Prof. Musa Aibinu, the Director, Centre for Open, Distance and e-Learning, Federal University of Technology, Minna, says about 23,000 lecturers emigrate annually from Africa to other countries yearly.
Aibinu made the disclosure on Saturday in Abuja in a lecture entitled “Creating and Sustaining a Qualitative Pool of Education Sector Professionals-Solution Options’ he delivered at the 2015 Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA).
He described intellectual flight as “one of the greatest challenges’’ of Nigerian education sector and Africa in general.
He said: “about 23, 000 lecturers emigrate from Africa to other climes on yearly basis.
“Some go for further studies and end up not coming back; some go for greener pastures; others run away from the unfavourable condition we have here.
“Lecturing has three components-lecturing, research and community service; the funding of research here is very low though TETFund is trying but we are still far below.
“Again, the decay in infrastructure does not favour basic and applied research- all these factors push our lecturers abroad.’’
Aibinu said that in order to retain quality professionals, the working conditions of teachers must be improved.
He advocated payment of universal salary scheme across board, adding that teachers go to the same market with those who worked in the oil, gas and the telecommunication sectors.
The don stated that the disparity in remuneration scare people from going into teaching profession while those already in the system tend to look for better opportunities abroad.
He called for the adoption of practical field based curriculum with emphasis on ability instead of certificates.
The theme of the summit was “Nigeria’s Education Sector-Transformation into the 21st Century with Content Quality and Global Recognition.’’