The Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), has said universities cannot continue to survive on government largesse, adding that they must learn to invest and improve on revenue generation.

Speaking during the conferment of postgraduate and honorary degrees at UNILAG’s 50th Convocation Ceremony, the senior lawyer said Nigerians universities cannot continue to survive as “government departments expecting government largesse”.

Babalakin said while there had been a raging battle on whether education should be funded by government alone or by government and all stakeholders, his position was that quality education “is an inescapable necessity”.


“It is a must that we all have to be properly educated; so, if government can afford to do it all on its own, so be it. But if government cannot afford it, then we all must join forces to do it. If the choice is between quality education and free education, I choose the former.”

Citing examples of universities that have worked hard to be self-sufficient, Babalakin said: “Harvard University today has an average of $36 billion; while Oxford and Cambridge Universities jointly have 22 billion Pounds (about $30 billion). One College in Cambridge (Trinity College) has $1.3 billion. How did these universities achieve this? The founders of these universities realised that universities must invest, create value, save money and be productive.

“Our universities cannot continue to survive as government departments, expecting government largesse. We have to take advantage of what we have got. There are no less that 50 Nigerians today, who can rebuild UNILAG, but they have to know that their contributions would be used appropriately and they would be able to measure performance and monitor their money.

“If you can assure them of these, then you will be on the road to rebuilding the university system in a manner that it can compete all over the world. There is nothing such as Nigerian education or Nigerian standard. Standard must be universal and world-wide.”

Babalakin thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, for his “very keen interest and determination to reposition education in Nigeria”.

He also thanked the Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, “whose commitment to the cause of repositioning the education system is unparalleled.” He also lauded the efforts of as the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Alhaji Abubakar Rasheed, who represented the president at the event.

Urging the Ph.D graduates to see their degree as a pedestal for greater achievements, the pro-chancellor said: “I want you to be part of a great reformation of Nigeria. I want you to be instrumental to positive change. I want you to be developmental in your various fields and refuse to accept defeat. You are special members of the intelligentsia and you shouldn’t take it for granted.

“I urge you to take the position of United States President John F. Kennedy when he came into power in 1959, that the torch had been passed to a new generation that will not be deterred by the frivolities and obstructions of the former. Let us decide that we’ll turn every stumbling block to a stepping stone for the attainment of greater heights.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/08/babalakin-varsities-cant-survive-on-govt-funding/%3famp

true....

Thats true sha...

Said by those who went to school with free education from govt..... When I call this nation scam people say I dey lie ....

With the exploding population and mismanagement, it is not feasible.

Guess you learn from CU

every sector in this country depends on government fund.... won't be a day jobs for this country to survive!

But Cattle colonies or ranching can survive on government funding, that’s cool too.

If FG doesn’t want to fund anything except security they should allow states to be independent and only pay federal taxes to allow the FG fund security and required FG projects

Yes. But this will lead to increase in tuition fees. Did they tell you Cambridge school fees is about N100k a year? This will still lead us back to the Government and their useless minimum wage.

What he said is actually true, but handing universities over to the private sector means outragrous increase in tuition fees,and considering the fact that 90 million Nigerians live in abject poverty,we can conclude that the government is not ready to get the masses educated if they tow that part

[b] I paid approximately 14,000 pounds GBP for a Masters online with University of London. Regular international students pay like 25,000.

The local students pay 7,000 GBP.

My point is this if a professor in the school is on a salary of like 60,000 GBP per annum, 3 international students with their tuition have paid his annual salary. NOTE - we are over 600 students online for this session.

But in University of Ilorin, their tuition is like 23000NGN per YEAR and a professor on a salary of like 400 - 600k/ MONTHLY. It means it would take like 20 students' annual tuition to pay for ONE professor's salary.

This wide disparity will never help us. The sad truth is that a lot of students will drop out but tuition fees have to be initially increased....when standards become high and we get international patronage, we can now reduce the fees for locals (Nigerians) Universities should be given more autonomy in generating funds

Call me callous and devious, but Universities should do steady brainwashing of its students. Keep reinforcing this message "ALUMNI SHOULD GIVE BACK" and increase standards. Stanford University alumni got $1 billion dollars in alumni donations in 2013 ONLY! Professors too shouldn't just be PROFs in title only. Their pay should be commensurate with their contributions to knowledge/research/community.[/b]

I will edit this rather clumsy message later, i am off to work!

That has been pretty clear for some decades ago

Perhaps the FG could start by designating 1 flagship Uni per region. Majority of funds will go to these schools. After these schools become modernized and self-sufficient, the FG can prioritize funding for smaller institutions.

Thoughts??

what happened to research?....lazy lecturers

True. That's why you gotta follow Uniben' s footsteps and begin producing bread and table water

martowskin1:
Said by those who went to school with free education from govt..... When I call this nation scam people say I dey lie ....

Wake up from your dream to reality my friend. What is the population of students then and sophistication of courses offered in those days as compared to now? If you want free education please go back to 1970s and enjoy yours.

onyidon21:
What he said is actually true, but handing universities over to the private sector means outragrous increase in tuition fees,and considering the fact that 90 million Nigerians live in abject poverty,we can conclude that the government is not ready to get the masses educated if they tow that part

The government should concentrate on quality primary and secondary education mainly, scholarships can be given to high performing students who can't afford university education (ALUMNI can come into play here). There are too many people without desire for academics in our universities currently wasting public funds

folake4u:
True. That's why you gotta follow Uniben' s footsteps and begin producing bread and table water

Uniben is a learner when it comes to revenue generation. I give it to UI and Unilag

Subventions cannot be stopped in Nigeria unless students pay between 800k - 1million Naira per session. That's the fact!

Slurity:
Uniben is a learner when it comes to revenue generation. I give it to UI and Unilag

Wow, really? Nice then.

But our politicians can survive by looting and corruption Abi....

martowskin1:
Said by those who went to school with free education from govt..... When I call this nation scam people say I dey lie ....

Back when Babalakin went to school...universities had less than 5000 students.

My father's university, the year he enrolled(1972)...they had about 4000 students.That same university now has over 60000 students in all levels, postgraduates included


And if the funding were to keep up with the growing numbers, we would be spending at least 3-4 trillion naira annually on UNIVERSITY education alone

IvarTheTerrible:


[b] I paid approximately 14,000 pounds GBP for a Masters online with University of London. Regular international students pay like 25,000.

The local students pay 7,000 GBP.

My point is this if a professor in the school is on a salary of like 60,000 GBP per annum, 3 international students with their tuition have paid his annual salary. NOTE - we are over 600 students online for this session.

But in University of Ilorin, their tuition is like 23000NGN per YEAR and a professor on a salary of like 400 - 600k/ MONTHLY. It means it would take like 20 students' annual tuition to pay for ONE professor's salary.

This wide disparity will never help us. The sad truth is that a lot of students will drop out but tuition fees have to be initially increased....when standards become high and we get international patronage, we can now reduce the fees for locals (Nigerians) Universities should be given more autonomy in generating funds

Call me callous and devious, but Universities should do steady brainwashing of its students. Keep reinforcing this message "ALUMNI SHOULD GIVE BACK" and increase standards. Stanford University alumni got $1 billion dollars in alumni donations in 2013 ONLY! Professors too shouldn't just be PROFs in title only. Their pay should be commensurate with their contributions to knowledge/research/community.[/b]

I will edit this rather clumsy message later, i am off to work!

Very true.

The VC of ABU Zaria said in a speech in Nov 2017 that his overheads are N600million annually. ABU gets 120m from government as 'overhead allocation'. In the same speech, the guy said that if Nigeria wants Cambridge level education, you pay Cambridge level fees.

It's harsh, but we have no choice.

tactius:


Very true.

The VC of ABU Zaria said in a speech in Nov 2017 that his overheads are N600million annually. ABU gets 120m from government as 'overhead allocation'. In the same speech, the guy said that if Nigeria wants Cambridge level education, you pay Cambridge level fees.

It's harsh, but we have no choice.

...and they must pay workers cambridge level salaries. It is a chain, and the Prof must be taught that.

LordIsaac:

...and they must pay workers cambridge level salaries. It is a chain, and the Prof must be taught that.

Yes, and that means that funds must be found for the university.

Government cannot sustain funding...meaning fees have to go up...or we keep the status quo, and quality of graduates continues to fall

tactius:


Yes, and that means that funds must be found for the university.

Government cannot sustain funding...meaning fees have to go up...or we keep the status quo, and quality of graduates continues to fall

I.mean Nigerian workers o... You can't give what you don't have and the system cannot collapse. So, we shall wait until the same government improves the standard of living for it's people.

tactius:


Back when Babalakin went to school...universities had less than 5000 students.

My father's university, the year he enrolled(1972)...they had about 4000 students.That same university now has over 60000 students in all levels, postgraduates included


And if the funding were to keep up with the growing numbers, we would be spending at least 3-4 trillion naira annually on UNIVERSITY education alone

i get u, we keep spending heavily on governance and complaining about cost of education.... do u know how many student the upkeep of one senator will train?

put it what ever way.... it becomes expensive when the masses are involve, but is not expensive when it involves paying them large salaries