Private universities abroad thrive on Nigerians' patronage

Many private universities abroad thrive due to high patronage from Nigerians, according to Prof. Michael Kwanashie, the Vice-Chancellor, Veritas University (VUNA), Abuja.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Kwanashie said that the emergence of private universities in Nigeria was in response to the quest for greater access to education.

He said that the inadequacy of public universities, compelled parents to send their children to private universities abroad.

This situation, he said, necessitated the establishment of such universities in the country.

On the compliant that these universities were elitist and expensive, the vice chancellor said that such assertion did not apply to faith-based universities such as Veritas.

"Private universities in Ghana, Malaysia and Eastern Europe are thriving on the basis of Nigerian students.

"Even in Britain, many private universities thrive on Nigerian students; they always come here to recruit.

"So, we said why can’t we set up private universities here and give them same thing they get abroad; we are creating the same environment where every student matter..

"Some of those universities will fold up if Nigerian students are withdrawn; it is important that we create the supply to meet the demand for private universities.’’

He said that many parents were regret sending their children abroad because they had become culturally disoriented.