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Dr. Idris A. Oyemitan’s write-up on the above subject in The PUNCH issue of Wednesday, April 13, 2016 made an interesting reading. However, I hasten to submit that his submissions are rather preposterous due to the following reasons:
An average student who is provided with a more conducive learning environment is likely to perform better compared with his peers in a less organised and crisis-ridden school environment.
Admissions into both private and public universities are regulated by the National Universities Commission and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, governed by a uniform set of criteria. Each university may decide to increase its cut-off beyond the set benchmark, but cannot go below. Therefore, if a candidate scores below the cut-off approved by JAMB, they will not be admitted into any university, whether public or private.
Scoring a minimum or higher mark or grade in the UTME and SSCE respectively does not guarantee a first class degree or a failure, as success is ultimately determined by tenacity of purpose, hard work and an enabling environment. Cases abound of students with average scores in their UTME and SSCE coming out better in their studies than those with incredibly higher grades in the same UTME and SSCE.
I do not know whether Oyemitan’s children attend or attended public primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, but the circumstances that heralded the predominance of private participation at those subsectors have only been replicated at the tertiary level, hence private universities have come to the rescue. In fact, I foresee that in the next 10 years, unless government intervenes substantially in public schools, private operators will dominate the tertiary sector as is presently the case in primary and secondary levels.
As a parent, I will never allow my child to choose a public university in his quest for higher education due to the rot that has taken place over a long period of time in our public infrastructure generally, including government hospitals, housing estates, and other public utilities. Those who want standard and decency, and can afford it turn to the private sector for such services. This also applies to university education. However, that is not enough to categorise all graduates of public universities as bad products as many hardworking students refuse to be distracted by the enormity of the physical, moral and academic dilapidation noticeable in government’s schools in Nigeria. I wish to add that the preference for public or private universities in Nigeria is motivated by affordability and not quality as many parents would rather train their children in good private universities as they did during their primary and secondary education. This situation, occasioned majorly by unaffordability is responsible for higher cut-offs above JAMB’s recommendation in some public universities and nothing else. But it should be noted that some well-established and reputable private universities in Nigeria now compete with some public universities in terms of student application as discerning parents with the financial means have begun to see them as an alternative to the very expensive universities in America and Europe.
Mr. Adedeji Aina,
21 Aro Lambo Street,
Agbado,Ogun State
Source: Punch News
