Funding, Staff Welfare, Industrial Dispute Stunting University Growth, VCs Tell Education Minister

Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities led by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami have revealed the various challenges affecting educational curriculum and university development in the country.

This was relayed in a statement delivered by the committee and signed by its Secretary, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu to the Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman at the Federal Ministry of Education Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

Prof Salami during the delegation listed funding, staff recruitment, and industrial actions as the “several critical challenges faced by public and private universities in the country” which has hindered development and growth.

The statement reads “Professor Salami presents the committee’s study report on Challenges, Opportunities and Sustainable Models for Nigerian Federal Universities as their input to finding lasting solutions to the challenges facing public and private universities.

“This is as funding, recruitment of staff, universities’ autonomy, aspects of university laws that conflict with other laws and unending industrial disputes with university-based unions are key challenges faced by universities.”

She urged the minister to implement sustainable policies that will create long-lasting solutions to the challenges listed, noting that the lingering issues are long overdue.

“For allowing the delegation to officially congratulate you on your appointment as the first serving Vice-Chancellor to become a Minister of Education, we formally invite you to the diamond jubilee celebration of the committee, which takes place from the 9th to 11th October 2023 in Abuja,” She said.

Responding to the issue listed by the committee during the delegation, Mamman said President Bola Tinubu is keen on reviving the education sector to a globally acceptable standard and a hub of career and talent development through aligning educational outcomes to national productivity, research innovation, and entrepreneurship.

He also noted that the president’s approach to governance was very business-like and that all his ministers would be subjected to quarterly performance reviews.

Mamman added that under his watch, fundamental structural issues from primary to tertiary education will be addressed.

The meeting which was held in Abuja, was attended by the State Minister of Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, and the Permanent Secretary, David Adejo.