The American student loan system Vs the Nigeria system: Should we be grateful? (The Nigeria system).

 First, permit me to complain about our lack of documentation, researching on Nigeria history is a real sport!

One will say I promised a less boring angle for this week's post, and I am still talking about history again...well, take a chill pill and relax, if you know Nigeria well enough then you will know nothing about her is boring. On a lighter note; Nigeria is like that mature relative who is irresponsible and broke yet very funny, lively, carefree and the life of any party she enters but deep down she is hurting and dieing. The capital of "I can't come and kill myself"... 

Now let me Tel you a little history on the Nigeria higher education system. Currently, Nigeria has a total of 165 universities (43 Federal, 47 state, and 75 private), 107 polytechnics, 27 Monotechnics and 220 colleges.

The first six universities in Nigeria were established between 1948 and 1970 first on the list was the University of Ibadan which started as an affiliate of Cambridge University Uk, followed by University of Lagos then Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bellow and University of Benin in no particular order now. The universities then were fully funded by the federal government.

After the first 6 universities were established due to the increasing population of qualified students and the growing need for scientific and Technological advancement, setting up more universities became imperative causing 12 additional universities to be  established. Then between 1985 and 1999, 10 additional federal universities were established due to the need to address special areas of Technological and Agricultural demand. More universities were created from 1991 till date. They are called the fourth generation universities.

The state Universities were established due to pressure from qualified students from each states who could not readily get admission to any of the federal universities. Then in 1993 the federal government established a law allowing private sectors to own universities following government guidelines.

Just like a typical Nigerian, the Nigeria university have always had it rough from inception but it has witnessed many successes still; it has led to the development of many Nigerians into sound, effective national and international citizen, it has been the vanguard of creating opportunities for her teeming population home and abroad, apart from serving the father's land, the Nigeria tertiary education has continually churned out scholars who have contributed meaningfully to the world's knowledge bank.

Fees were not charged in Nigeria universities untill 1977, not because the government couldn't continue to fund it completely as this was the oil boom period but just to place a price on it since nothing of value comes without a cost. Just like most cases in Nigeria gradually the government withdrew funding and the great recession of 1987 became an even better excuse for the withdrawal of funds . Before the 1990 state fundings for higher education was higher than that of federal.

Nigeria federal schools tuition including hostel and books per session on average is between N65,000 - N100,000, state cost an average of N100,000 - N200,000 with indigenes of the state paying up to 25% less in some states, this infact use to be less until 2016 (the second recession) the tuition increased across all schools due to the slash in education budget cost. Private schools cost N500,000 - N1,000,000 on the average with flexible payment plans.

The relatively low cost of our university education made it easy for most students then and even now to see themselves through school,  secondly with Nigeria being a communal society, some people were sponsored by relatives, friends and even communities like the church.

Till date, infrastructure developments and staff salaries are heavily subsidised by the government, but with the increasing population and corruption the government can no longer meet up, this has caused now a grossly deteriorating infrastructure, teaching and research standard. Nigeria is  said to have one of the world's worse lecturer to student ratio of about, 1:144 statistical but from experience, I will say it's about 1:500 or more especially for 1st year students. Now you can see the reasons for the infamous ASSU strikes adding to fact that Nigeria has one of the world's lowest earning academicians.

Some will argue that, for most of our politicians who had the opportunities to go to school at almost zero cost and even got jobs and invectives on or after graduation it's insensitive for them to increase the cost of education now.

 But Tel me honestly do you think this system is sustainable even without corruption and with not just our economic state but that of the world's too? 

Do you think our universities will ever become world class with this system?

Can you justify the ASSU struggle in any way now?

A lecturer of mine who studied abroad once said, and I quote "The major cause of malpractice and brain drain in the Nigeria tertiary institution today is because it is too cheap so everyone can afford it, get admitted and not mind failing because it cost them almost nothing".. do you agree?

This topic will continue next week from yet another angle, with the sub topic: THE DESTRUCTION OF THE NIGERIA HIGHER EDUCATION.

**Laughs** 

I typed this Nigerian history with a straight face all through, couldn't even add humor at all, maybe because it's literally not funny either and I kept remembering my own struggle as a Nigeria University student.

In all we give thanks to God, as usual you can add your own comment, your insight, your disagreement and even a little gist of your most memorable event good or bad as a Nigerian student, in the comment section below, and remember to be civil.