INDEXING QUOTA FOR

RADIOGRAPHY PROGRAM IN
UNIVERSITIES: ADVANTAGES,
DISADVANTAGES, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Written by Elo Adam
Indexing Quota: What is it?
The term indexing quota is colloquially known in existing
literature as quota, or quota system. In academia, it refers to
a scheme where statistical limits are imposed on the admission
intake of qualified prospects.
The quota system is not particularly accepted as a standard in the
international sphere of education. Its adoption by the national
clime in Nigeria stems directly from the Federal Character
Principle. The nationalistic poster-child of the General Murtala
Mohamed/Olusegun Obasanjos military government, the Federal
Character Principle was created by the Constitution Drafting
Committee in 1975.
Four years later, the Federal Character Principle was included in
the 1979 constitution, and bore weight henceforth in the
formulation and deployment of national policies in the nation.
The reason for the Federal Character Principle and by extension
the Quota System stemmed from the heterogeneous
configuration of the Nigerian state which generated series of
issues that have continued to engage the government in tinkering
ways of preserving national existence.
These issues have divided the country along ethnic, religious,
majority-minority, advantaged-disadvantaged lines; with

education having its fair share in the struggles resulting in an

educationally imbalanced society, where the south is
educationally advantaged and the north is disadvantaged.
In the light of this, the introduction of quota system and federal
character principle in education became pivotal in extinguishing
the already looming class conflict, as they were aimed at fostering
national integration, sense of belonging and a wholesome
development of the entire parts of the state (Segun, Roland, and
Ilemobola, 2014).
Indexing Quota in Radiography
Radiography has been on an upward march in Nigeria. It is
currently studied as a 5-year course of study with the award of a
Bachelor of Science (BSc.) certificate upon completion.
Radiography is currently offered by the following Universities:

Nnamdi Azikiwe University

University of Calabar
University of Nigeria
University of Lagos
University of Maiduguri
Bayero University
Usman Dan Fodio University

Presently, a quota is allocated to each institution of higher

learning for the admission of new students, and is duly enacted
by the Joint Admission Matriculation Board and the National
Universities Commission. This quota is trickled down within the
university structure to mean limits for each program.
In 2010, 104 universities enrolled 1.5 million students (Okebukola,
2010). Still, this number is less than 20% of the number of
prospective students who applied (Moti, 2010).
There is a 60:40 ratio Science/Arts system, where science
students are given preference over arts students. There is also a
policy based on catchment areas and a quota system (Akuta,
2009).

The quota allocated to each department in a university is

dependent on several scholarly factors including facilities
available; manpower available; admission policies (such as
carrying capacity, catchment areas, and quota for educationally
disadvantaged states) amongst others (Kanyip, 2013).
Indexing Quota: Advantages
1. There will be adequate representation of students to include
students who are from areas that are naturally ducationally
disadvantaged.
2. Students will receive quality education from being matched
with an adequate proportion of facilities and staff.
3. Professionals will be deeply ingrained with the tenets of
professionalism, and will feel elated to be members of a
tightly controlled profession.
4. Interaction between lecturers and students would be highly
beneficial to both parties.
5. Reduces the lecturer staff/student ratio, which currently
stands at 1/19 in hopes of attaining the UNESCO accepted
standard ratio of 1/10.
6. Professionals can clamor for better compensation and more
role extension as there is no uncontrolled influx of students
that would lead to lackluster training and quackery in
practice.
Indexing Quota: Disadvantages
1. With only about 2000 qualified radiographers providing
quality service to 170+ million Nigerians, there is an urgent
need to beef up the profession with new hands.
2. Following from the previous point, there are currently more
diagnostic centers in the country than qualified staff, which
leads to avoidable quackery and poor service delivery in a
profession that prides itself as the eye of modern
medicine. The presence of an indexing quota gets in the
way of remedying this anomaly.

3. With 70% of prospective students failing to enter higher

institutions, the indexing quota contributes to this
percentage.
4. The indexing quota may be a contributing factor to the
lackadaisical approach to bettering the tertiary educational
sector, as there is no active push to get the authorities
concerned to act.
5. The indexing quota may be a limiting factor to generating
more independent revenue by the higher institutions, and
may indirectly be the cause for the increasing cost of tertiary
education in Nigeria.
6. The quota system provides fodder for unethical
manipulations and malignancies in the selection process.
7. Increases youth restiveness, as many prospects are unable
to pursue the careers they have passion for, instead opting
for or being left with courses that do not fit with their vision.
8. An unhappy populace that has lost confidence in the
educational system, which should be one of the citadels of
hope in a developing society.
Indexing Quota: Recommendations
While weighing the pros and cons of indexing quota in
radiography in Nigeria, it is important to review the complex
multi-faceted makeup of the nation, the existing nationalistic
principles that are mired in controversy, and the reality that
change in academia in Nigeria will be a slow progress.
Nonetheless, it is arguable that the quota system has advantages
that are more expedient than the disadvantages.
Radiography is a young profession within the confines of the
country, and while we decry the reduced number of professionals,
brain-drain, and alarming quackery; these concerns should not
prey on the far more important realities, which are:
to better the quality of education (which removal of indexing
quota would obviously impede)
to expand the roles of radiographers in the clinical setting

 to secure a better compensation plan for a profession with a

staggering rate of non-satisfaction amongst professionals.
These are of foremost concern if Radiography as a profession is to
be one that its professionals would be proud to identify with.
On the flip side though, while we must maintain the pro rata
arrangement of working with the indexing quota, we must
improve on the scholarly factors that limit the indexing quota.
Such that the capacity of the universities to accommodate more
students whilst churning out quality education is increased. Such
that the current dearth in the number of professionals is
increased, as well as the current standing of the profession.
REFERENCES
Akuta, C. (2009) Nigeria Should Abolish Quota System.
http://meniru.blogspot.com/2009/05/nigeria-abolish-quotasystem-or-be.html. [Accessed on 10 May 2015].
Itata, U. (2012) Preparedness for clinical practice: Perceptions of
Intern Radiographers and their work supervisors in South-South,
Nigeria.
Joseph, O, and Jesuotome, R. (2014) Why Nigeria has less than
1,500 Radiographers. The Guardian.
http://barasolutions.com/mainGuardian/saturday-magazine-sp39442427/167112-why-nigeria-has-less-than-1-500radiographers. [Accessed on 10 May 2015].
Kanyip, B. (2013) Admission Crisis In Nigerian Universities : The
Challenges Youth And Parents Face In Seeking Admission. Seton
Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs). Paper 1908.
Moti, G. (2010) The challenges of access to university education
in Nigeria. DSM Business Review. 2(2). p.28.
Segun, J, Roland, E, and Ilemobola, P. (2014) Quota System,
Federal Character Principle and Admission to Federal Unity
Schools: Barriers to Learning in Nigeria. International Journal of
Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies. 2(2). p.1-10.

Ugwu, A, Idigo, F, Okeji, M. (2007) Oral History: A Tool for the

Development of Radiography Practice in Nigeria. Nig J Med Img &
Rad Ther. 1(1). p.11-13.