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Must Every State Own a University?

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By Obike Ukoh

Rivers, Enugu, Imo and Edo states took the lead in the establishment of state universities.

The Rivers State University of Science and Technology was established in 1980, the same year the old Anambra State established Anambra State University of Science and Technology (now Enugu State University of Technology).

Imo State University, Okigwe (now Abia State University, Uturu) was established by the old Imo State in 1981, the same year old Bendel State established Bendel State University (now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma).

All the universities were established during the Second Republic. The pioneers in the establishment of state universities were states with high students’ enrolment, seeking admissions into higher institutions.

As a result of quota system, bright and qualified students from these states were denied admission, the raison d’être for the states to establish their own universities to accommodate qualified indigenes.

That was then. Many states it appears, now establish universities for sake of it, not out of necessity. There is now a rat race by states to establish own universities, even some states establishing two.

Not long ago, Adamawa State University, Mubi, complained of low patronage by indigenes.

Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, the Vice-Chancellor of the Adamawa State University, who spoke recently, expressed worry over the low number of indigenes applying for admission into the university.

“Children from our Local Government Areas (LGAs) do not apply to the state university even though they are indigenes of the state.

“It will be good to let our people know that every LGA has a certain number of slots for admission into the state university. This is because they are the major stakeholders.

“But in many occasions after admissions, we found out that so many LGAs did not fill their slots.

“They let go off their slots because they don’t have candidates to fill up the gaps,” she said.

According to her, the development is a source of concern to the management of the university.

Farauta said that it was imperative for the indigenes to recognise themselves as the university’s major stakeholders, and urged them to ensure that they fill their admission quotas.

She enjoined the state and local education authorities to begin to sensitise their students to always choose their state owned university when filling their Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms.

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)’s opposition to proliferation of state universities is predicated on poor funding, among others.

President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke said that some universities are established by states, based on political, rather than educational and logistical considerations.

Osodeke said that some state chief executives regard universities as,  “constituency projects.  ”

To check the arbitrary creation of universities, Osodeke suggested that the NUC should play a more visible role prior to the establishment of universities by state and federal governments.

“I should not be mistaken as saying that the NUC should only be more stringent in its accreditation of courses offered by these government-sponsored universities.

“Certainly, the NUC must have increased direct involvement before the establishment of new universities.

“Undoubtedly, the revival of the educational sector is paramount to the progress of this country.

“If, however, government accords more priority to the creation of more universities than the funding and maintenance of the existing ones, such will be counterproductive and inimical to the progression of our society,” he said.

Calabar Zone of ASUU, on its part, expressed disappointment at the way and manner some state governments establish state universities without backing same with necessary laws, and urged governors to stop playing politics with universities establishment.

The Zonal Chairman, Dr Aniekan Brown, said the development portend dangers as most governors use that to interfere with the autonomy of state universities.

“The non-demonetisation of the Act gives room for university administrators and governors to trample on the autonomy of the universities by usurping the powers of governing councils and senate.

“Evidence of this could be gleaned from the manipulation of the composition or non-constitution of governing councils.

Brown called on all concerned to immediately set in motion necessary steps for domestication of the Universities Miscellaneous Provision Amendment Act to allow for exercise of autonomy in the state universities in line with the national and global best standards.

He identified another area of concern to ASUU to include funding of state universities, adding that the union has observed that most state government now rely on TETFUND and sometimes divert such money to establish their universities.

“In some instances, state governments divert allocation meant for existing institutions from TETFUND to establish their politically motivated universities.

“The inadequacy or absence of funding for capital projects has overtly manifested in the dearth of well-equipped workshop, libraries, studios, classrooms, hostels, utilities and municipal services.

“ASUU is committed to working for industrial harmony in all universities including those owned by state governments.

“However, this commitment can only be sustained if the respective visitors and governing councils take urgent steps to address the nagging issues highlighted so far.

“Therefore, we call on all owners of state universities to as a matter of urgency, make adequate budgetary provision for both capital and recurrent expenditure for infrastructure, staff development and payment of staff emoluments,” Brown stressed.

Edo inherited the Bendel State University, built by old Bendel State Government.  But in 2016, the then Edo governor, Adams Oshiomhole, built Edo State University, Uzairue, located in his country home.

The government also attempted to convert the state’s College of Education into a University of Education.

But his successor, Gov. Godwin Obaseki, said that the move by the previous administration to convert the old College of Education into a University of Education was not feasible due to budget constraints.

He added that the state was already blessed with two state-owned universities and seven private universities, saying that it would be imprudent to establish another state-owned university.

From Delta the story was different as the Delta Government recently inaugurated the governing councils of the three new universities at Government House, Asaba.

The three universities are:  University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebey University, Asaba and the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, who inaugurated the councils described as false, ASUU allegations on the proliferation of universities in the state.

Okowa stressed that the universities were established to increase access to educational facilities for the teeming number of students from the state.

“Let me respectfully disagree with the position of ASUU that there is an unhealthy proliferation of state universities in the country.

“The establishment of universities is on the concurrent list and, as a state, we do so when the need arises.

“In our case, it is to fill the gap created by shortage of space and to increase access to university education for our qualified youths.”

The governor, who relied on statistics from the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2018 report, said that 80,131 or 4.85 per cent of the total number of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates for that year were from the state.

“Also, for the 2019/2020 academic session, 25,896 candidates from the state chose Delta State University (DELSU) as first choice. Out of this number, 22,358 qualified but only 4,854 candidates could be admitted.

“From the foregoing, you can see that even the state-owned DELSU has reached its full carrying capacity, hence, it is incumbent on us as an administration to broaden access to university education for our bright students especially in the fields of medicine, engineering, law, ICT and architecture.”

Okowa did not speak on constraints of funding, the bane of Nigerian universities.

Stakeholders, however insist that though access to university education is desirable, establishment of universities, especially by states should be driven by patriotic consideration not political expediency.

They also say that expanding of infrastructure, may be a better alternative to boost admissions openings. 

Obike Ukoh is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

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Education

FG to Develop Data on all Schools to Address Challenges in Education

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The Federal Government says it will sign a partnership contract with an ICT firm to generate data on all schools in Nigeria in order to tackle challenges in the sector.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman disclosed this in Abuja on Monday at a two-day capacity building workshop for Desk Officers in the ministry, its Departments and Agencies.

Reports says the capacity building workshop focuses on the implementation, collation, harmonisation and reportage of ministerial deliverables.

“It is our plan that by end of this year or early next year, we will be signing a partnership contract with a firm that will be working with our IT people to generate data on all schools in Nigeria.

“This is because we need to know our teachers, and every single student, we need data to know the trend of learning, our school infrastructure.

“This exercise will enhance decision making and policy formulation as the data collected and collated will aid evidence based planning, measure implementation and progress and identify areas where improvement is required,’’  he said.

Mamman added that data would help to advise the state governments on the right policy to make that would affect the schools positively.

He charged heads of MDAs, desk officers and other participants to tailor their programmes, activities and projects towards the realisation of the deliverables.

“The uppermost focus of the Ministry in general is in the areas of ensuring generation of credible, timely and reliable education data at all levels; and promotion of skills development.

“It is also in the enhancement of skill development across the entire education landscape for innovative and employability education; teachers training and development; and reducing the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

“I believe if we get it right in education, everything else will fall in place.

“The doctors who man our hospitals, the nurses who delivers the vaccines, the engineering in charge of our construction works, everybody is the bye-product of our activities,’’ he said.

The minister commended the government of Kaduna state and the security organisations for helping in the release of the 287 abducted school children in the state.

The Senior Education Officer, Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) , Ian Attfield, pledged to support government in actualising the deliverables and as well support in addressing learning crisis through continuing education financing.

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu in his Renewed Hope Agenda for the education sector signed a 23 Ministerial Deliverables and the 13 Pillars of the Education Sector Roadmap 2024-2027.

The deliverables are: strengthening research and innovation in education sector, reviewing the status of technical and vocational education board, strengthening the education management information system, among others .(NAN)

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Sen. Buba Pays UTME Fees for 350 Science Students in His Constituency

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Sen. Shehu Buba, representing Bauchi South at the Senate, has paid 2023/2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) fees for no fewer than 350 Science students in his constituency.

Mr Mohammed Dahiru, the Senator’s Programmes Supervisor, said in Bauchi on Monday, that in addition, all the beneficiaries will also be sponsored by the Senator in any university of their choice within the country.

Dahiru added that the Senator urged the beneficiaries to be more serious and read well in order to pass their exams.

Some students who are the beneficiaries of the gesture commended Sen. Buba for paying their fees.

They told newsmen in Bauchi, that the gesture had relieved their parents of the burden to pay for their UTME fees as they kept struggling to put food on their tables.

Jabir Khalid, one of the beneficiaries admitted that his parents couldn’t pay his examination fees because they had no money.

He extended his gratitude to the senator, adding that Buba also organised UTME lessons for them so that they could pass the examinations.  

“Sen. Buba came to my rescue and paid for me and many other students. And I shall be writing my exam on April 19,” he said.

Similarly, another beneficiary, Khadija Hassan, who was elated by the gesture, said her parents tried and paid for the first UTME she wrote but couldn’t raise money for this second one.

“I want to call on the senator to continue with his good deeds,” she said.

Also, Abubakar Ibrahim, commended  the senator for paying for their UTME fees in this difficult time when things are hard especially for the poor masses.

 “Some politicians don’t care about people’s education, not minding if you can afford to go to school or not.

“However, Senator Buba has shown us that he cares about our education to the extent of paying our UTME fees and I am among the lucky beneficiaries.”

“I also wrote the JAMB mock examination which I passed. The main examination will be held on the April 19,” he said. (NAN)

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Education is Dying in Nigeria, People no Longer Read Books – Arogbofa

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Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, a leader of the Yoruba Sociocultural Groups, Afenifere, says education is dying in the country because people no longer read to improve their knowledge.

Arogbofa said this on Saturday in Akure on the occasion of his 85th birthday and public presentation of his new book, “The Psychology of Growing Old: A Personal Experience for both Old and Young”.

The Afenifere stalwart, while addressing the people present at the event, noted that education would die without books.

Arogbofa observed that the book publishing industry was also dying, mentioning some of the renowned publishing companies that had gone into extinction.

“Education is dying.

I know we have modern technology like this and that, but we can’t begin all this without writing; without producing the books, and we are not producing. Where do we go?

“This is a challenge for us in education. And of course, without books, we can’t move ahead.

“I’m aware that some will write in their bedroom or publish in the kitchen, and nobody, no editor will know what they have written, and they will go in front of their house to start selling the books.

“The next thing is that we find them in the hands of our students. And that is where education is going,” he said.

Arogbofa appealed to the state government and all stakeholders to see how to revive the reading culture in the country.

Speaking at the event, Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State congratulated Arogbofa on the occasion of his 85th birthday.

Aiyedatiwa, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Segun Omojuwa, saluted Arogbofa’s courage, mental alertness and scholarly exposition which he said were visibly demonstrated in the new book.

The governor said the occasion was not just for the presentation another book by one of the most versatile authors, but for celebrating hard work, focus and resilience of an icon who had served the Yoruba nation and Nigeria.

“It gives me great honour to be present at this auspicious occasion of the public presentation of the latest book of our revered elder statesman, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, OFR.

“Let me first of all congratulate baba on his 85th birthday anniversary. Four scores and five years are no mean feat. It has undoubtedly been by the benevolence of the Almighty.

“This is even more outstanding and commendable when one takes into consideration his age.

“Baba is an exemplary leader and elder, I admire for his forthrightness, honesty, truthfulness and for always standing for a just cause.

“We hope to continually tap from your knowledge and wealth of experience,” he said.

Also speaking on the sideline of the event, former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, said government needed to do more in terms of social security for elderly.

“As part of social security plan, we must take care of our old ones, especially the healthcare, there must be a healthcare security mechanism to take care of our old ones,” he said.

A former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, identified inadequate funding and population challenge as the bane of education in the country.

Shekarau said that the rate of population growth has outgrown the planning and funding of the available facilities.

“I and those before us, the maximum in a class was 30, 40. I remember in the 80s, my government decided to make maximum in a class 50, but today, we have 100,150,” he said.

Shekarau later said all these were not beyond what the government could still address.

Reports says that the book was reviewed by the Ondo State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Kayode Ajulo, SAN.

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