PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES AS PANACEA TO INCREASED ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF THREE PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

Providing university education to citizens should not be the solitary efforts of government, but should be the responsibility of adults at all levels hence, the involvement of the private sector in the provision of university education. This study investigated the rationale for the establishment of private universities in Nigeria using three chosen universities namely Adeleke University, Ede, Bowen University, Iwo and Fountain University Osogbo. Qualitatively, secondary data were collected and analyzed to establish the areas in which private universities have contributed to the development of higher education in Nigeria. Quantitatively, 140 copies of questionnaire were distributed among randomly chosen respondents from the universities while principal officers were interviewed. Findings of the study revealed that private universities were established to provide university education to some of those who failed to gain admission into public universities. This was clearly shown when 92.1% of respondents agreed that public university admissions were with pressure. It also revealed that private universities have contributed to the improvement of the quality of university education in the areas of stable academic calendar (96.9%), creation of jobs for both academics and non-academics (52.8%), and provision of adequate facilities for conducive learning (86.6%). The study concluded that the chosen private universities have played a significant role in the provision of university education in Nigeria, especially by way of making available opportunities to some of those who would not have been able to have university education because of the tight admission opportunity into public universities in Nigeria.