Educational Imbalance: Its Extent, History, Dangers and Correction in Nigeria

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Published: April 2, 2008

Educational Imbalance: Its Extent, History, Dangers and Correction in Nigeria

By Professor Jubril Aminu

 

 The problem in higher education in Nigeria today has its roots in the philosophy of deliberate underdevelopment of the Yoruba and other southern states articulated below by a leading member of the Fulani hegemony – Jubril Aminu. Many of you will recall that Aminu was appointed the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) by the Obasanjo regime. He later became Federal Minister of Education under Babangida before he was promoted Minister of Petroleum by Babangida.

 Aminu, on behalf of the Northern Islamic hegemony, recommended social restructuring that would stop millions of southern Nigerians from receiving University education in order for the North to catch up with the South and thus bridge the gap between northern and southern Nigeria with the ultimate aim of achieving Nigerian unity.

Aminu’s philosophy of social restructuring came after the loss of regional power over education under military rule with emphasis on unitary government. Aminu is a leading member of a Fulani think-tank that is fanatically opposed to political restructuring of Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION

Incalculable effort and personal sacrifice have gone towards uniting Nigeria politically. A truly united nation, however, is not achieved by political or military decisions alone. The problems of unity in this country have always had a dominant social undertone. Social restructuring is therefore necessary before a just and egalitarian society can be attained which in turn has the potential of lasting unity and stability. For a just and egalitarian society to be produced, employment opportunities must be equal. That is, no section of the country should feel or be made to feel that they are, or will become, “the hewers of wood and drawers of water”. The most important ingredient of employment opportunity is education, especially higher education.

People are now sufficiently aware in this country of the fact that political power, not backed by social development, and the full participation in all aspects of the national life and management, is shaky. The development of skilled manpower is therefore intricately bound to the future integration of any group in the society – “to know what the future holds out, see what the young people are up to or up against.”

Certain sections of this country will be highly disturbed about their future in a united Nigeria if they study the pattern of higher educational opportunities in the country. It is this kind of disturbance which promotes among the people some actions and counteractions, mutual suspicion, nepotism and loss of confidence in the concept of fair play. This leads to unhealthy group political and social instability as each identifiable section then attempts to devise ways and means of protecting its own position – hence the problems of ethnic politics, census crises and the like.

In Nigeria, the problem of disparity in higher education among the various ethnic groups has been a long standing source of friction. Efforts have been made from time to time to correct this disparity and it has always been clear that, at some stage, the issue will have to be faced squarely if it is not to have adverse and inevitable effects on nation building and social integration. If there is any Government that can bravely confront the issue, it is a military Government, especially this military administration, which has excelled in the boldness of resolving long standing contentious issues, such as the creation of more states, corruption, the issue of Federal Capital and so on.

Other nations of heterogeneous composition have faced this problem of regional education disparity. Those free countries, which managed to remain one, had to solve it. In Canada, as we found in our recent visit, the French and the English-speaking peoples were kept in the same country by complete regionalisation of all levels of education. In Malaysia deliberate, and seemingly unfair measures, were temporarily adopted to bring up the Malays to the level attained by the Chinese. Since Nigeria has decided to put higher education in the Exclusive Federal Legislative List, thereby rendering all Universities Federal institutions, it is even more incumbent on (and easier for!) for the Federal Government to remove this disparity in higher education.

The Evidence

The figures to be produced in this section are derived from National Universities Commission sources based upon the returns obtained from the Universities, Government records, etc. This is probably the first time that these facts are being brought out in this stark form. The reaction to their publication should therefore not be taken for granted; although at the same time they do provide the basis for the suggested solutions. It is hoped that these solutions will be applied as from the 1976/77 session in the Universities. There is still time for that to be attempted.

The data is presented as for the former 12-state structure. There is little difference between the new states carved out of any of the old ones, e.g. between Oyo, Ondo and Ogun or between Bauchi, Borno and Gongola. The figures start from the beginning of the last plan period and are presented according to academic sessions up to 1974/75. The figures for 1975/76 are still being received. Projections up to 1980 are shown where relevant. Although the National Universities Commission supplied the figures, the graphs were drawn by Professor S.D. Onabamiro.

It is not the intention to separate the figures for the Northern States from those of the Rivers and Cross River States – since there is a measure of backwardness in the two latter States. It is the unavailability of such figures that gives rise to such separation.

1. The four old states of East Central, Lagos, Midwest and West exercise an alarming monopoly of enrolment into the University system. These four states, with a combined population of about one third of the whole country, have for long had a disproportionate advantage in higher education. Even recently, in the 6 old Universities the four states had 75.6 per cent, 71.4 per cent, 72.9 percent, 68.3 per cent and 69.4 per cent of the enrolments in the academic years 1970/71, 72/72, 72/73, 73/74, 74/75, respectively .

2. The Universities are heavily tribalised, seriously questioning the concept of “Federal” universities – Ibadan, Ife and Lagos have a great preponderance of Yoruba students (even if Kwara is excluded), Benin a great preponderance of Mid-western tribes and Nsukka an even more striking proportion of Ibos. If these Universities were regional, or were set up and maintained by ethnic organisations, they could not have achieved the purposes more. Of the six, the ABU is the least affected by this malaise.

 

3. There is great geographical and ethnic imbalance in University education. In relation to their population, the Northern States suffer most, followed by Rivers and Cross River States.

4. The situation is not improving. It is getting worst each year. For individual Universities and for the whole group the imbalance is increasing exponentially.

5. The imbalance is worse in respect of disciplines. In the year 1974/75 the 4 states referred to above monopolised 80% of the enrolment in Medicine and Pharmacy, 77% in Engineering and Technology, 75% in Pure Science and Agriculture and Forestry as well as 75% in Education. They monopolised 60% in Law and 56% in Public Administration. In other words, the more backward states are in fact even worse off in the really technical fields – important for development and for education. How, even in ABU, the 4 advanced states are doing relatively better in these technical subjects. The West appears to monopolise the Education enrolment which is an indication of further educational expansion.

6. According to the cost of University education as seen from N.U.C. sources alone. The two conclusions are

(i) the gross imbalance in the distribution of the wealth of the nation in this sector taking per capita expenditure on the student and applying this to enrolment,

(ii) the rising cost of higher education (this year the truncated N.U.C. budget is half of the total Federal Education budget). This progressive rise could limit the expansion of the system. States which are now backward do not have all that bright a chance of catching up by way of increase in number of University places. 

8. The future of the country, as it were, lies in the hands of the Nigerian citizens hailing from the West, East Central, Lagos and Midwest states (in the form of 12-State structure), since they have enjoyed a long monopoly of highly skilled manpower development in all disciplines, and since the situation is not improving.

9. A survey of the existing situation in the Federal Public Service is revealing, not only for now, but especially for the future. In the Administrative Service state representation is supposed to be widest. The representation of the ten Northern States is as follows:-

Grade Strength Ten Northern

Level States

17 34 15

16 8 4

15 40 8

14 25 6

13 60 8

12 9 2

11 149 9

10 83 2

09 178 8

08 410 63

 

This is in Administration where representation is said to be widest. Figures for the Rivers and Cross River States are, unfortunately, not available.

The insignificance of representation in the topmost posts compared with ominously scanty numbers lower down ought not to be lost on the policy makers. The future is determined by the development of those young Officers. In other cadres and sectors of the public Service, the representation is no better if not negligible.

 

CAUSES OF THE IMBALANCE

Surely, the imbalance has nothing to do with the basic intelligence of the people since this quality is found to be distributed normally in the population. The cause lies in our social-political history and is sustained by persistent attitudes and differences in Lower Level Educational Facilities

The first and foremost cause is the fact that Western Education came much earlier in the South than in the North. Even in the South, the early efforts were made by Christian Missionaries. The concomitant proselytising activities of those educationists rendered them unacceptable in the Muslim North.

But that is not the end of the story. The British colonialists understandably did more havoc here. The first Teacher Training School in the North was established in 1922. The same School was later transferred to Kaduna, then to Zaria (last as a Secondary School). Serial enrolment number in this continuous school reached the 1000 mark in 1953.

As a result of these factors the North is lagging far behind. The Rivers and Cross River States lag behind for a different reason – they were minorities in a large region before the creation of states.

At a time (1975) when the West, East Central, Midwest and Lagos States were enrolling 238,964 students, the six Northern states enrolled only 60,693; four times lower. It should also be recollected that quite a proportion of these students from the North, would be students, in fact, not indigenous to those 6 states.

Apart from differences in sheer numbers, the standards of the secondary schools also differ. While the percentage of successful candidates (Divisions 1, 11 and 111) in the advanced states is of the order of 50-60 per cent, in the four Northern States (Kano, North West, North East and North Central) it was of the order of 2O – 40 per cent.

Looking at the WASC statistics by country, it can be concluded that, while the national average for Nigeria is the highest, the backwards states, (especially those in the North) are developing at the rates obtaining in Sierra Leone, Gambia and Ghana. Attitudes in the Universities

It has already been shown in the figure how ethnic the enrolments in the Universities tend to be.

In the originally regional Universities of Ife, Nsukka, Benin and ABU the cause is understandable. These Universities were set up by Regional Governments for the purpose of training their indigenous students – they had clear ethnic and political objectives. The Universities were based in the Premier’s Offices. The Pro-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and all Council members were appointed by the Regional Executive Council. Where the ethnic group was homogenous, as in the then Eastern, but most especially in the then Western Nigeria, the University became a clearly tribal one. But what is disturbing is why this is getting worse in spite of a Federal take-over, which, in the case of Nsukka, has been since 1973. The North was never homogenous, and the ABU itself had faculties not obtaining elsewhere in the early phases – Engineering, Fine Arts, Architecture and Physical Education. The institution therefore for these reasons always possessed the most national character since Nigerian College days.

In the case of the Federal Universities of Ibadan and Lagos disparity in secondary school facilities and stringent entry requirements may explain the imbalance – but ethnic discriminatory admission policies must play a part. The ethnic discriminatory admission policies are borne out by the poor representation of the minority states of Cross River and Rivers States even though their secondary school performances appear comparable to the other good ones. It is interesting to observe how the enrolment of South Eastern Students in Nsukka rose with the establishment of the Calabar Campus of the University and the general political rapport between the then two States. University admission is therefore partly political.

Apart from the stark ethnic element as the figures show, obtain in most of these six Universities, there has been a long standing lack of concern for the national problem of educational imbalance. These Universities will be the first to quoter their token individual efforts to encourage students from the backward areas of their own country. No doubt, Ibadan, for example, will quote the establishment of Jos Campus which was originally scheduled for elsewhere. The prolonged Senate debates that went on over this before the campus at Jos was accepted, and the real performance of the Campus in terms of bridging the gap in enrolments, however, act as cautious reminders. Why should some Nigerian Lecturers be paid N2.00 a night inducement allowance for working in Jos? What prompted a former Vice-Chancellor to rebuff the Vice-Principal of the NECAS who came to him to discuss the admission of NECAS graduates into the University of Ibadan (while these graduates were accepted by ABU through an agreement and by Lagos probably because of other connections of the NECAS council), by simply saying that Ibadan did not recognise the Examination taken at Maiduguri? It is quite clear that most of the Universities, apart from political statements at suitable moments, could not really claim to have addressed themselves earnestly to the problem of the educational imbalance in the country they were set up to serve.

WORSENING IMBALANCE

It has already been indicated that this educational imbalance in the country is getting worse, not better. The high representation of the former West in Lagos, Ife and Ibadan is stable if not rising. The preponderance of students of the East Central State origin in Nsukka and of Bendelites in Benin are increasingly exponentially.

Enrolments in the technical and professional discipline are also getting more and more in favour of the four dominant states. The others are improving their performance but nothing like to the same extent. A particular point to note is the huge preponderance of teachers (as judged by enrolments in Education) these states will have. This is an indication of further accelerated development in Education and further widening of the gap, a vicious cycle. Against the arguments of the widening educational gap will surely be quoted the Federal (and State) Government efforts in educational expansion at the lower levels. All very well, but these efforts must be placed in their proper perspective in terms of their universal nature, the likelihood of better utilisation in certain parts of the country than in others, and the length of time it is likely to take before the effects are seriously felt. It must also not be forgotten that some of these ‘plans’ are not really plans, but statements of intent or even of hope.

There can be little doubt that improved educational opportunities will be better utilised in the four privileged southern States than in the ten Northern (and the other two under-privileged Cross River and River) States. In the North especially, well-known social handicaps of poor infrastructure, persisting suspicion of Western education as a threat to cultural institutions, still militate against educational expansion and a greater motivation. In terms of erecting physical structures and equipping these, sheer distance from the ports is a serious handicap. With this in mind one can now better judge the likely effect of the Universal Primary Education Scheme and the expansion of the secondary school system, and the increase in the number of Universities, on the educational imbalance.

There is no question that the national expansion of education at all levels is a very salutary social development which we are fortunate enough to be able to plan and finance and we must get on with it. But under the prevailing circumstances, and without adequate safeguards and remedial measures, it will only worsen the educational imbalance and would contribute to the creation of more social and political problems than to national unity and stability.

By definition, the Universal Primary Education Scheme applies to the whole country and in absolute terms, will not close any gap. It could be argued that in the advanced states a much greater proportion of pupils are already going to school than in the North for example, and therefore the UPE will have some absolute effects by more greatly increasing the number going to school up-country. This is debatable from several angles. The first is that before the UPE becomes truly universal will be at least a quinquennium, if not a decade. Secondly, any one who knows the handling of the UPE programmes by the former Administrations in the Northern States will know that, unless radical measures are taken, the whole thing will be UPE only in name.

Thirdly, even with the best management up-country, infrastructural reasons render it easier to build in the areas nearer to the sea. Fourthly, enrolment does not mean success from the availability of teachers etc., the primary schools in the less developed states are likely to have more poorer standards and therefore a lower yield to the secondary schools.

The great disparity in secondary school enrolments has already been referred to above. The recent decision by the Federal Government to peg secondary school fees should be seen as potentially encouraging more secondary school enrolment by providing relief to State Governments and other sponsoring agents, in addition to the parents. In other words, more secondary schools will now be built and these areas that have more and better primary schools. Since these areas will be the four states already referred to above, it can be seen how the imbalance will be further worsened.

There is now massive expansion in the University system. Those with better secondary schools, will, all things being equal, take greater advantage of this in terms of occupying the few University places. There is not the slightest doubt, that without a radical alteration in University admission policies, these new Universities will only serve to increase the preponderance of students from the former West, East Central, Midwest and Lagos States.

In the Universities themselves, the Federal Government is now contemplating introducing free education. Whatever may be the merits of this considered step, its likely effect on University population must be mentioned. It is going to result in an even greater imbalance in enrolment, for the simple reason that at the moment, there are a fair number of highly eligible candidates for University education, mainly from the educationally advanced states, who unfortunately cannot enter University simply on financial grounds. This must be partly responsible for the annual shortfall of about 10 per cent of budgeted enrolment targets of the Universities. In addition to this, one has to consider the aspect of the new policy of student financing concerning the liberalisation of loans to students studying overseas. Every one knows that there are literally thousands of Nigerian students scattered overseas studying on their own. Most of these are from the already advanced states. Government loan scheme to these is a timely and kindly gesture but must be seen in the perspective of causing further imbalance.

A final area, which is a very serious potential source of imbalance in University education is the matter of Extenal Degree either through correspondence courses or part-time classes. One or two Universities are trying to embark upon that. The University of Lagos has stated, and the University of Ibadan would have started last October but for the upsets caused by the retirements etc. As these External Degree Programmes can effectively neutralise any measures that Government may adopt in order to correct the existing imbalance, it will be referred to later.

It must be stressed that the Federal Military Government is only performing its duty to the citizens by the bold steps of educational expansion and “boosting the educational opportunities of every Nigerian” and the FMG deserves support for that, but, surely, every silver lining has its cloud, the rain from which needs not be allowed to drench us all.

DANGERS OF EDUCATIONAL

IMBALANCE

In the last few years there have been efforts at promoting national unity – especially after the Civil War. Every one now sees his or her future in the context of one Nigeria. But what will that future be? The answer to this question will provide the basis for planning for lasting national unity and harmony. The National Youth Service Corps exchange of students and other personnel and functionaries between states, the posting of principal officers to states other than those of their origins, etc., are all gestures intended to mix peoples at functional levels. Commerce, guarantee of safety to non-indigenes of states are also intended to encourage mixing. But all these are besides the point if it is not ensured that all parts of the country have the same realisable opportunities of participating in the national life now and in the future. “Full opportunities” is meaningless if certain criteria before the opportunities become accessible, which criteria effectively discriminate against some sections. For example, every one can enter the University if he has appropriate entry qualifications. Every one has the opportunity to a good job if he has a University degree. Every one can attain these appropriate qualifications if he has passed out of a good secondary school and so on and so forth. So criteria must only be uniformly applied if they are fair and just from first principles; namely, if all started the competition from the same line.

One thought which could defuse the time bomb of geographical and ethnic educational imbalance would be what the late General Muhammed referred to as all of us “learning to live together as Nigerians”. If people from one part of the country, as individuals, will work in other parts of the country and treat these parts, in all respects, as their homes; if all Nigerians, as individuals, will treat all other Nigerians exactly as they now treat members of their one ethnic groups, then, educational imbalance would hardly, have occurred, and, even if it happened, would hardly have been noticeable. Every one knows better than to conclude that these happy days are with us yet. As it is, this existing and deteriorating educational imbalance will worsen the differential employment opportunities of the indigenes of the backward parts of the country. Even the attempts made by the Federal Government to rectify the massively anomalous geographical representation in the public sector are being frustrated by one thing or the other. For example, the decision to decentralise the Federal Civil Service was first taken about eight years ago; it was renewed last year, with very precise guidelines given, but up till now little or nothing appears to have happened.

If employment opportunities are different, standards of living, life expectancies and other parameters of existence and of well-being, will be different. In other words, in our present capitalistic vegetation, there will be many more have-nots in some parts than in others. The Distribution of the haves will be the exact reverse.

If the haves and the have-nots assume distinct geographical distribution, the wealth of the country will follow the same pattern, by definition. No one needs to be persuaded to believe that this is exactly what happened over the first phase of the indigenisation exercise.

Mutual suspicion will thereby be further entrenched and, in order to avoid outright political domination and oppression by those who can control events through their vantage position, the deprived will resort to survival tactics which will attract appropriate anticipatory counter-tactics by the affluent. In this climate there can be no national exercises, like Census and elections, that can be conducted without drawing hostility, bitter disputes and clashes which may be physical.

All in all, the society will be eminently poised for ethnic crisis if not strife. This is the apocalypse Nigerians have just got to avoid.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY

It is the task of the competent Government, which has the responsibility for defending the country’s integrity and constitution, to remove all sources of strife – imminent or potential. Here, it is necessary to emphasise that this must not be considered a North-South dispute. For one thing, the Rivers and the Cross River States are also affected. It must be seen positively as a question of correcting a dangerous educational imbalance in the whole country. It will be an exercise embarked upon in order to lay a sound foundation for unity and for contentment among the peoples. It is a task for which the Federal Government needs to offer no apologies, and the Committee on University Entrance needs to have no hesitations in recommending.

Serious social problems of this nature are solved by facing them, not by avoiding them, since sooner or later they will have to be faced. It is better to face them when we can do so in a measure of peace and goodwill, when we have the Government that can do so.

The Government will find it necessary to immediately prescribe a solution to the problem. Some of this prescription can be applied immediately, the rest will be long term.

There may be protests, even stormy protests, from the so-called privileged. But this is natural. These protests will simply have to be contained and the measures pursued with the political firmness they deserve, until every one comes to accept the situation; until every one realises that what was done was for the lasting peace of the nation.

SUGGESTED S0LUTIONS

Any approach to solution should be seen in the context of promoting national unity and maintaining the standard of the Nigerian University degree. It should be based on two fundamental principles. The first is to increase the real opportunities and the eligibility of the students from the under privileged areas. The second is to remove as much as possible, all traces of tribalism and sectionalism in the Universities.

There is no question at all that the eventual solution to the educational imbalance is to improve the number and standard of the primary and secondary schools in the deprived areas. There must also be a concerted campaign to improve motivation and enterprise in these areas as well aim at eradicating any entrenched social attitudes which militate against a spurt of education at lower levels. Here, the State Governments, Local Authorities and all the citizens have a tremendous role to play. They must have the funds to put into practice what they will be expected to preach.

In this context, it is doubtful, as an early measure, if the long vacations in the primary and secondary schools in the backward States can be afforded. These Schools are closed during the raining season when it is cool and when studying is very much more comfortable. The long vacation was relevant during the colonial days – these were things of the past. A study should be made into the feasibility of curtailing this unnecessary long vacation in schools.

However, improvement in primary and secondary schools, and the question effecting enabling social changes are very long term measures. In fact they are the hallowed suggestions usually made to correct the imbalance. In terms of national unity and harmony, these long term measures are as effective in defusing the situation as to remind one of George Orwell’s “they will never be conscious until they rebel, and they will never rebel until they are conscious”.

The imbalance in enrolment in the Universities was first brought to light as far back as 1952 when a delegation of the British Inter-university Council for Higher Education in the Colonies (now called for Overseas – IUC for short) paid a visit to the then University College, Ibadan. They noticed a shortage of students from the then Northern Nigeria but firmly rejected a quota system of admission on the grounds that this would lower academic standards.

Instead “they recommended the expansion of secondary schools with higher School courses and `social changes’, to tackle the problem of inadequate representation of female and northern undergraduates at U.C.I. By 1955, the situation had scarcely improved” (Tamuno and Ajayi, 1973 History of the University of Ibadan 1948 – 73). One might say that in 1975 the situation all over the country was worse in proportionate terms. How could the measures suggested by the IUC ever be expected to work, when at that time the North, as a limit of the under-privileged States, was just having its second Government secondary school split off from the checkered Katsina – Kaduna College? How could Higher School Certificate courses be introduced when people like Mr. E.L. Mort, a former Principal at the Kaduna College, broke down weeping that all his work in the North had been undone, when he heard that plans were being made to introduce HSC courses at the Kaduna College?

In September, 1971, the former Military Governors of the then Northern States, wrote on the platform of the defunct ICSA to the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon. In their letter No. CSA/MIG/222 7 they drew attention to the fact that students from the Northern States constituted less than 2 per cent of the total student population in the then Federal Universities of Ibadan and Lagos. They suggested the expansion of the preliminary courses in these Universities and giving preference to students from those states for these courses. The then Head of State opined that the ICSA were trying to “carry up everything a little too far” but asked for Civil Service advice. In their solicited comments on this, all that the Administrative National Universities Commission could recommend at that time was “a bold programme… to increase primary school population… and… considerable financial grant to the States….’’

When the debate on the imbalance in University enrolment heated up and it appeared that the then Federal Government was going to be unyielding in its bold determination to do nothing – the underprivileged states embarked upon serious plans to build and own Universities. This included the Rivers State (the then South Eastern States entered into a fruitful political association with the then East Central State over Nsukka). The then top functionaries of the Federal Government, very interestingly blocked these efforts by working against very formidable States’ opposition to transfer Higher Education from the concurrent to the Exclusive Federal Legislative List in the Constitution in order, according to them, to stop the “tribalisation of our Universities”. This effectively rendered abortive efforts to build State Universities like the North East, Kwara and Rivers State Universities. Ironically the then FMG approved the University of Benin (by itself a good thing), in one of the already fortunate states! The enrolment pattern of the University of Benin is an indication of how successfully has that University been made national.

As a carrot, it was announced that the new Universities would mostly be located in these underprivileged states. True enough this was done, but as repeatedly stated above, this action by itself would never solve the problem of imbalance without concomitant changes in the admission policies. In fact it is an open secret, and a realistic admission of the true position of things in the country, in terms of unity and trust, that there has been open although obviously misplaced skepticism in the States towards these new Universities whose newly appointed Vice-Chancellors and Principals did not appear to be those who could automatically be “trusted” to work had in correcting the imbalance. The carrot of the location of the new Universities stands the risk of being misread as simply another theory stick unless some visible effort is made on the matter of imbalance.

INCREASE IN ELIGIBILITY

The only way to increase the eligibility of University education to students from the underprivileged areas is to remedy the effects of the fewer secondary schools they have, and the effects of the poorer standards of these secondary schools. This means that the student should be given another chance to attempt entry into University courses, under more favourable circumstances. These remedial efforts should be based in a number of educational institutions, which will be briefly indicated below:-

1. Special Remedial Centres

These are post-secondary institutions specially established as “quality centres” to remedy the effects of poor standards in secondary schools and to prepare the candidates for direct entry into first degree courses in the Universities. They could, of course, be made to prepare students for admission into preliminary courses in the Universities or into the first year of the 4-year degree programme. At whatever level the candidates enter after being remedial, the eventual results are considered likely to be the same, since these weak candidates are weak because of poor secondary schools and not because of innate lack of intelligence. However, for reasons of morale of staff, the centres are likely to be truly viable only if they undertook courses leading to the direct first degree courses of a 3-year programme or appropriate entry at the second year of the 1-year degree programme.

Centres of these types are the Schools of Basic Studies of the Ahmadu Bello University, the former North East College of Arts and Science (NECAS), and the Basic Schools of the Kwara, Port Harcourt and Calabar Colleges of Technology.

These centres, properly staffed and equipped, achieve remarkable results. In the first examination of the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (moderated by the ABU) in June 1975 these were the results of the NECAS:-

WASC Result- Total IJMB Failed IJMB

Division Passed

I 28 28 Nil

II 59 57 1

III 92 81 11

GCE (O/L) 2 2 Nil

Grade II Teachers 5 5 Nil

Certificates 186 173 13

Thus, of the 186 who passed out of the NECAS, 49.5 percent entered with Div. III School Certificate – a group that would never have been touched with a 50-foot pole by our existing Universities. The results in the other Basic Schools have also been most encouraging although the 93 per cent pass scored by the NECAS was unequalled. The high score from the NECAS was related to better equipment and staff (who were however anticipating the eventual development of a University out of the institution – as finally happened).

These remedial centres should be set up urgently in everyone of the underprivileged states. For a start each of the states that do not have them should, in the first instance, convert one existing secondary school into a School of Basic Studies before the substantial College is built, and the students of that School redistributed among other secondary schools of the State and the Federal Government. The states should not dismantle their good secondary schools when selecting one. Those states that have such centres should expand them so that the annual intake comes to about 1,000 a year by 1980. In all these it is important for each State to identify the central figure in this task immediately and give him all support.

The Federal Government should be responsible for the entire financial burden of establishing these centres or in expanding them and in their recurrent expenditure. However, the centres should be under the complete control of the State Governments, including the admission policies. The Federal Government should assist in the immediate recruitment of staff into these institutions, and make special arrangements for the building and equipment.

All the ten States of the former North, as well as the Rivers and Cross Rivers States, will each need one of these new centres. In the places where the existing Basic Schools form a part of the College of Technology, etc. they should be detached.

2. FEDERAL SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCE (FSAS)

These Schools are located at Victoria Island (Lagos), Sokoto, Mubi, Ogoja, Aba, Ondo and Abuja. The last three are yet to be truly established. It has been suggested that ‘students in first 10 places in the promotion examination from Form 4 to 5 (in classes larger than thirty) in all secondary schools in the affected states should be given automatic scholarship by the Federal Government to proceed to a two-year pre-University course after taking their West African School Certificate Examination”. “The F.S.A.S. at Victoria Island may undertake the assignment of FSAS Aba, Ondo and Abuja before these are firmly established” (Dr. S.D. Onabamiro).

As an alternative, the present admission policies of these schools, designed to reflect a measure of quota-system for the underprivileged states, can be left as they are with the quota aspect strengthened as considered necessary.

3. PRE-DEGREE COURSES IN THE NEW UNIVERSITIES

Since the new Universities were set up with the ostensible political objective of correcting the educational imbalance, they should be made to do just that. After all, they were used as a substitute for State Government efforts to set up their own Universities and in the case of Maiduguri, the Federal University physically supplanted the State effort.

Regardless of whatever arguments that may be made about standards, mixing up of students from different parts of Nigeria and similar ideals, these new Universities should admit predominantly from the backward areas. Whether the new Universities is embarking on the syllabus of a preliminary course followed by a three-year degree course, a straight 5-year degree course, the admission for the 12 affected states should make up a minimum of sixty per cent of the total. The distribution among the states should be based upon population. If a state cannot fill its quota, arrangements should be made to admit from the nearest state(s) among the affected ones, provided the fact that this is an exercise to correct imbalance is never lost sight of.

4. PRE-DEGREE COURSES IN THE OLDER UNIVERSITIES

All the existing Universities run pre-degree courses – either as preliminary, or as the first year of a 4-year degree programme. The ABU has the remedial centre of the School of Basic Studies and had entered into a “Federation” of Joint Matriculation with similar centres in Zaria, Kano and Maiduguri.

Since most of the existing Universities adopted policies which tended to maintain or worsen the imbalance, they cannot remain aloof while efforts are being made to correct this. In fact, apart from the ABU, it can be said that all of our Universities participated in, or at least, stood by, while the unhealthy imbalance was being gradually exacerbated. Universities anywhere should never fail to identify those factors which are likely to do incalculable damage to their nation, and must respond promptly when these facts are pointed out to them. This attitude of non-chalance sometimes arises in the name of offering “no compromise on the question of standards” a phrase used to poorly conceal what might be correctly or mistakenly interpreted as ethnic smugness in the places where it is least expected.

The existing Universities must therefore be involved in the remedial courses and must be made to see the natural need to admit more students from the under-privileged areas. In fact, the formula is simple as far as remedial courses are concerned. Each year the particular University is given its enrolment quota for pre-degree courses. This is necessary to prevent these Universities unilaterally contracting this part of the course and therefore escaping. From this quota 50 per cent can be admitted on merit – by an entrance examination, or by whatever means. The other 50 per cent should be admitted from the 12 under-privileged states on quota basis – each state allocated places according to population. The formula should be the same as for the new Universities – any state unable to fill its quota should surrender the remaining portion to the nearby states in the twelve under-privileged.

Of the secondary school leavers admitted on quota basis, the University should either remedy them for two years so that they enter a three-year degree course directly (which is preferable) or for a year so that they can enter preliminary classes.

Universities which run a straight 4-year degree programme should also plan similarly, namely, on being remedied, the quota student can either start the first year of a four-year course or the second year if the remedial course lasts two years.

Not only should the existing Universities take part in the remedial course for reasons of justice, but also because they are the best equipped in terms of staff and facilities. These remedial students should not be isolated in a ‘colony’ but should matriculate in their respective Universities and belong to the various faculties from the word go.

In the Direct Entrants into the first year of a 3-year degree programme and the second year of a 4-year degree programme, the same formula should be used, that is 5O per cent of admissions in the older Universities and 6O per cent in the new Universities should be on quota basis using the same formula. Since in this case there is no question of a remedial course, a candidate can only be admitted, from wherever they may be, if he or she meets the minimum requirements for the University. Since these minimum entry requirements could be used to frustrate this component of the correction of imbalance exercise, they should be subject to scrutiny as a continuing exercise. The quota imposition at this higher level is necessary so as to cater for the needs of the products from the state remedial centres and the Federal Schools or Arts and Science.

PROBABLE YIELDS

The probable yields in terms of correcting the imbalance will depend upon the net enrolment achieved in the entire University system. They will also depend upon the level of performance in the WASC (or equivalent) examinations which is considered to make the candidate eligible for entry into a remedial course. Of course, the yields will depend upon how the letter and the spirit of the national exercise is approached and carried out.

The following estimates for yields are based upon the projections of the National Universities Commission (1975/80) according to Secondary School enrolments. The assumption is made that 20 per cent of the candidates for WASC pass with Divisions I and II, “the usual University material”. Of these, 60 per cent are estimated to opt for University courses. In fact based on recent performances at WASC, 20 per cent pass at Division I and II seems over-optimistic. Fifteen per cent pass seem more likely. However, since the quota students will be most likely to be made up of many who score less than Division II in WASC, the figures to be given may not represent an over-estimate.

The figures are given according to estimated enrolments in the Universities and assuming the 60:40 ratio of Science, Arts and that the new Universities will enroll the pre-degree students at 60 per cent quota basis and the older Universities 50 per cent.

TABLE A

Arts – Based Discipline 1976-80

Pre-Degree Enrolment of Quota Students

 

Year Old Universities New Universities

50 % 60 %

1976 1,082 930

1977 1,275 1,020

1978 1,425 1,350

1979 1,525 1,650

1980 1.525 1.920

6,832 6,870

Total Arts Quota 13,502

Total Arts ‘O’ Level 23,340 Admission

Total Arts ‘A’ Level 8,375 Admission

 

This table also assumes that both the Universities of Ibadan and Lagos are required to commence by 1978 pre-degree courses in Arts, which they do not offer at the moment.

 

Table B

Science-Based Disciplines 1976-80

Pre-Degree Enrolment of Quota students

Year Old Universities New Universities

1976 2,100 210

1977 2,175 660

1978 2,525 1,200

1979 2,880 1,530

1980 3,200 1,920

13,200 5,520

 

Total Science Quota 18,720

Total ‘O’ Level Science 34,977 Admission

Total ‘A’ Level Science 14,000 Admission

 

In the figures shown for the pre-degree Arts and Science quota admissions were to be achieved, then beginning in September 1976, by 1980, if the projected admission of 58,300 pre-degree students in the 13 Universities institutions, at least 35,000 would have come from the 12 under-privileged states. This would have gone some way towards correcting the prevailing serious imbalance. ‘A’ Level Entrants At the rough ratio of total enrolments between the new universities and the old ones, of 1: 2 up to 1980, and with quota at 50 per cent for the older universities and 60 per cent for the new universities, the projected numbers of quota students in the ‘A’ level admissions of all the universities, beginning from September 1976 up to 1980 are:-

 

Arts – based Disciplines

Total projected admission 8,375

Total projected Quota 3,350 students

 

science – based disciplines

Total projected admissions 14,000

Total projected Quota students – 5,000

 

It can be seen from the above that, if the remedial colleges and other extra-university courses of ‘A’ level students become well established, the quota admission will not be sufficient to correct the imbalance, it will certainly not be too much. This is related to the great disparity in projected enrolments between the older and the newer universities. However, this insufficiency should not matter since many of the students from these remedial centres will in fact gain university admission “on their own steam” by that time.

On the whole then, if the university system admits 81,000 from September, 1976, to September, 1980, a minimum 44,000 would have come from these educationally underprivileged areas. This would have set a course of imbalance correction. Educational imbalance would, by the nineties, then cease to be an issue which threatens national unity and understanding.

There have been realistic fears that it maybe too late to achieve much in the next academic session (76/77).

RATIONALISING THE SYSTEM OF QUOTA ADMISSION

It will be necessary to work out the method of selecting the quota students from the various areas, and also to give guidelines as to which of the various institutions they should be sent for any necessary remedial courses.

A review of the WASC results for two years presented in the form of the Grades achieved, and then in the terms of credits obtained, may help. If candidates with Division III in WASC are prepared for university education, the numbers of students from the underprivileged areas will increase substantially. Using only Division I and II as the universities tend to do now, will not redress the imbalance even if all the qualified candidates enter university. Using the GCE pass rate, the numbers benefiting will also increase substantially, but not as much as by using Divisions and taking Division III as well.

At the moment, universities consider only candidates who score 5 credits. The numbers likely to benefit in the underprivileged states will be small. Using four credits especially for remedial course is not likely to make great difference. Figures are not available for candidates who obtain three credits and two or one credits. But clearly it maybe necessary to go down to these levels.

In all categories, the problems likely to be faced are those of subject combinations, but if the institutions are seriously determined they can rectify this.

Guidelines for selection

1. All candidates from the underprivileged states who achieve 5 credits in WASC should be admitted into the university that academic year. Those of them who pass the various entrance examinations of these institutions will be treated in the same way as any other candidates. Those who do not, will be admitted on population basis into the remedial courses which these institutions will organise.

2. All candidates from these areas who obtain 4 credits should also be admitted on population basis into the remedial courses of the universities. Universities who run straight 5-year courses, as a few of the new ones seem to wish to do, should admit these straight away.

3. Students from these areas who spill over from these universities remedial courses, e.g. if the universities have taken from all of those who have 4 credits and some of those who are left, and any with three credits, should be admitted for remedial courses into the Federal Schools of Arts and Science, and those of the State Remedial Centres existing or to be established. These latter Colleges, since they belong to the States, should be allowed to go as far down as they wish in the credit ladder for enrolling candidates into their remedial causes.

4. Flexibility should be permitted on this question of credits and venue of remedial training, but no student from these under-privileged states who obtains Division III in WASC, and who wishes to enter university, should be denied the opportunity of such remedial training.

5. It is possible that a Joint Matriculation (University placement) Board Examination will be introduced. Even if this is introduced, students will still take WASC, the results of which can be used as above, for determining who obtains remedial training and where.

If the WASC will be used to effect a political objective, it must be ensured that the examination is fair and efficient. The question of a Joint Matriculation Examination (JMB) was raised because of the obvious incompetence of WAEC. There is every likelihood that the JMB will face problems similar to WAEC. This is in terms of efficiency. In terms of fair play – if certain sections of the country object violently to the quota system, then confidence in the fact that the enabling examination like WASC, but especially the JMB (which will be marked in the universities), will be seriously eroded. The only answer is to decentralize WAEC. This will be the most sensible thing to do. Let the various syndicates of WAEC mark their WASC papers using questions set and guidelines clearly laid down by WAEC, which will only have the function of certifying the results and higher policy matters (like the NUC and the universities). In London County alone, there are NINE school examination Bodies as part of the Joint Syndicate. There is no earthly reason why the whole of WEST AFRICA should take the same destructively centralized school leaving examination.

Apart from the problems of WASC, where needs be, set up some machinery for implementing the system of quota admission. A Quota Committee, of a sort, can be set up nationally. This will be like a Common Entrance Board of limited scope, this can be added to the responsibilities of any future full Common Entrance Board.

REGULARISING UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS

It was already indicated that the educational imbalance at the university level can be redressed by two complementary means, increasing the eligibility of candidates from the backward areas, and detribalizing the process of university admissions. Admission has become a national issue, and therefore a political issue. It should therefore be handled by the political organ of the university – the Governing Council. At the moment, admission is the responsibility of Senate. It is regarded as an academic exercise, and Council is sometimes not even notified of admission figures giving detailed analysis.

Senates are very conservative bodies which jealously guard what they call university autonomy and academic freedom. But neither of these can over-ride national unity and harmony. Concerning the Senates’ modest record of concern with the geographical imbalance in our universities education, the composition of these Senates (the staff of the existing universities classified by ethnicity of geographical areas will yield similar graphs to those of student enrolment) and the unexpected inability of these bodies to completely divest themselves of all ethnic sentiments, one should not allow university admissions to remain their exclusive responsibility, at least not that portion of it related to correcting imbalance. Universities admission should therefore for the time being, transferred from being the ultimate responsibility of the Senate, to being that of the Governing Council. The Councils should be given clear directives by the FMG as to what is expected of them in terms of redressing the imbalance, using set guidelines. The Councils will then arrange to take over the control of the admission apparatus. Each Council should report to FMG, within four to eight weeks of the beginning of any session an analysis of the university’s admission for the year – with details of State by State breakdown, and States by Disciplines, as well as States by Remedial Courses breakdown and clearly shown. This should be observed for a number of years with policies and mechanics appropriately adjusted according to the feedback obtained.

Apart from vesting the Councils with responsibility for admissions, some general shake-up may be needed in university administration – to reduce allegations of tribalism at the lower administrative staff level, if necessary by shuffling the staffing of certain positions. It does appear that what the Universities want is leadership. Respectable Universities do not want to live under the shadows of the politics of tribalistic admissions or the charges of ignoring national needs hanging over their heads. Our universities are no exception.

 

 

PROBLEMS OF QUOTA SYSTEM OF ADMISSION

The problems to be faced in introducing the quota system of admissions into the Universities are two types – the real ones and the obstructionistic ones.

GENUINE PROBLEMS

1. Expense

It could be quite expensive. The State Colleges of Arts and Science will cost at least 15 to 20 million naira each. The Federal schools of Arts and Science may require expansion. The universities, the older universities, will use the introduction of a remedial course as an opportunity to press for funds for capital development. To prevent lack of funds being used as an excuse to frustrate the whole exercise in so far as the universities are concerned, generous provisions will need to be made here too.

2. Logistic

To organize the quota system requires efficient coordinating machinery. As already indicated, a Quota Implementation Committee can be set up to serve as a Common Entrance Board of limited scope. The Committee will have to be fairly high powered. Of course, the problems of staffing and equipping any remedial centers to be established need no emphasis.

3. Congestion in the Universities

Introduction of remedial courses in the universities will increase congestion already existing in some of them. The staff will need to put in extra work. However, it has already been shown that these remedial courses enroll half of those who could have been enrolled into preliminary courses. The net effect tends to be less serious than imagined.

4. Problems of Injustice

This is the most emotional part of the whole undertaking, but the system proposed must be seen in the proper perspective. It is not the intention to lower entry qualification for degree courses for any group. That will not be in the interest of any one. What is proposed is to give a second chance at entering into a degree courses to those who come from weak secondary schools.

It is therefore not as if there is someone with qualifications for entry into a degree course who is turned away in favor of someone with lower ones who happens to come from a particular area.

In addition to giving a second chance to the weaker candidate, more equal opportunity for entry is also introduced by fair play, which means abolition of all traces of tribalism in the university admission process. This is the job of a briefed political body – the Governing Council. Nevertheless, there will still be problems since the quota will need to be preserved for the Colleges of Arts and Science in the backward States, and since preliminary admission will be halved in favor of remedial courses.

Questions will be asked like: The son of a farmer in Ekiti or Arondizuogu is as deprived as the son of a farmer in Eket or Argungu, so why ever discriminate? Whose fault is it that the secondary schools in the states affected are fewer and standards poorer? Since we are all committed to unity, why cannot every Nigerian be regarded as a Nigerian and given equal opportunity? These questions are quite searching, but the answers to them do exist. On the two farmers’ sons – you promote national unity; by doing justice to groups rather to individuals. This is the concept of the greatest good for the greatest number. Anyone who asks whose fault it is that there is educational imbalance in the country needs to be told that the future of the nation is more important than apportioning blames, and that historical errors are corrected by determined men fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do so. We are in the position to correct these errors which threaten our national oneness, and should not dissipate energy in laconic circumspection and recriminatory adjudication. As can be seen in the article by Dr. S.D. Onabamiro, there will inevitably have to be “temporary injustice” done to certain individuals. This is the give and take of peaceful and harmonious co-existence. The Chinese accepted it from the Malays in Malaysia. On the question of Nigerians having equal opportunity, it can be replied that the quota system is designed to promote just that!

5. Surplus Youth

If there are some highly qualified candidates for university education, who wish to, but cannot get in, there will be surplus youth. But the expansion in the university system can absorb most of such any way. Then the others can get into other post-secondary institutions like Colleges of Technology, and para-professional courses and the Armed Forces. Here too a quota system should be adopted. A fair redistribution of manpower would then result.

Employment opportunities, currently high in the country for the realistic ones in this group, will obviate any problems.

 

 

6. Non-Co-operation and Sabotage

If the introduction of a quota system generates the expected heat, then this factor will have to be reckoned with.

First of all, the university staff could theoretically refuse to teach the students any remedial courses. This is not very likely, since the university staff are responsible people and since the University authorities will be required to see to that. What is more likely is that these students could be taught grudgingly, without goodwill. If the final examination of the remedial course is made internal, a high proportion of these candidates can also theoretically be failed just to prove that they were never “university material” any way. A system of external examiners nominated (not on individual but) on institutional basis can help reduce this unlikely problem, which should however not be ruled out because of human weaknesses.

The act of non-co-operation and sabotage can also be applied to the marking of the WASC and the JMB examinations. The only answer is to take steps to increase confidence in the conduct of these examinations. The most effective way will be to decentralize them, and establish regional centers. To safeguard local cheating, a small sample of schools from other parts can be made to take the examination of each designated area and vice-versa. Another possible reaction is non-co-operation in staff recruitment and in erecting physical structures. These are most unlikely, and can be discounted. They are the sort of things which could only accompany open hostility.

7. Civil Strife

It is not expected that civil strife will result from this, but it should not be ruled out completely. More likely will be violent reactions from the students who justly (or not) feel deprived. There could also be mob taunts to remedial course students in the universities or to those coming from such course. This could lead to all sorts of things, but will be a temporary phenomenon.

8. Effect of Quota Admission on Morale of Candidates

It is possible for the quota students to develop a -complex as a result of the taunts referred to above. That would not be new and is the reason why in white America the Black Universities do not physically separate remedial course students from the others. A measure of such taunts has always existed and is no more than mere friction. Let the affected students learn to be thick-skinned. It is good for them.

9. Poor Motivation

The problem of poor motivation in the affected states, to the extent that the whole effort to introduce quota admissions becomes not worth the pitch, is a possibility. There will need to be organisation to overcome this as indicated above. The authorities may also be too slow or too busy to respond in the pursuit of the establishment of the remedial centres. All these should be expected.

10. External Degree

The External Degree programme can be effectively used to maintain or worsen the imbalance even if the quota system comes to be accepted. This will not only be in the Arts but also in Science since there are plans to bring these students in for Laboratory work during long vacations. In a way these programmes can act as a safety valve but it will be necessary to observe that they are not misused by anyone to counteract Government policy on imbalance.

OBSTRUCTIONISTIC PROBLEMS

There may be serious arguments with rancor and heat to oppose the quota system of admission. There will be figures bandied about. While cautioning on the limitations of statistical analyses, it should be pointed out that in this case the only valid correlation will be that of a population sample against the given higher educational opportunities of that sample under prevailing circumstances.

Arguments about lowering standards by adopting the quota system will be spurious since all that is intended is to remedy the effects of poor secondary schools. This is best done in the universities or similar institutions. You cannot remedy a student in the same institution where he was retarded.

There will be hue and cries of infringement of University autonomy, insult to Senates, rape of the University system etc. (coming from expatriates as well) if admissions are removed from Senate to Council in the universities. A few show piece resignations from certain Government bodies can be anticipated. This will all be part of the expected trials of a problem which is at least being tackled.

Of course shortage of funds, staff and facilities will be put in the fore front. Elaborate details will be obtained of the already deplorable state of the universities. The short answer is to improve the facilities, but, more important, to make better use of the existing ones in the national interest.

It will be stated that students do not wish to leave their areas to study elsewhere, and citations made of individual unsuccessful heroic efforts to enroll students from deprived areas. The latter may well be true, but this wide imbalance gap requires more than “token” or “showpiece” efforts of well disposed individuals however sincere.

It may be argued that quota admission will engender complex in the students concerned and give them a bad start in life. A remedial course leading to a degree surely engenders fewer complexes than lack of university education. All these arguments should therefore be expected, but must be seen for what they really are: obstructionist.

THE HOPES

It will hardly be fair to accuse everyone in certain parts of Nigeria of bigotry, ethnicity or of burying their heads in the sands of educationally privileged smugness. It would be quite unfair. Both inside and outside the university system there are genuine, decent people, capable of seeing far, of grasping the necessary recipes for future national unity and stability. As already indicated, as far back as 1952, two Nigerians from the South, the late Mr. E.E. Esua and Chief Kola Balogun urged for quota admissions into the University College, Ibadan. This was dropped, when a British Director of Education, Mr. A.A. Shillingford, who claimed to know his Northern protegees asserted that his wards did not want this (Ajayi and Tamuno 1973).

In December, 1973, Dr. Azikiwe called for a quota system of admission into the universities as a means of “restructuring the society”.

Dr. Sanya D. Onabamiro had been campaigning in favour of the quota system for a long time.

What is more, the opponents of quota admission into the universities must be expecting it any way. The system is working in the King’s College, Lagos, the Federal Government Colleges and schools of Arts and Science, the Armed Forces and the Police etc. etc. There is nothing to exempt the Universities.

I believe, as indicated above, that both staff and students will come to accept and live with a well conceived and expected quota system of admission into the universities, no matter the initial storms. They will prefer to have it and be done with it, so that the universities will free themselves to look at new frontiers.

With recent interactions through increased mobility, communications, creation of states, the National Youth Services Corps etc. Nigerians are much more tolerant of each other than before. It is time to remove this last; very grave threat to complete integration and understanding among the people.

SUMMARY

In summary, the Federal Military Government will need to make a bold attempt to correct the unsavory educational imbalance in the country, by taking the following steps in the university system.

1. Establishment of remedial centers in each of the 12 States affected (the 10 Northern, Cross River and Rivers States), for the purpose of increasing the eligibility of the students from these areas for entry into the universities.

2. Retention of the present admission formula for the Federal School of Arts and Science.

3. A sixty per cent quota admission for the twelve states, on population basis into the new universities.

4. A fifty per cent quota admission for the twelve states, on population basis, into the existing universities.

5. Removal of responsibility for admissions from university Senates to the Councils.

6. Other efforts to depoliticize admissions into the universities.

7. Decentralization of West African Examination Council.

8. Establishment of Quota Implementation Committee.

9. Efforts to improve primary school and secondary school numbers and facilities in the affected areas.

10. Campaign to increase response to educational opportunities in areas.

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