Nigerian Varsity Heads Seek Solution To Tertiary Education Challenges

Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Federal, State and Private Universities are holding an annual conference of the association at the University of Jos in North-central Nigeria.

Top in the agenda of the meeting of the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) are challenges facing universities in Nigeria and possible solutions.

In his keynote address, the Vice Chancellor and Principal of the Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg, Professor Adam Habib observed that under-funding of tertiary institutions across the African continent, especially in Nigeria, had resulted in inequality and structural poverty at the universities.

He said it had also affected the quality of graduates produced from the institutions.

It is the 31st annual conference of the association with the theme: “Quality Assurance and Global Competitiveness: a challenge for Nigerian Universities” and issues of quality as well as standard practices and procedures in the universities are also being discussed.

In proffering solution to the challenge of funding, the Professor of Political Science suggested that the Vice Chancellors should consider the option of approaching the banks towards an Educational Fund System that would create opportunities for students to have access to quality education.

While declaring the conference open, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, urged the Vice Chancellors to use the conference in finding solution to the challenges of tertiary institutions, especially frequent industrial actions prevalent at universities.

As the Vice Chancellors across the country gather for the annual conference, there should be concerted efforts in proffering solutions to issues of funding, quality infrastructures as well as curtailing the frequent industrial actions at the tertiary institutions in order to produce quality graduates that will contribute meaningfully to the development of the society.