Government level policy with respect to the effect of brain drain on Nigerian higher education institutions

Abstract

The effect of brain drain on Nigerian Higher Education Institutions has attracted a lot of attention in the past two to three decades. From the time of self rule or independent in 1960 till mid 1980s, Nigerian higher education sector is said to have been established to run the needed capacity for the management of institutions and the economy. It was measured outstanding in the academe. There was enough funding to cater for the up keeps of the sector; working conditions were also good and motivating enough. Educated Nigerians were returning home at the end of their education career abroad to take up job at home.

However, from the mid 1980s the opposite was the case, Nigerian scholars stated to leave the sector and the country in droves to other sector within the country or to other countries for better work condition. This upside down turn of the situation is said to have been due to lack of responsive national government. Many reform policies is said to have been put in place by successive government to revert the situation.

In view of the above information, I developed a hypothetical theory to ascertain the extent of the effect, and causalities. The theme which is: evaluation of government level policy with respect to the effect of brain drain on the Nigerian Higher Education Institutions. Is been investigated through the research problem to drive the study along with 7 questions. Since the problem of brain drain on national institution can only be corrected by governmental action through formation of policy with objectives, therefore I have chosen Gornitzka s scientific insight of governmental policies and its change effect on higher education.

I have engaged phone interview and secondary documents analysis since related government policy documents on brain drain was not accessible.

Both data collated show consensus results that seem to prove the cause and the prolonged effect of brain drain, which is Nigerian government s delay to implement its own policies. Government excuse as discovered emanated from poor revenue generation to cater for all its oversight functional needs. Therefore almost all the data collated both literary and empirical seem to agree that the solution lies on designing policies with the objective to diversify the financial base of the Sector. Also to implement a flexible governance/management of both the macro and meso levels of Nigerian higher Education Institutions. It is based on the common ground of the data that I have therefore rendered my recommendation to this study, with the theme: Policy objective on effective decentralized resource dependency/ flexible governance.