Higher Education including Professional Education

Higher Education covers the post-secondary section of the national education system which is given in Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Technology, Colleges of Education, Advanced Training Colleges, Correspondence Colleges and such institutions as may be allied to them.

The teaching and research functions of the higher educational institutions have an important role to play in national development particularly in development of high level manpower. Furthermore, Universities are one of the best means for developing national consciousness.

TERTIARY EDUCATION

The number of universities in Nigeria increased from 42 to 68 between 1999 and July 2006. Teacher/student ratio moved from 1:22.8 in 1999 to 1:25.53 in 2003.

The increase in the number of primary schools in Nigeria from 47,902 in 1999 to 62,119 in 2003 and in secondary schools from 8,113 in 1999 to 8,439 in 2003 is a positive sign of the partial success of the new drive to improve education. Serious measures still need to be taken to address the quality of instruction, access to basic infrastructure, information technology, and proper equipment for libraries, in addition to making funds available for research.

The salaries of academics may have improved since 1999, but it has not stemmed the tide of the brain drain making it necessary to work out a sustainable wage structure as part of the comprehensive framework for funding education.