NUC, UNIFEMGA demand adequate funding of tertiary education
NUC, UNIFEMGA demand adequate funding of tertiary education
By Jeleel Olawale
The Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed and Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association have called on federal government to fund tertiary education adequately in Nigeria.
The two body made the demand at the 2023 National Reunion Conference of Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association titled; Funding of tertiary education in Nigeria: Issues, trend and opportunities, held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
The NUC boss who is represented by Shehu Ado said, funding of University education is a huge task which government and stakeholders in the sector must expedite action to rescue the sector from imminent collapse.
According to him, tertiary education is grossly underfunded and government needs enough money to inject into the system. The underfunding is one of the bane of education development which has contributed to the low standard of education in the country.
“The universities are producing graduates that lack skills for employment and creative ability. There is need for universities to generate income to complement government efforts. The sector cannot be funded alone by government.
” There is urgent need to do invest in university education, hence state and private sectors to invest in the sector for national development. The university management need to more prudent in their spending.
” There is need to know why there is brain drain in the university system. This is caused by non-conductive learning and teaching environment and some other issues and the needs to be corrected. In the past the university teachers are doing well, the naira is good but today it is not.”
The Executive Secretary said government needs to increase the funding but the institutions should endeavour to identify areas where they could get fund for them to continue their works.
“I was surprised when a Youth Corp was asked to give full meaning of NYSC which he couldn’t do. This showed deteriorating state and quality of graduates produced by universities”, Rasheed said.
Also, Mallam Yusuf Ali, who is the chairman of the occasion said, government alone cannot fund tertiary education, which is not happening anywhere. And we need to look at other funding parameters to be used to generate fund and look for endowment fund, scholarship and payment of fees.
“Nigerians send their children to foreign universities and paid huge school fees. People paid exorbitant fee in secondary schools and said they couldn’t pay for university education.
“The agitation of Academic Staff Union of Universities for better pay is genuine. There is need for government to give the lecturers what is commensurate with their contributions to be able to retain them into the system rather than brain drain.
“Individuals that God has been kind to in terms of material provision should assist the university system. When students paid school fees, government can now come to assist them through scholarship and other forms.
“I want to appeal that government should continue to play its roles and all us must join hands to ensure that we have universities that worthy of their needs.
“National resources is getting smaller because of increase in population and Nigeria is mono-economic country until we tap the potentials in terms of income generation from taxes, mining, agriculture and information communication technology.
” You know Nigeria is not a rich country. It is apparent, if you take our national budget divided by 120 million population people, you will see what it will give you.
“Naira is fluctuating because our foreign reserve is low. Saudi Arabia has stability in its economy because it has strong Gross Domestic Product.” He reiterated.
Similarly, the National President, Engr. Olanlege Abdul-Fattah, said the trend in the education sector, challenges of ASUU strike, saying there is need to expedite action to put a lot of things in place to make university education curriculum more relevant and redesign the policies to enable university system self sustaining.
Olanlege said the need for changes to make university system more autonomous. We are calling on government to see to the challenges in education sector to make positive things happen in the sector.
” Prolonged university calendar and archaic curriculum need to be stopped and act fast because the world is coming to our youths. They are learning by themselves now as you can do a lot of things on internet and skills to make them relevant to world reality.
” The youths are now seen university as nothing to them and soon make university a redundant place. We need to start adjusting the curriculum to be able to meet the needs and challenges of the youths to make them relevant in future.
“The association has been offered about 800 scholarships to students to support their future aspiration. It also organised mentoring and coaching for students to enable them achieve their future career.” He said.
