COST-SHARING AND STUDENT-LOAN SCHEME AS A PRACTICAL OPTIONS FOR MAINTAINING QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The continued existence and performance of public tertiary education in Nigeria has become a subject of contention particularly in terms of meeting the expectation of the citizens and national development aspirations that would conform with the realities of the contemporary world and knowledge economy. The challenges of infrastructural decay, insufficient laboratory, shortage of manpower and poor remuneration has led to unending agitations between government and various unions in federal tertiary institutions. With increasing outcry by various stakeholders in tertiary education sector for increased funding despite the dwindling resources available at the disposal of government, the options and sources of disposable funds have remained limited therefore the urgent need to open the revenue bracket through increased and reasonable tuition payable by both parent and students through the student-loan scheme. Given the forgoing position, this study assesses the practicability of a functional and effective student-loan scheme which would ensure charging of reasonable and payable tuition by students in federal tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The study adopts the primary method of data collection which relies on a self-developed E-questionnaire. The study sample was chosen from fifteen federal tertiary institutions in South West Nigeria. 100 undergraduates and postgraduates students were purposively chosen for the study. The E-questionnaire retrieved was analyzed through the mean score. The study discovered that, the current funding and tuition regime cannot sustain federal tertiary institutions in Nigeria and recommends the introduction of a workable system of student-loan scheme that would rely on existing personal data and beneficiary’s information as available on the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN) data base. These data base would enable swift disbursement of funds to the students and also ensure refunds upon completion of studies.