As funds for the development of basic education in states remain fallow with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), despite Nigeria being one of the countries with the highest number of out-of-school children in the world, Frank Ikpefan, Abuja, Nwanosike Onu, Awka, Damola Kola-Dare, Lagos, Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti, and AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna, part, report on the dilapidated state of primary schools in some states.

ccording to the National Personnel Audit (NPA) Report conducted by UBEC in 2018, Nigeria has 10,193,918 children that are not in school, with most of them in the northern region.

Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, last year, at a workshop in Abuja, lamented the low impact of its huge releases of funds for the development of basic education in states.

The scorecards of payment

of matching grant

Prof. Bobboyi said while each state received an average of N1.5 billion for funding of basic education from UBEC every year, which could amount to N3 billion with payment of matching grant, the funds have not adequately rubbed off on learning achievements in schools. To buttress his point, latest figures from the commission showed that 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory have failed to access N33.6bn earmarked for basic education as of February, 2022.

The breakdown revealed that a total of N528,678,768,160.60 was paid as counterpart funds by the 36 states and the FCT from 2005 to 2021. The commission noted that between 2005 and 2017, the 36 states and the FCT paid all the counterpart funds. It was, however, noted that in 2018, 35 states and the FCT paid the counterpart funds up to the fourth quarter, amounting to N1,473,832,845.20 each.

Ogun State failed to lodge the sum of N491,267,613.70 as its counterpart funds for the period.

In 2019, the commission noted that 31 states and the FCT lodged up to the fourth quarter their counterpart funds amounting to N1,519,884,078.86 each. Two states, Enugu and Niger, lodged up to the second quarter and three states. Anambra, Ebonyi and Ogun did not lodge their 2019 counterpart funds.

The addition of the 2019 figures revealed that the five states owed N6,534,886,946.10 collectively.

For 2020, the commission noted that 25 states, namely Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and FCT lodged up to the fourth quarter their counterpart funds, amounting to N715,074,135.14 each.

Further analysis revealed that 11 states – Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kaduna, Kwara, Niger, Ogun and Osun – owed N715,074,135.14 each, making the total owed by the states to be N17,865,815,486.54 in 2020.

For 2021, UBEC noted that only eight states – Bauchi, Benue, Edo, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Nasarawa and Taraba – lodged their counterpart funds up to the fourth quarter by paying N946,646,664.48 each.

It was also noted that eight states namely; Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Oyo, Sokoto and Zamfara as well as the FCT owed counterpart funds for the fourth quarter of 2021, which amounted to a total of N1,359,505,128.24 at N151,056,125.36 each.

It was also stated that Plateau State owed counterpart funds for the third and fourth quarters of 2021, which amounted to N348,325,771.28.

The commission, however, listed the states owing the 2021 counterpart funds as Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Rivers and Yobe, and put the un-accessed funds at N18,746,470,860.16. A total of N33,638,440,906.5 is still with the commission as of February 10, 2022.

‘States abdicating responsibility of funding basic education to UBEC’

Chairman, Governing Board (UBEC), Prof Adamu Usman, had accused state governments of abdicating their responsibility of funding basic education in their states to the commission.

In an interview in the weekly bulletin published by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Usman stated that the states did not appear enthusiastic about funding basic education as they failed to pay their matching grants.

He had said: “Primary and junior secondary education is the primary responsibility of local and state governments. Unfortunately, a good number of the states do not appear enthusiastic about funding basic education.

“As such, they do not always access their matching grants from the UBEC, and when they do, they fail to utilise the accessed funds expeditiously.”

States’ reactions and outlook of primary schools

‘1,000 projects inaugurated in Lagos in one year’

Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, said the Lagos State Government was contributing its quota to the renewal of school infrastructure.

He said, in the last one year, over 1,000 school projects were inaugurated, ranging from rehabilitation to construction.

“In the last one year, over 1,000 school projects have been commissioned ranging from new construction to rehabilitation. This is being done by the Lagos State Special Committee for Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS) and the Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA) to ensure the smooth-running of our schools,” he said.

Alawiye-Kin said  the state was carrying out its 2019-2020 UBEC/ LASUBEB intervention projects. He dismissed claims  that Lagos was among the states owing counterpart funds for 2021.

His words: “Successful bidders for the 2019-2020 intervention projects were mobilised to site in January, and to access 2021 matching grant, the projects have to be at least 75 per cent completion stage.

“Nonetheless, we have received  our budget envelope for 2021 intervention from UBEC and the state government has made provision for the grant in our budget and that has been approved by Mr. Governor. We are fine-tuning our action plan by identifying schools in dire need of infrastructure in readiness for accessing the matching grants for 2021.”

Alawiye-King reiterated the commitment of the state government to repositioning education and boosting infrastructure.

“Our aim is to continue to provide all-inclusive, equitable and quality education in an environment that is comfortable, safe and conducive for learning and teaching. Hence, the need to make  infrastructure renewal in our schools a priority,” he said.

Anambra: The partnership between UBEC and state government working

In Anambra State, the partnership  of UBEC and the state government has worked magic in nearly all primary schools. During the reign of former Governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano, the state maintained its payment of its 50 per cent counterpart funding.

When The Nation visited some of the schools, the difference was clear as they were marked out.

But in some rural communities like Ugbene, Awba-Ofemmili in Awka North Local Government Area, some primary schools were yet to be completed

Anambra State Universal Basic Education Commission (ASUBEB) has been working in tandem with UBEC to ensure that new buildings are built and old ones reconstructed. The buildings are distinct in each of the schools, with green and yellow paints, especially during the Peter Obi-led administration.

But in the later part of Willie Obiano’s administration, one could identify them through red zinc buildings and yellow paints.

The Nation gathered that the Anambra State Government had not accessed the fund since 2019 -2020. The last time UBEC counterpart funding was accessed by the state was in 2018.

According to one of the stakeholders, who spoke  under anonymity, “when you visit all the primary schools in Anambra State, that is when you will realise that the partnership between UBEC and primary schools is working ”

When the state Chairman of ASUBEB, Dr. Ego Obi, was called to find out the current situation in the state, her phone was not “reachable”.

Primary schools in Ekiti communities lack basic amenities

One of the key areas that the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led administration in Ekiti State has paid attention to is the upgrade of facilities in public primary and secondary schools.

The government has been renovating classrooms, constructing new ones across the 177 wards and equipping them with state-of-the-art facitities, including toilets and water systems, among others.

Over 591 projects are ongoing in primary schools, including construction of 196 new classrooms, 146 new fences, 167 toilets and 82 boreholes for the water system. While190 projects are ongoing in secondary schools. There are 80 new buildings, 32 perimeter fencing, 55 new sanitary facilities and 23 water systems.

The projects are distributed in order of priority across the 16 local government areas

Aside the reconstruction of the schools, four models schools were built in four locations on the outskirts of Ado-Ekiti, and named after Ayo Fasanmi, Chief Deji Fasuan, Prof. David Oke and Prof. Banjo Akintoye.

Fayemi’s administration has not only re-defined the state education system with renovation and construction of schools but also provided furniture, laptops to aid e-learning, instructional materials and laboratory equipment.

The radical reforms being undertaken by the Fayemi-led government has shored up the enrolment figures in schools and curtailed the indices of drop out in the state as well as enhanced  the performance of students in external examinations.

Recently, the governor, while inaugurating school projects in Isan-Ekiti, disclosed that his government has paid N7.8 billion to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) as a counterpart fund to enable the state access N16 billion to develop basic education.

Fayemi, represented by his deputy, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, said the huge investment in education sector by his government in the last three years had resulted in very encouraging enrolment in public primary and secondary schools.

He explained that the enrolment in public primary schools, which stood at 106,271 in October 2018 when he assumed office had increased to 241,982 in 2021 and that of public secondary schools jumped from 84,146 in 2018 to 109,140.

He said: “Our administration in the last 36 months introduced a multiple-pronged approach to tackle the problems that directly or indirectly militating against access of children to free, qualitative basic education in the state.

“These include the payment of matching grants totalling over N7.84 billion to UBEC which covers the period of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.”

However, in spite of the the government’s effort to improve facilities in schools to enhance learning, some  schools are battling derelict infrastructure, most especially those in the rural areas.

Our reporter who visited some schools noticed that classrooms in the urban areas were conducive for learning, except few schools that lacked necessary amenities such as a water system, sick bay and functional toilets.

It was also observed that although some of the schools in rural areas were suitable for learning, others were grappling with various challenges, including leaking roofs, lack of functional toilets, and limited teachers. Many classrooms were still uninhabited. Some were even overtaken by bushes and not well kept.

At the Ijanmodu Grammar School in Ijan-Ekiti Gbonyin Council Area, it was observed that the perimeter fences and few classrooms were in deplorable states.

At Olaoluwa Muslim Grammar School in Ado metropolis, the environment was partially conducive but there was no functional toilets, sick bay and library.

A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity and admitted that the school lacked necessary facilities, said the school needed a sick bay and a well-equipped library to aid learning.

When contacted, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye, did not pick her calls,  and text messages sent to her phone were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.

Not yet uhuru in Kaduna primary schools

In Kaduna State, it is not yet uhuru in public primary schools, despite about six years massive investment in the education sector by the Governor, Nasir El-Rufai-led administration, The schools still suffer inadequate infrastructure, with 22,188 classrooms in primary and secondary schools without adequate furniture.

The administration inherited rot in the education and health sectors, hence, the resolve of the El-Rufai-led government to invest in education infrastructure as well as the human resource aspect of education.

The human resource aspect led to the sack of 21,000 teachers, who failed El-Rufai’s competency test and recruitment of 25,000 young and competent ones, according to the government. The infrastructural development brought about the building of new classrooms, refurbishing and retooling of others.

The massive infrastructural facelift in the state in the last six years saw the building of blocks of one storey building classrooms in highly-populated primary schools —the first time primary schools would be having such infrastructure in the history of the state.

The government came up with the storey building classrooms in response to school enrolment, which skyrocketed from about 1,200,000 to over 1,800,000, after the introduction of Home Grown School Feeding Programme in 2016.

But, despite the infrastructural facelift, there are many schools, where pupils still sit on the floor for lessons.

According to the annual school census report 2020, there are 4,489 public primary and pre-primary schools in Kaduna State, with  both primary and secondary schools having an enrolment figure of 2,399,179 pupils, comprising 1,243,296 male and 1,155,883 female pupils.

It can be said that the curve of the poor state of the public schools infrastructure is bent not flattened, as there are 22,188 primary and secondary school classrooms without sufficient seats.

Also, there are 14,949 classrooms across the primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools without good blackboards and about 9,989 classrooms requiring major repairs.

The 2020 school census report confirmed this as it reported that there were 20,267 usable classrooms in primary schools and 8,239, representing 37%, are in need of major repairs. It added that 17,056, representing 78% of the primary school classrooms, are with insufficient seating and 12,010 classrooms are without good blackboards.

According to the census report, 66% of primary schools in the state have no source of water, 67% have no health facility, while 36% have no good blackboard.

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL in partnership with RestoringVision, telehealth technology company, Visibly, and New Globe has distributed free reading glasses to teachers and pupils in the state’s 20 Local Government Education Areas (LGEAs) in the state.

The donors said this was a demonstration of their commitment to the eradication of vision impairment, one of the world’s most significant health problems.

The distribution, which happened on February 14 and 15, is the second phase of an exercise which began in 2020 and focuses on enabling teachers to discharge their duties effectively and assist pupils with sight issues.

The free sight assessment and distribution of reading glasses were also part of EKOEXCEL’s efforts to reduce the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment.

One of the beneficiaries and a school teacher, Mrs Adetohun Kazeem, hailed the gesture, noting that it had made preparations for her classes easier while aiding movement.

“I had been saving towards getting an eye test and getting the required medication glasses because of my sight issues. The free test and glasses from EKOEXCEL were God-sent. It was like a special Valentine’s gift from a caring lover who knows all my needs,” she said.

A student beneficiary, 10-year-old primary 6 pupil of Lagos State Model Nursery & Primary School, Nathan Chukwu, also expressed gratitude for the timely intervention, disclosing that he had problems seeing the whiteboard before he got the free eye test and glasses.

He said, “My class teacher had to move me to the front of the class after realising that I suddenly started having trouble seeing the whiteboard from where I used to sit in the middle. I am grateful to EKOEXCEL for helping me solve this problem.”

A grateful parent whose child also benefited from the intervention, Mr John Adegbenga thanked the LASUBEB’s EKOEXCEL for the thoughtful initiative, noting that good vision is vital for teachers and pupils.

“The provision of free eye tests and reading glasses to teachers and our children by EKOEXCEL will boost efforts to improve the quality of teaching and equitable learning opportunities. We know that eye tests and prescription glasses are pricey, given the current financial situation. They have largely relieved us of that burden, and we are grateful. A good vision will enable teachers to discharge their duties effectively, and students will learn fast as they won’t suffer any impairment,” he said.

“Our philosophy at RestoringVision is that by collaborating with partners and curating projects such as this, we can accelerate results,” said Pelin Munis, Executive Director of RestoringVision. “What better results than ensuring that 5,000 school children can now see clearly because of the collaboration between RestoringVision, Visibly, and NewGlobe. We are honoured to be a part of this pilot program and believe the impact is only just beginning.”

“Since day one, Visibly’s mission has been to provide vision resources to anyone, anywhere and at any time,” said Brent Rasmussen, CEO of Visibly. “Seeing clearly should be a right; we believe that vision prescriptions should be accessible and affordable to everyone, and we’re eager to provide these services to those in need around the globe.”

The free eye-screening and glasses distribution exercise was also a fulfilment of the promise made by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to teachers during the graduation of the EKOEXCEL Pre-service Professional Development and Technology Training Programme in 2020

A former commissioner for Education in Edo State, Prof Ngozi Osarenren, has called on the West African Examination Council(WAEC) not to appoint people without credibility as invigilators in its examinations.

Osarenren warned that selecting people the examination body cannot vouch for would create problems for the examination process.

She spoke at the 27th annual WAEC Endowment Fund lecture with the theme: “Assessing the assessors: Looking back and looking forward” in Abuja on Monday.

According to her, supervisors and invigilators appointed by WAEC should be above board by not being compromised in the face of “juicy offers.”

To avoid its supervisors and invigilators being compromised, Osarenren admonished WAEC to ensure proper remuneration for them.

READ ALSO: President Buhari celebrates WAEC at 70

She said: “Supervisors and invigilators should be above board. He should not compromise in the face of juicy offers by principals and school administrators who are interested in having boasting rights of ‘our school is always making 100 per cent.’ How are they always making 100 per cent?

“Once the teacher supervisor compromises that becomes a problem. We have to be extremely careful to ensure that we don’t run into such problems.

“Don’t select and appoint people we cannot vouch for their credibility. It is going to create problems for the examination process.”

She said stakeholders must ensure that nothing happens to WAEC.

She called for improved welfare for supervisors and invigilators as this would help to enhance the sanctity of WAEC examinations.

“The onus is on us as stakeholders to ensure that nothing happens to WAEC. Seventy years is huge, it has come and WAEC will continue to be there even though some of us may not be here,” she added.

Blue Band has launched an exciting 21-day schools programme called the Blue band good breakfast programme to highlight the importance of having a daily nutritious breakfast for children and families.

The programme is part of Blue Band’s mission to make a nutritious breakfast an everyday reality for 100 million school children across Africa and Asia by 2030.

This first edition in Nigeria is being run in over 700 schools targeting 320,000 children in Lagos, Oyo and Ogun States with the support of the State Ministries of Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

During the 21-day breakfast challenge, children in participating schools are given daily tasks to help them develop the habit of eating a nutritious breakfast daily.

Speaking on the initiative, Upfield Managing Director West Africa, Moses Bamidele Amao, said: “The Good Breakfast programme is a unique initiative by Blue Band to encourage children and their families to make breakfast a daily habit.

“We believe every child deserves the nutrition they need to grow healthily and happily. Having a nutritious breakfast gives children the essential nutrients and energy they need to grow, develop and reach their full potential at school and later in life.

“Our mission is to reach 100 million school children and their families across Africa and Asia with this important message by 2030 through our Blue Band brand.”

Speaking at one of the school activations, Titi Reju, Blue Band Brand Manager Nigeria, noted: “Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day and research has shown that going to school without breakfast can cause children to feel tired, restless or irritable, affecting their ability to learn.

“Blue Band’s tasty products in combination with bread, fruit, and tea with milk, gives children the start they need and forms the right foundation to fuel their growth”.

In Lagos, Nigeria, the Head Teacher of Eng Reg School, Kofi K. Amponsah expressed satisfaction with the quality of engagement, information and education experienced during the Blue Band Breakfast challenge and encouraged children and their parents to continue applying the lessons learnt.

“This is a great initiative for improving the well-being and development of our children. The awareness created on how skipping breakfast can cause nutrient deficiencies and subsequently result in unfavorable learning outcomes was very useful.

“It will help us take the right steps towards encouraging a healthy daily breakfast habit among our pupils and even our own children at home,” he said.

As part of its promise to make education a major pillar in the building of a greater Lagos State, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has launched The Lagos State Comprehensive Schools Programme.

According to Folashade Adefisayo, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, the programme is basically a response to the high number of students dropping out of the public secondary school system in the state: “We noticed a heavy attrition rate among our senior secondary school students.”, she explains, “Many were not resuming in SS1, after JS3, and even throughout Secondary Schools, there was a steady reduction in enrolment.”

Statistics show that for every 10 students enrolled in JS1, only 3 make it to SS3, with just 1 student eventually graduating.

Many of the dropouts get into informal vocational training and street-level hawking and trading-related activities, exposing them to social vices and crime. The programme, Adefisayo insists, offers such students an option: “Instead of going into low-level training, stay with us and we’ll give you first-class training in vocational skills in the safe, controlled environment school provides.”

Above and beyond addressing the school dropout situation in the state, the programme is a model that is designed to unlock the unique intellectual competency of each student and is suited to their intelligence profile and local context. “In reality, there are many levels of measuring intelligence and how people learn.”, Peter Bankole, Chairman of the overall planning committee for the programme, iterates, “We aim to make Lagos the state of choice when it comes to employability and support for students going through the programme.”

The programme itself employs a two-pronged approach of general academic and vocational education. The vocational training begins in earnest at the resumption of Senior Secondary School and runs through its three-year duration. It covers five broad subject categories in the pilot phase; Agriculture, Tech and Digital skills, Beauty and Events, Building and Construction,
and Media and Entertainment. “The students will have access to hands-on training that incorporates technology.”, Ayopeju Njideaka, Chairman, Curriculum Sub-Committee for Lagos Comprehensive Schools reveals, “In addition to learning skills in agriculture, fashion designing, software development, film-making and others, they will be taught financial literacy, entrepreneurship, communication, marketing and sales, and digital literacy, to enhance their employability and economic independence.”

What sets the programme apart from the already-existing technical colleges in the state is the ease of access offered to students. Instead of the rigors of trying to enrol in colleges in relatively distant locations as Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe, (acronymed as IBILE), “The programme offers the chance to remain within the formal academic structure and obtain training similar to that in the technical colleges.”, says Abayomi Abolaji, Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Education.

“The pilot phase has commenced in 12 schools across Lagos’ 6 Education Districts (2 schools per district). District 1; Alimosho Senior High School in Alimosho and Dairy Farm Secondary School in Agege. District 2; Majidun Senior High School in Ikorodu and Angus Memorial College, Igbobi.

District 3; Ogunmodede Senior College in, Epe and Wahab Folawiyo Senior High School, Ikoyi. District 4; Lagos City Senior College, Sabo, Yaba and Government College Eric Moore, Surulere. District 5; Bola Ige Millenium Senior Secondary School in Ajeromi-Ifelodun and Ajara Comprehensive High School in Badagry. For the last district (6), we have Birch Freeman High School Mushin and Ijeshatedo Grammar School, Okota/Isolo. We hope to expand to 50 by September 2022, with the ultimate goal of establishing the programme in every public secondary school in the state.” Abolaji concluded.

Regarding the sustainability of the programme, Adefisayo says legal documentation is ongoing but believes the critical involvement of the private sector alongside communities and other relevant parties, will foster accountability, and the durability of the Lagos State Comprehensive Schools Programme.

“It is education that provides credible, multiple pathways to life skills; to give the student a job for life, a career for life and a living for life.”

The world over, academic excellence is typically an offshoot of endogenous and enduring culture that has immunity against compromise, but mutation to classic global best practices. This has always been the benchmark that many universities are struggling to catch up with, while many others have considered this rare feat as a sprint and not a marathon.

The outcome of personal research has shown that designing an evolving and adaptable academic culture requires critical thinking that is capable of espousing need-oriented courses and robust curricula, 360-degree touchpoint digital automation, technology-driven teaching and learning, versatile and creative administration, qualitative manpower, dynamic policy formulation, collaboration and networking, strict internal and external regulations, adequate and purposive funding, branding and Public Relations for Marketing (PRM) and ultimately the mindset of excellence by all stakeholders.

Now that the transmutation of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) to Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) has been consummated, the next phase of the process should be to take the advantage of starting afresh into laying the foundation of a specialized university that would become the pride of Lagos and Africa at large. It is possible and in our time too.

Considering the peculiarity of the university, starting with the existing programmes of the former polytechnic to keep people’s jobs won’t be a bad idea. Looking at the bigger picture, this university will need to do a Skill Gap Assessment – what are the industry’s first line needs? Skillsets versus current and emerging ‘need sets’. The Knowledge Gap Deficiencies (KGD) must give way to a systemic approach in the Productive Science and Technology (PS&T) model that is not only unique but 100% result-oriented. There must also be an environmental scanning of the immediate community to determine the relevant courses and programmes that are community needed. These two needs assessments would help the university to define and develop its core competencies from the beginning. The fourth industrial revolution (industry 4.0) as the current and developing environment for disruptive technologies and trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI), among others, must be considered. For the community and Lagos as a whole, the university should consider programmes like Ferry Fabrication and Services Technology (Marine Technology); AgriTech and Post-Harvest Processing Technology; Digital Transformation Technology; Integrated Waste Management and Recycling Technology; Alternative/ Renewable Energy Production Technology; Oil and Gas Supports Technology. This is the era of nanotechnology, we can do it.

Automating the whole system, including the management of the new university is key. From admission to graduation, the process must be seamless. One digital solution should connect payments, registration, result processing, administration, information dissemination, library services, etc. No loopholes must be allowed. In this new university, there should not be missing scripts or results. Result, certificate, and transcripts should be ready in less than 72 hours upon request, yes, it is possible. 24/7 internet facilities and handshake with big tech firms would go a long way to position the institution.

Teaching and learning must have a technology interface. This is not a conventional university of marker and board, 70 percent of the learning process must be demonstrated if we must do anything differently. Up to the Ph.D. level (it is the new direction), attention must be given to hands-on practical demonstrations. Only modern and digital laboratories, studios, workshops, and classrooms can deliver the desired results as seen in a well-educated cultured society.

The drivers of LASUSTECH must be able to think like there is no box anywhere. Creativity and ingenuity should guide the administration of the new university. There must be an enduring line of ideation and curation. The principal officers must be fired for excellent development in all forms. In the same vein, if the government is really genuine in setting a standard for this university, the members of the Governing Council must be a mix of blue-chip captains, boardroom technocrats, industry experts, technophiles, philanthropists, and education enthusiasts. This very council should not be made a retirement plan for tired hands. And the university must not be made a dumping ground for the unqualified job-seeking family, friends, and associates. Relying on school fees to undergo a substantial development is no more in vogue, therefore, the business arm of the university must wake up to its responsibility to drive development, while maintenance culture must be entrenched in the core value of the institution.

Skilling, reskilling, upskilling, research, and development are very essential in defining qualitative manpower for the university. Emotional Intelligence (EI) and the excellent mindset of a goal-getter are equally of great importance. Knowledge of what to teach and the skill to teach right would be more appreciated if the lecturers put students at the centre of teaching. Other staff must have a total reorientation to understand that students are customers and kings in their right. To achieve excellence, there must be a systemic adoption of excellent culture across the board.

In making policy, the drivers of the new university may have to borrow some quality templates from the best universities. Policies like the Graduate on Time (GOT) system that guides against lecturer frustrating a student with the extra year(s) or unserious student overstaying the period of graduation would be a welcome development. Students accessing lecturers’ performance and completing progress reports per semester before they (students) can access results is going to improve standards. Digitally monitored compulsory 75 percent attendance and regular use of customized mail/digital wallet would encourage seriousness and dedication. Policies should be made flexible and people-oriented. The Directorate of Students’ Affairs (DSA) should have a policy document that takes care of the students’ welfare, sporting activities, complaints, and graduation.

This is the era of collaboration, co-creation, and networking. LASUSTECH needs to stretch the hands of fellowship to partner universities (home & abroad) for students and staff exchange programmes. The university must also be ready to have a strong tie with the industry, foreign embassies, politicians, government at all levels to attract research grants, chairs, endowments, bursary, and donations.

Aside the statutory National University Commission (NUC) accreditation exercise, the internal and external assessment should be carried out regularly and diligently. The Annual Performance Evaluation (APER) must be holistic and watertight. As part of the culture that must be established from now, only journal articles on Scopus Journal Metrics or indexed journals should be allowed. Inventions, Innovations, creations, and ideations should also be considered for promotion. The OSAE visit should go beyond inspection; it should include government accreditation with well-crafted Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

There should be the immediate design of a brand strategy that must take care of the rebranding, repositioning, and internal /external communication architecture- brand manual. The ergonomics design of the campus must be fascinating. We are in the woke era, issues should not be allowed to snowball into a crisis. Response time to students’ distress must be swift and effective. Internal communication is as important as external communication, therefore, there must be a structured conflict resolution mechanism, community and government relations.

Lastly, the government must be ready to fund every aspect of the university or give it complete autonomy. It will be easier to partner with firms like Google, Microsoft, among others, to enhance the smooth operation of the university. Apart from the overhead cost, recurrent expenditure, and cost of accreditation, Lagos State Education Trust Fund should aggressively look into infrastructural development, capacity building, research and development, software acquisitions for all Lagos state-owned universities, such as Turnitin, Nvivo, IBM SPSS, ATLAS.ti, RStudio, Orange, Base SAS, OriginPro, TIMI Suite, etc.

As the summary of my piece, I wish to leave stakeholders of the new university with the Times Higher Education for university rankings which, calibrated 13 performance indicators into five areas: Teaching (the learning environment); Research (volume, income, and reputation); Citations (research influence); International outlook (staff, students and research); and Industry income (knowledge transfer).

Steven Anu’ Adesemoye is a researcher in the Department Of Media and Communications, University of Malaysia.