NAN-H-59
Funding
Bokkos (Plateau) Feb. 3, 2017 (NAN) Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, former Executive Secretary, TETfund, has called for sustained funding of universities to enable them serve as catalysts for national growth and development.
Bogoro made the call on Friday in Bokkos, Plateau State, while delivering a convocation lecture at Plateau State University (PLASU)’s combined 1st convocation ceremony.
The former executive secretary frowned at the manner the federal and state governments and private proprietors were funding universities and other tertiary institutions, and described the situation as “very poor”.
“Incidentally, in spite of the funding problems, some Nigerian universities are being ranked among the top 10 universities in Africa as demonstrated by University of Ibadan (UI), which has been ranked number 601 in the world.
“It means that we would have been far above there, if the funding situation was a little better,” he said.
He regretted that prevailing economic situations had ensured that universities hardly access much of their very poor budgetary allocations, and called for more innovative, mainly more non-budgetary funding windows, to save public universities from collapse.
“It is such under funding of universities and other higher institution that is the basis for incessant strikes actions by staff and students, which has denied the sector and the nation the desired growth and development,” he said.
According to him, if not for ASUU’s agitation, when Prof Attahiru Jega, former INEC boss, was its National President, which forced Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to think outside the box for the funding of tertiary institutions, education would have been left in the doldrums.
“ETF, now TETfund, is one good initiative that is helping in developing the educational sector,” he observed.
Bogoro, currently a lecturer at the Department of Animal Science, ATBU, Bauchi, called for an all-inclusive development that would benefit both the poor and the rich so as to build a virile nation.
He called for strict implementation of funding laws that required states and local governments to contribute specific annual budgetary funds to their universities for 10-20 years, so as to reduce the institution’s subsequent financial obligations.
The former TETfund boss lamented the problem of access to higher education as manifested by the inability of universities to admit all qualified candidates, and advised individuals to establish more universities. (NAN)
TYC/ETS
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Edited by Ephraims Sheyin