The Nationwide College Fee mentioned plans are being finalized to announce the institution of two new universities within the nation, additional bringing the full variety of establishments within the nation to 272.
The Performing Govt Secretary of the fee, Chris Maiyaki, mentioned this throughout an interplay with journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
Maiyaki mentioned the NUC would proceed to approve new universities to handle the admissions hole within the nation.
He famous that whereas about two million candidates search admission to universities yearly, the full quota out there for admission is between 500,000 and 700,000.
Maiyaki's place comes amid the wrestle by the Tutorial Employees Union of Universities and different stakeholders within the tertiary training sub-sector in opposition to the proliferation of establishments within the nation by the federal government on the federal and state ranges.
Stakeholders mentioned on quite a few events that the institution of recent universities amid the poor funding of current universities was not the best selection and had subsequently referred to as on the federal government and the NUC to halt the approval of recent public universities.
“We’ve got no selection however to undertake the massification of universities as a deliberate coverage,” Maiyaki mentioned.
He mentioned that what differentiates at the moment's developed international locations from different international locations is the extent of funding in training.
Maiyaki mentioned almost two million candidates search admission to universities yearly, however solely between 500,000 and 700,000 college students are admitted.
He mentioned: “You need to see the concern and frustration on the faces of households determined to make sure their kids obtain a college training at each matriculation session. It is rather powerful and difficult for college leaders and NUC and subsequently now we have no selection however to proceed approving the schools.
“The approval for 2 extra varsities to take the variety of universities within the nation to 272 has been finalized and can be introduced subsequent week.”
He asserted that Nigeria will proceed to widen entry to universities by approving extra universities to satisfy the demand and provide of high quality training.
Noting that international locations like Brazil, Indonesia and different international locations with populations not as massive as Nigeria have greater than a thousand universities, he mentioned efforts are underway to reposition the college system by way of transnational training by international permitting varsities to enter the nation and function there.
The Govt Secretary mentioned the committee is presently processing purposes for the institution of distance studying facilities which can be monitored to offer high quality training.
Nevertheless, the NUC boss careworn that this doesn’t imply that the period of organising distance studying facilities is again.
Reacting to an announcement by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee inviting homeowners of personal universities and different greater training establishments in Nigeria to cost tuition in {dollars}, he mentioned no tertiary establishment ought to cost tuition in {dollars}.
He mentioned the committee had initiated an inquiry into the allegation and thus investigated however discovered that the mentioned non-public college was not charging charges in {dollars}.
“Relating to the dollarization of tuition at this college, now we have seemed into this and the college doesn’t cost tuition in {dollars}.
They solely cost {dollars} to international college students. So, I need the media to work with us to inform the general public that no college in Nigeria ought to cost tuition in {dollars},” he mentioned.
