Stakeholders in the education sector are worried over the proliferation of tertiary institutions in the country.
This development followed the report that the National Assembly is considering various bills to create about 32 Federal Colleges of Education, 11 Federal Colleges of Agriculture, and five Federal Polytechnics, in addition to existing institutions.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, while addressing Reps members on December 30, 2023, noted that the Green Chamber received and considered 962 bills, 500 motions, and 153 petitions in six months.
This means that if the bills sail through, the number of federal-owned universities in Nigeria will rise to 99 in the coming months.
Nigeria currently has a total of 52 federal universities, and 63 state universities with some states of the federation hosting more than one and 147 private universities.
The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities, COPSUN, had cautioned state governments against the proliferation of universities, calling on both the federal and the state governments to improve on funding universities and enhance the welfare of the university workers.
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, had expressed concern over the proliferation of tertiary institutions, saying the establishment of universities without a template for funding is one of the factors responsible for the falling standard of tertiary education in the country.
ASUU National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke stated this while delivering a paper at the 14th Ralph Opara Memorial Lecture, tagged “State of tertiary education in
Nigeria: Identifying historical issues and misconceptions, contemplating solutions,” organized by the National Association of Seadogs in Benin.
He also noted that the government’s method of appointment and recruitment into state-owned universities has also contributed to the problem.
He said that every lawmaker wants to have a university in their village, not minding the conditions attached.
