1.1 Introduction
Brain drain also known as human capital flight simply means large-scale movement or migration of top flight manpower from various developing countries to more developed countries. It also entails the transfer of knowledge, experience, skill and expertise from one region, country or geographic location to another. Brain drain is usually considered an economic cost on the part of the releasing countries. This is because migrants usually take with them the fraction of value of their training sponsored by governments or other organizations. It could be likened to capital flight which refers to the same movement of financial capital. The converse of brain drain is brain gain. Thus, whilst developing countries from which trained personnel are migrating are suffering from brain drain, developed nations are experiencing brain gain.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
In today’s environment, brain drain is a prominent phenomenon affecting all sectors of the country. In organizations, numerous valuable skills are being lost due to these incumbents emigrating, leaving the organisation with a gap that is hard to fill in the current scarce and critical skill environment. Studies such as (Docquier and Marfouk, 2006; Uroh 2001), have shown that brain drain also affects the country in two ways; these are Socio-economic effects and demographical effects. Under the socio-economic effects, certain characteristics are more predominate when it comes to the groups of people who emigrate out of Nigeria. Some of these trends indicate there are certain age groups as well as professions who choose to go through the emigration route in search of better opportunities (Abubakar, 2001). This could result in valuable skills leaving the country. There are also benefits for the country if individuals decide to leave. This move could open up employment opportunities for unemployed individuals as well as opportunities to provide skills training to the working population.
Beginning from 1999, the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration has also tried to satisfy its workforce (lecturers inclusive) in the country by introducing the Basic Salary Scheme (i.e 50 percent increase in basic salaries of civil servant) which 25% has been implemented. But since the inception of the programme there has been instability and inconsistency of academic sessions in the University system in Nigeria. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has embarked on different labour strikes due to the fact that the federal government have not been able to meet up with the increase in salaries. This is turn has endangered the University education and also the search for better educational career abroad by students, as well as greener pasture by lecturers.
More so, during the Abacha’s administration, attempts were made to improve the standard of living of the low income earners by stimulating appropriate economic activities in the various wards of each local government area in the country through the introduction of the Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP) in 1997. Despite the implementation of the programme, its impact was not quiet felt by the University system in the country. As such there was still a great deal of exodus of lecturers from institutions to other private organizations during this period.
Brain drain threatens University Educational System with total collapse because there is a growing difficulty in inducing brilliant and able students to come back to the system. This study intends to consider the effects of brain drain on the Nigerian University education and the nation’s economic development in general. Thus considering the factors affecting brain retention and their effects on University education is part of the focus of this research study.
Therefore, in Federal University of Technology (FUTO) where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effect of Brain Drain Syndrome on the Nigerian Universities.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that over the last few years, the Nigerian University system has been affected seriously from a consistent brain drain of its experienced staff. Hence, much harm has been done to the academia in the Nigerian Universities that whose academic departments are headed by staff of senior lecturers grade.
Similarly, the quality of University Teaching and research has suffered. The Universities in Nigeria have been unable to retain sufficient academic staff which constitutes the back bone of development and expansion of any academic institution and which makes it difficult to attain maximum efficiency and effectiveness in the field of teaching, research and public services.
Consequently, this study seeks to determine the brain drain syndrome and its effects university education in Nigeria.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Effect of Brain Drain Syndrome on the Nigerian Universities using Federal University of Technology (FUTO) as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To examine factors that cause brain drain in Nigeria Universities.
- To assess the effects of brain drain on the Nigerian University educational system.
- To examine how brain drain affects the lecturers and student in the Universities.
- To examine how brain drain syndrome directly or indirectly affect national development.
- To suggest and recommend, practical measures for curbing the continuous brain drain in our educational and national developmental systems in Nigeria.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Is there any relationship between brain drain and shortage of academic staff?
- What are the factors responsible for brain drain in Nigerian universities?
- What effect does brain drain syndrome have on higher education in Nigeria?
- To what extent does brain drain syndrome affect national development?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant relation between brain drain and shortage of academic staff
- H1: There is a significant relation between brain drain and shortage of academic staff
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There are no significant factors responsible for brain drain in Nigerian universities
- H1: There are significant factors responsible for brain drain in Nigerian universities
1.7 Significance of Study
The study is significant in the sense that only through such a study that the ills created by this unwholesome development will made manifest and corrected to enhance effective improvement in our Universities and the economy.
It has equally revealed the extent to which brain drain is irretrievable and unfrighteningly crippling to the Nigerian University education in terms of academic quality. It suffices to say that it is only through such a study that those concerned will be compelled to understand and take appropriate measures to curtail the situation.
The study is also significant because it has shed light on some of the major causes of brain drain in Nigerian Universities and possible solutions and recommendation have already been made for minimization of adverse consequences to the entire nations.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on Effect of Brain Drain Syndrome on the Nigerian Universities using Federal University of Technology (FUTO) as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Brain Drain: Brain drain is the transfer of knowledge, experience, skill and expertise from one region, country or geographic location to another.
