Why foreign students, teachers shun Nigeria’s schools, by minister

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has decried lack of hostel accommodation in Nigeria’s tertiary schools.

He said the problem was one of the factors making the country not to attract foreign students and teachers into its tertiary institutions.

Represented by his Special Assistant on Policy and Political Matters, Mr. Paul Odili, the minister stated this yesterday in Port Harcourt while performing the ground breaking of a 50-bed hostel donated by Belemaoil Producing Limited to the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State.

He lauded the indigenous oil firm for the timely intervention, urging other corporate outfits to emulate the gesture.

Nwajiuba said: “ There is truly a crying need for hostel accommodation in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. Available data show that over 75 per cent of the entire Nigerian students’ population live off- campus in insecure and inhospitable environment not conducive to learning.”

He added: “Access to quality education is a very important step towards making a modern peaceful and stable society. Conducive environment is a critical chain in the loop of progress. Lamentably, poor hostel accommodation is one factor denying the country the opportunity to attract foreign students and teachers into our tertiary schools.”

President of Belemaoil, Jackrich Tein Jr, represented by the Director, Production and Engineering, Mufaa Welsh, said the firm was worried about the challenges students who live off campus pass through such as attacks from criminals and therefore, decided to lessen it by erecting hostels in tertiary schools across the country.

His words: “We are touched by the difficulties students who live off campus pass through. We therefore decided to reduce the burden by ensuring that before 2025, 90 per cent of students will live inside the campus and will not face attacks by criminals and other troubles.”