THE FAST RISING VALUE PLACED ON UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATE.

THE FAST RISING VALUE PLACED ON UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATE.

In Nigeria, the favourable emphasis on certificate than the brain behind it is no longer strange.

undergraduate students in nigeria

Disheartening as this maybe, students in tertiary institution fight tooth and nail to acquire good grades not minding the cost. This has led to the production of half baked graduates, wide spread habit of cramming, bribery of lecturers in cash or kind (the former more applicable to males and the latter; females) amongst others.

This emphasis also includes “where is your certificate coming from?” in other word, certificates are broadly classified into university and

a nigerian university campus

Nigerian University

monotechnic/polytechnic certificates. And of course, there are sub-group under this classification namely: first generation universities/polytechnics, private universities and states universities.

These first generation universities includes; The University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ife, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Nigeria Nsukka. These hot cake universities’ products are respected regardless of how well done they are. 

The reason behind the reverence might probably be has a result of their age or the great academicians, politicians etc they have produced in the time past.

Private universities however, seem to be the order of the day since entrance into federal and state owned institution proves difficult every year. Speaking with a student of Bowen university, Bisi oladunjoyin, she said “I spent 3 years at home in my quest for admission into the university but could not make headway despite meeting JAMB and the institution of my choice criteria for admission.” This category of universities is not for the mass culture as tuition fees is from 300,000 naira and above despite being owned mainly by religious organisations.

Certificates from private universities are also treated with reverence perhaps due to the mentality that “rich kids are intelligent kids”. So if you could afford Covenant, Babcock, Bowen Universities and the likes you are definitely from a rich home.

However, the major focus of this write-up is not the comparison between universities’ certificate but rather the obvious prejudice against polytechnic/monotechnic certificate. Interview conducted in the Lagos state polytechnic and Nigerian institute of journalism respectively shows that most students accepted the offer of admission into these schools due to rejection by universities.

Ochigbo Ene of NIJ said, “I pursued Unilag but couldn’t get admission so I had to come down here”. Fayemi Abitoye of LASPOTECH added that, “I came here since I am tired of staying at home”. When asked why the undying love for university when polytechnic whose curriculum covers more of practical than theory should be a better option, Sukanmi Oluwatoyin said, “you know our country; everyone respects a B.Sc holder than a HND holder”.

 A lecturer in the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Mr Akin Ojo is reported to repeatedly advise his students not to make the school their ultimate. Quoting him, a student of the institute who pleaded anonymousity said, “he advises us to go back to the university, adding that the labour market, (government parastatals inclusive) sometimes places a university graduate as the boss over a polytechnic graduate; both of the same discipline”.

A Nigerian polytechnic

Oyewole Olaide, a National Diploma 2 student of NIJ said, “I will be taking jamb this year, because direct entry is more risky and stressful than going through JAMB itself”. Further interview, showed that he is not the only one reading for his first semester exams as well as for JAMB but most students had actually gotten a JAMB form or some with the mind of obtaining a direct entry form into the university.

However, some optimistic students’ belief that when it is time for them to search for job they would be preferred regardless of their HND certificate. A very good belief one would say, who knows if more this people who are not only optimistic but can also prove their worth not just in paper or institution name-calling  might change this discriminatory, low mentality culture among Nigerians.