AAUA Don advocates 20 percent budgetary allocation to education

….seeks de-accreditation of ‘non-viable’ courses


A Professor of Educational Management at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Akinrotimi Oyetakin, has called on federal and state governments to allocate a minimum of 20% of their annual budgets to the education sector. He warned that continued underfunding could lead to systemic collapse of tertiary institutions across the country.

Professor Oyetakin made the appeal while delivering the University’s 42nd Inaugural Lecture titled “Cost Explosion and Expenditure Implosion of Tertiary Education: Equilibrium Heresies in Motion”.

He warned that the mismatch between rising educational costs and stagnant funding allocations constitutes a financial imbalance threatening the sustainability and quality of higher education in Nigeria.

Describing the situation as a case of cost explosion versus expenditure implosion, the Professor stressed that funding education is a shared responsibility that must be approached through a fiscal justice model.

He argued that no education is truly free, as someone ultimately bears the cost. H therefore stressed the need for all stakeholders, including alumni and the private sector, to contribute meaningfully.

The scholar also recommended a recalibrated financial model that would involve the diversification of revenue sources through consultancy services, research commercialisation, improved internally generated revenue (IGR) and strategic public-private partnerships.

He also proposed the creation of an Education Emergency Relief Agency of Nigeria (EERAN) to address disruptions caused by insecurity and natural disasters.

Professor Oyetakin cautioned against the continued accreditation of programmes with low economic value, urging institutions to focus on areas of comparative advantage.

He further challenged the over-reliance on paper qualifications, advocating a shift towards productivity-based metrics and merit-driven recruitment processes.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Olugbenga Ige, described the lecture as a timely intervention on the pressing issues confronting Nigeria’s education sector and commended Professor Oyetakin for his outstanding contributions to scholarship and institutional advancement.