Legacy University: Bringing the Desired Change in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria
As the covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage global economy, higher institutions in Nigeria are making efforts in putting measures that will help in keeping institutions afloat and academic calendar running without significant disruption, also infrastructural development, basic facilities, poor funding, high tuition fees, quality education and producing quality graduate are some of the challenges bedeviling the educational sector
It is on this trajectory that EDUCARE NEWS caught up with the Pro-chancellor of LEGACY University, Dr. Leo Nkameme and Mr V.C. Ogueze who is a representative of the Pro Chancellor of the University.
In an exclusive chat with EDUCARE NEWS, Dr. Leo bemoans the capital intensive nature in the educational sector, with the worry that the return on investment is not immediate. “it is a long term investment, it is not an investment that gives you money immediately, there is no place you will invest that kind of money we invest in the educational sector that we won’t be making money from the outset, if you invest it in the oil sector, you will be making a lot of money from it.”
The Legacy University founder further explained that the priority is to give qualitative education that can stand the test of time, and that is what brought about the name LEGACY.” Legacy is putting up something you will be remembered for, we are really trying to give qualitative education, hence establishment of Legacy University, we are collaborating with ICT Horizonal USA so that our student can have online lecture from other university in the world.
He also stated that that they are working hard to position Legacy University in the global map when it comes to education” 25 staffs of Legacy University are currently undergoing training from Arizonal State University USA and they have establish the equipment and are coming down to teach our students, we develop our students through online learning system in order to prevent disruption in the academic calendar.
In the same vein, Mr V.C Ogueze who is representing the Pro- Chancellor confirmed Legacy’s partnership with Arizonal State University in the USA” we have collaboration with a Arizonal State University, they are putting us through the online teaching and learning, in the next two weeks we are going to key into e-learning.
He also added that Legacy has the cheapest tuition fee” for us in Nigeria things must be complicated for it to be of good quality, whether it is of good quality or not, so long as it is complicated that is what Nigerians wants, the issue of low tuition fee obtainable in Legacy University is because, though it is a private University, it is not a one man owned, it is owned by several educational philanthropists, these are set of people that have already made it in the oil industry, most of them venture into educational business not because they are hungry, but because they want to promote education and that is why they call them educational philanthropists.”
“The low tuition fee is also to provide opportunities to serious and bright minded students, and to encourage the strata of students in different category to come and study in Legacy.
Educational institutions are faced with huge challenges with current realities of the covid-19 pandemic, Mr Ogueze allude to that fact but he is confident that Legacy will survive through this challenge “the COVID-19 has been one of our greatest challenge, but like we mentioned earlier we have put measures in place so there won’t be a disruption in our academic calendar”
The poor funding of institution has affected quality education in Nigeria, and it has also affected the quality of graduates, who are sometimes rated “half baked” but the Pro Chancellor representative of Legacy University explained the philosophy of the institution and how they are ready to churn out quality graduates.
“Our philosophy is to produce quality graduate that won’t be looking for job, we engage them in entrepreneur programme, our goal is to ensure we don’t produce unemployable graduates. we have an arrangement with Krok University in Ukraine, if not for this COVID-19 the arrangement would have been fully consummated with Krok university, the idea is for our students in 100, 200 and 300 level to relocate to Ukraine if they wish, to continue and their programme, this particular programme is important for Medical student, yes other students in other discipline can benefit from it also, but the Medical students benefits from it immensely, whether in Pharmacy, Nursing, or Microbiology.
Legacy University was registered by the NATIONAL University Commission (NUC) in 2016, with its first set of graduates set to graduate in June, the institution has a twenty four hours water and power supply with adequate provision for security which has curtail cult activities which the institution has a zero tolerance for .A first class science and computer laboratories, including an e-library with available internet facilities for all students.
With Legacy pegging it tuition fee at one hundred and ninety eight thousand naira(198,000) which is consider to be one of the cheapest in Nigeria, the authorities are looking forward in the nearest future to take Legacy to a greater height comparable to international institutions like MYT in USA, Oxford and Cambridge Universities both in the United Kingdom.
