State University and Private Universities in Abia State Nigeria; Which is Better

Abia state lies in the southeastern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Abia state is blessed with various tertiary educational institutions. The universities in Abia state are categorized under federal, state, and private universities. In this post, a debate of State Universities Vs Private Universities in Abia State will help you to tell the distinction between them.

Abia State vs Private University; Which is Better? Check!

What are They

Before you pursue your dream of schooling in Abia state, you first need to know the kind of university you must go to. The one you can be able to achieve all you want to do and also the best of all the universities in Abia state. Therefore, here is a short definition of the kinds of universities in Abia state.

What are State Universities

A short and simple definition of a state university may be a tertiary educational institution which is under the ownership, management, and operation of a single or individual state in which the university is built.

What are Private Universities

Contrary to the definition of a state university, a private university is not under the management and leadership operation of a state government. Rather, it is under the ownership and management of an individual or a private corporation that is not necessarily in connection to the state government or Federal Government.

Private universities may receive funding from the state or Federal Government but are not under them.

Difference Between State & Private Universities

From the above definition of what both types of universities are, it is appropriate to point out that a major difference between them is the mode of management or ownership. While the state university is owned by a state government, a private university is owned by a private entity.

Moreover, other factors such as the cost of learning may also play a crucial role in distinguishing both universities.

NUC Ranking

NUC is short for National University Commission. It is a certified educational body in Nigeria that is responsible for commissioning and accreditating universities as well as various courses in Nigeria.

The NUC is also responsible for ranking of universities. There are other ranking bodies in Nigeria but the NUC ranking is one of the best and most acknowledged rankings in Nigeria. Below how are universities in Abia state are ranked by NUC.

To begin with, there are just six universities in Abia state. One is a federal university, another one is a state university, and the remaining four are private universities. The NUC ranking in this article only shows the state and private universities in Abia state.

NUC Ranking of the State Universities in Abia State

This is the NUC ranking for the state university of Abia state;

  1. Abia State University (ABSU): 40

NUC Ranking of the Private Universities in Abia State

These are the rankings done by the NUC body in the various private universities in Abia state:

  1. Gregory University Uturu: Not available
  2. Clifford University Owerrinta, Abia State: 46
  3. Spiritan University Nneochi Abia State: 156
  4. Nigeria British University, Asa, Abia State: Not available

It is important to know that the universities showing not available simply means that they have not yet been ranked by the NUC body.

Which has the Highest NUC Ranking

A clear and concise interpretation of the above information concerning the NUC rankings of the state and private universities in Abia state shows that the state university is by far higher than all the private universities in Abia state.

Admission

This article uses the jamb admission cut-off mark for each university in Abia state to differentiate between a state and a private university. Firstly, a jamb cut-off mark is the standard mark or the least mark a student can attain during the jamb test before the student can be considered for admission.

Lastly, the Joint Administration Board (Jamb) has a standard cut-off mark which is 140. However, a university can decide to increase theirs based on courses. Here are the various jamb cut-off marks for the state university and private universities in Abia state:

Jamb Cut-off Mark of the State Universities in Abia State

  1. Abia State University (ABSU): 140

Jamb Cut-off Mark of the Private Universities in Abia State

  1. Gregory University Uturu: 160
  2. Clifford University Owerrinta Abia State: 180
  3. Nigeria British University Asa, Abia State: 140
  4. Spiritan University Nneochi Abia State:

Medical Sciences: 250

Law: 240

Engineering: 220

Physical and Life Sciences: 190

Art and Social Science: 190

Which has the Highest Cut-off Mark

Spiritan University Nneochi has the highest cut-off mark. It is followed by Clifford University Owerrinta and then Gregory University Uturu before the remaining private university and the state university share the same cut-off mark which also coincides with the jamb cut-off mark.

Diversity

Diversity is a measure of how diverse a university can be. This quality is simply talking about how many tribes can make up the population of a university system. It is a fact that most Nigerian tribes both the large & popular or the small & unpopular can be found in almost all universities if not all.

However, in a university, there must be a certain tribe or a certain group of tribes that dominates the population of the university. This is mostly a result of the region in which the university was founded. In this section of the article, attempts are made to emphasise the tribes found and dominating in the state universities as well as private universities in Abia state.

What Tribe Majorly Attends the State Universities in Abia State

Abia state is a southeastern state with the Igbos predominating the state. It is logical and reasonable to draw a conclusion that Abia state will be more Igbo-populated than any other tribe.

What Tribe Majorly Attends the Private Universities in Abia State

Similar to the state university, Abia State is more Igbo than any other culture. Two of its neighbouring states are also Igbo states: Imo and Akwa Ibom, therefore it will be more Igbo populated than any other tribe.

Which has More Ethnic Group Mixture

It is possible that the state university may be more diverse than the federal university on the basis of some reasonable factors such as easy access to admission (jamb cut-off mark), lesser school fees, higher ranking, and maybe more. However, this fact is not certain as this is just a speculation.

School Fees 

It is a reasonable action to inquire about the school fees of any institution before applying as it will help you weigh your options. This section of this article will help you with the school fees estimate of the state as well as federal institutions.

The School Fees of the State Universities in Abia State

  • Abia State University (ABSU):

100 Level to 500 Level: ₦48,000 to ₦52,000 to ₦56,000

600 Level: ₦40,000

It is important to note that this school fee is per semester and not per session. Also, the amount above is only for tuition fees, other fees are not included. The variation from 48 to 56 in amount is a result of different faculty.

The School Fees of the Private Universities in Abia State

  • Gregory University Uturu:

School Fees for returning and fresh students: ₦500,000 to ₦1,500,000

  • Clifford University Owerrinta:

School Fees for returning and fresh students: ₦535,000 to ₦855,000

  • Spiritan University Nneochi:

Natural and Applied Sciences: ₦345,000

Arts & Social Science: ₦225,000

Jupeb: ₦225,000

  • Nigeria British University Asa:

100 Level: ₦2,500,000

200 & 300 Level: ₦2,000,000

400 Level: ₦1,800,000

Which is More Expensive

The private universities are more expensive than the state university in Abia state.

Conclusion

Overall, these are some of the most important criteria for distinguishing between private universities and the state university in Abia state. Also, note that the information here about their school fees and jamb cut-off marks is the same as the information present in the university portal.

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