One doesn't know whether to rejoice or be aghast at the news that the National Universities Commission (NUC), is to license three more private universities before the end of this year, bringing the total number of private universities to 26.
The Federal Government last week announced the granting of licences to enable seven new private universities to operate. With that approval, the number of recognised universities in the country rose to ninety-six, thirty-four of them private.
Founded in 2005, the Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has come a long way. The Registrar, Ademola Ajibola, a lawyer, in this interview with Editor, Education, TAYO LEWIS insists that rather than encouraging a depreciation of standards, private varsities are raising a standard which is putting parents’ minds at rest.
The acting Vice-Chancellor, Elizade University, Ilara -Mokin , Ondo State, Professor Theophileus Oyeyemi Fadayemi , has appealed to the Federal Government to allow private universities to benefit from the Tertiary Education Trust (TET Fund) grants . Fadayemi made the appeal made at a press conference which was held at the university campus on Friday in preparation for the school’s 1st convocation ceremony. The VC said such intervention from the Federal Government would help in manpower development in private universities across the country. While noting that Education Trust Fund was set up by the Federal Government to assist the development of the Nigerian Higher Education System, decried a situation whereby it is only government-owned universities are allowed to accessed the funds “We appealed to the Federal Government to allow private universities to benefit from TETfUND which has been restricted to Federal universities. The private universities that are ready to go into research should be able to have access to TETfUND. “We have all the capacity here at Elizade University in terms of our commitment .What we are asking for is that they should give us access to TETFUND. ” Fadayemi said a total of 35 out of 64 students that was admitted as first set of students of the university on January 6,2013 ,will be graduating at the convocation. He said that five students had first class honours while 17 and 13 had second class upper division, second class lower division respectively. The VC also said all courses the school runs are fully accredited. “The 17 programmes presented for NUC ‘s accreditation with all the 17 having full accreditation status. ” he said.
We believe that the future of this nation lies with the private universities. When we say some of them are fledgling, it is because they will suffer from the pain of just beginning a programme, which forms the fulcrum of the issue.
The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday in Abuja approved the issuance of provisional licences for the establishment of seven new private universities in the country. Nigeria currently has 96 universities, comprising 27 federal, 35 state and 34 private universities.
Chairman, Governing Council of the Lagos City Polytechnic, Ikeja, Mr. Babatunde Odufuwa has called on government at all levels to put necessary administrative structures in place to grant aids to students in private tertiary institutions in the country.
The emergence of Nigerian private universities is seen as an attempt for marketization. There are concerns over the quality of such universities, their lecturers and students. Rarely producing research, private university owners are charged with being interested only in profit, targeting admissions with high tuition and fees.
The article discusses Covenant University in a town outside Lagos, Nigeria. As a privately run, Christian university, it breaks with a Nigerian tradition of free public higher education. The demand among Nigerian youth for higher education is beyond what the state can provide, leaving an opening for private institutions.