cybersleek:

Without meaning to denigrate anybody, i would like everybody on this forum to take about 30 minutes to read through the threads concerning this discussion, then you will find out why the educational system in Nigeria needs an overhaul. I don't think the standard of education in the UK or in the US is higher or even better than the one in Nigeria, but the governments here spend a lot on facilities and infrastructure, even on human capital development. Most people who live in the UK know that the government encourages teachers with first degree here to go for a highly subsidized 2nd degree, all these were also available during the golden age of Nigerian universities, i graduated from UI and my department alone had over 14 professors in a pool of about 20 lecturers with almost all those professors with foreign higher degrees at the expense of the federal government of Nigeria. I live in the UK presently, and i have the opportunity of interacting with a lot of academics and i would tell you that it is not so much the standard of education but the fact that facilities are very available that make the UK better than Nigeria, and the fact that thousands of Nigerian students pay a fortune to ensure that the British kids can get better facilities and better funding to study. Before anybody starts condemning the Nigerian educational system again, don't forget that every year, you still have students coming out of Nigerian universities and becoming the best students in the same UK universities you think are citadels of heaven.

grafikdon:

You can earn your PHD in two years in Nigeria? Has anyone ever accomplished that, with all the instability, frustration and strike? Could this be an extension of our favourite game of Chasing Shadows?

Kobojunkie:

Standard of education is not same as Quality of education. Yes, students from Nigerian can still excel in European schools. Why ?? cause the students themselves have come to understand that they have to do most of the work themselves. I mean there are students in the same schools who are Nigerians who fail in European schools. This is not about putting down the Nigerian educational system but actually stating things as they are. I happened to have attended one of the many colleges down there myself. I have friends who did same and had to move out to European schools for one reason or another. I can tell you this, majority would tell you, that they would not pay anything to go back. Why ?? Cause the quality of the teachers/professors is not same.

The Standard of education down in Nigeria I believe is in line with that in the UK but the Quality of education in Nigeria stinks. No matter which way you slice and dice it, we need to call for a complete change to this. I remember the curriculum when I was in public school was same as that in private school down there. But you can not compare the quality of education recieved from the public school system with that from private school system. I mean it was clear as day and night that the two were and have remained different.

I don't believe telling things as they really are is akin to badmouthing Nigeria's educational system in anyway. Providing the school with facilities only goes so far. I remember when I first started on my own program, the school recieved some private money to help but at the end, most of the machines were only there for show. NO one knew how to use them, let alone teach us to use them and I am talking of medical school. There was rarely electricity to power up the ECG machines, let alone show us how it works.


Students coming out of that setting and then excelling in other schools only points to the fact that we have brilliant intelligent students who want to learn but are we necessarily feeling their minds well in the system as it is now?? In secondary school, we had a physics teacher who was rarely present to teach his students. Towards final year, he came up with a scheme to get us to buy handouts and promised that we would pass the WAEC if we bought this or that. I had to buckle up and hit the books on my own cause I knew that it was then up to me and I am glad I had people who encouraged me to do my best and bought me all the tools I needed at home. I was one of the few students in my school to pass the Physics exam. Majority had to go back.

Bear in mind, we are not speaking of education in the year 1990, we are speaking of the year 2007/08. Is Nigeria really where it ought to be compared to the rest of the world??

~Lady~:

[b]I wonder how people expect Nigeria to get better when they don't realise that policies like this will make it better.[/b]Abroad universities have better research facilities because they're lecturers are researchers, researches come up with theory and they support it, their theory can be supported, hence more funding.
It's not only about the classroom. Point blank research pulls funding for schools. The more the funding, the better the infrastructure of the institutions.

PTH:

Thank you for the words in blue. The policy sounds stupid now and unattainable but it is this kind of strict adherence to such a policy that makes foreign universities as good as they are today.
Another thing to note is the emergency of medical doctors as researchers today. Medicine is no longer about administering drugs and diagnosing ailments, foriegn doctors now run their own research labs.

almondjoy:

And the thread derailment continues------------------------

Like anyone is opposing the "brilliant" ideas of accquiring PhDs and encouraging research in academic institutions.

Sometimes I just wonder.

The means of going about it is what the problem is.  Not the idea in itself. Is it by the magical powers of David Copperfield?


Gosh!

~Lady~:

"Without meaning to denigrate anybody, i would like everybody on this forum to take about 30 minutes to read through the threads concerning this discussion, then you will find out why the educational system in Nigeria needs an overhaul. I don't think the standard of education in the UK or in the US is higher or even better than the one in Nigeria, but the governments here spend a lot on facilities and infrastructure, even on human capital development. Most people who live in the UK know that the government encourages teachers with first degree here to go for a highly subsidized 2nd degree, all these were also available during the golden age of Nigerian universities, i graduated from UI and my department alone had over 14 professors in a pool of about 20 lecturers with almost all those professors with foreign higher degrees at the expense of the federal government of Nigeria. I live in the UK presently, and i have the opportunity of interacting with a lot of academics and i would tell you that it is not so much the standard of education but the fact that facilities are very available that make the UK better than Nigeria, and the fact that thousands of Nigerian students pay a fortune to ensure that the British kids can get better facilities and better funding to study. Before anybody starts condemning the Nigerian educational system again, don't forget that every year, you still have students coming out of Nigerian universities and becoming the best students in the same UK universities you think are citadels of heaven."

Thanks. Straight to the point.

I wonder how people expect Nigeria to get better when they don't realise that policies like this will make it better.
Abroad universities have better research facilities because they're lecturers are researchers, researches come up with theory and they support it, their theory can be supported, hence more funding.
It's not only about the classroom. Point blank research pulls funding for schools. The more the funding, the better the infrastructure of the institutions.

grafikdon:

You can earn your PHD in two years in Nigeria? Has anyone ever accomplished that, with all the instability, frustration and strike? Could this be an extension of our favourite game of Chasing Shadows?

laudate:

Don't mind them. Someone plucked the deadline of two years out of thin air, without bothering to consider the fact, that in many universities in Nigeria, a Ph.d programme actually takes 3-5 years, depending on the course and the university. Before enrolling for the Ph.d programme, you would have spent another 2 years getting an MPhil. degree in addition to your Masters' degree, before being allowed to enrol for a Ph.d. Exemptions are only granted for those with a 1st class Bachelor's degree.

Those who are currently engaged in a Ph.d programme, are unlikely to be able to complete it in 2 years, if the body of research they have done, hasn't gotten up to the level that is required for the university to award them a Ph.d.

Secondly, in many universities in Nigeria there has been a dearth of Professors due to a variety of reasons. Many Professors have retired, joined the brain-drain bandwagon to relocate outside Nigeria, and new replacements to take up their positions, have not been nurtured by the universities themselves. So how many post-doctoral fellows are available to supervise the Ph.d candidates adequately?

Even the cost of pursuing a Ph.d programme is on the high side. How many grants exist nationwide for those who wish to embark on Ph.d programmes? 10? 20? 50? What is the proportion of Ph.d candidates who are currently within the universities, that can get access to these grants or benefit from them?

Why can't they implement the deadline in phases? For example, those currently on the programme, who have done 80% of their research work needed for a Ph.d, should be given grants by the universities to complete their work, or offered assistance in some way to round-up their programme in the next 2-3 years?

laudate:

Don't mind them. Someone plucked the deadline of two years out of thin air, without bothering to consider the fact, that in many universities in Nigeria, a Ph.d programme actually takes 3-5 years, depending on the course and the university. Before enrolling for the Ph.d programme, you would have spent another 2 years getting an MPhil. degree in addition to your Masters' degree, before being allowed to enrol for a Ph.d., like I said earlier. Exemptions are only granted for those with a 1st class Bachelor's degree.

Those who are currently engaged in a Ph.d programme, are unlikely to be able to complete it in 2 years, if the body of research they have done, hasn't gotten up to the level that is required for the university to award them a Ph.d.

Secondly, in many universities in Nigeria there has been a dearth of Professors due to a variety of reasons. Many Professors have retired, joined the brain-drain bandwagon to relocate outside Nigeria, and new replacements to take up their positions, have not been nurtured by the universities themselves. So how many post-doctoral fellows are available to supervise the Ph.d candidates adequately?

Even the cost of pursuing a Ph.d programme is on the high side. How many grants exist nationwide for those who wish to embark on Ph.d programmes? 10? 20? 50? What is the proportion of Ph.d candidates who are currently within the universities, that can get access to these grants or benefit from them?

Why can't they implement the deadline in phases? For example, those currently on the programme, who have done 80% of their research work needed for a Ph.d, should be given grants by the universities to complete their work, or offered assistance in some way to round-up their programme in the next 2-3 years?

laudate:

Right now, with the influx of new private universities, a lot of the existing Ph.d holders in some federal and state-owned universities have decided to head for the private universities to take up teaching appointments.

Who are those going to replace these Ph.d holders that have left the federal and state-owned universities?

Yet, our government is still licensing more private universities without compelling existing universities to place more focus on training Ph.d candidates that would teach in such new universities. They are licensing universties without giving much thought to those who would occupy faculty positions in such universities. Go to several state-owned polytechnics in our country. Many departments offering 7 or 8 courses, have just one or two Ph.d holders in the entire dept., ably supported by other less qualified teaching staff.

What is needed to produce more Ph.d holders are incentives, lower academic fees, more grants, research facilities, accomodation and supervisory support, to ensure that qualified candidates are attracted to undertake and graduate from Ph.d programmes, in larger numbers.

laudate:

Right now, with the influx of new private universities, a lot of the existing Ph.d holders in some federal and state-owned universities have decided to head for the private universities to take up teaching appointments.

Who are those going to replace these Ph.d holders that have left the federal and state-owned universities?

Yet, our government is still licensing more private universities without compelling existing universities to place more focus on training Ph.d candidates that would teach in such new universities. They are licensing universties without giving much thought to those who would occupy faculty positions in such universities. Go to several state-owned polytechnics in our country. Many departments offering 7 or 8 courses, have just one or two Ph.d holders in the entire dept., ably supported by other less qualified teaching staff.

What is needed to produce more Ph.d holders are incentives, lower academic fees, more grants, research facilities, accomodation and supervisory support, to ensure that qualified candidates are attracted to undertake and graduate from Ph.d programmes, in larger numbers.

Revive:


BEST WAY TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICY:

laudate:

,  those currently on the programme, who have done 80% of their research work needed for a Ph.d, should be given grants by the universities to complete their work, or offered assistance in some way to round-up their programme in the next 2-3 years?

laudate:

What is needed to produce more Ph.d holders are incentives, lower academic fees, more grants, research facilities, accomodation and supervisory support, to ensure that qualified candidates are attracted to undertake and graduate from Ph.d programmes, in larger numbers.

debosky: stop talking in ignorance Almond, it doesn't suit you

MOST lecturers in Nigerian Universities (Federal ones at least) have PhD's and you cannot simply 'check out' with a PhD, you need to publish papers and achieve a lot, as well as teaching experiences . N/A departments are full to the brim with aspiring PhD's so they have more than adequate supplies. If you learned all you have in the 'ditch of an environment' then I'm sure it wont rob you of anything, rather you use what you've learned to make a difference.

Most PhD's in Nigeria remain in Nigeria madam Almond, they are committed enough to the system that they remain in it due to their passion and drive. Some leave, but that will always happen. If the non-PhD's are converted, then even if some leave, we will still be left with a pool of PhD professors, even if few.

This is education darling, quality is much preferred over quantity.

If it is one university of quality we have, let us know now and stop fooling around with Bsc holders masquerading as lecturers.

The drive for improvement at all levels must begin now, we must simply ensure we hold the government to a higher funding status for the institutions in consonance with these drives,NOT as a prerequisite.

laudate:

Debosky, please tell us you were joking when you made that statement in bold type. Have you taken a tour of all the universities in Nigeria (both North & South) recently? Have you gone to the federal & state-owned universities & polytechnics to see the numbers of candidates that are currently enrolled on Ph.d programmes? My brother, they are few. Scratch that. They are miniscule.

If na MBA programme you dey talk. . . . . ehen, plenty people boku for there. But Ph.d?? Kai! Some departments will tell you that they have not even graduated a single Ph.d candidate from their place, in the last three years!!

So which departments are full to the brim with aspiring PhD's so they have more than adequate supplies, like you said?? Kindly name them. For every dept., that you can call, I can also give you the names of those that do not have a single Ph.d candidate on their books! And many of them are science-based depts.!