NANS faults VCs selection process, urges support for Oloyede

The Senate of the National Association of Nigeria Students’ (NANS) has faulted the process adopted in the selection of candidates for the vacant position of Vice-Chancellor in the Obafemi Awolowo University and other higher institutions in Nigeria.

The senate President of NANS, Salaam Oyejide, in a press statement on Monday, said that the process was archaic and expensive.

According to him, setting up a search committee is not consistent with what is obtainable in most advanced university.

He proposed that that the current edict used for the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in universities needed to be reviewed.

He said, “We can’t be clamouring for a 21st century university and keep using ancient methodologies. Our universities ought to be leaders in the application of modern practices. It is appalling that our universities still live in the past and fail to upgrade their Vice-Chancellorship appointment process.

“For instance, the Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has recently set up a search committee as part of the moves to appoint a new VC. A style, which we are neither convenient nor satisfied with. It is archaic and outdated.

“Our findings show that setting up such committee was an old practice introduced when there are limited Professors in universities. We do not think in the modern age when there are enough professors in a university, a committee needed to be set up again to search in other institutions.

“We see this as a mere waste of resources and another approach that could lead to crisis in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in our universities.”

He explained that reports from students leaders in various universities in Nigeria indicated that members of a university community do not always prefer to be lead by outsiders.

This is as he urged the Senate and Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife to ensure a free and fair appointment process.

He said, “At a point when Nigeria is going through tough economic challenges, one would expect the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to look at ways of cutting cost of running education in the country; one of which is reducing the resources wastage experienced during the appointment of Vice-Chancellors of varsities. Resources that will be wasted through the search committee could be diverted into another productive educational investment.

“We urge the Federal Government to abolish the select committee process to save cost and seal harmony in our higher institutions.”

Also, the NANS Senate senate President urged stakeholders in the education sector to support the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Ishaq Oloyede, in bringing a formidable development into university education.

He appealed that the new inititiatives of Oloyede needed to be commended and not faulted without genuine reasons.

He added, “We are in support of the developmental initiatives of the JAMB Registrar. They are commendable and will take Nigeria’s education to a greater height if fully operational. While we appeal to stakeholders in the education sector to stop personal attacks on the Registrar, we urge the Registrar to be bold to withdraw only initiatives that may bring unresolvable difficulty to students.

“The current Registrar deserves to be given more time to prove himself of being capable. Personal attacks and call for resignation but giving progressive suggestions is what we need at this moment. The board should also put the interest of students first in whatever initiative being introduced.”