NUC RAISES ALARM OVER CASES OF SECURITY THREATS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
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Concerns about potential security risks on Nigerian university campuses have been brought to the attention of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
During his speech at the 7th Annual Registry lecture at Elizade University in Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, NUC Deputy Executive Secretary Dr. Biodun Saliu sounded the alarm.
Speaking on the theme “The Nigerian University System and its Many Challenges: The Way Forward”, Saliu stated that the prevailing insecurity in the country is an emerging challenge in the nation’s university system.
He noted that there have been a reported cases of security threats on campuses of Nigerian Universities.
“A number of Nigerian Universities have experienced so many cases of kidnap and abduction of members of the university community.
“Unfortunately, some academic staff and students have died in the process while others are still missing.
“A few incidences of kidnapping have also been reported in some universities in the North and in virtually all parts of the country.
“The rising insecurity in the country, which also affects our universities, is hindering teaching and research activities and undoubtedly the general well-being of the institution.”
Saliu also enumerated a number of the difficulties the Nigerian university system faces, including insufficient funding, a lack of infrastructure, a shortage of staff due to brain drain, low pay, an inability to prioritize curriculum relevance and re-engineering, and problems with governance and administration.
He lists a number of other issues, including subpar R&D, shaky industry-university ties and collaborations, excessive meddling by certain professional associations, an erratic academic schedule, insufficient access, the growth of institutions that grant degrees without authorization, lax National Universities Commission regulations, and a failure to follow them.
Despite how difficult these obstacles may seem, the Deputy Executive Secretary stated that they are not insurmountable.
He demanded increased money, legislative support for the National Universities Commission, prompt curriculum reengineering and review, timely evaluations of the Commission’s quality assurance tools, and priority-setting strategic planning.
He said that “there should be improved budgetary allocation and release to public universities and improved subvention for private universities by their owners, private university owners should stop seeing their universities as profit making ventures for at least the first 10 years of their commencement of academic activities.
According to him “more qualified academic staff should be employed in the universities based on areas of needs, provision of more infrastructural facilities in all the higher institutions, expansion of access to university education and improved content delivery of programmes through the utilization of ICT enabled blended learning.
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