EXAMINING THE CHALLENGES OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN NIGERIA AND CHINA: LESSONS LEARNED FROM VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS

Abstract

Higher education systems in Nigeria and China have experienced significant expansion in recent years. Both countries have pursued a policy of "massification" of higher education to increase access to education, but they have different strategies in addressing the issue of skills mismatch that affects employability of graduates. While Nigeria has focused mainly on building more universities, underfunding and curriculum gaps have led to increasing graduate unemployment due to skills mismatch. China, on the other hand, has implemented plans to expand its vocational education and training system to align skills supply with market demand. This article examines the higher education systems in Nigeria and China and explores the lessons that Nigeria can learn from China's vocational education policies and reforms. It highlights the importance of a high-quality, relevant, and demand-driven higher education system, and introduces the role of vocational and technical non-university institutions as essential components of a holistic education system. The findings suggest that Nigeria should shift from a quantity-focused to a quality-focused approach in pursuing rapid expansion of higher education to meet the country's needs for a sustainable workforce.