WHY FG ENCOURAGES PRIVATE VARSITIES -SAMBO

By NBF News

Federal Government has assured it would to continue to encourage establishment of more private universities in the country. Vice President Nnamdi Sambo, who spoke yesterday at the 3rd Convocation ceremony of the Crescent University, Abeokuta, said it was necessary to absorb the growing number of applicants to universities in the county.

His assurance was coming on the heels of revelation earlier by Executive Secretary of Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okogie, who represented Education Minister, Prof. Rukayat Hammed Rufai.

Okogie had told the gathering, which included the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa'ad III; former President Shehu Shagari, governors of Zamfara and Sokoto states, Abdul Azeea Yari and Aliyu Wamako, among others, that of the 1.5 million candidates seeking admission into Nigerian universities every year only 350,000 were admitted.

The NUC's secretary rhetorically asked, 'Where would the rest go? Every year we hear students are not employable, and we ask what is responsible; what is the education sector doing about this?

He also disclosed that private universities top the list of varsities in the country, which he put at 117, while there are 36 state and Federal universities in the county.

According to him, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan would continue to provide conducive and enabling environment for establishment of more universities in the country.

During the convocation, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa'ad, governors of Zamfara and Sokoto states, Alhaji Yari and Wamaki, as well as former President Shehu Shagari and Nigerian business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote were awarded honorary degrees.