ASUU President Says Wrong Funding Template Cause Of University Woes
Written by Adewale Adeyemi on February 5, 2023
The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, has said the establishment of universities with the wrong template for funding is one of the factors responsible for the falling standard of tertiary education in the country.
He stated this while delivering a paper at the 14th Ralph Opara Memorial Lecture, tagged, “State of tertiary education in Nigeria: Identifying historical issues and misconceptions, contemplating solutions,” organised by the National Association of Seadogs, in Benin at the weekend.
The ASUU President also noted that the method of appointment and recruitment into state-owned universities by the government has also contributed to the problem.
Osedeke said that the rot in the university education of the country started during the Shehu Shagari and Babagida’s administrations when they allegedly surrendered the country to the Brethren Wood Institutions of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
He noted that prior to the two administrations, the nation’s tertiary education was ranked amongst the best in the world.
The ASUU President, however, suggested that there should be a paradigm shift, in terms of funding, governance and interference from political groups and vested interest in order for Nigerian universities to return back to their pride of place.
