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THE EFFECTS OF BRAIN DRAIN SYNDROME ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Every organization be it public or private is primarily concerned with the retention of its staff to ensure the achievement of its goals and objectives. Yet, not every employee strives in the organization to attain these goals and objectives. When such gap exist, productivity, or service as the case may be “Suffers” and hence the attainment of the organization goals and objectives.
More so, no organization can achieve its goals without motivating its staff to put in their best for the attainment of these goals. It is in this vain that within the last ten years or more, Ahmadu Bello University had experienced continuous staff mobility of academic and non academic, senior and junior members of staff. For this development, something serious was deemed to have caused it.
In an effort to get the desired primary and secondary data, the study used questionnaire, personal interviews for primary data and documentary sources for the secondary data. And the data collected was analyzed using tables percentages and averages to establish their relationships and to draw out information to be applied to the problem as solutions and also used to making necessary recommendations.
It is expected that when all in suggestions and recommendations are implemented in the Ahmadu Bello University system and other the problem of brain drain will be minimized in our universities to pave ways for attaining their main goals of research and the training and development of the desired manpower for our nations.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Dedication ii
Declaration iii
Acknowledgement v
Abstract vi
1.0 CHAPTER ONE – (INTRODUCTION)
- Background of the Study 3
- Definitions of terms and Concepts. 15
- CHAPTER TWO -(LITERATURE REVIEW)
- Brian Drain as it relates to academic Knowledge 19
- Summary 46
| 3.0 CHAPTER THREE – (RESEARCH METHODOLOGY) 3.1 Introduction 49 |
Data required for the Study 50
- General Research Method 50
- Research Method Used 62
- Data Collection Procedures 62
- Data Collection Instruments 65
- Description of data analytical procedures 66
- Summary 67
4.1 CHAPTER FOUR
- Introduction 69
- Historical beginning of Ahmadu Bello University 69
- The Objectives of A.B.U. Zaria 73
- Organizational Structure of A.B.U. Zaria 75
- Functional Structure of A.B.U. Zaria. 87
- The Activities involved in managing the Institution 90
- Management Problems of the University 95
- Prospects of the University in Nigeria. 111
5.0 CHAPTER FIVE – (DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS
AND THE FINDINGS)
- Introduction 115
- Personality profiles of respondents 116
- Data Presentation and Analysis on A.B.U. Zaria 123
- Presentation of Staff responses to Questionnaire 125
- Do you have time for leisure 126
- Approximate number of scripts marked by
lecturers in a semester. 127
- What is the most pressing problem
facing University Education? 128
5.3.2 Students Responses to Questionnaire 129
- Why do you choose to come to A.B.U ? 130
- Do you think your Reasons for Coming
to A.B.U. Will be achieved upon graduation? 131
- To what extent has the shortage of
academic staff affected you? 132
5.3.24 What is your suggestion to the government on how to curtail the problem of Brain
Drain in this University. 133
5.4 The research findings
5.5 General Discussion on the Implications of the findings 139
5.6 Summary. 141
6.0 CHAPTER SIX :(SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS)
- Summary 142
- Conclusions 144
- Recommendations 146
- Bibliography 150
- Appendices 152
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF TABLES
PERSONALITY PROFILE OF ACADEMIC STAFF
| TABLE | 5:1 | 116 |
| TABLE | 5.2 & 5.3 | 117 |
| TABLE | 5.4. &5.5 | 118 |
| TABLE | 5.6 | 119 |
PERSONALITY PROFILE OF STUDENTS
| TABLE | 5:7 | 120 |
| TABLE | 5.8 | 121 |
| TABLE | 5.9 | 122 |
| TABLE | 5.10 | 124 |
ACADEMIC STAFF RESPONSES TO QUESTIONNAIRE (A)
| TABLE | 5:11 | 125 |
| TABLE | 5.12 | 126 |
| TABLE | 5.13 | 127 |
| TABLE | 5.14 | 128 |
STUDENTS RESPONSES TO QUESTIONNAIRE (B)
| TABLE | 5:15 | 129 |
| TABLE | 5.16 | 130 |
| TABLE | 5.17 | 131 |
| TABLE | 5.18 | 132 |
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW
Given the present rate of economic growth in the country, and the plans for further economic development there should be great concern about “brain drain” in Nigerian Universities. The problems resulting from brain drain are often noticeable by the increasing demand for high level manpower in both public and private sectors and in the employment market generally. The point is often made that at a stage when there was an ever growing need for skills and expert of highly trained personnel, but there are large number of Nigerian Nationals abroad, especially in Europe and North America who have completed their training in various disciplines and prefer to remain and work in foreign countries.
It is for this reason that the problems of brain drain in the Nigerian Universities had become a trusting bane in the Nigerian policy. This however has necessitated the study on this topic in order to attempt to identify the causes and consequences of the migration of highly skilled academicians as it affects Nigeria and the possible steps which can be taken, as a matter of national policy, for curbing its intensity.
The conventional exception of loss of skills and talents should be from developed countries and the beneficiaries should logically be to developed
nations that need such skills and talents to enhance their development and not the other way as it is the case in Nigeria.
We view also as loss, the transfer of skills and talents by Nigerian academicians to other developing nations outside the context of technical assistance, except of course where such skills and talents are not required for the effective management of planned change in Nigeria.
Whether or not brain drain is a problem to Nigeria is no longer an issue. Public attitude has gradually shifted from passivity on the subject to that of national concern – a concern generated by the realization that the country does not have adequate skilled manpower (specially in our Universities) to bear the awesome burden for a massive indegenization efforts. There has also been United Nations resolutions calling for specific information on and solutions to the outflow of talents and skills which has now been largely restricted from the developing to the developed nations. These resolutions might have re-established official interest in the subject since Nigeria participated in the debates preceding the adoptions of such resolutions.
While brain drain is at present generally accepted as a problem, an aspect of it which remains undetermined is the precise number of Nigerian academicians abroad who are part of the phenomenon under consideration.
Fortunately, it is not necessary to wait for the exact statistics on magnitude to determine the consequences of brain drain for Nigeria. There
are hundreds of Nigerians resident in developed nations with middle and high
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level skills while at the same time, progress, on the second national development plan is being slowed down as a result of lack of these skilled manpower. With the continuous expansion of Nigerian Economic horizon, there is now the pressing need to demand for highly skilled academicians in our Universities to boost the intellectual prospects and performance of the students, as well as for the rapid development of the nation’s economic system in general.
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
As with many social ills that have their origin elsewhere, the wave of brain drain, which describes large-scale movement of one nationality to other nations in pursuit of greater personal benefit, has caught up with Nigeria in the early eighties.
It became sufficiently worrisome to the federal government, that a presidential committee was set up in October 1988, to study the causes of brain drain in Nigeria.
The Federal governments subvention to higher education in Nigeria and especially University education has effectively shrinked as a result of the glut in the international oil market and the consequent dwindling in its oil revenue. Oil revenue accounts for over 90% of the National income in Nigeria. Meanwhile, Nigeria has over burdened with debt and its credit facilities with its allies in Europe and America have narrowed considerably.
The national economy was apparently collapsing.
Paradoxically, there were mounting pressures to open more Universities to cater for the teaming secondary school graduates who were initially admitted into the school system in the hey days of the economy through the Universal Primary Education programme (UPE).
The Federal Government conceded and opened more Universities. In 1979, there were only 13 Federal Universities in Nigeria. By 1985, there were 13 federal Universities. The problem of spreading competed academics was compounded by an increasing and steady depletion of the most skilled and experiences ones through emigration. The exodus of academics from Nigerian Universities started in 1965 during the Lagos Universities Crisis. The appointment of Professor Saburi- Biobaku to replace the incumbent Vice chancellor Professor Eni – Njoku, which led to some protest which resulted in the mass emigration of Igbo lecturers and expatriates to Zambia, Europe, United States of America etc.
Prior to 1965, Nigerian Universities were relatively isolated from national partisan politics. More importantly, staff remuneration’s were comparable (at par) to those of their counterparts in Britain. Not only were University lecturers better paid then their civil service counterparts, fringe benefits such as housing, allowances, social status, and working conditions were very attractive.
Adequate funding of Universities, attending overseas conferences every three years and such other fringe benefits were the order of the day.
The prevailing economic situations in Nigeria were that annual salary of a
lecturer was sufficient to buy a car, and so the liquidation of a car loan in five years not a strain. Because of the above, there was no urge for academicians to leave the Nigeria Universities for employment overseas, or to join the civil service or move into private sector. Also, postgraduate students rush back home after completing their studies abroad.
In 1973, the federal government set up a committee headed by Chief Jerome Udoji to review the salaries and conditions of service in the public sector, the Universities inclusive. The harmonization of salaries into grade levels ranging from 1-15 effectively removed the differential between the salary of lecturers and civil servants, a move considered unacceptable by the academicians. Lecturers in the then six Nigerian Universities went on a national strike. Government retaliated by asking all lecturers to go back to work or quit their official quarters within 48 hours. The lecturers, capitulated since hardly any of them owned a house. This humiliation was an eye opener, that their jobs were not as secured as they formally thought.
The oil boom years saw the proliferation of Universities in Nigeria with the establishment in 1975 of the second generation Universities. The job opportunities thus created, and the favourable economic climate attracted many foreigners into the Nigerian University system.
The oil boom era ended in the late seventies with a decline in oil revenues.
In 1986, the continued decline of the revenues from the oil sector led the Babangida administration to introduce the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP).
With SAP, the lecturers found it difficult to make ends meet. Moreover, the unbearable bank interest rates made it impossible to liquidate mortgage loans they obtained after the 1973 face-off with government. Lecturers especially those approaching retirement age were forced to seek foreign employment to save their houses from the auctioneer’s hammer.
More so, during the Abachas administration, attempts were made to improve the standard of living of the low income earners by stimulating appropriate economic activities in the various wards of each local government area in the country through the introduction of the Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP) in 1997. Despite the implementation of the programme, its impact was not quiet felt by the University system in the country. As such there was still a great deal of exodus of lecturers from institutions to other private organizations during this period.
At present, the Obasanjos administration has also tried to satisfy its workforce (lecturers inclusive) in the country by introducing the Basic Salary scheme (i.e 50 percent increase in basic salaries of civil servant) which 25% has been implemented. But since the inception of the programme there has been instability and inconsistency of academic sessions in the University
system in Nigeria. The Academic staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has
embarked on different strikes due to the fact that the federal government have not been able to meet up with the increase in salaries. This is turn has endangered the University education and also the search for better educational career abroad by students, as well as greener pasture by lecturers.
Brain drain threatens University Educational System with total, collapse because there is a growing difficulty in inducing brilliant and able students to come back to the system.
This study intends to consider the effects of brain drain on the Nigerian University education and the nations, economic development in general. Thus considering the factors affecting brain retention and their effect on University education is part of the focus of this research study.
1.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Over the last few years, the Nigerian University system has emaciated seriously from a consistent brain drain of its experienced staff. These have brought so much harm to the academia in the Nigerian Universities that many of our academic departments are headed by staff of senior lecturers grade. Similarly, the quality of University Teaching and research has suffered.
The Universities in Nigeria have been unable to retain sufficient academic staff which constitutes the back bone of development and expansion of any academic institution and which makes it difficult to attain maximum efficiency
and effectiveness in the field of teaching, research and public services.
xvii
Consequently, this study seeks to determine the causes and the effects an the magnitude pattern and possible responses to staff retention problems in Nigerian Universities using Ahmadu Bello University Zaria as a case study.
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this research is to critically examine the causes of brain drain in Nigerian Universities using Ahmadu Bello University Zaria as a case study. Specifically, the objectives include:
- Examine factors that cause brain drain in Nigeria Universities.
- Assessing the effects of brain drain on the Nigerian University educational system.
- Examine how brain drain affects the lecturers and student in the Universities.
- To examine other factors that may have direct or indirect relationships with brain drain in Nigerian Universities.
- To suggest and recommend, practical measures for curbing the continuous brain drain in our educational and national developmental systems in Nigeria.
1.5 HYPOTHESIS FORMULATION
Hypothesis refers to an experimental statement tentative in nature, showing the relationship between two or more variables. It is open to tests
and can be accepted or rejected depending on whether it agrees or disagrees with the statistical test.
This study seeks to confirm or refute: The assertion that brain drain has caused untold hardships to both students and lecturers in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria and therefore, it seeks to consider the social, political and economic effects of brain drain at ABU Zaria.
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
A comprehensive study on the concept of brain drain should include: all academic staff moving out of the University system not as retiring staff or as a result of sickness or secondment, but permanently and intentionally leaving the services of the University to areas referred to as the “GREENER PASTURES”. The reason and the effects for such movement are examined.
The study being a case study is limited to Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. The study does not seek to know from those who left, why they left the University but from the University system itself. However, it seeks to know from those still serving in the University the reasons for brain drain and its consequences on the University system as a whole.
Imitations are those factors inherent in the research study that might have affected the process of data collection for this research work.
One of the major limitations is the organization’s unwillingness to give out necessary data that will have assisted in the conduct of this research
work effectively.
Another limitation is the current harsh economic conditions in the country. Also, time constraint was another factor that limited the coverage of the scope of this study adequately.
The findings therefore, from this study is based on information that is obtained from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, as a representative of Nigeria’s University system. The findings have been generalized on all University system in the country.
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is significant in the sense that only through such a study that the ills created by this unwholesome development will made manifest and corrected to enhance effective improvement in our Universities and the economy.
It has equally revealed the extent to which brain drain is irretrievable and unfrighteningly crippling to the Nigerian University education in terms of academic quality. It suffices to say that it is only through such a study that those concerned will be compelled to understand and take appropriate measures to curtail the situation.
The study is also significant because it has shed light on some of the major causes of brain drain in Nigerian Universities and possible solutions and recommendation have already been made for minimization of adverse consequences to the entire nations.
1.8 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In order to determine the existence, causes and effects of brain drain at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria the research study have employed the following research methods.
a. Documentary Sources
Collection of secondary data from documentary sources which implied the use of already published literatures on the subject matter of this research. All kinds of institutions and corporate bodies keep a mass of data pertaining their organization for individuals and for groups who enjoy their services or purchased their products as well as the general public that are stakeholders to it.
This research study despite all odds has succeeded to some extent in gaining access to some relevant documents, which have helped tremendously in the collection of the desired data.
Documentary sources of data have some obvious advantages among which are: –
- It saves time
- It saves the labour that could be used for fieldwork
- It saves the money that could have been used in collecting data through fieldwork.
However, documentary sources of data have some problems associated with it. These includes:
- They may not be readily available to the researcher. Many organization documents are often treated as highly secretive and confidential.
- They may not be suitable for the problem at hand particularly with respect to coverage, definition and being up to date. Moreover, a case record anywhere tends to be individualistic and subjective. Thus the contents, reliability and representative of information from official documents are out of the control of the researcher.
Other documents such as the organizations pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, essays etc also form part of the sources of data collection.
b. Questionnaire
This technique involves developing and administering for the collection of data. The respondent’s fills in or answer the questions presented in the questionnaire and they returned to the research coordinators. Questionnaires offer easy and inexpensive ways of obtaining data. Further more, the risk, bias or mistake on the part of the interviewer is absents it is generally a quicker means of collecting data, and it avoids the respondent – interviewer interaction which may lead to undue influences.
Two sets of questionnaires were used for this research. The first
questionnaire was directed to the academic staff, while the second was
xxii
directed to the students. The Questionnaire method of data collection has its own limitations among which are;
- It is only effective when questions are very simple.
- Answers have to be accepted as final in most cases, there is no opportunity for probing beyond the given answers.
- The technique is inappropriate where spontaneous answers are required.
- Different answers in a questionnaire cannot always be treated as independent, some respondents would normally try to give consistent answers.
- Reaction to questions, which should be used to supplement answer given, cannot be observed.
I. QUESTIONNAIRE FOR ACADEMIC STAFF
This questionnaire is intended to ascertain the kind of effects brain drain has on the lecturers in particular and the university education in general. The possible reasons that cause or may likely cause brain drain were sought for and suggestions as solutions that may be used for policy formulation to curtail the exodus of quality staff from our Universities.
A sample size of lecturers were given the questionnaires at random not minding their departments, sex, marital status, state of origin or even their nationality or levels / grades.
II. QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS
This questionnaire is intended to solicit from the students’ responses on how brain drain has affected their academic performance. A sample size of students were given the questionnaires at random not minding their courses of study, sex, marital status or level.
III. INTERVIEW
The interview technique involves a face to face conversation between the interviewer and the respondents, with the objective of gathering desired data. The interview can be open or closed ended, just as in the case of the questionnaire.
Generally, the interview technique was conducted in a systematic manner involving both academic staff and students selected randomly.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS.
- BRAIN DRAIN:
The migration of academics, skilled professionals and technical manpower from developing to developed countries, or to other such developing countries.
2. PROBLEMS
The problems are those which relates to the consequences or effects of a phenomenon – in this case brain drain.
3. UNIVERSITY
An institution of higher learning providing facilities for teaching and research, and authorized to grant academic degrees.
4. EDUCATION
Education could be seen as a process that helps to develop a whole human being physically mentally, morally, politically, socially and technologically to enable one function in any environment in which one finds himself.
5. LABOUR TURNOVER
The movement of workers out of the employment of an organization or on institution.
6. CASUS BELLI
“An act or event which starts a war or is though of to justify starting a war”
7. A.B.U.
Ahmadu Bello University.
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