Amid ASUU Strike, N’Assembly Proposes 63 New Universities

Amid the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, the National Assembly has proposed the establishment of 63 new universities in Nigeria.

An analysis of the 63 bills on creation of new institutions being considered by both the Senate and the House of Representatives revealed that 26 bills are for federal universities; 33 bills for federal colleges of education; agriculture; health; technology; and forestry among other specialised colleges.

The lawmakers also proposed four bills for the creation of new polytechnics.

Experts kick against the proposal, cites ASUU and poor funding of education
ASUU, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) have, however, warned the government against the establishment of new institutions, citing its failure to fund the existing ones.

Speaking on the matter, a professor at the Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA), Ondo State, Victor Olumekun, in an interview, faulted the lawmakers for turning the establishment of new institutions into constituency projects.

“I say it often that it is not the number of universities that we have that matters but the capacity to do what universities are supposed to be doing.

“As an academia, we don’t have to establish universities in every town, village and hamlet. University education is not about number, it is about capacity,” he stated.

On his part, the National President of ASUP, Dr. Anderson Ezeibe said the move showed a clear lack of direction.

“We have continued to maintain that government should fund existing institutions to enable them meet their mandates.

“Passing bills for new institutions at this time is for political convenience and not in the public interest,” he argued.