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| President Muhammadu Buhari |
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that universities in Nigeria can not be funded by the federal government alone.
Buhari said that since the burden is too high for the government alone the private sector must be involved in funding universities in the country.
Speaking at the University of Ibadan's 2020 convocation and 72nd foundation day celebration on Tuesday, the President said universities should make themselves attractive to the private sector.
The President was portrayed on the occasion by Prof Abubakar Rasheed, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC.
He charged universities to come up with initiatives that would aid his government in reducing poverty and developing the health sector.
He said It must be remembered that the government alone cannot bear the tremendous burden of funding education. The private sector must be actively engaged in the challenge of providing Nigerians with a quality education.
“It is my expectation that universities will make themselves attractive to the private sector, define their roles and carve out a niche by designing programs that will progressively assist the Government in addressing poverty reduction, improving the health sector.”
Buhari also warned heads of governing councils of Nigerian universities against mismanaging the process of appointing vice-chancellors.
He noted that the governing councils would be held responsible for the outcome of the process.
“Pro-Chancellors, in their dual role as chairpersons of governing councils and chairpersons of the five-person selection committee for the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, must be prepared to bear full responsibility for the management or mismanagement of the process.”
Meanwhile, Buhari had promised to meet all the demands of unions in the educational sector in Nigeria.
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