BY ABBATI BAKO,psc,bsis,Kent,UK
SIR,
SIR,
NO! TO ELEVATION OF 4 COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TO UNIVERSITY STATUS---FCE Kano, FCE ZARIA AND 2 OTHERS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA
With due respect, I am delighted, confident and hopeful the way His Excellency is steering the Nigerian nation today. Nigeria is (now) on the right path to the promised land of development, progress, integration, unity, peace and economic prosperity free from corruption.
Your Excellency Sir, as I have said in my letter to H/E some weeks ago that education is priority-A not B or C. Education is the leading light in development of social and economic prosperity in any human society. Therefore, emphasis must be given in the educational sector to ensure qualitative and a world class education for Nigerians; especially the current generation and the generation unborn.
Sir, UNESCO is one of the 28 United Nations agencies and among the initiators or formulators of (some) policies that contributes to what we called the "UN's International Public Policy (IPP)" for global development. The UNESCO prescribed (not less than) the allocations of 26% of global nations annual budgets on education. Some nations (Iran, S/Africa, Egypt etc) allocates up to 30 or even 40% of their annual budget on education. But the past PDP regime in Nigeria never a time/year that 10% were allocated to education sector for 16 years of their ruling (the No.2 and best among the global top ranking Universities---that is Harvard University allocates about $30b annually on education endowment that is close to or about Nigeria's total annual budget--- there are thousands of Universities in USA).
Sir, experts asserted that Nigeria is among the nations that poor and sub-standard education is offered due to poor funding and corruption in the system. So, constant strikes (experts say that "strike(s) is a message to government or organization" to alert on negative happenings in the system) by the academic and non-academic staff of Nigerian Universities happen periodically to draw the attention of the government to correct the system.
In some developing nations such as S/Africa and Egypt the number of their Universities are not more than 20 each with about 80m and 40m population respectively. But the quality of education (there) is superb and competing with educationally advanced nations. Both Egypt and S/African Universities are among the top 200 Universities in global ranking and dominated the top 20 among the African Universities top ranking (only Corvenent University in Ogun State was No.21 and none among the Government own Universities favored in the ranking and even the Covenent University has been positioned about 11,000 plus among the global top ranking Universities).
Sir, there are about 147 Universities in Nigeria (with about 184m population according to the current Population Commission's projection) both Government owned and private but, none has been rank among the top 100 or 1,000 or 5,000 or even comfortably among the 7,000 top best Universities in global ranking. Some have (even) crossed the numbers high among the 10,000 and 11,000 in global Universities top ranking (too poor for my nation that rank among the top 10 resourceful nation on earth planet).
Sir, there are 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators in the selection of top best ranking Universities around the globe. Among them are funding of research, best lecturers/researchers, knowledge transfer and international outlook, comprehensive and balance performance comparison available; which are trusted by students, academics, University leaders, industry and Government. Also, the quality of teaching (with respect to global acknowledged teachers---such as Prof. A. John Groom, Tailor , Tatah Mentan, Paul Collier, Jamie Shier, Albena Azmanova and many more social scholars around the globe). Other important considerations are the quality of the University's graduates (inventions/creation/initiatives) and positions occupied in Government, industry, academics and winning of global prizes (like NOVEL PRIZE) and many more.
Sir, the following are the top 10 best Universities in the world 2014/2015 top ranking-------
1. California Institute of Technology- USA
2. Harvard University- USA
3.University of Oxford- UK
4. Stanford University- USA
5. Cambridge University- UK
6. Massachusetts University- USA
7. Princeton University- USA
8. University of California- USA
9. Imperial College London- UK and Yale University- USA
10. University of Chicago- USA
1. California Institute of Technology- USA
2. Harvard University- USA
3.University of Oxford- UK
4. Stanford University- USA
5. Cambridge University- UK
6. Massachusetts University- USA
7. Princeton University- USA
8. University of California- USA
9. Imperial College London- UK and Yale University- USA
10. University of Chicago- USA
Sir, how can Nigerian Universities compete in global ranking? By additional more universities? Or by following the 13 carefully calibrated indicators? Nigeria has a long way to go in providing quality and a world class education. Education is not expensive; no matter what. What of ignorance and illiteracy in human society?
The solutions-------------
1. To provide not less than 30% or more on annually budgeted nation's wealth on education and make education free and compulsory to the citizens at all levels and tackle the issue of corruption within the system.
2. Women education must be encouraged with vigor.
3. The 4 FCE's can be elevated to the status of schools within their nearest University areas locations. For example, FCE Kano can be merged with the Department of Education Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and FCE Zaria be made same thing with the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU) Department of Education and can be called; BUK and ABU Schools of Education respectively (as did by my University of Kent; School of Politics, Brussels and other campuses in Rome, Athens, Paris, Med way and the main Campus in Canterbury, UK. Also, the other two Colleges of Education (in the South) elevated by the Jonathan administration (just) days to his exit from ASO VILLA. Your Excellency, never be carried away by the trick of the past PDP regime for them to score cheap political goals in which the strategy behind; they want to have a say in 2019 general elections.
1. To provide not less than 30% or more on annually budgeted nation's wealth on education and make education free and compulsory to the citizens at all levels and tackle the issue of corruption within the system.
2. Women education must be encouraged with vigor.
3. The 4 FCE's can be elevated to the status of schools within their nearest University areas locations. For example, FCE Kano can be merged with the Department of Education Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and FCE Zaria be made same thing with the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU) Department of Education and can be called; BUK and ABU Schools of Education respectively (as did by my University of Kent; School of Politics, Brussels and other campuses in Rome, Athens, Paris, Med way and the main Campus in Canterbury, UK. Also, the other two Colleges of Education (in the South) elevated by the Jonathan administration (just) days to his exit from ASO VILLA. Your Excellency, never be carried away by the trick of the past PDP regime for them to score cheap political goals in which the strategy behind; they want to have a say in 2019 general elections.
The above examples I see it the same in advanced Universities such as Harvard Business School, Kent School of Politics, London School of Economics and so on. They are all schools within University and they can run courses up to PhD level. In education---the quality is what matters, not the quantity-----pure and simple. I wish His Excellency all the best and Allah's blessing at all times. May God save Nigeria and Nigerians.
Abbati Bako,MA,psc,bsis,mti,Kent, UK (Political Strategy Consultant)
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