The Federal Executive Council yesteray gave approval for the issuance of provisional licenses for the establishment of five universities bringing the number of universities in Nigeria to a total of 122.

The universities include: Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, with the University of Techonology Akure as its mentor, Evangel University Akaeze, Ebonyi state with the University of Nigeria Nsukka as its mentor, Gregory University Uturu, Abia state with the University of Nigeria Nsukka as its mentor, McPherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ogun state, with the University of Ibadan as its mentor and Southwestern University, Okun Owa, Ogun state with the University of Lagos as its mentor.

Briefing journalists after the weekly Council Meeting which was chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo in the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan, the minister of information, Labaran Maku who briefed alongside ministers of Education Prof Ruqayyatu Rufai and minister of state for trade and investment, Samuel Ortom, said council gave the approval following the gross inadequacies of the current 117 universities serving a population of over 150 million people.

According to him"the gross inadequacy of this figure in relation to the population size of our country is glaring. This has continued to be a challenge" therefore "strategies being adopted by the ministry of education to address this challenge include encouraging private individuals and groups with unquestionable recommitment to education to establish private universities".

He noted that the establishment of more private universities is also an antidote to the proliferation of illegal universities and degree-awarding mills across the country. "It is in realization of this that the ministry of education came to council seeking its approval for the issuance of provisional licenses for the establishment of five private universities".

Rotimi A:

Correction. The number of universities will now be 123 not 122. We currently have 118 universities in the entire country. I am not altogether convinced this a good move by the government. Nigeria has the largest university system in Sub-Sahara Africa but most of our universities are not internationally competitive. As it is our educational system has been eroded due to poor government funding and now they want to create more universities when they can easily put the funds into upgrading the facilities of existing ones and pay lecturers their dues. The minister of education needs to get her priorities in order and get her facts right before approving such a proposal.

Onyenna:

You want them to use people's fund to upgrade their universities?. . . . These are privately owned universities. . . .They want individuals or groups to establish more & hopefully universities with standard structures when compared with international ones. . . . .

HNosegbe:

Actually I think its a good move. Its not enough to say that Nigeria has the highest number of universities in sub-Saharan Africa. We must analyse it by looking at the number of universities as a ratio of the country's population, the same way we emphasise GDP per capita rather mere GDP figures.

However, I do not think this is the ultimate solution to our educational crisis. I have argued previously that the way to produce the manpower to fuel our growth and development as a country is to develop SPECIALIZED institutions. Instead of just having degree-awarding universities that teach students how to look for jobs, we need institutions that will be tailored to the needs of the students. We need specialized institutions for different areas of human endeavour: arts, engineering, music, sports, management, government, pure sciences etc, all creating an environment that facilitates learning by doing rather than mere theory.

A step in the right direction, but a tiny, wobbly step.

If you are talking about looking at the number of universities as a ratio of the country's population, then let me give you a good example. The UK has a population of 60m+ and it has 120+ universities, compare this ratio to Nigeria's population at 150m+ and 118 universities. If that's the case we do not have the sufficient number of universities that we need to cater to our growing population.

Basics007:

Universities are multiplying yet job opportunities are reducing everyday. And what's this concept of 'mentor' all about? Even the ones that are supposed be mentors are not sure of themselves

cashoffica:
Nigerians gov't alway running away from its problems. of what benefit it is if u creat more problemm instead of solving d existing ones. this private universities ar only money spinning venture. I will advice nigerian gov't to properly equip and fund its own universities instead of celebrating mediocrity.