Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are not attractive to foreign students and we want to tell you why with this article. Apart from the fact that our institutions are rated low among the countries of world institutions, it is also fast falling from low standard to a lower standard. So, base on my personal point of view, I am presenting to you ‘why Nigerian tertiary institutions are not attracting international students’.
Hopeful the concerned authorities will see these few points and try to adjust.
1. THE NEED TO SCRAP SOME EXAMINATION BODY: The reason behind these exam bodies is to provide quality with an individual for our institutions but you will not expect foreigners applying to Nigerian tertiary institutions to come down to Nigeria and get their JAMB or WAEC form, after which they will come back to our country to write the exam.
Even if we want to go in the way of JAMB/NECO/WAEC etc, why can’t the body provide international centre(s)? Like SAT, TOEFL, GRE etc. In a sane country, each university has her own way of screening students before admitting them, the selection is largely base on essays or something else. After which the admitted students would be screened using entrance examination (in some case).
2. REMOVAL OF SELF/GOVERNMENT INTEREST: Nigeria Government (both state and federal) /school bodies increase school fee in a bid to favouring their sole interest, students then respond to the hike in school fee by shutting down the school all in name of aluta. No sane International students will want to study in-country that will turn four years course to seven years.
They need not come to Nigeria to know how Nigeria Tertiary Institution’s strike (even much more than football strikers, like ‘Delima Ronaldo, Di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo etc’). I read a post on Facebook about a lecturer selling an ‘Uncooked textbook’, why will international students apply to a school that their students are made to pay for books they will use in preparing for the examination and later being told that the book is under construction (when it is not a house- courtesy ‘Uncooked book writer’).
ALSO READ: WAEC Maths Exam Did Not Leak Says WAEC
3. GOVERNMENT SHOULD FUND OUR INSTITUTIONS: Imagine a scenario where we have less than 300 Nigerian Tertiary Institutions and they are ill funded by our Government while the United States of America has more than that and they are well funded.
Our school’s hostel is nothing to write home about, walls are not well plastered, no proper water supply (students subscribe to other forms of water supply) and the toilets are not in good shape. I saw a picture of the University of Ghana hostel and I could not help but weep for my dear country, the hostels were well furnished that commenter(s) mistook it for a hotel. I won’t expect international students to apply to schools with little or no good infrastructure.
4. INSTITUTIONS NEED TO CREATE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS PORTAL: I Have gone through almost twenty Nigeria universities websites and non seem to have portal for undergraduate international students to apply. Nigerian Tertiary institutions in our neighbouring countries like Ghana has portal for international students, also not forgetting other African countries like South Africa, Mauritius etc.
Have Nigerian Tertiary Institutions lost the hope that our system could attract international students? I think it is high time Nigerian Tertiary Institutions create international students’ portal on their websites to attract foreigners. International students’ portal does not only attracts foreign students but also attracts foreign scholarship partners, imagine MasterCard foundation partnering with institutions in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa for a fully-funded program in any field of study to young, brilliant and exceptional African but financially disadvantage, leaving the so-called giant of Africa institutions.
NB: Points in this write-up are strictly based on my personal view and I think it is the true reflection of our educational system. Though our educational system is synonymous to self-development and most students from this system are always independent. The fact that we are going or have gone through this system has contributed to who we are today.
