PROPHE Summary (by Hirosuke
Honda):
A Nigerian state governor here presents a complimentary
speech on private higher education. He reports that private universities
already compose of 23 per cent of the country's higher education, and
have capacity to expand in accordance with rapid population growth.
According to the governor, the private sector contributes to the country's
higher education system in providing quality education, producing graduate
models, and allowing access for students who fail getting in public
institutions. Given adequate regulations, private universities should
and can, he argues, meet expected quality standards. Simultaneously,
adequate funding as well as balanced regulatory action and institutional
autonomy is crucial.
For the full story, see Global News Wire- Asia Africa Intelligence
Wire, December 19, 2005, "Private Universities in a Modersn
University," by Ahmadu Mu'azu
PROPHE Observation (by Daniel
C. Levy):
Such a favorable political statement is common where governments
welcome a private sector to help ameliorate its burdensome in higher
education provision, particularly in funding and access. In addition,
although private higher education outside the United States worldwide
is often demand absorbing, focusing on quantity over quality, the claims
here reach beyond quantity alone. The governor's emphasis on how the
private university is free from political disruptions that plague public
counterparts is particularly pointed. Igbinedion University is one of
Nigeria's highest status private secular universities and, like others
of its type, has a government official ownership role that is quite
rare internationally.
