Nigeria needs more varsities to serve growing population – FG
*Says, growth of private universities will promote healthy competition
Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja
The Federal government has said that more universities are needed in the country to serve the growing number of candidates seeking university education every year.
The minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu who made this disclosure during the presentation of the provisional licences to promoters and proprietors of the 20 new private universities recently approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC said, the 193 universities currently in operation is not enough to serve the 200 million Nigerians.
Recall that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had faulted the federal government’s approval of new private institutions in Nigeria, saying existing ones should be expanded instead.
They claimed that there was no justification in approving new universities when the existing ones were neither adequately funded not properly monitored.
However, Adamu who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Hon Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said, the growth of private Universities in Nigeria has created an environment for healthy competition.
“The growth of private Universities in Nigeria has created an environment for healthy competition that stimulates improvement in quality service delivery in the system.
“Private Universities have contributed to the opening up of admission space for the growing population of candidates seeking university education every year”, he said.
The minister further stressed the need to close the educational gap compounded by what he described as ‘gross inadequacy’ of access to university admission.
He called on the promoters and proprietors of the new universities to ensure that the standard is not compromise.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Rasheed Abubakar Rasheed, warned that it will not tolerate any breach of the conditions for approval.
He said that any unwholesome practice or operation outside the provisions of the NUC guildlines will be sanctioned.
” Proprietors should note that, beyond receiving the licences, NUC will embark on a resource verification exercise to certify that the minimum human and material resources, required for the commencement of academic activities in the take off programmes, have been provided”, he added.
The approved universities are; Topfaith University Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom, Thomas Adewumi University, Oko-Irese, Kwara, Maranatha University, Mgbidi, Imo, Ave Maria University, Piyanko, Nasarawa, Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano.Mudiame University, Irrua, Edo, Havilla University, Nde-Ikom, Cross River, Claretian University of Nigeria, Nekede, Imo.
Others are, NOK University, Kachia, Kaduna, Karl-Kumm University, Vom, Plateau, James Hope University, Lagos, Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, Capital City University, Kano, Ahman Pategi University, Kwara, University of Offa, Kwara.
Others include, Mewar University, Masaka, Nasarawa, Edusoko University, Bida, Niger, Philomath University, Kuje, Abuja, Khadija University, Majia, Jigawa and Anan University, Kwall, Plateau.
