1 universities or continue their education if they are on track to finish with 1st class. Federal Loans or Bank loans backed by Federal Govt will be available to all students and tied to performance. If you are on track to drop out, you will lose your loans or will not get access to more loans. Your transcript cannot be retrieved unless loans are paid in FULL if you plan to travel abroad or further at the Grad Level. Students should, however be able to get their certificates. Exceptions can be made for students to travel overseas and pay, but I would not suggest that initially. Jobs should be encouraged to pay off student loans or factor that in salary negotiations.

- Amenities, Food, Dorms - 20-25% of the funds from the new tuition should be used to build a Library, Internet services, Portable Water and Electricity, Dorms, Workers' accommodation (subsidized housing) and Amenities that can be rented to students and maintained by the school to earn more money. Students can also work at these dorms and amenities to subsidize their funding if they qualify for work-study which should be determined in Years 3 and more...not for years 1 and 2.

The rest of the funds from the tuition should be for Salaries and salaries should be pegged to Inflation, so Tertiary instructors get paid great wages, and should never go on strive, because their wage increases are tied to inflation, so negotiations are not needed. If Inflation is above 5% annually, there should be a limit to the wages and tuition increases...and it should not exceed 5% annually.

So you might have school tuition, for example, go from N200k up to N500k for History Course.
10 - 20% of tuition will go to scholarships - N50k - N100k
20 - 25% of tuition per student will go to Amenities like Books, Internet - N100k - N125k

So the increase from N200k to N500k, about N150k - N225k will still go to scholarships and amenities, subsidized housing and so on for Staffs
The extra of about N75k to N150k increase in tuition will go into Increase salaries, so lecturers can earn as much as N500k - N1m and less if they are living in Staff accommodation, which will be deducted from tuition.

Based on their salary scale and length of services, they will have access to housing and car loans, further stimulating other parts of the Economy.

F[b]or Medicine and Science/Engineering[/b], they are paying N250k extra, 30% - 50% of these can be used to buy equipment for training to meet international standards by departments. Of course, some of the equipment will be worth more than N125k per student per year, but loans can be acquired from banks to equip or payment plans with the contractors supplying them, and these funds can then be paid over time.

BIG Question - What if enrollment drops? Well Tertiary institutions will be under pressure to recruit students. If enrollment drop is not sustainable like in the Western World, the school might be bailed out if it serves special interests or closed down. Schools can also push for funding from NGOs, alumni and well-meaning Nigerians, but the goal is for them to be independent moving forward and for our standard of education to rise.

Feel free to leave your comment, additions and contributions. We are all for a better Nigeria...and with this template...NLC, Student unions, and so on can all be on board.

By MasterTeeUSA

You didn't talk about ASUU strikes in this write-up.

If after paying N500,000 tuition fees in LAUTECH or ABSU or UNABUJA and the school decided to go on strike for 6 months, will people still want to go to such schools?



What then will be the differences between Public and Private Universities if both charge the same range of Tuition fees (there are some private Universities that charge far lesser at about #300K per annum)?

I will be back on this.