THE UNIVERSITY OF MAN]TOBA A PERSPECTIVE ON FREE EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS IN NIGERIA by Ken C. Prince AsagT¡/ara A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUD IES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREi'lENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND FOUNDATIONS FACULTY OF EDUCATION WINNIPEG, MANITOBA JUNE 1989 Bibliolhèque nationale W@W |Í3",iXot"'o'"'u du Canada Canadian Theses Service Service des thèses canadiennes Ottawa, Canada K1 A ON4 The author has granted an irrevocable non- L'auteur a accordé une licence irrévocable et exclusive licence allowing the National Library non exclusive permettant à la Bibliothèque of Canada to reproduce, loan, distribute or sell nationale du Canada de reproduire, prêter, copies of his/her thesis by any means and in distribuer ou vendre des copies de sa thèse any form or format, making this thesis available de quelque manière et sous quelque forme to interested persons. que ce soit pour mettre des exemplaires de cette thèse à la disposition des personnes intéressées. The author retains ownership of the copyright L'auteur conserve la propriété du droit d'auteur in his/her thesis. Neither the thesis nor qui protège sa thèse. Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantial extracts from it may be printed or substantiels de celle-ci ne doivent être otherwise reproduced without his/her per- imprimés ou autrement reproduits sans son mission. autorisation. r,gEN û*315_54797_g Ca:aad?d A PERSPECTIVE ON FREE EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS IN NIGERIA BY KEN C. PRINCE ASAGi^IARA A thesis subnlitted to thc Faculty of Graduate Studies of the University of Manitoba in partial fulfillment of the requirenrerrts of the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY o 1989 Permission has been grarrted to the LIBRARY OF THE UNIVER- SITY OF MANITOBA to lend or sell copies of this thesis. to the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA to rnicrofilnr this thesis and to lend or sell copies oi the film, and UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS to publish an abstract of rhis thesis. The author reserves other publicatio¡r rights, and neither thc thesis nor extensive extracts from it may be pnnteC or other- wise reproduced without the author's writtell per-ission. ACKNOI^TLEDGEMENTS The completion of this dissertatíon rvas made possible by the contribution of many individuars. To this effect, r would like to extend my special thanks and deepest graËitude to my advisor, Dr. John J. sEapleËon (Dean, Faculty of EducaÈion) who directed and encouraged me during the various sËages of this study. His financial assistance r,ras also an important factor in its success. Dean, your faith ín my ability to complete a Ph.D. dissertation and commitment to the succes of this study will be treasured all the days of my life. r would like to acknowledge and thank the members of my thesis commi¿¡ss, Dr. Julia Kwong, Dr. O. peter SÈ. John, and Dr. Neil McDonald for their acceptance to be on my thesis commitËee. Also your comprehensive examinaËion of all the componenËs of the thesis, advice, useful criticisms and guidance provided me with the kind of feedback necessary to improve the thesis. r would like to acknowledge and thank Dr. okechukwu rkejiani, the "External Examiner" for his willingness to take on one tnore responsibility in spite of his busy schedule, and for his insightful and rigorous analysis of the dissertaËion. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. I^1 . E. Schulz, t'Internal the Examinertt for his acceptance to serve as the chairman of the Ph.D. oral examination, and for his moral support. I would like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Kenneth Hughes, Dean of Ëhe Faculty of Graduate Studies for his encouragenent and financial assistance. My appreciation also goes to the University of Manitoba for awarding me Ëhe Graduate Fellowship, and Ëhe l,linnipeg Foundations for the a\iard of the Anthony Bezerabowizc Fellowship. I would like to thank my family members back in Nigeria, my brother, l{.azí S. U. Asagwara, my sisters, Mrs. H. N. Wogu, I"Irs. J. R. Kwubiri, and a special friend Mrs. F. C. Nwakwue for their prayerful support and financial assistance. If today I am able to see ahead of some of my eolleagues, it is because at some points in the pursuit of my goal you allowed me Èo stand on your shoulders. I would like co express my deepest gratitude to ny illustrious parent.s for their unselfish dedication and 1ove, and for Ëeaching me courage, perseverance, hard r¿ork and single minded definiteness of purpose in the pursuit of my chosen ambition. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Ms. EtÈa Thompson and Ms. Demmy Lucas for their friendship, encouragement, prayerful and moral support when my courage seemed lo be wimpering" There are others who in their various r¡/ays contributed Èo the completion of this sÈudy" To these individuals, I am also indebted" Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Doris and children ChiChi, Uzoma, Ogechi, and Chinwe for their encouragement, understanding, contínual supporË and for keeping the home together throughout Lhose periods that I was a\,ray. As far as possible, I have acknowledged in Ëhis study my sources of informaËion and quoÈations. Any errors and/or defects in this study are enËire1y my responsibilíty. IV DECICATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY BELOVED PARENTS MAZI ISSAC O. AND I'ÍRS. AGNES N. ASAGI41ARA AND TO MY WIFE DORIS AND CHILDREN CHICHI, UZOMA OGECHI AND CHINWE TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS llr TABLE OF CONTENTS V CHAPTER I. NIGERIA - THE SETTING 1 Introducing Nigeria: A Brief History 1 The Land 3 The People 5 The Economy 9 Human Resources L4 Government and Politics L7 Background to the Study r9 Purpose of the Study 24 The Statement of the Problem 24 Significance of the Study 11 Methodology and RaËionale )a Kinds of Data 31 Treatment of Data J+ Scope and Limitations of the Srudy 34 Assumptions 35 Definition of Terms 36 The Organization of the Study 40 II. THE REVIEW OF THE R-ELATED LITERATURE 43 Education and Nation Building 44 Page Education and Individual Development and Social Growth 4B Education and Equality of Opporrunity )J Education and Political Integration 60 EducaLion and the DevelopmenË of Human Capital .64 III . EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN N]GERIA 73 A. Traditional / Informal EducaË ion 74 Islamic Education 79 B. The Coloníal Era and the Development of Education 81 Nigerian Education Ordinance of 1887 83 Education Ordinance of L9I6 B4 The Phelps-Stokes Commission of 1925 84 The Education Ordinance of L926 86 The E1liot Commission of. L943 86 The Beginning of Educational Planning ln Nigeria 87 T}re L944 and 1946 Development Plans 89 Educational Planning in the 1950rs 90 The L]ork Bank Míssion 91 The Ashby Commission of 1959 o/,t+ (a) Primary School Education 96 (b) SecondaryEducation 96 (c) Teacher Training Education 97 (d) University Education 98 C. Education in Post Independence Nigeria 1960-1986 101 The National Development Plans 105 The 1969 NaÈiona1 Curriculum Conference 110 v1 Page National Policy on Educatíon L977 tr4 The Present StrucCure and Governance of Education in Nigeria LLJ (a) Educational Structures L23 (b) Governance and Policy L26 IV. THE SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA INTRODUCTION OF FREE EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS L32 The Cultural/Colonial Heritage L32 Equality of Opportunity 136 The Udoj i Salary Review Award 139 Pressure Groups and Social Act IvlStS r44 Social Demand for Education 148 V. THE POLITICAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA INTRODUCTION OF FREE EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS L54 The Search for National Unity rs4 The Desire for Political Legitimacy L59 Party Politics of Education L65 Regional Inequality - the North/South Educational Imbalance 173 VI. THE ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA INTRODUCTION OF FREE EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS L78 Educated Manpower Needs 179 Financial Conditions 188 Human Capital Development for Indigenous Control of the Economy 193 VI] EMERGING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS L99 Growth in Enrolment by Educational Level L99 Primary School Enrolment Trends 200 Secondary School Enrolment Trends 20t vl]- Page University Education Enrolment Trends 202 Growth in Educational Institutions 2LI The Cost of Education 2L4 (a) The Cost of primary Education 2L4 (b) The Cost of Secondary Education 22I (c) The Cost of University Education 222 Quality of Education at the primary Level 224 Growing Educated Unemployed . 244 Funding Problems in the Nationts Educatíonal System 25L Inequality in Educational Opportunity persists 259 The Search for National Unity Revisited 269 Manpower Shortage Persists 275 VIII WHAT CAN BE DONE 279 Free UPE and Junior-Secondary Education 282 Tuition-Oriented Senior-Secondary and University Educat ion 286 StudenË Aid/Loan Scheme 294 Scholarship Programme 297 0ptional University Residence 298 Other Sources of Funds 299 Drive for Excellence Campaign 302 CONCLUSION ANÐ IMPLICATIONS 303 BIBLIOGRAPHY 311 APPENDIXES A. ADMINISTRATIVE MAP OF NIGERIA 332 B. NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES 333 v1t I Page C. THE LOCATIONS OF 20 UNIVERSITIES 334 D. POPULATION OF CHILDR-EN IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL BY SEX 33s E. ENROLMENT rN NTGERTAN SCHOOLS (1960-1980) 336 F. ENROLMENT TARGETS FOR NIGERIA SCHOOLS 337 G. SU}O{ARY OF EXPENDITURE FOR CAPITAL 338 H. NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES ALLOCATION OF CAPITAL GRANTS FOR 1977-L978 339 I. SIJMMARY OF EXPENDITURE FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL (T978) 340 J. DISTRIBUTION OF ANNUAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FTSCAL YEARS 1975-76, L976-77, AND L977-78; AND ALLOCATIONS TO ALL UNIVERSITIES 34I K. ACTUAL AND PROJECTED ENROL}ßNT BY LEVELS OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: 1960-2000 342 LIST OF TABLES TABLE I.I The Nine Large Ethnic Groups 5 I.II Nigeriars Production of Principal Minerals, 1960-1983 11 I.III Agricultural Earnings in Nigeria, 1960-1982 13 I.IV Gror.+th of Enrolment in University Education in Nigeria, 1965-66 Ëo 1979-80 L6 I.V The Nature of Political and Administrative Leadership in Nigeria from 1960-88 19 III.I Summary of School Statistics 1961-65 106 IV.