One of Africa’s greatest historians, Professor Toyin Falola, has condemned politicians and government appointees for diverting funds meant for the nation’s education sector.
The erudite scholar from the University of Texas, Austin, gave this observation while being the guest lecturer at the Fourth Prince Tunde Ponnle Annual Lecture, organised by the Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute (GASDI) and the Osun State University, Osogbo.
In the lecture titled: “Emerging Issues in the Funding of Higher Education: Lessons from around the World,” Falola revealed that “Corruption is worse in academics where not everyone can assert his or her innocence. The integrity attributable to academics is gradually shifting from the dedication to the love for teaching to the urge to acquire more wealth than necessary. This unfortunate occurrence drops down from the top officials and administrations of the university to average lecturers. The effect is that the little available fund for the development of institutions would not be properly utilized and it further creates a conviction among sponsors that there is a high possibility that funds may not be used for appropriate causes.
“Another shade of this academic corruption is the fact that many researchers who seek grants for a particular research or project sometimes divert the funds for something else or use a meager percentage on the principal projects. As such, it makes the funding body reluctant to grant others such help. Aside from the problems of loss of trust, the reason for research tends to be lost and exposed to danger if attention is diverted elsewhere. The problem intended to be resolved with it would one day hunt the society.
“Higher Institutions in contemporary society are highly foregrounded with a consumerism notion as it is expected to tackle social issues as contributions to society. The expectation is that materials produced, whether humanistic or scientific should be answers to contemporary societal problems. Else, they tend to become burdens to the society. The higher institutions today cannot say that judging by the contemporary students in this media age, it has been able to mold the minds of students in a way that will allow them wise enough to battle consumerism, especially in the cultural dimension. While we can admit that the media lay bare, different cultures and behaviors that corrupt social values, the academics cannot totally shift the blame off the shoulders of the institutions.
“In the sciences, while the nation struggles with funding, it is undoubted that science attracts many sponsorships and funding, even from the government. However, the consumerism culture of the nation has weakened the doctors that are heavily invested in it. Civil engineers that graduated from Nigerian higher institutions do not get to have access to contracts because most of them are given to foreign companies. In the case of medical personnel, while the country has invested so much in training a doctor or medical officers they cannot stop their medical tours outside the country. The problem with this is that it gradually condemns institutions established on locally made products and discourages foreign patronages since the country itself is not proud of its products.
“The direct impact, in relation to this, is the fact that foreign investors and those that are motivated to give aid will not be able to do so as they cannot boast of the result of such investments, seeing that the products are not really revered or patronized by the country itself. While the consumption of ideas developed elsewhere is not the problem in any sense as society is bound to adapt to, incorporate or do away with ideas locally or externally developed, the issue is when the society becomes an incurable consumer of those ideas. It drives away individuals and bodies that would invest in the educational sectors or engagements as they will not be convinced that there are embedded qualities among the people and the institutions.
“The philosophy of society towards knowledge acquisition and distribution determines the conception of responsibility towards the process. We live in a world where some societies believe that since, education and knowledge are personal and as such, the responsibilities of their acquisition should be personal. Another category of society and civilization sees education as a public good and say its acquisition and distribution as the responsibility of the government and society. This category is where Nigeria statutorily belongs and it is widely subscribed to by the citizens too.”
He, however, stated that government needs to find stable investments whose returns will be used to sponsor education, adding that it is also necessary to ensure that government grants a level of autonomy to the universities so to allow them function properly.
The event was attended by members of the university’s community, including traditional and political leaders.
