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Tag: varsities’

  • ‘Varsities must look beyond subvention for survival’

    ‘Varsities must look beyond subvention for survival’

    Adeyemi College of Education Provost Prof Olukoya Ogen has advocated sustained funding of higher institutions, saying parents and alumni have roles to play in that regard.

    Ogen, a professor of Economic History, spoke at the Delegate Conference of the Alumni Association of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA). He spoke on Looking beyond government subvention: Exploring alternative university financing in the 21st Century.

    He said: “To sustain our higher institutions today, parents, students, private sector, civil society groups, and alumni bodies must practically be involved in maintaining standard and funding of higher education.

    “By supporting our universities, they will be repositioned to carry out their responsibilities in the society.With the right policies and development of individuals who are willing to re-direct their energies towards innovation and creativity, our universities too can compete with the rest of the world.”

    Ogen, represented by Dr Zacchaeus Olupayimo, said the challenges of public universities would not be solved by fees hike. Government-owned institutions, he said, must strive to get funding through research, grants and entrepreneurship.

    According to him, revenue augmentation approach through entrepreneurial and commercial ventures would shore up varsities’ Internally-generated revenue (IGR) to complement funds gotten from endowment, partnership with international agencies and alumni.

    Ogen said the demand for tertiary education had risen in the last decades because of investment in human capital, stressing the need for tertiary institutions  administrators to be alive to their responsibilities by looking for other sources to generate revenue.

    The AAUA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Igbekele Ajibefun, hailed the leadership of the alumni body, saying: “The body has promoted the good image of the university and contributed to its development through various engagements and donations.”

    The VC, represented by his deputy for Administration, Prof Olugbenga Ige, charged the alumni  not to rest on their oars in demonstrating commitment to their alma mater.

  • Develop innovation for nation’s development, Buhari tells varsities

    Develop innovation for nation’s development, Buhari tells varsities

    President, Mohammadu Buhari, has urged varsity professors to  channel their time and resources on research and innovation that will enhance the nation’s development.

    President Buhari said universities must think outside the box and concentrate on their core values of research and  innovation in order to get the country out of the woods.

    Buhari stated that it would be more effective if universities partner industries to achieving results oriented research.

    Represented by Prof. Ramon Yusuf at the 42nd convocation ceremony of the University of Benin, President Buhari urged universities to develop new product and pattern that will catalyze the much needed industrialization of Nigeria.

    His words, “I urged the universities to focus on their core mandate and it is clear that the chances of achieving greater heights and contributing more meaningfully to the national development are much higher than  when they focus, channel their energies and  resources into focal areas of core competency than when they spread themselves totally especially in the milieu of economic implementing.

    “Another aspect in  our universities that require a focus is the area of research and innovation which constitute an important component of the mandate  of  universities. In deed, it is a well known fact that no nation can develop or make meaningful progress without a solid research and development culture.

    “ Therefore, universities should pay closer attention to research and innovation with the ultimate aim of generating new knowledge and developing new product and pattern that will catalyze the much needed industrialization of Nigeria” he said.

    Chancellor of the institution, His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II, Sarkin Kano, urged the university’s management to launch the university into the league of 21st century universities.

    Sanusi urged them to initiate programs, researches and community services in which critical areas as impact projects, eco-innovation, skills development and entrepreneurship.

    On his part, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki said his administration is investing massively to boost technical and vocational education of the people of the state which he said are critical to the economic survival of any given nation.

     

  • Varsities’diploma: To be or not to be

    Varsities’diploma: To be or not to be

    The decision of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to scrap diplomas in universities will no doubt affect the institutions financially as many of them use the programme to boost their internally-generated revenue (IGR).  The scenario appears more compounded as public universities in particular groan under the weight of underfunding. Some policy makers support the NUC’s move; others think it will obliterate the town-and-gown culture universities are known for. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA and MOJISOLA CLEMENT-OMOBOWALE report

    After much deliberation, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has finally

    scrapped diploma programmes in universities nationwide.

    The commission announced the decision at a three-day stakeholders’ meeting at its secretariat in Abuja last week. The meeting involved vice chancellors from public and private universities.

    “The National Universities Commission (NUC) has scrapped sub-degree diploma programmes in the Nigerian University System (NUS). It has, therefore, called on universities running them to begin the process of winding them down,” the statement stated in part.

    At the meeting, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, said primarily, issuing of diploma certificates is the prerogative of polytechnics. He, therefore, challenged universities to strengthen their part -time and postgraduate porgrammes as well as come up with new undergraduate programmes that can impact more on the society.

    “Sub-degree diploma is not the business of universities, but that of polytechnics, more so when the Federal Government as far back as November 2001 had issued a circular stating that such diplomas could not be used for employment or promotion purposes in the public service,” the commission  further stated.

    “Universities should therefore direct their energies towards their primary function of producing high level manpower for the economy, by strengthening their part-time programmes, in addition to offering high quality undergraduate degrees as well as post-graduate diplomas and degrees,” it added.

    Other issues deliberated upon included governance structure, development of institutional research policy, establishment of Research Administration Directorate; ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) – Federal Government 2009 Agreement; accreditation of academic programmes by professional bodies, as well as incorporation of universities into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information Systems (IPPIS), among many others.

    Though it had been subjected to series of arguments in years past, the introduction of sub-degree diploma in the university system, aside being used for direct entry admission in some universities, has remained one of the components for jerking up their internally-generated revenue. Some universities run academic diploma, others run professional diploma, and many others run both programmes, in addition to postgraduate programmes – all in a bid to shore up funding for institutions that have been victims of perennial underfunding by successive authorities for decades.

    With NUC’s sledgehammer, universities offering these programmes may have to re-strategise. They must start shopping for other arrangement with which they can make up for the ‘financial gaps’ that scrapping of diploma programmes will definitely leave in its wake.

    Lagos State University (LASU), for instance, has just introduced a number of diploma programmes this academic year. This followed a period of lull, as some of the diploma programmes once ran by the university were rested under the immediate past administration, a development that further deepened the poor financial state of the institution at the time.

    However, with the new diploma programmes, many of which have been advertised with candidates screened, LASU planned to re-engineer its financial situation before NUC’s directive last week.

    Speaking with our reporter on Monday, Ag. Head of the Information, Mr MartinAdekoya, said the university would have no choice but heed the instruction of the regulatory body.

    Though repeated attempts to get a conservative figure of intakes and the fees new diploma students would pay was not successful, Adekoya expressed confidence in the management’s ability to seek ways of making up the anticipated loss.

    “NUC has taken a decision and we have to abide, “Adekoya told our reporter.

    “But I believe management is more than ready to meet this new challenge.

    “We have already revived our JUPEB (Joint Universities Preliminary Examination Board ) programmes which is now fully operational in Topo Badagry. Management has also introduced new programmes like Local Government Education and some others at the undergraduate levels. Besides, we are strengthening our post-graduate programmes and ensuring consistency with time,” Adekoya said.

    Nonetheless, the NUC directive did not go down well with Prof Abiodun Akinpelu of LASU Faculty of Education. He believes NUC is being misguided, adding that not all programmes could be run by polytechnics. According to him, diploma programmes in languages and some courses in sciences cannot merely be ceded to polytechnics.

    Akinpelu believes that as academic centres, universities should design programmes that will not only improve funding, but meet societal needs.

    As LASU Director of General Nigerian Studies (GNS), Akinpelu told our reporter that the university has just commenced about 20 diploma programmes across languages and sciences.

    “Look at LASU for instance, began Akinyemi, “we are close to Alaba International Market. We have lots of those Igbo businessmen there travelling to China to import goods. Since LASU has a Department of Foreign Language, we decided to come up with a Diploma in Chinese. The idea is to give these Igbo importers some preliminary knowledge in Chinese that will aid their communications when transacting business in China, since many of them are often exploited in that country owing to their lack of understanding of that language.”

    Akinpelu likened the step by LASU as conforming with the town-and-gown culture of universities worldwide, adding that any move to the contrary amounted to destroying that culture.

    In a sharp contrast, ASUU appeared to have thrown its weight behind NUC.

    Its National President Abiodun Ogunyemi, told The Nation that scrapping diploma would make their colleagues think of more ground-breaking research. ASUU’s fear, Ogunyemi said, is the authorities’ rigidity and failure to address gaps in funding of universities, the very factor that led to the introduction of diploma in public universities.

    “Our position is that universities are ideally not supposed to be awarding diplomas which are meant for polytechnics because that would take them away from their primary assignment which is ground breaking research that would help the community at large,” Ogunyemi said.

    “However, we have observed that many universities get involved in such programmes in order to generate more revenue. So when they do things like this (run diploma programmes), they lose focus. NUC is correct with the decision taken. However, government cannot go far with the implementation of the decision if they do not address the issue of funds in universities,” he added.

    Deputy Director, School of Foundation Studies, University of Lagos  (UNILAG), Dr Mohammed Usman, told The Nation that the institution did not run diploma programmes. Yet Usman advised universities running diploma to toe Unilag’s line by having A Level schools.

    “Personally, we don’t run that kind of programme here (UNILAG),” Usman said.

    “NUC decision has its own merits as well as its demerits. Varsities running this programme should have their A Level school so that they only prepare these students but they don’t determine their performance like we do here. That way, the integrity of the programme can be proved. Over 5,000 students applied for A Level this academic session and we had slightly less than that last year,” he added.

    Vice Chancellor Ezekiah University Imo State Prof Emeka Ezeonu disagrees with ASUU.

    “For me outright ban is not advisable; rather let us design courses that will serve the interest of the society,” Ezeonu said.

    He continued: “For me, we don’t need to limit university as to what they can do. Harvard University for example, does lots of diploma certificate programmes. Harvard uses this to widen the scope for people who can attend their institution.

    “In Nigeria the need for revenue was what prompted most universities to run diploma; but what I realised was that people were not actually committed to these programmes. They were just running them as if they were pre-degree.

    “Aside, most diploma programmes are not properly structured. If you don’t get a direct entry admission into university with it, you end up not doing anything. Some of them are also not properly branded. Imagine a person doing a Diploma in Law, where will that get you to? You definitely can’t practice.

    “For instance, if you have a diploma in Legal Drafting which teaches people the art of writing letters, signing legal agreement and all that, the holder of such diploma can be useful in a lawyer’s chamber after graduation.”

  • ‘NUC directive will kill ingenuity in varsities’

    ‘NUC directive will kill ingenuity in varsities’

    Charles K. Ayo is the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. In this interview with ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, the professor of Computer & Information Science, says NUC may hamper creativity in universities as certain diploma programmes run by some universities were borne out of ingenuity, and their scrapping may cause demoralisation.

    Do you support NUC’s decision to scrap diploma programmes in universities?

    Whether or not they are branded as certificate or diploma, any programme within the university system that is not run at degree level will tend to be branded diploma or certificate; but placing a blanket ban on all will kill ingenuity.

    I also want to admit that if the university system and polytechnics are running same courses, there are bound to be conflict. So rather than outright ban, there should be a demarcation. Courses that are run at diploma level in polytechnics should be left within the polytechnics. However certain courses could be drawn out of ingenuity in service delivery. There are a number of novel courses that will benefit both teachers, students and professionals. I mean courses that are not being run in Nigeria before but evolved as a result of the dynamic nature of events

    Could you give us instances?

    For instance, while I was in office as VC of Covenant University, I was already working on a diploma programme in Electronic Health and Trado Medicine, which is not run anywhere but rather it is a course intended to bring about a level of awareness for medical doctors and other professionals in medical field, with respect to delivering medical services to remote centres.

    These courses are not taught at degree level but rather it is just a novelty that one is bringing into the system. If you look at the state of our health and going by the statistics presented, when you have 0.28 physician per thousand of population, it won’t take us anywhere. But if as an institution we have e-health portal on the web and on that we have provision to collaborate with medical doctors all over the world, then there should be a little knowledge on how medical doctors can participate in it, that is the way I believe we can improve the quality of health services in Nigeria.

    Not only that we are even looking at online education.  We need some progrmmes that will further enable the populace benefit maximally particularly our professors who may not be aware on how to perfectly run a programme with what they have. But nothing stops university system from short courses

    Do you think NUC’s decision was to improve universities’ ranking globally?

    I do not believe so! There are parameters for that. Teaching is one, staff-student ratio is another. We also have number of international students, foreign faculty, research citation and others as parameters that determine ranking. Like you rightly mentioned, running diploma programmes in universities might just be a way of jerking up internally generated revenue ofsuch university, but not affecting ranking.

    So, what could have influenced the directive by NUC?

    The diploma being awarded in polytechnics are categorised into two-OND and HND and looking at the job schedule, there are appropriate placements for the two. But in universities, where do you place them? (holders of diploma). This is rather causing some sort of confusion, and to think some universities will run a diploma programme and from there to advanced diploma form, is unacceptable.  We have seen individuals who went this route to shortchange the system by going further to have post graduate diploma, Master in Science and even PhD.

    I sincerely believe we should streamline the award of diploma and advanced diploma certificate. These are not certification that one will get and be looking for job or admission in universities but rather it will enhance job performance of professionals.

  • Entrepreneurship programme in varsities is misplaced priority, says ASUU

    Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has described the Entrepreneurship Programme initiated by Federal Government in the nation’s tertiary institutions as a propaganda tools by agents who are bent on entrenching the concept of neo liberalism in the country.

    The union described the entrepreneurship programme as a misplaced priority, noting that instead, government needs invest in peoples’ talents.

    Instead, the union urged Federal Government to embrace a new concept called ‘Developmental State’ in which recognises and harnesses human talents and the nation’s resources.

    The union made its position known in a one day symposium with the theme ‘Three decades of Neo-Liberalism in Nigeria’ organised by the University of Lagos chapter of ASUU, at its main auditorium

    “The entrepreneurship education programme are myths projected by agents of liberalism,” ASUU said.

    “They are turning the whole thing like craftsmanship in our tertiary institutions rather than talking about knowledge base that will allow the people see the need to support the state.

    “Neo liberalism is an imposition and ASUU rejects it in its entirety’ ASUU added.

    ASUU national President Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, said that the union fears that government sustaining neo liberalism concept will further open the country to foreign exploiters who are more interested in controlling the economy and killing public utilities.

    Ogunyemi said proponent of neo liberalism will always convince government to either drastically reduce or completely stop funding public utilities, a development the union fears would further plunge public universities and other tertiary institutions and public utilities into deeper financial crisis.

    Said Ogunyemi: “The situation on ground (economic recession) is the mismanagement of our economy over the years. We missed the point the moment we stopped planning our economy. We were now trying to borrow from the perspective of World Bank and IMF which is rooted in neo liberalism.

    “Neo liberalism as we have said in this forum, is an imposition by an external group and what they are interested in is how to further open up our economy for exploitation. Unfortunately, our leaders have not demonstrated sufficient patriotism and level of altruism. Those who are controlling our economy today are from the private sector and that is what neo liberalism preaches.

    “When you say government should ‘roll back from the public space’ that means government should stop supporting public institutions and facilities; and that translates to less funding for public utilities.

    “The culmination of all of these is that those that are expected to benefit from these institutions will also not be sufficiently patriotic because they don’t see the state doing much for them.

    “Our union believes neo liberalism has not and cannot help this country; and we are urging government to sit back and do a rethink.

    “We are in support of the new concept called ‘Developmental State’ which essentially recognises the need to harness the talents of the people and resources, and make the people work by investing in them. When you build the capacity of the citizenry, they will come back to serve the country.

    “That was the path the Asian Tigers went. It was not as if IMF and World Bank did not try them, but those countries rebuffed them. Unfortunately, here we don’t have leaders that are strong to resist IMF/WB formula; so we have been moving in circles.”

    The symposium also had four other speakers- professors Omotoye Olorede; Abubakah Momoh; Ndubuisi Nwokoma and Mustapha Akinkunmi who spoke either in support or against the theme.

    ASUU said it is working in collaboration with the Nigerian Labour Congress to review the present economic situation, adding that soon, the two bodies will come up with a conference where they will offer their blueprint on how to bail the nation from her financial doldrums.

    ASUU continued: “If the economy is well planned, you take from then rich to finance the poor. They (governments) are talking about taxation now, but how many of these rich individuals actually pay the accurate tax? Go to Abuja and you find out that about three quarters of those high rise buildings there are locked up. Nobody is there. But you can’t do that in Europe or America because the taxes that will be imposed on them will stop them from building houses they will not occupy. But they are using those structures to launder our money.

  • College graduands for US,UK varsities scholarship

    Three universities from the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US) and Canada, have granted scholarship to some graduating students of Westerfield College (WC) to study various courses.

    The students were invited to Muson Centre venue of the school graduation, and presented their cheques as a way of encouraging them to inspire others.

    Among beneficiaries is Chinazamekpere Aranonu, WC 2016 best graduating student. She is set to leave for the University of Hertfordshire in UK to study Medicine with specialisation in Pediatrics because of her love for children.

    “It is like a dream come true. WC has been a blessing to us all. The teachers are very encouraging. While we learned from our teachers, we also learned from fellow students. But I remain grateful to God. I tried my best to stand out and God rewarded me,” she said.

    Mr Micheal Dosunmu, Managing Director of the college recalled that the academic year had not been easy. “However, with focus, discipline and passion, the college was able to record another milestone, which helped guide the students in their studies overseas,” Dosunmu added

    According to Dr. Edna Stan-Maduka, a lecturer from Hertfordshire University UK, the gesture was to encourage beneficiaries to come to the UK to study.

    Addressing graduands earlier on the theme: ‘Dare to Dream,’ Stan-Maduka, charged them to hold on to their dream for future success. “Nothing should stop you from dreaming. The road is not that smooth but I tell you, keep dreaming,” Stan-Maduka said.

    Further, he warned against parents and schools enrolling their wards in universities below 18 years.

    “Let them get to age 18 first, and by then they are already mature. They may be brilliant as individuals but not mature enough to handle the world in the university.”

    Meanwhile, the principal of the college, Dare Falodun, affirmed that the 6th graduation marks the beginning of a long journey. He said , as a tradition, WC challenges its students to put in their best, be dedicated, hardworking, innovative, committed and willing to make a difference in everything.

    “We teach them the qualities they must put in to achieve best result in school. When you are knowledgeable, you are pulled out of poverty,” Falodun concluded.

  • Varsities and Buhari’s change mantra

    It is indeed, not an over-statement to claim here that a deep crisis or near-complete anarchy is imminent on many of the university campuses in Nigeria.  Such a nightmare or unpleasant scenario is an anathema to the expected leadership roles of this geo-polity within the African continent and even beyond.  Inevitable (incessant) strike actions certainly lead to truncated academic calendar with attendant negative consequences for the future of Nigeria in several respects.  The time-tested university culture of probity and fine-grained intellectualism coupled with unparalleled good character is gradually disappearing from our consciousness.  The university normally is a centre for the larger society to draw inspirations, ideas and ideologies from, in an attempt to engender robust life and living within the confines of sustainability and global relevance.  It is a unique space for eggheads including some of the finest minds.

    But sadly enough, the Nigerian university system today is generally failing with respect to crisis management in all its ramifications.  This is traceable to the new but ugly culture of avarice, pure greed and insensitivity to the pains and problems of members of staff as well as students.  It would not be an exaggeration to say here loud and clear that many academics and political class members (with a few exceptions) are gradually becoming moral equals.  Incessant crises on the campuses are a reflection of deteriorating relations between the management team and workers as well as students.  Contrary to what existed in the past, mindless hedonism, arrogance, stubborn resistance to change and unfettered parochialism are the guiding principles of many contemporary university managers.  Not unexpectedly, our collective integrity is now in grave peril.  Blatantly unfair, obnoxious decisions by these almighty university managers inevitably lead to a chain of protests and reactions by the oppressed and exploited workers and students.

    Leadership at any level is a combination of gains and pains.  Nigerian leadership particularly at the university level today recognises only the former.  University management must necessarily strike an equilibrium between it and the followership in order to pave the way for sustainable peace and progress. Leadership is not about silencing the followership especially those who direct the affairs of staff unions.  It is too easily forgotten that the management team cannot silence everybody with “brown envelopes” or “juicy” but vanity positions outside the statutory duties of workers.  The socially acceptable and honourable thing to do is to learn to chart the pathways of peace through the lens of inclusiveness coupled with transparency.  Currently, profound knowledge productions remain at their lowest ebb as good quality time and money are wasted on endless, but largely unprofitable meetings.  This situation further irritates the followership that is already frustrated as the management stubbornly continues to offend its (followership) sensibilities. It seems to me that only very few universities in Nigeria do not suffer from the above absurdities.

    Anybody with the faintest idea of social justice and/or sanity will not jump into the conclusion that NASU and SSANU (non-academic unions) are irresponsible for agitating.  “Baboons” are ravaging our “collective corn field”.  They have to be chased away before the innocent, committed workers begin to die of starvation. In other words, agitation is the inevitable consequence of oppression and economic exploitation of the masses. This is a bio-social universal! No matter how monstrous a university management team is, truth will finally prevail. Our managers of the university system must quickly begin to appreciate and appropriate this age-old fundamental of good governance.  This is how we can successfully nip complete anarchy in the bud.

    Today, there is disequilibrium in the Nigerian university system basically because of integrity flight. Therefore, uncritical castigation of traumatised workers and students alike whenever they protest/agitate is a big disservice to Providence and fellow humanity.  It bothers me a great deal when I see many Nigerians regardless of their academic attainments and/or social statuses behaving like a funny lot!  Indeed, we are second to none in this connection.  This unwarranted passivity underscores the reason why our leaders through time and space relate to us with contempt.  We pray more than those saints in the heavenly kingdom but very poor in matching our prayers with action.

    Union leaders are now becoming more radicalised than ever before in the face of undeserved material poverty of monumental proportions.  A hungry man does not listen to a sermon.  This is a fact!  It is indeed a dead wrong assumption that workers who are being regularly short-changed and therefore disenchanted with their jobs would remain docile at all times.

    It has become a fashionable style of administration on most varsity campuses in relatively recent times, to cripple Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) so that the dreaded culture of impunity can go on unabated.  We are losing some of the finest segments and values of the academia due largely to unthinkable avarice, greed and unbridled appetite for vanity positions!  Things are rapidly falling apart as most university lecturers suffer in silence even when their legitimate allowances are not paid up by the management.  So ‘the man dies’ in most professors and their junior colleagues who have fallen into a state of despondency.  Thus, for example, this writer is yet to receive his first instalment of monetisation arrears since 2009. The second instalment was paid to me without the first.  Over 100 workers of U.I. belong to this category.  What a wonderful system!  Both the management and ASUU continue to look the other way even when they were approached several times on this matter.

    Therefore, commentators on the varsity crises in Nigeria must not forget that the issue of causality has to go hand-in-hand with effect(s) in order to pave the way for a robust, scientific explanation.  Denying staff members their legitimate allowances and/or arrears is a reflection of godlessness at its peak and by extension, an invitation to anarchy.  Every Nigerian including his friend(s) is free to contribute to the critical reflection on ways to salvage the Nigerian university system that is in a coma but this engagement has to be located within the domain of logic.  All interested persons must find out the fundamental reasons why non-academic staff unions have become so radicalised recently since ASUU has been put to sleep.  It is a negation of the principles of natural justice and of course, common sense to castigate NASU and SSANU who are now the last hope of workers that are being consistently cheated by those who are supposed to show exemplary leadership!

    From Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife to University of Ibadan, things were/are falling apart as councils’ meetings could or cannot resolve fundamental issues and problems.  It may interest you to note that these meetings are accompanied with fat honoraria while workers groan with pain.  This ugly culture of hedonism and self-indulgence must stop in the overall interest of Nigeria.  Thank you to President Muhammadu Buhari for returning sanity to OAU, Ile-Ife recently. Those who condemned the sacking of the OAU governing council and the controversial new Vice-Chancellor need to do a rethink.  No responsible, responsive president as Visitor to all federal universities in Nigeria would fold his arms in the face of imminent danger of total collapse or anarchy.  Now, there is peace at OAU, Ile-Ife. Workers and students can now focus on their duties and studies. Both President Buhari’s timely intervention and of course, the dogged determination of SSANU and to a limited extent, NASU did the magic.  Where was/is ASUU?

    It is a deceit to be expecting peace in any university or organisation in the face of injustice and transparency flight.  Our common thought-scape (the university system) is feeling comatose.  One tragedy in human society is to be in bondage without any incorruptible leadership to approach for freedom.  Now the story has begun to change as Buhari is ready to kill corruption in our geo-polity including the university. There is no time and need for empty rhetoric or sterile, shallow theorising.  In saner climes and cultures, public office holders normally resign in the face of complete or near-complete cluelessness about sensitive issues.  Unfortunately, this aspect of leadership behaviour is alien to the Nigerian people across socio-economic scales.  They would rather continue to pontificate to the chagrin of people with good conscience and profound integrity. Given this scenario, President Buhari cannot afford to keep quiet as most of our varsities today are gradually sinking into the mud of maladministration.  This is how we can save Nigeria from remaining on the losing side of the existing world educational system and modern development.

     

    • Prof Ogundele, is of Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan.
  • Varsities hunt for geniuses in Anambra

    Varsities hunt for geniuses in Anambra

    Students of three universities have tried one another for size. Before them were various topics in which they were expected to show their mastery. The bout was at Suncity Hotels Exclusive in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

    The institutions are Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU).

    The competition, organised by the AI Concepts in partnership with the Victor Oguaju Foundation (VOF), was meant to produce academically sound youths.

    The exercise was tagged the “genius party”.

    The chief executive officer (CEO) of AI Concepts Mr. Enyekwe Kelvin who is himself a 400-level Chemical Engineering student of UNIBEN, said the exercise was to keep the students busy in their studies. Enyekwe is also the publisher of Alpha Success Pack.

    During the competition, which went through an elimination process, six students scaled the hurdle among the 120 that showed interest.

    The exercise was based on comportment, communication skills and vibrancy, among other criteria, according to the chief judge of the competition, Mr. Obidiwe Mmesoma.

    At the end of the contest which lasted for over five hours, Mr. Moujama Obiora, a pre-degree student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka came out tops and was presented with his award.

    Oguaju said the foundation was committed to community development and has since inception, in 2015, carried out  health and educational projects.

    He said the foundation was contributing its quota in nation building. He congratulated the participants for showing the spirit of sportsmanship.

    Oguaju called on fellow youths to identify with and engage in things that would contribute to national development.

    He said, “Now, we are on break, let us shun violence and acquire skills within and outside our disciplines in school that will help us in the near future after our graduation”.

    The winner of the competition, Muojama Obiora, who spoke with The Nation  thanked God for guiding him through the exercise, while giving kudos to other participants for making him tax his brain the more.

    He praised the organisers of the competition for such a brilliant idea, which he said would help the students achieve their aims.

     

  • Varsities hunt for geniuses in Anambra

    Varsities hunt for geniuses in Anambra

    Students of three universities tried one another for size. Before them were various topics in which they were expected to show their mastery. The bout was at Suncity Hotels Exclusive in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

    The institutions were Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU).

    The competition, organised by the AI Concepts in partnership with the Victor Oguaju Foundation (VOF), was meant to produce academically sound youths.

    The exercise was tagged the “genius party”.

    The chief executive officer (CEO) of AI Concepts Mr. Enyekwe Kelvin who is himself a 400-level Chemical Engineering student of UNIBEN, said the exercise was to keep the students busy in their studies. Enyekwe is also the publisher of Alpha Success Pack.

    During the competition, which went through an elimination process, six students scaled the hurdle among the 120 that showed interest.

    The exercise was based on comportment, communication skills and vibrancy, among other criteria, according to the chief judge of the competition, Mr. Obidiwe Mmesoma.

    At the end of the contest which lasted for over five hours, Mr. Moujama Obiora, a pre-degree student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka came out tops and was presented with his award.

    Oguaju said the foundation was committed to community development and has since inception, in 2015, carried out  health and educational projects.

    He said the foundation was contributing its quota in nation building. He congratulated the participants for showing the spirit of sportsmanship.

    Oguaju called on fellow youths to identify with and engage in things that would contribute to national development.

    He said, “Now, we are on break, let us shun violence and acquire skills within and outside our disciplines in school that will help us in the near future after our graduation”.

    The winner of the competition, Muojama Obiora, who spoke with The Nation  thanked God for guiding him through the exercise, while giving kudos to other participants for making him tax his brain the more.

    He praised the organisers of the competition for such a brilliant idea, which he said would help the students achieve their aims.

  • How varsities can attract grants, by ex-NDDC boss

    How varsities can attract grants, by ex-NDDC boss

    It is high time tertiary institutions set up non-profit organisations to manage their endowments and seek more funds, according to Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Mrs Ibim Semenitari.

    Mrs Semenitari spoke at the Eighth Annual Lecture organised by the Registry Department of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State, last Friday.

    Managers of tertiary institutions, she said, need to activity engage the private sector to attract more funds for research and facility development. She also said varsities needed to engage their alumni bodies on sustainable relations to facilitate grants, adding that alumni bodies’ activities in their alma maters must go beyond yearly anniversaries.

    The lecture with the theme: Endowments, grants and Corporate Social Responsibility as funding options for tertiary and research institutions in Nigeria was held at the institution’s 2,500-seater auditorium and was attended by local and international scholars.

    Mrs Semenitari said Nigeria higher institutions were yet to explore the huge potential in education sector, unlike their counterparts in other developing countries. She said varsities must expand their research frontiers to stoke the interest of donors in providing needed grants to stimulate cutting edge research.

    Citing her recent visit to Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, United Arabs Emirates (UAE), she stressed that there were always willing partners globally to drive research and development.

    Semenitari called on university administrators to embrace corporate governance and openness in the running of their schools, noting that such would help build confidence among partners and promote sustainable endowments.

    On how the commission is promoting research in tertiary institution, Mrs Semenitari said: “NDDC has been a dependable local partner in funding researches. We run a robust educational directorate that focuses on appropriate and sustainable manpower development. We have specifically focused on environmental hazards that confront the Niger Delta, while other researches are looking at how to maximise the potentials of our hidden resources.

    “To improve the wellbeing of the people and create positive socio-economic indices in the Niger Delta region impelled the NDDC to release grants and fund educational research. We recently funded research on malaria at the Centre for Malaria Research and Phytomedicine (CMRAP) at the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State with for the sum of N25 million per annum for an initial period of two years.”

    On the hostel accommodation under construction in FUTA, she promised that the commission would speedy up the work on the facilities, saying: “NDDC is earnestly taking steps to address the issue of abandonment of the project with the contractor and we will get on with it without further delay.”

    Chairman at the lecture and Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Adebiyi Daramola, observed that there had been paradigm shift in funding of higher institutions, adding that the prevalent economic reality in the country had shown that education stakeholders needed to devise creative ways of funding research.

    Daramola, who was represented by represented by his deputy for Academics, Prof Olatunde Arayela, said: “It is a reality that government alone cannot fund higher education, because of myriads of demands it is facing in other sectors of the economy. Higher institution can only impact positively on the society when its tripod functions of teaching, research and community service are properly funded. This is why we must devise a new means of getting grants.

    The Registrar, Dr Modupe Ajayi, said the lecture was an exercise designed to celebrate academic excellence, which was geared towards improving activities of school registries as well as attract development.