SAFAR 19 1431 A.H.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2010.
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ASUU laments proliferation of varsities
ProffesorUkachukwu Awuzie , the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has decried the proliferation of state and private universities.
Awuzie spoke on Monday when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Aliyu Wamako in Sokoto.
`` Most of them are not more than glorified secondary schools while it is trying to become even a senatorial zone affair,'' he said.
He said most of the state universities have been politicised while they remained inadequately funded.
``Our borrowed educational system is also archaic and obsolete.
`` That is why ASUU will soon convene an education summit to chart an indigenous educational system,'' he added.
He said such an indigenous system must ensure equity ,fair play and justice.
The ASUU boss said only about 200,000 out of over two million candidates seeking admission into universities in Nigeria were admitted.
`` In developed nations , all qualified candidates get admitted into the universities after passing the qualifying examinations,’’ he said.
Awuzie commended the Sokoto state Government for giving education priority as well as its sustained support to Usmanu Danfodiyo university.
Responding , Wamakko said the state government spent more than N2 billion on new secondary schools in 2009.
`` This was in addition to increment of scholarships, scrapping of tuition fees at all levels and implementation of the new Teachers Salary Structure among others.
`` This has led to the increment of the enrolment and retention figure by over 40 percent,'' he said.
He said the establishment of the proposed state university was not for political or personal reasons but ,’’ because of the urgent need to do so.''
