Does Access to Higher Education for Youth Enhance Sustainable Development in Africa? Some Empirical Lessons from Kogi State, Nigeria
Durowaiye, Babatunde Emmanuel & Fawole, OlufemiOlaniyi
Department of Sociology, College of Business & Social Sciences,
Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ilorin Ilorin, Kwara State
Email: babtee2@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
It has been universally acknowledged and empirically proven that education is a catalyst for development. Higher education has been recognized as a prerequisite for eliminating poverty and to achieve sustainable development. In Nigeria, higher educational sector are confronted with multi-faceted problems such as poor funding, unstable curriculum, poor infrastructure, insufficient academic staff and so forth. While a number of private institutions have emerged to expand access to higher education across the nation, the high cost of schooling in private institutions has further led to the exclusion of youth from poor economic background. The study recommended the need for workable intervention programmes in a way that would increase access for youth irrespective of their socio-economic background.
Key words: Access; Higher education; sustainable development; youth; Nigeria and Africa
