Enhancing Quality University Education for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Private Sector Roles and Challenges Sarafadeen Segun Salami1* and Kamoru Abidoye Tiamiyu2 1Department of Educational Management and Counselling (Business Education Unit) Faculty of Education, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. 2Department of Educational Management and Counselling (Guidance and Counselling Unit) Faculty of Education, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected]* Telephone: 08075654767/08161754669 ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION The emergence of private universities in Nigeria’s Studies in various capacities have expressed that educational revolution is commendable. The educational transformation over the years, and justification is as a result of some identifiable gaps the increasing demand for quality employable in the operation of public institutions. Gaps such graduates in all sectors of the economy, have as instability of the academic calendar due to greatly influenced the emergence and strikes; inadequate, obsolete and decaying establishment of private universities in Nigeria. infrastructure; lack of will power to enforce The determinants of any nation’s growth and discipline, etc. No doubt, society’s growth and development depend largely on the quality development needs to be sustained largely on the manpower and its material resources. University quality of services provided by the university. education has been challenged with the Hence, the university is an institution responsible responsibilities of sustaining a nation’s for instruction and for the acquisition of knowledge development through the production of quality and for conducting research in all fields for the manpower in all sectors of economy. benefit of mankind. Globally, universities are identified as critical This paper established the roles of private engines for socio-economic and political universities in enhancing quality university development. It is a primary locus for innovation, education in Nigeria which include: fostering expanding the pool of higher caliber manpower to excellence in research and teaching, enhancing a address the challenges of underdevelopment. good community-school relationship, provision of According to the National Policy on Education quality student experience, attracting, and (2004), the teaching and research functions of engaging high caliber of academic staff, etc. The higher educational institutions have an important study further unveiled that fund raising, role to play in national development, particularly compromising quality with profit, conditions of in development of high level manpower. academic staff, and increases in social inequality Specifically, the aims of higher education in are the common problems militating against Nigeria as articulated in the NPE include: effective and efficient operations of private universities in Nigeria. Our research recommends, (a) The acquisition, development and inculcation among other things, that private university of the proper value-orientation for the survival of management should develop various means of individual and society. sourcing for funds instead of relying only on tuition fees, provision of fund for research and (b) The development of intellectual capacities of conference for staff development and ensuring individual to understand and appreciate their adherence to the schools’ rules and regulations by environment. organizing disciplinary committee. (c) The acquisition of both physical and (Keywords: private university, roles, challenges, intellectual skills which enable individuals to sustainable development, higher education) develop into useful members of the community. The Pacific Journal of Science and Technology –187– http://www.akamaiuniversity.us/PJST.htm Volume 20. Number 2. November 2019 (Fall) (d) The acquisition of an objective view of the problems and tensions and to recognize new local and external environments. horizons. The policy further states that higher educational In Nigeria, without bias, there is no single region institutions should pursue their goals through that is free from any form of problem or the other. teaching, research, the dissemination of existing In the North-Eastern part of the country, the and new information; and being a storehouse of Boko-Haram sect has seriously undermined the knowledge (NPE, 2004). A university, according to government efforts in the area, the issue of Enahoro and Badmus (2013), is an institution of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South higher education and research which grants and Badoo in Lagos South-West, Nigeria. academic degrees in a variety of subjects and Generally, corruption, political problems and disciplines. They further expressed that a religious intolerance are all threats to the nation’s university gives instructions and directions on both development. Nigeria’s Federal and local undergraduate and postgraduate education. It governments have been conscious towards the provides courses of instructions and other creation of one nation over the past several facilities for the acquisition of knowledge in all decades. fields, to encourage the advancement of learning, culture and character, encourage and promote The implementation and protection of these scholarship and to conduct research in all fields of norms remain a challenge. For example, despite learning and human endeavor; and ultimately to the progressive empowerment of women through relate all its activities to the social, cultural and greater access to education, they continue to economic needs of mankind. face discrimination in public life and in employment. Again, while technological The World Bank also justified the usefulness of development contributes to greater university education to a nations’ development interconnectedness and offers new avenues for and well-being. University education is exchange, cooperation and solidarity, there is fundamental to the sustainability of societal also an increase in cultural and religious growth and development through the actualization intolerance, identity-based political mobilization of its roles by providing leaders/graduates in and conflict. various fields of human endeavor that will fit per excellence for future manpower requirement. Education must find ways of responding to such challenges, taking into account multiple worldviews and alternative knowledge systems, Concept of Sustainable Development as well as new frontiers in science and technology such as the advances neurosciences Sustainable development is the organizing and the developments in digital technology. principle for meeting human development goals Rethinking the purpose of education and the while at the same time sustaining the ability of organization of learning has never been more national systems to provide the national resources urgent. Education for sustainability is the practice and ecosystem services upon which the economy of learning how to achieve global and local and society depend. The desired result is a state sustainable communities. This paper examines of society where living conditions and resources the role of private universities and the challenges used continue to meet human needs without in enhancing quality university education for undermining the integrity and stability of the sustainable development in Nigeria. national system (Wikipedia, 2016). According to UNESCO (2013) sustainability Evolution of Private Universities in Nigeria development requires participatory teaching and learning methods that motivate and empower The establishment of private universities first learners to change their behaviors and take action came into being in 1979 after the Supreme Court for sustainable development. Education for ruling that establishment of private universities sustainable development consequently promotes was legal (Barrow, 1996, Aliyu 1984 cited in competencies like critical thinking, imagining Thaver, 2004). But in 1983, the Buhari-Idiagbon future scenarios and making decisions in a regime who seized power in a coup de tat from collaboration way. The aspiration of sustainability the democratically elected president (President development requires to resolve common Sheu Shagari) cancelled the approval for private The Pacific Journal of Science and Technology –188– http://www.akamaiuniversity.us/PJST.htm Volume 20. Number 2. November 2019 (Fall) university establishment. In 1991, the then Head responsibility to give approval for the of State, General Ibrahim Babangida lifted the ban establishment of private university in the country. on the establishment of private universities and Out of the numerous applications in 1999, three set up the Longe Commission in 1991 to review universities were granted operation license. From higher education in Nigeria. Among the 1999 to 2016 there were 69 private universities in recommendation of the commission was the the country. In December 6, 2017 six other establishment of private universities (Longe private universities were also approved by NUC Report). under the Buhari-Osinbajo Regime making the total number of private universities in Nigeria to However, the actualization of establishment and be 75. Also, the same regime approved more operation of private universities saw the light of four private universities in January 2019. This the day during the reign of President Olusegun shows that the total numbers of private Obasanjo in 1999. In this period, National universities in Nigeria are 79 in number (Table 1).