LIMITED ACCESS TO TERTIARY EDUCATION BY PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES IN NIGERIA: PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

*A.I. Ajayi  and F.O. Afolabi

Department of History, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Nigeria

Department of Educational Administration and Planning, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo,

E-mail: ajayi_gboyega@yahoo.com, afolabi52@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

We have established in this study, through some statistical inferences, how severely limited access to tertiary education by prospective candidates has become in Nigeria over the years.  Evidently the phenomenal increase in the number of tertiary institutions has not been commensurate with the equally phenomenal increase in the number of candidates.  The problem has been compounded by the fact that the existing institutions have low carrying capacities and are poorly funded leading some of them to extortionist tendencies in the admission process.  When this is juxtaposed with candidates’ inadequacies in terms of qualifications, mental ability and unscrupulous attitudinal dispositions, which usually elicit severe sanctions from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the problem comes out more vividly.  We have suggested improved funding of existing institutions in order to beef-up their carrying capacity.  We are also well disposed to the upgrading of some tertiary institutions to the status of autonomous universities.  

Key Words:Tertiary Education, Admissions, Examination, Malpractice