He who opens a school door closes a prison-Victor Hugo. Education is one of the factors that contribute to the development of a nation, without which a nation cannot experience progress. Nigeria as a nation has put in place several measures and policies by past and present administration to improve the quality of education in Nation. of the recommendations to improve education in the Nation is free education and low tuition fee, so as to encourage more participation. It should be recalled that in 1940 Sidney Philipson, the financial secretary of the Nigerian government was appointed to review grants in-aid to education, this led to the recommendation of a Universal, free compulsory educational system at the primary and secondary.
Most developing and developed Nations have extended this to the higher institutions, countries such as Norway, Finland and Germany. The recommendation was launched at different regions of Nigeria, excluding the Northern region.
However, it is saddening that education in Nigeria is becoming a mirage for the lower citizens; masses who could not afford high tuition fee.
educational system is becoming one of elite oriented than public oriented. insight into the last education summit in Ondo State has created uproar, as self-sponsored student, orphans, and students whose parents can not afford high tuition fee has been throw into an hypertensive state, without hope of furthering their education, many will drop out, others may involve themselves in illicit trade and some might involve themselves in criminal activities.
Research has shown that Ondo State has been dropping in academic performance compared to her counterpart like Osun state and Lagos state, which still maintains a higher educational standard. Thou, primary and secondary education in public schools are free, but not absolutely free as student still pay some fees.
However, this raises the following questions: Must the tuition fee in the tertiary instuition be raised beyond what the masses can bear? How as the previous administration in the state financed tertiary institutions without increment in tuition fees? Will hike in tuition fee, be the ultimate solution to having a qualitative education?
Recently, the Governor of Ondo State, Arakurin Rotimi Akeredolu said that what the students pays as tuition fee can not purchase a good shoes.
Currently, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic pays over fifty thousand naira as tuition fee, Ondo State University of Science and Technology pays over eighty thousand naira, University of Medical Sciences pays over eighty thousand naira and Adekunle Ajasin University, which is rated as one of the best state university in Nigeria pays over twenty thousand naira.
During the last convocation in the state, at Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Mr. Governor made it cleared that the tuition fee will be increased but it will not be up to a million. This has raised an alarm whether the institution is a private institution or public institution. The recent meeting of the student union with Adekunle Ajasin governing, in which two hundred thousand naira was proposed as the tuition fee has raised pandemonium in the heart of parents and students.
The solution to qualitative education in Ondo state is not increment in school fee but rather a structure should be made internally on how institution can generate funds internally vis-à-vis government subventure. More money is not the end to poverty, so also increment in tuition fees will not be the ultimate solution to quality education. Tertiary institutions should be trained and equipped to generate funds, corruption and financial misappropriation should be shun.
Ondo State think, education is met for everyone member of the society and not just for the privileged. If the door to affordable tuition fee is closed then we should expect government to build more prisons.
