The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has made a commitment to addressing fundamental issues in the Nigerian education sector. This announcement was made during a meeting with Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities in Abuja on Wednesday.
Prof. Mamman assured the delegation that President Bola Tinubu is deeply committed to transforming the nation through education. He emphasized that the president’s approach to governance is business-oriented, and all ministers will undergo quarterly performance reviews.
The Ministry of Education, under Prof. Mamman’s leadership, plans to tackle the structural challenges faced by the education sector, from primary to tertiary education. The ministry aims to collaborate with all stakeholders to bring about positive change.
“Universities will play a vital role in aligning educational outcomes with national productivity, research innovation, and entrepreneurship. This will empower graduates to be self-reliant and reduce their reliance on white-collar jobs,” stated Prof. Mamman.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, also addressed the meeting and highlighted the security concerns in Nigerian universities, specifically referring to the recent kidnapping of students at the Federal University Gusau. Dr. Sununu assured the gathering that the government is fully committed to addressing the security challenges in educational institutions.
During the meeting, Prof. Lilian Salami, Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, expressed her appreciation to Prof. Mamman for granting them an audience. She also raised several key challenges faced by universities, including funding, staff recruitment, university autonomy, conflicting university laws, and ongoing disputes with university-based unions.
Prof. Salami presented the committee’s study report on “Challenges, Opportunities, and Sustainable Models for Nigerian Federal Universities.” This report aims to find lasting solutions to the challenges faced by both public and private universities in the country.
Prof. Salami extended a formal invitation to the ministers to attend the diamond jubilee celebration of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, scheduled to take place from October 9 to October 11 in Abuja.
Among the Vice Chancellors who participated in the meeting were Prof. Kabiru Adeyemo from Lead City University, Dili Dogo from Nile University, Prof. Ibiyemi Bello from Lagos State University (LASU), Fatima Tahir from Bauchi State University, and Prof. Allen Agih from Niger Delta University.
Others in attendance were Prof. Barnabas Qurix from Bingham University, Prof. Mu’azu Abubakar from the Federal University Gusau, and Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, the Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
NAN
