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Towards Models for Creatively Funding Higher Education in Nigeria Professor Peter A. Okebukola, PhD, OFR Chairman of Council, Crawford University and Former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission Lome, Togo, November 26-28, 2014

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Goal of the presentation Four questions shall be answered in the paper: (a)What are the historical antecedents to the current model of funding the Nigerian university system? (b) What are the different funding scenarios that predominate in the system highlighting their merits and demerits? (c) What is the impact of the current funding system on the quality of university education? (d) What are creative models of sustainably funding the system?

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The Context: The Nigerian Higher Education System Higher education which covers all forms of post-secondary delivery is typically the last four years of the 1-6-3-3-4 education system. It has a history dating back 89 years with the establishment of the Yaba Higher College. It had a glorious past with products of the system being part of a global stock of professionals. These products have been a national resource and drivers of Nigerias socio-economic and political development. Within the last 25 years, the lustre in the quality of these products is dimming and inadequacy in funding has been a factor of interest.

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Clusters of Higher Education Institutions There are three main clusters of higher education institutions- colleges of education, polytechnics and universities, all with public and privately-funded elements. About 80% of the 83 colleges of education are publicly funded. Of these, 69% are owned (hence funded) by the federal government. State-owned colleges make up 12% of the total. There are nine private colleges of education. The sub-system is regulated by National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

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Polytechnics The polytechnic sub-sector has 406 institutions. This is made up of polytechnics (74), monotechnics (27), colleges of agriculture (36), colleges of health technology (50), other specialised institutions (16) IEIs and VEIs (71). About 25% of these institutions are owned by the federal government with another quarter being state-owned. There are 95 privately- owned institutions in this sub-sector that is regulated by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). NBTE takes responsibility for overseeing the funding of the federal institutions.

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Universities The Nigerian university system has 129 universities made up of 49 federal universities, 40 state-owned and 51 private universities. The National Universities Commission (NUC) is the superintending and regulatory authority which over years, has played oversight role in the funding mechanisms especially of federal universities.

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A Focus on Universities: Trends in Funding Universities in Nigeria

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From 2007 to date (2014), the Goodluck Jonathan Administration has hiked the volume of funds to federal universities (Fig. 2). The picture for state universities follows the same general trend although this high volume is significantly depressed when the Naira exchange rate and other cost-of- living indices are factored into the funding profile.

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Factors Shaping Change Political will State of the national economy Action by staff and student unions

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The Envelope System of Funding Higher Education in Nigeria The envelope system is a top-down approach to funding. The envelope system trimmed profligate spending. A modified envelope system is currently in use where adjustments are made to the envelope from the top based on priority needs of a Ministry, Department or Agency. This can be labelled a modestly flexible envelope. The finite nature of money available for spending by the national government dictates that the envelope system will be a feature of funding higher education. The system will continue to depend on intervention funds for augmentation.

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Creative Funding through Education Intervention Funds There are four major education intervention funds in Nigeria. Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF). They are intervention funds to the extent that they are meant to intervene to narrow or bridge the gap between what has been provided for in the national budget and what is needed by the Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA) for its full implementation.

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Education Trust Fund/Tertiary Education Trust Fund Established in 1993 2% of gross profit of all registered companies in Nigeria By Act of 2011, the fund was changed from Education Trust Fund (ETF) to Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

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Used for Essential physical infrastructure for teaching and learning Institutional material and equipment Research and publications Academic staff training and development and Any other need which, in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, is critical and essential for the improvement and maintenance of standards in the higher educational institutions

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Impact The 21-year history of ETF/TETFund shows an impressive record of impact. Enhancement of physical development and improvement in human capacity of the system through ETF/TETFund- supported training.

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Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) is a parastatal of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources established by Decree 25 of 1973 for the purposes of development, promotion and implementation of petroleum technology and manpower needs through research and training of Nigerians.

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The Fund is set up for the purposes of training Nigerians to qualify as graduates, professionals, technicians and craftsmen, in the fields of engineering, geology, science and management in the petroleum industry in Nigeria or abroad.

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The Fund is utilised to provide scholarships and bursaries, wholly or partially in universities, colleges, institutions and in petroleum undertakings in Nigeria or abroad; to maintain, supplement, or subsidise such training or education; to make suitable endowments to faculties in Nigerian universities, colleges, or institutions approved by the Minister; (a) to make available suitable books and training equipment in the institutions; (b) for sponsoring regular or as necessary visits to oilfields, refineries, petro-chemical plants, and for arranging any necessary attachments of personnel to establishments connected with the development of the petroleum industry; and (c) for financing of and participation in seminars and conferences which are connected with the petroleum industry in Nigeria or abroad.

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The Issue of Tuition: Three Factors Interplay Education is largely taken to be a public good by most Nigerians Poverty level: where poverty prevails, it is unethical to economically strangle to death through high tuition, parents of brilliant students wishing to enrol in higher institutions. Factor of available funds

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Student Loans, Bursaries and Scholarships The student loan scheme in Nigeria thrived for a few years in the early 1970s. In contrast, bursary and scholarship schemes have fared relatively better.

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Impact of Current Funding Models Inadequacy of funds

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Low Capacity for Utilisation of Available Funds for Capital Development Low Capacity for Internal Generation of Funds

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Resultant Effects

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Towards More Creative Funding Models for the Nigerian University System Governments Minimum Funds Allocation Prescription No. 1: Government at the federal and state levels to provide and release minimum of 25% of national/state budget for education with minimum of 40% of the education budget for universities. This is in alignment with the provisions of the operational plans of the countrys Vision 20:2020. Prescription No. 2: Section 10 (150e) of the 2013 National Policy on Education directs that contractors, consultants and other service providers are to contribute minimum of 1.5% of contract sum/fees to a Special Education Corporate Social Responsibility Fund (SECSOF) for providing additional government funding support to education.

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Methodology for Developing the Funding Models Step 1: Survey of areas needing improvement in current model Step 2: Brain-storming session with experts in higher education financing Step 3: Emergence of four draft models Step 4: Validation of Draft Models Step 5: Revision of the Models Step 6: General Test and Level of Acceptability of the Models

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The Proposed Models Access-Equity-Cost-Sharing Model Contextualised Formula-Funding Model Performance-based Funding Model Host-Proprietor-University-User- Funding Model

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Central Issue is Unit Cost U.C=TRC + TCC + SLE ---------------------- TSE Where, U.C=Unit Cost TRC=Total Recurrent Costs TCC=Total Capital Costs SLE=Student Living Expenses TSE=Total Student Enrolment The components that constitute each of the costs are: TRC-Total Academic Costs + Total Administrative Costs TCC-Main Capital + Rehabilitation & Refurbishment + Teaching and Research Equipment SLE-Academic Support Expenses (Books, Stationery, etc); Living Expenses (accommodation, food, transport etc) TSE-Total Undergraduate Full Time Equivalent

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Table 2: Observed and Expected Unit Cost per Student per Discipline (2012) DisciplineObserved Unit Cost (N) Expected Unit Cost (N) Administration525,000719,250 Arts555,000760,350 Agriculture690,000945,300 Education555,000760,350 Engineering645,000883,650 Environmental Sciences 735,0001,006,950 Law594,000813,780 Social Sciences549,000752,130 Science615,000842,550 Medicine906,0001,241,220 Pharmacy735,0001,006,950 Veterinary Medicine735,0001,006,950 Management Tech510,000698,700

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The Models

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Access-Equity-Cost-Sharing Model This demands the lowering of financial barriers to higher education while ensuring equity in sharing of the funding burden by different stakeholders based on ability to pay.

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Contextualised Formula-Funding Model Fund universities based on a formula which factors in individual peculiarities and current state of physical development and a desire to encourage programmes in science and technology with potential to accelerate impact on Nigerias socio-economic development. UTFN=PNAS+(CC X.02AUC X FST X RA X GS).02AUC + K

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Performance-based Funding Model This rewards universities for efficiency in teaching, research and community service and encourages competition among universities which will stimulate the evolution of centres of excellence. It makes funding allocation more transparent and more competitive through redistributive funding formulae mainly based on performance. (The funding formula is kept simple, with unambiguous metrics, so expectations are clear to everyone.). The Block Grant to a University (BGU) in Naira is given as BGU=CC X.60AUC X APR X DSE X 4GR X GER X RSO X EGO

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Host-Proprietor-University-User Funding Model This model implicates all beneficiaries of the location and service of the university in contributing to funding the university.

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Concluding Remarks The models proposed in this study have been tested and found largely acceptable by the sample of key stakeholders in the Nigerian university system. Further consultations are on-going with a view to securing near- global acceptance since a scenario where all will accept the final model is not envisaged. Hopes are high that the final model will assure the system of a better funding regime leading to improved performance.

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Thank you