The Nation Newspaper

Tag: varsities’

  • Nigerian varsities better than Ghana’s, says UNILORIN VC

    Nigerian varsities better than Ghana’s, says UNILORIN VC

    •Cultism has roots in secondary schools

    VICE-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has said Nigerian universities are better equipped than Ghanaian universities.

    This news must be a shock for parents and students who patronise Ghanaian universities based on the belief they are better than those in Nigeria.

    Last month, the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Nimi Briggs said Nigerians spend N160 million annually in just two Ghanaian universities. Comparing funding level of universities in the two countries, Prof Ambali said in an interview with reporters in Ilorin that Nigerian universities are better equipped than their Ghanaian counterparts.

    His words: “There is still room for improvement. I won’t say the level of funding of university education in Nigeria is totally satisfactory. If I say so that means all universities are static, but university being the place where the best brains are assembled the idea of what to do is always there; which means the request for funding will always be there.

    “In Ghana, they are not also satisfied with the level of funding. As a matter of fact, the other time I was there the Nigerian students studying there actually confessed to us that when it comes to teaching and learning delivery, the facilities we have in Nigeria are far better than what they have in Ghana. We have better facilities here. The only difference between Nigerian and Ghanaian universities is the stability in the latter’s academic calendar.”

    Speaking on cultism, Ambali said cult activities on campuses emanated from the secondary schools.

    He said many cultists caught confess to have started their cult activities right from secondary school.

    The VC urged parents and teachers to monitor young people better.

    “Universities inherit wards already groomed from homes, primary and post primary schools and even the polytechnics or colleges of education. Most of the students caught belonging to one secret cult or the other confessed to have started their cult activities right from secondary schools. To eradicate cultism on campuses, parents, primary and secondary school teachers, polytechnics and colleges of education teachers should educate their wards to shun cultism before they enter the universities,” he said.

     

  • Private varsities learn from mistakes

    Private varsities learn from mistakes

    Private universities are better managed because they avoid the potholes public universities have fallen into, says Prof Johnson Eze, Vice-Chancellor, Novena University, Ogume, Delta State.

    In an interview, Eze said private universities learn from the mistakes of older public universities because their administrators have worked in public universities for years and know what to correct.

    He said: “Because most of the senior staff in all these private school have been exposed to the same situation in public schools or some have come from abroad where things are better and, therefore, they can say well we must have a change and go after the change.

    Commenting on the limited number of PhD holders in the university system, Eze said the minimum qualification set by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for lecturers and the length of time it takes to get the PhD in some institutions means not enough of them can be produced in good time.

    He said: “The minimum qualification for lectureship is lecturer two. Lecturer two is what you come to after assistant lecturer. If you have a master’s degree, you start as a graduate assistant, that is, you don’t lecture officially, you help senior lecturers. After assistant lecture, the next grade is lecturer two. And the NUC is insisting that Lecture two qualification is PhD. If PhD is the minimum qualification for teaching in the university, how many PhD holders do we have in the country, or how many PhD holders are our universities producing yearly. Does it correspond with the ratio of undergraduates in our institutions?”

    Speaking on what Novena is doing differently, the professor of Plant Eco-physiology said the 10-year-old institution is training students who will be self-reliant on graduation.

    “In the next five years the indication is very strong that Novena will be making a great deal of progress in producing manpower not only for university, teaching, and for job but for also entrepreneurship. We will not just be producing job seekers but be producing job creators,” he said.

    Already, he said products of the institution are excelling within and outside Nigeria.

    He said: “In 2011 alone, two students of Novena University won international awards. One of them was Miss Vivian Nwafor, a Biochemistry student, who has always topped her class, won an international award in South Africa. Miss Tessy Askia, a Computer Science graduate of Novena University was the best graduating Masters degree student of Business Information in a university in London and was also given an international award.

     

     

  • Nigerians spend N160b yearly in two Ghanaian varsities, says don

    Nigerians spend N160b yearly in two Ghanaian varsities, says don

    Despite agitation by university authorities in Nigeria for adequate funding, Nigerian parents and guardians spend about N160 billion annually as fees for their wards in two Ghanaian universities.

    This disclosure was made in Port Harcourt by the former Vice-Chancellor (VC), University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof Nimi Briggs at a three-day retreat organised for members of the Governing Council of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt.

    This figure, Briggs noted, is far in excess of what both the federal and state governments release to universities in Nigeria.

    In his lecture titled An Overview of University Administration in Nigeria, he listed some challenges confronting the Nigerian university system to include corruption, poor funding, management, cultism and proliferation of unions.

    The former VC also cautioned on the way admission is offered to some students while the activities of unions must not be allowed to conflict with university academic calendars.

    He added that individual university governing councils have the responsibility of tackling the challenges in their respective institutions.

    In a paper titled “The Role of the Governing Council in University Administration”, the former Governing Council Chairman of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof Sylvanus Cookey, stressed the need for de-politicisation of appointment of governing council members.

    Cookey charged council members to seek innovative and creative ways of increasing internally-generated revenue while exploring external funding options as universities need to develop resourceful ways of re-branding to win public confidence.

    “The primary role of the council is to elevate the reputation of the university and not to subject it to public disdain or opprobrium because the guiding principle is the upliftment of the institution,” he said.

    In addition, he said that it behooves on the council to demand full accountability from the VC and his team to ensure growth of the institution.

  • We don’t need new varsities now

    We don’t need new varsities now

    SIR: The recent approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the establishment of three new federal universities clearly shows how “creative” and “articulate” the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration can be when it comes to tackling the gross inadequacies in the number of admission spaces in higher institutions in the country. The universities are to be sited in Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State, Gusau in Zamfara State and that of Yobe State in Gashua.

    Justifying the establishment of the universities, Minister of Education Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai told newsmen that only 10 percent of applicants get admission into universities- an indication that the number of universities is not sufficient. But the minister later revealed the main motive of the approval. She said with the approval of the new universities, the federal government had succeeded in establishing a federal university in every state of the federation.

    In 2011, the federal government also approved the establishment of nine universities across the country. These new universities couldn’t take off at the anticipated time because of funds. Admission into the universities in Nigeria has become a big battle. Yearly, many admission-seekers struggle to get spaces. Out of over 1.5 million candidates seeking admission, only about 200,000 are admitted.

    Just like many have suggested, methinks there may not be need to establish more universities now. The government’s focus should be on expanding access through expanding facilities and other requirements in the existing universities. It is on record that no university in the country admits more than 6,500 candidates in a year. Truth is that almost all these universities can be made to admit more candidates if their facilities are expanded and more academics engaged.

    The government’s intervention in expanding access to university education is commendable but it must be done in such a way that the outcome will be felt the more and in record time too. Besides, expanding admission spaces in the existing universities will also help place the universities in good standings as facilities would have improved considerably which in turn will show in the products of the universities.

    The government’s approach to solving our challenges must be well articulated. It ought to look beyond federalism or balance in this regard, at least for now.

    • Stanley Ibeku

    University of Ibadan

     

  • Look for other means of funding, Jonathan tells varsities

    Look for other means of funding, Jonathan tells varsities

    resident Goodluck Jonathan has challenged universities across the country to begin to look inward for alternative sources of funding to meet the challenges confronting them since the government alone cannot adequately fund them.

    Speaking through Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo at the 50th anniversary special convocation ceremony of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the President said that the time has come when all stakeholders in the education sector should join hands with the government to build world-class institutions across the country.

    He noted that education is a serious and important endeavour which require the collective support of all, adding that as a nation, “we must acknowledge that education is a serious and important endeavour that require collective efforts.

    “Universities, organized private sector, individuals, communities and Alumni associations must play a more proactive role in our effort to invest in the future of our country through the creation of world class institutions.”

    He said further, “I am fully aware of the daunting challenges facing our universities, particularly in the area of funding and infrastructural development. We must brace up to these challenges and remain firm in our commitment to the progress of our institutions of higher learning.

    “Recognising that government alone cannot fund our universities is a good starting point for a prompt collective action. Our universities should develop functional means of generating revenue internally as complementary funding to meet their developmental needs.

    “We must leave the efforts of development and its linkages outside the government in order to attract resources. Private organisations should join hands with the federal government in developing partnership with universities especially in funding research and scholarship.

    “On our part, we will continue to enhance funding and support infrastructural development through the Tertiary Education Tax Fund (TETFUND)”.

    While commending the institution for its achievement in the last 50 years, President Jonathan said, “by nurturing the growth of Bayero University, Kano and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, ABU supported the growth of higher education in the country.

    “There is no doubt that ABU has cut a niche for itself as a centre of excellence with great academic research, teaching and social inclusiveness. The founding fathers will be proud that their dreams have been fulfilled.

    “Our obligation today as stakeholders in the ABU enterprise is to ensure that the original vision is sustained and consolidated. Bearing in mind the correlation between higher education and ABU’s continued contribution to national development, the institution must be supported and strengthened in its achievement.

    “I commend the Vice Chancellor, Academic and non-academic staff and students of the university on this special occasion. You have kept the good works of your predecessor alive. You have done well, but the challenges of the future will require you to work harder”.

    Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida who was one of those conferred with a honorary doctorate degrees by the university, lamented that universities, and other institutions across the country are faced with difficult times.

    Babangida, who spoke on behalf of other recipients said, “The University and other institutions in Nigeria are, undoubtedly going through some difficult times. Beside dwindling finance and grant from government, the entire revenue system of the citizenry has been turned upside down.

    “Knowledge has no value, while money and power has more value. Scholars are forced to abandon books in exchange for wealth and basic livelihood. Despite these obstacles, there is still a ray of hope in our youths who are not yet tinted by the array of wealth and glamour. With proper training in our universities, we can be rest assured that they will help to salvage the future.

     

     

  • NDDC to partner varsities on job creation

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is to partner universities in the training of youths.

    This is part of efforts to develop human capital and create jobs for youths in the Niger Delta.

    The commission said the students would be trained to meet the needs of industries.

    Chairman, NDDC Governing Board, Dr. Tarilah Tebepah said this at the University of Ibadan (UI) while delivering a lecture entitled: “The last mile: the great opportunity for rapid development.”

    Tebepah, who was the guest lecturer at UI’s 2012 Alumni Lecture, said creating jobs for youths is a sure way to join the club of the 20 largest economies in the world within a few years.

    He said jobs would be created when trainees are stimulated to utilise opportunities that would come from the expansion of relevant industries or the creation of new ones.

    Tebepah said: “The agency must, therefore, cooperate with relevant universities to overcome this deficiency. Considering the number of challenges our dear country is facing, the universities can wipe out unemployment in five years or less.”

    He described service delivery as a big challenge, yet a huge opportunity in Nigeria, if well managed.

    Tebepah said: “Every service to be rendered must stipulate the skills and knowledge required to implement the measurable results of the service and the time frame for implementation. For instance, even though the amount of money NDDC receives is very important, the actual service that the money is able to achieve in a given period is more important.”

  • ‘Councils should not disrupt varsities’ finances’

    The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, University of Ibadan, Chief Wole Olanipekun (OFR), has warned universities governing councils against interfering in the financial activities of universities.

    Olanipekun spoke on Monday while inaugurating some projects including the Faculty of Dentistry Office Complex and Auditorium; Large Animal Theatre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Faculty of Arts’ Library and UI Water Factory.

    The Pro-Chancellor explained that the duty of a governing council is to ensure that the institutions are well maintained to support research development and growth of education.

    He said: “The way we can assist is to give the university unimpaired freedom. It is not the duty of any member of council to interfere or poke nose. The universities deserve some degrees of liberty.

    “How the universities are run should be the management’s duty. Our duty as council is to ensure that the university is well maintained. We also ensure that due process is followed on how projects are awarded to contractors”

    The SAN promised to ensure that credibility is maintained in all activities of the institution, adding that the council will not tolerate any act of corruption from the principal officers of UI.

    In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Adewole, thanked the council for giving the managment free hand and enabling environment to perform.

    Adewole said: ”This project is the testimony of that. We shall support the Faculty of Dentistry beyond the donation by making it work within the next four weeks.”

    In her address, the Dean of Dentistry, Prof. Modupe Arowojolu, expressed gratitude to the Council for facilitating the project funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

    The dentistry building project started in July 2011 with the approval for the additional works on the building given in February.

    Also during the inauguration of a water project worth over N40 million, the VC said it was established to generate revenue for the school reduce over-dependent on government funding, while providing vocational training for students.