National Assembly set to establish 63 more universities amidst the ASUU strike, expert react

Amidst the ongoing nationwide school strike embarked upon by different academic bodies, the National Assembly has proposed the creation of new universities, polytechnics, others, Myschoolnews.ng report.

It was uncovered that over 63 bills have been tabled before the Senate and the House of Representatives for the creation of new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

The Federal Government has received a strong warning from the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union against establishing new tertiary institutions.

This warning came in regards to the FG failing to attend to the needs of the existing ones.

The new varsities being considered created includes; 26 federal universities, 33 federal colleges of education; agriculture; health; technology; forestry among other specialized colleges, and 4 polytechnics.

Kicking again against the National Assembly’s decision is a professor at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, Victor Olumekun, in an interview with newsmen.

“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. Olumekun said.

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

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 to meet their mandates.

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

Nigeria has a total of 49 federal universities, 59 state, and 111 private universities.

The total number of Federal Polytechnics in the country is 40, while state-owned is 49 and private is 76.

While a total of Federal and state-owned colleges of health is 70; Nigeria currently has 17 private colleges of health.

Also, the National Commission for Colleges of Education put the total number of colleges of education in Nigeria at 219.