By Dayo Hassan
Government, through politicians have been accused of hindering the autonomy of universities in the country on various occasions. Politicians in Nigeria have obstructed university autonomy in a variety of ways, including.
Politicians in Nigeria have been known to intervene in the recruitment of university administrators, including vice-chancellors and other critical positions. This meddling frequently results in the appointment of those loyal to politicians or political party rather than those qualified and capable of efficiently leading the university.
Withholding funding: Nigerian politicians have also been known to withhold funding from universities, limiting their ability to function autonomously. This can also be used to compel universities to conform to political demands.
Policy imposition: Politicians in Nigeria have pushed policies on universities that are inconsistent with academic standards or best practices. This can involve the implementation of programmes with no academic merit, as well as the enforcement of admission quotas that are not based on merit.
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Intimidation: In some cases, Nigerian politicians have used violence and intimidation to gain control of universities and silence dissenting voices. This can involve the dismissal of academic staff, as well as the intimidation and assault of academic workers who speak out against government policy.
All of these activities by politicians have the potential to erode university autonomy and disrupt their ability to accomplish their academic mission.
Full university autonomy has also been viewed to have negative effects on students and parents. Some of it includes:
Tuition fee increases: University autonomy may allow them to determine their own tuition costs, which may be more than what students are now paying. This may make higher education more difficult to obtain for low-income students.
Poor management: Full autonomy can lead to resource mismanagement, corruption, and a reduction in educational quality. This is because of the burden of finance to manage the affairs of the university.
In summary, the impacts of full university autonomy on students in Nigeria are determined by how well universities manage their resources and adhere to the legal framework.
To be continued…
