Fewer Nigerians Are Going Abroad to Study Because Our Tertiary Education Is Better Now – Education Minister
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has warned that Nigeria cannot continue to rely on borrowing to fund development.
Fewer Nigerians Are Going Abroad to Study Because Our Tertiary Education Is Better Now – Education Minister
The Education Minister says Nigerians are staying home to study now. According to Tunji Alausa, there has been a significant decline in the number of Nigerian students traveling abroad for university education. His reason? Nigerian universities are getting better.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, the minister said academic stability and increased investment in education have boosted confidence in Nigerian universities. He used the phrase "precipitous drop" to describe how many students are now choosing to stay home instead of going abroad.
He also mentioned that academic session continuity has helped. In the past, ASUU strikes made Nigerian universities unreliable. Students would spend four years on a three-year program because of constant disruptions. Now, Alausa says, that is changing. Sessions are running smoothly, and investment is going up.
Reactions have been swift. Many Nigerians are laughing at the minister's claim. They say the drop in students going abroad is not because Nigerian universities have improved, but because the economy is so bad that many families can no longer afford to send their children overseas. The naira has crashed, tuition fees abroad have gone up, and the cost of living is through the roof.
Others are pointing out that the so-called "precipitous drop" might also be due to stricter visa policies in countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia. Those countries have made it harder for international students to come, not because Nigerian education is better, but because they are trying to control immigration.
Some people have even accused the minister of lying to make the government look good. They say anyone who can afford to send their child abroad still does it. The only difference is that fewer people can afford it now.
Alausa might believe what he is saying. Or he might just be doing his job by defending the government's record. Either way, Nigerians are not buying it. Not when universities are still underfunded, not when lecturers are poorly paid, and not when graduates are struggling to find jobs.
Source: TrendyBeatz
