Issues to Urgently Address in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Abstract

Globally, tertiary institutions have been actively involved in society development
especially in the areas of manpower development and community services provision.
In Nigeria, tertiary institutions is contributing to the socio-economic and technological
advancement. Recently, it appears the three major functions of tertiary
institutions in Nigeria are been affected by the some internal and external problems
that is calling for an immediately actions. The paper discussed some current issues
to be addressed in the various tertiary institutions in Nigeria in order to keep them
effective. The theoretical framework adopted for this paper was the General System
Theory that was developed by David Easton in 1953. The paper used secondary
data. The secondary data were collected from print materials and online publications.
The paper identified the following pressing issues that is militating against
effective operation of tertiary institutions in Nigeria to include; poor funding and
faulty funding model, inadequate academic staff, infrastructure facilities deficit, political
influence, proliferation of tertiary institutions, brain-drain, autonomy, poor
remuneration and weak industry-academia collaboration. Based on the issues identified,
the paper recommended the following; reform in the funding model of tertiary
institutions, employment of adequate academic staff, provision of more infrastructure
facilities, establishment of department in federal ministry of education to
handle issues of tertiary institutions establishment by drawing of a national plan
for tertiary institutions establishment across Nigeria, increment in the salaries of
academic staff and grant of autonomy to tertiary institutions.