I feel most of our graduates are products of our society. You do not expect good fruits form a rotten tree. Some of these people do not even know the value of education. They are there to please societal expectations and that of their parents. The educational environment also allows a situation where you can do anything to get your certificate and what do you expect from the lazy ones? Pay your way through. There is noway you can store water in a basket. Blame it on our declining educational system. But I still know we have graduates who are worth their salt. They are not deterred by what is going on around them. Thank God there are graduates who are still proving that hard work pays off.

well,I am a graduate and I am worth my salt!!!the trick is to attend conferences,symposiums and seminars to listen to what your seniors and betters have to say.You learn alot.If possible,present papers also,you will be corrected where you go wrong.I have attended many seminars and conferences and have participated very well in them.If you want to be a goooood graduate in Nigerian Universities,it goes far beyond attending lectures and reading for tests and exams to pass and have high grades,its about spending your time and money,I personally had to sponsor myself on a trip to University of Bielefield,Germany to attend a conference and when my school heard it,they asked me to represent them,I presented a conference paper,I learne a lot from other linguists and added to what I already knew.Its a pity that most of our undergrads just go to school to pass exams.I know that if anyone brings before me any question or situation in linguistics,I will tackle it hands down without even thinking further because I know linguistics and I am proud to say that I am a Nigerian graduate!!!!

How many graduates have got enough resorces to sponsor themselves to conferences. You are only lucky that you are previledge.

90% of recent graduates can't prove what they say they know.

well,you don't necessarily have to go to Germany to widen your spectrum of knowledge.All you have to do is readd wide!!!

na wah o! enough comments on this issue o! Those that haven't been through the nigerian university system shouldn't be saying much. There's much more in our nigerian schools and graduates than a few bumheads (supposedly nigerian grads) you guys come across who cannot account for themselves. Those that have genuinely been in the system (like...) will tell you that really, it's not the school that produces whatever crux of graduates but the individual who makes up his mind against all extreme odds to face what he's there for. It is only a pity that Nigeria as a whole is consumed in corruption and as such our universities are affected, but nevertheless, we still have very many Nigerian graduates who know their onions and are worth their salt both home and abroad.
With the way Nigerian universities operate these days, unless you make up your mind to be serious minded and face what you are there for, you end up like those half baked bumheads some of us come across. There is this abstract concept in our schools especially in FUTO where I finished, that one must suffer real hard to get anything regardless of what it is. With this you still see students that our universities are nothing but social playgrounds where they must "socialize" and have fun
Let's not stretch the point here. this issue is not controversial as such. Why do think Nigerian graduates excel in Graduate programs abroad? It's simply because of the suffer and sweat background they went through here in Nigeria.
My point exactly, those crappy bumheads you probably come across who say they don't know much about their supposed profession after going to nigerian varsities, they no dey serious when they bin dey school.
The real Nigerian graduates are exceling everywhere
think about it.

*

vee,at least they have libraries in their schools,don't they?

So what type of stuffs do we have in there. Some old 1970 scrap, is that what's powering today's world.

My idea/solution is that government should convert all those libraries into cybercafes.

well,some schools have cybercafes...
In my opinion,if you want to make it in lifemyou have to take that extra mile and improve yourself,instead of being spoonfed by lecturers who obviously don't even know what they teach oftentimes,or depend on the library books....

I know that they have cybercafes, but if they convert all the libraries into a cybercafe it will make the students to have access to 21st/22nd century knowledge instead of the outdated cramming they are doing in libraries. It will also make them to be super-savvy in the use of the PC.

Their life will even be easier since they won't have to spend 50% of their time looking for text(s) to read. I know it's just a matter of time before it will happen.

well,you are right but while the wait is on,do they have to be spoonfed just because "there are no books"?

It is called good education, not spoon-feeding.

I called it spoonfeeding because these students actually depend solely on everything the lecturer tell them.After the lectures,they just throw their books and go for the "next party" on campus.The next day,it is the same old story.It is just a select few who take the pains to go back to the notes,and do research and disclaim or confirm what the lecturer said...
university education is supposed to make you independent...

the point snazzydawn is trying to make is exactly what i'm talking about. the real nigerian graduate is that person who actually put a little more effort than the regualr type student(fun loving). That's how the nigerian university system is odered.

thank you very much frankiekins,at least some one spelt my name right

back to the topic,my point exactly.

the first thing we need to get straight here is that education is not or rather should not be gabbage in gabbage out. Yes we hv a lotta 1/2 baked graduates out there bt that is more of their fault than anybody else's. what we hv alot of times is pple who hv nt develped the act of cognitive thinkin how much more goin the xtra mile.
If u're smart enuff 2 be in da varsity den u shld know how 2 improve ur mind & not wait 4 some old man wt big spectacles to hand u the same facts that were handed 2 ur fathers

Just stumbled accross this, it's quite interesting. I once held the opinion that graduates from Niaja uni's were no better than SS2/SS3 students just older. My relative has resoundly changed by opinion. He finished from Ife about 4yrs ago and has just recently arived here in the UK. Having spent sometime, gisting and subtly testing him (under-gee) . I have not only had my views changed but also chided myself for allowing common beliefs to persuade my judgement without access to facts. He is articulate, probably because he was privately educated in naija - secondary school and very intelligent. Within 2 months of arriving here he has picked up a job in an engineering firm and his bosses cannot sing his praises enough, i.e pay rises, promotions etc, It's not about the system it's about the person. The university systems only assists in imparting knoweldge but this does not increase intelligence, Knowledge is not a yardstick for intelligence although it helps paper over the cracks. The university system in naija may not the best but it still produces some/many outstanding individuals,

of course their graduates

@pssword
Private education in Nigeria is out of the reach of the common man. The public school system is rotten like the rest of the country. Thank God for our God-given smarts. That's why a lot of Nigerians excel abroad.

What is the point of university or any education system at all, ?

to teach people how to think or what to think

to teach people how to make what they learn relevant or to just expose them to "facts"

to show facts or application of facts

The problems with the Nigerian university system in my own opinion, is that the focus is more on:

, the grade than the education
Because we are told the purpose of studying is to get that job in that big company which finally only very few get. Hence every child gets into the university to study medicine, engineering,law, accounting and no one really applies to the university for core subjects that have their own place in shaping society like philosophy, micro-biology, agriculture. Or even when they get "shafted" into this courses lots of time out of desperation, they end up going back to work in a bank or to become teachers because the course does not equip them to apply their knowledge in our society.People are more obsessed with getting their 1st class and 2.1s rather than getting real knowledge/wisdom. Plus our examination system is also crap so the people with higher grades are not necessarily the smartest ones,

, on teaching people what to think not helping them understand the thinking behind that fact.
How many opportunities do you have to disagree with your professor and have an good argument on a subject in class.Nope, u start from the perspective that the professor knows and you don't so u shut up and listen. When we get into the world of work or to developed countries, we realise how really ignorant lots of our professors are.

, to feed people with "facts" constantly without exploring the application in everyday life situations
Nigerian universities are filled with lecturers who never worked outside the university, so they have little real experience with trends and advancements in their fields and so they teach "book" theory rather than applicability because truth-be-told, they can't apply anything.They teach you other people's theories but do not have opinions of their own. They pass you if you can memorise and remember the other person's theory but fail you if you produce your own thinking. How many of our many BSc, MSc or PHD thesis can be applied to create change that the country so desperately cries for. What is the purpose of doing research if it is not converted into something useful?

Nigerians by nature are smart which is why they will do very well in universities abroad where they are allowed to think.

But I have to agree, our university system creates half baked graduates who know the theory but not the application which is what the world wants to see.

I currently work in the education sector in London and when I see all the things our systems lack, I realise why we are the under-developed world and they 1st world here,

SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT??[/b]Are we just gonna talk talk talk in typical Naija style or are we ready to change something,

[b]I have some idea of a plan to start something but need like-minded individuals, if you are interested click https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-7712.0.html

the question makes me laugh! i wonder what the country is turning to when people who cannot even spell their names have a 2.1. i work as a psychologist in a big organization in London, recently we stated recruiting and holding a very sensitive position i shortlisted my self all because i want my fellow Nigerians to join my organization, i shortlisted many Nigerians, the day of the interview was the most embarrassed day of my life as a master degree holders can even define what they studied in the university i was so ashmed that i could not continue with the interview. so i wonder where on earth did these certificate come from!

   Most of our graduates these days are candidly not fit to be addressed as such, imagine a situation whereby someone who has a second class upper(2:1) cannot even define the course they read in school, he cant read or even write a simple application letter not to mention the fact that he cant communicate in english fluently(though not our mother tongue).

I have met graduates who has a 3rd class and they are much more intellectually and logically better than others i have also met who has a 2:1.
In summary i conclude that most of these guys who were awarded 3rd class or 2:2 has more to offer when employed because i believe they would want to prove to their employers that they can deliver too and that :
               
                                   "EXAMINATION IS NOT A TRUE TEST OF KNOWLEDGE"   
                                                                 King Jhorghe
                                                                Dolphin Estate
                                                                           


















'

HOWEVER THERE ARE NIGERIAN GRADUATES WHO KNOWS THEIR ONION AND CAN HOLD THEIR HEADS HIGH IN THEIR FIELDS OF STUDY ANYWHERE IN THE GLOBE.
Abeg if you know say you no know wetin you go read for school, make you try to dey try by studying harder cos there is a great difference between being inteligent and being brilliant.
kingjay

Going to all those universities including LAG is a waste of time in nigeria

scholling abroad is the best educationa child can have when i was in LASU all i did was to settle lectures especially MR RAJI and he also wanted to have a piece of me too alongside though i failed his course but by then i was already in the states . you can imagine if i didnt travel what he would have done to me . i knew some girls back then that he failed them for good 3 years just because they said NO to him

ahh

i thank GOD

waoaaaa word!!!

Can't really say but I have heard stories and they r really bad

foskybaby:

Going to all those universities including LAG is a waste of time in nigeria

scholling abroad is the best educationa child can have when i was in LASU all i did was to settle lectures especially MR RAJI and he also wanted to have a piece of me too alongside though i failed his course but by then i was already in the states . you can imagine if i didnt travel what he would have done to me . i knew some girls back then that he failed them for good 3 years just because they said NO to him

ahh

i thank GOD

It is a pity that you failed in LASU and decided to 'settle' your lecturers. Do you have to do the same in the US? Like I have stated in another post, I owe my present position in life today to the foundation I had in UNIBEN. Greatest UNIBEN!! Today, I handle projects with top notch experts and professors in the UK.

i am not yet a graduate but i can say we are lacking behind when it comes to education
i was a O level holder when i left home for NZ but when i got to their eduction  system i was scared of life that
failure was mine.i need to start from level 2 to be able to catch up for the level 3 which i needed.
still it is a tug of war. i was brilliant at home i made my WA EC and NE-CO once through hard work and strict discipline
and it is the only foundation that  push me along.
i think we need to be colonized again by the British to set the record straigth
or else Nigerian graduates will not be graduates because we are lacking behind.But there are some student who are really graduates after four to five years

Hotstepper:

Can't really say but I have heard stories and they r really bad

I should think not. I worked in a software company just before I left Nigeria. I met Computer Science "graduates" and they really disappoint me.

I had to give lectures [imagine me] to some of them to introduce them to programming. We had one guy who's school made them cram fortran and he thought he was good -- we spent a lot of time straightening things out.

I'm a coding freak -- order lots of programming books and read very fast -- so I should say that when I discovered I was a guru with the little knowledge I had, I decided to study in the US. Really, I don't think I would have learnt anything -- and our Nigerian profs have this reputation of being very proud [refusing to admit they're outdated etc etc].

Quote "and our Nigerian profs have this reputation of being very proud [refusing to admit they're outdated etc etc]"

This one fact is very very true of Comp. Sci. lecturers in most of Nigerian Universities . However I'd like to say that the problem does not start with the universities. It's the whole system of education in the country right from the primary all the way to the universities. Oftentimes, for whatever reasons, Most students end up studying what they have no genuine interests in.

True. Over here you can correct your prof if you think he's wrong or offer suggestions -- there's no wahala. But in Nigeria, you're doomed -- you'll surely be a target of low scores.