Access, Equity and Quality University Education for the Disadvantaged Groups in Nigeria: Myths and Agenda for Action

Abstract

Inpite of the crying need to build a more egalitarian society and a more regionally integrated national economy, only but a few Nigerians are seriously concerned about the issues of access and equity in university education. The loud silence is to a large extent the result of the growing acceptance of certain myths and misconceptions about the essence and role of university education in national development and social change. Hitherto, there was a policy position that countries such as Nigeria should de-emphasizes university education in favour of basic education. But recent developments strongly indicate a strong relationship between investment in university education and improvement in economic and human development indicators. As a result, this paper emphasizes that university education should be treated as public good than a private good, and that efforts should equally be made to ensure that access to it and its benefits are equitably available to all segments of the country. The paper recommends among others, the broadening of university education policies with regards to affirmative action and quota admissions, keying into the Air virtual University Project in Nairobi, Kenya, licensing of more private universities and invigorating the Open University model to improve access and equity in university education in Nigeria.

Key words: Access, Equity, Quality, University Education, Myths, Agenda.