How to reduce the rate of educational tourism in Nigeria
Education is the major tool for sustainable development; therefore, no nation could afford to underrate it. The major goal of every nation is to educate her citizens to acquire the requisite knowledge, values and skills that would enable them to contribute meaningfully towards national development. Nigeria as a nation needs adequate human and material resources to improve her social organization; preserves her cultures, enhance economic development and reform the political structure, but the human resources needed for promoting national development could be produced and refined in her Tertiary Institutions. This is ideal, but not the actual case in Nigeria because the rich and highly placed send their children to school and upon graduation they remain in their countries of study or any other good country. How can this trend be minimized? Through proper funding and adequate management of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.
WHAT IS FUNDING?
The provision of funds for the management of our educational institutions may come from the government, individuals, firms, non-governmental organizations, donor agencies, and advanced countries. Funding is a fundamental issue that enhances the effective management of the university system.
Kaegon and Amaehule (2016) noted that the success of academic activities of any university depends on the available funds needed for staff recruitment and procurement of other infrastructures required for the general management of the affairs of an institution.
REASONS FOR FUNDING
The major reason for funding universities is that, adequate funding is the life wire of any educational institution; because quality education is not cheap. Monies earmarked for education in most developed countries is equivalent if not more than our total annual budget. The whole essence of funding is to put in place adequate infrastructure, equipment and recruitment/development of well qualified personnel who are expected to translate everything put in place; through teaching and research into general human and socio-economic development. It will be correct to state that this is how the " National Life can be developed and sustained"
SOURCES OF FUNDING
The major sources of funding universities in Nigeria are government subventions, research grants, donations, internal revenue generation, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), endowment funds. Below are explanations of a few.
Tuition : Universities receive a reasonable proportion of their revenue through students' fees. Tuition fees are a means of generating money for universities so that tertiary education could meet up with the financial obligations that will enable them to provide quality education to students, embark on consultancy and community services as well sponsoring lecturers for researches.
Undertake Researches, Contracts and Consultancy Services: Universities undertake researches for large organizations like the oil firms and other multi-national organization. Income generated from the these activities can be used by institutions to provide infrastructures, fund other projects and offset some bills or debts outstanding to enable the institutions to deliver quality educational services to the students. Consultancy services could be undertaken by universities and the income generated could be re –invested in the institutions.
Internally Generated Revenue: Universities could supplement their funding options through the establishment of revenue yielding ventures or projects. Such projects or ventures like bookshops, hotels and catering services, event centres, recreational parks,transportation,real estate,hospitals, printing press and agricultural activities are viable means of raising funds needed to enhance their service delivery . There is need for our universities to as a matter of urgency look in this direction.
AREAS OF FUNDING UNIVERSITIES
The areas of funding in this study are discussed based on staff development, provision of physical infrastructures, payment of staff salary and maintenance of school facilities.
Staff Development
Human beings are the universal resource found in all kinds of organizations because no organization functions without people. It is often possible for these people commonly referred to as staff to identify some areas of weaknesses in their job performance and may likely improve by observing the performance of other experienced staff.
Provision of School Facilities
School facilities are the physical components which enhance teaching and learning among all educational institutions. School facilities serve as a motivational and promoter of effective teaching and learning. School facilities as the permanent and semi-permanent structures such as machinery, laboratory equipment, instructional materials and other equipment which enhance effective job performance among academic staff. This serves as one of the requirements for University ranking, the absence adequate infrastructure is the reason why Nigerian universities are poorly rated globally.
Payment of Staff Salary
Salary refers to the money which an employee receives for doing his job. Money is believed to have a great tendency of bringing out higher performance from employees when they are adequately paid. It is believed that man is an economic being, whose attitude to work can only be positively influenced by money
School Facilities Maintenance
Uko, (2015) described school facilities maintenance as the situation through which the physical components of a school are well-coordinated to enhance a conducive learning environment in the school system. School facilities maintenance is the application of a series of techniques in taken care of the physical environment of learning for the realization of the educational goals and objectives.
MANAGEMENT
Management simply put is the effective coordination of human and material resources to achieve set goals. Heilman and Kennedy (2011) believed that effective management helps to assess the progress of an institution in terms of mission fulfillment and goal achievement. Better communication, interaction, good leadership, proper direction, goal attainment and conducive working environment are the common indices for measuring managerial effectiveness of the chief executives in universities. On the part of leadership, monitoring team should be set to oversee how monies are expended in our universities which will go a long way to reduce the rate of embezzlements.
In conclusion, I will rather posit that disapproving of one (private or public servant) who "rightly" earned his money, not to send his child abroad for education is tantamount to injustice! However, adequate funding/management of fund can and will enhance our educational Institutions to become both locally and internationally attractive and competitive; hence, curbing educational tourism.
Krystal IBHADE Tamunosiki
