By Abel JOHNGOLD ORHEUATA
In a lecture, a Nigerian academic and researcher, Professor Olufemi Ayinde Peters, and serving Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), stated that Nigerian universities face many challenges and that the negative perception of these institutions reflects the need for reforms, better governance, accountability measures and increased investment in higher education.
Prof. Peters stated this while exploring the profound and unintended consequences of federal government policies on Nigeria’s higher education landscape at the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA) Worldwide 2024 Alumni Lecture he delivered last Friday, at the Dame Edith Okowa Auditorium, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
The Vice-Chancellor of NOUN noted that Government policies often altruistic and progressive objectives, even if they they are unclear at the initial stages. That there’s no government policy that is deliberately anti-people. However, the timing and process of implementation and the attitude of implementers and recipients are often not properly aligned, leading to conflicts, unintended perceptions and undesired outcomes.
Apart from the Guest Lecturer of the 2024 UIAA Alumni Lecture, several speakers at the event also noted that government policies that were initially crafted with noble intentions have introduced untold complexities and challenges in the field of higher education.
Stakeholders in the Nigerian education sector present at the event reiterated the need to revisit Nigeria’s higher education policy framework to better address its unique dynamics, foster dialogue to address issues, and invest in capacity building to enhance institutional resilience and effectiveness.
According to Prof Peters, the unintended consequences of government policies such as the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) have impacted university staff, students and the overall functioning of the education sector.
The high-ranking Professor Olufemi Peters, who is also the first Vice President of The African Council for Distance Education (ACDE), with a track record of academic excellence spanning three decades, including many competencies in the area of Open Distance Learning (ODL), said to address these unintended consequences by ensuring that policies effectively support the goal of providing a quality education for all, a thorough review of these policies is crucial to improving the quality and efficiency of the university system.
Adding that “Despite the myriad sources of funding available to federal universities, it is clear that there is a problem of underfunding. It is also obvious that this is a consequence of the expansion of the system in response to the growing demand for higher education and the increasing needs of a modern knowledge-driven economy, without a corresponding increase in available resources.”
Prof Peters urged policymakers and government policy makers to prioritize robust stakeholder engagement, collaboration and advocacy to address the unintended consequences of policies impacting the university community and society at large.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the ceremony, Mr. Akinwunmi Akinfemiwa, Managing Director of Geregu Power Plants Plc, said many Nigerian universities have undergone significant transformation as a result of the Federal Government policies which have unfortunately affected tertiary institutions in the country.
Akinfemiwa, who was represented by Otunba Adebola Adesanmi, Business Administrator of Geregu Power Plc, lamented the severe lack of funding that has crippled the government’s higher education sector, limiting its ability to deliver world-class education to a large section of Nigerian youth.
He said the effects of the policy have reverberated throughout the Nigerian university system, shaping the experiences of all stakeholders, from bureaucratic hurdles to disruptions to academic activities, from financial constraints to concerns about institutional autonomy.
“As we embark on this journey of critical inquiry, we must analyze the impact of specific initiatives such as the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) – on our universities.
“Additionally, morale among government faculty and staff has plummeted, adversely impacting the capacity of universities as research and development incubators, which must be taken into account in policy development,” he said.
Akinfemiwa noted that addressing these unintended consequences requires a concerted effort by the government, university administrators, faculty and students.
He reiterated the need to foster a climate of dialogue, innovation, cooperation and adaptability to combat the unintended consequences of federal government policies in Nigerian universities.
“By recognizing the challenges, identifying solutions and taking collective action, we can overcome these complexities and pave the way for a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable higher education sector that meets the needs of students, faculty and society as a whole.
“Through robust discourse and informed dialogue, we seek to uncover insights that can inform policy reform, institutional decision-making, and advocacy efforts to protect the integrity and viability of our higher education institutions,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the President of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA) Worldwide, Prof. Saawua Gabriel Nyityo, stressed the need to examine the matrix of unintended consequences of the federal government on federal universities.
“The bottom line is whether we are talking about internationalizing our universities as centers of excellence in a globally competitive world, or establishing an African university that meets the desires of Africans in a globalized world – there are certain challenges to be faced.
“This ensures government intervention, especially through policy guidance. However, attempts to solve one problem from time to time create new ones,” the president said.