Public universities may be in for tough times as lecturers continue to leave the system in droves for greener pastures abroad. This is putting the future of the nation’s tertiary education in jeopardy and could lead to acute shortage of teaching staff and affect quality of teaching in institutions.

Guardian reports that about 50%of lecturers have resigned from the various universities while others who are yet to leave are also warming up. Factors fueling the exodus according to investigation include the desire for better working conditions, career fulfillment, insecurity, poor salaries, inadequate funding, and non-payment of outstanding salaries as well as harsh economy among others.

Even though the present administration has approved the implementation of 35% and 23% salary increment for staff of all Federal Tertiary institutions, the increment does not appear to dissuade many from considering alternative as about as much as 80% remaining workers are preparing to leave if the current situation persist. This is because the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has described as a far cry from what the universities negotiated for. Guardian reports that almost all the universities have lost several lecturers to greener pastures. Folashade Ogunshola, the Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos resigned and warned that the situation may worsen if issues affecting the University education are not addressed.

The Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan Professor kayoed Adebowale in an induction ceremony for Bachelor of medicine and Surgery (MBBS) cited the case of a particular department where 9 lecturers out of 13 resigned and left the country. Prof Adebowale admitted that the massive exodus of lecturers has left a great vacuum in the system and described it as one of the headaches of the Nation’s system. The mass exodus of lecturers are noticed in AAUA where 45% of lecturers have already left and many planning to leave. The University of Ilorin is not left out as 40% of lecturers and some non-teaching staff have left for greener pastures according to an official who pleaded anonymity. Same situation in OAU, FUNAAB Abeokuta, OOU, Ago-iwoye. In Unical Dr. Happiness Uduk confirmed the exodus of lecturers who had better opportunities outside the country. An official at FUTA Akure said the sorry state of Nigerian Universities and non-payment of 8 months outstanding salaries to lecturers made many to look for alternatives. Same with ABU, Zaria and KASU, Kaduna. The issue is about those planning to leave than those who have already left. Same all over the universities in the country.

A professor in Adult Education John Odu said that to retain quality teachers the working conditions of lecturers must be improved on and the Education system needs help. This is not because of today but because of tomorrow. He said the Federal Government is not helping as the younger ones who are brilliant have relocated abroad and are not coming back.