The National Vice President of the Literacy Promotion Association of Nigeria (LiPAN), Prof. Ibiere Ken-Maduako, has expressed concern over the inadequate funding of university education and other public schools throughout the country, noting that many of the celebrated elites attended public universities.
In a recent discussion with our correspondent in Port Harcourt regarding the declining state of university education and public schools in Nigeria, Ken-Maduako, who is also the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) in Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, stated that Nigeria’s public universities are facing a funding crisis that undermines their foundational mission, highlighting a chronic lack of investment in higher education.
She took the occasion to praise a local media organization, specifically the Port Harcourt-based online news platforms.
Prof. Ibiere Ken-Maduako emphasized that in recent years, various evaluations of Nigeria’s higher education system have emerged, adding that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has pinpointed issues such as inadequate funding, a lack of infrastructure, insufficient staff, poor research and development, and weak connections between universities and industry as stifling factors for the university system.
She noted that financial support from the federal and state governments is lacking, forcing some institutions to depend almost entirely on external donors, erratic revenue sources, or increased tuition fees.
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“Students are feeling the pressure. Reports from campuses in Port Harcourt and Calabar indicate that rising costs of transportation, accommodation, and food are already affecting attendance, academic performance, and mental well-being.”
Prof. Ibiere Ken-Maduako characterized the situation as ‘unsustainable for any system aspiring for global competitiveness.’
She also commended PH Mundial for its thorough and continuous coverage of education issues within universities, stating that media attention is crucial for generating policy progress.
As a professor specializing in Pragmatics in Communication, Ibiere Ken-Maduako urged both federal and state governments to provide greater autonomy for managing resources, generating revenue, and forming partnerships with industry and international entities, underscoring the need to prioritize student welfare, as transport, accommodation, mental health, and basic living expenses must not be overlooked if academic success is to thrive.
Ibiere Ken-Maduako asserted that “a multi-stakeholder taskforce should be established, incorporating governments, universities, students, labor unions, civil society organizations, and the media, to oversee reform progress and provide public reports.”
