The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, has sounded an alarm regarding the potential dropout crisis in Nigerian universities.
Osodeke predicts that within the next two years, an alarming 40 to 50 percent of students may be forced to abandon their education if the Federal Government does not intervene to halt the continuous increase in university fees.
He conveyed these concerns during a discussion on the state of the Nigerian education sector on Channels TV, emphasizing the serious repercussions of imposing hefty fees on students nationwide. According to Osodeke, these exorbitant fees could lead to a mass exodus of students, unable to cope with the financial burden.
He stated, “If nothing is done about these heavy fees being introduced by schools all over the country, in the next two or three years, more than 40 to 50 percent of these children who are in school today will drop out.”
Osodeke, the head of the university lecturers’ union, also issued a warning of a looming national crisis if his prediction of a significant dropout rate becomes a reality. He pointed out that these dropouts could face idleness, potentially making them susceptible to recruitment by those seeking to disrupt the country’s stability.
“When they drop out, they will become a big feed for recruitment for those who want this country to be ungovernable.”
Osodeke urged the government to revisit its budgetary allocation for education, calling for an increase to at least 15 percent of the total budget. He lamented that the meager 3.8 percent allocated to education in the last budget was inadequate.
He argued that with a higher allocation, parents would be relieved of the financial burden of paying exorbitant fees for their children’s education.
Furthermore, he expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the government’s student loan policy, suggesting that it needs a comprehensive review to be successful.
“When you are talking about student loans, you have to be comprehensive. There is nothing to show that it would work.”
Osodeke’s concerns revolve around the potential consequences of rising university fees in Nigeria, highlighting the need for government action to prevent a mass exodus of students from the educational system.
