• As six private varsities get provisional licences
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), has called on the private sector to extend investments to the education sector, in order to help the country survive.
Speaking at the presentation of provisional licences to six new private universities yesterday in Abuja, he lamented that the number of universities in the country was far from adequate.
Abdulsalami who is the Chairman and Chancellor of one of the new universities, Â PAMO University of Medical Sciences, stressed that the government was incapable of providing the required number of universities that would accommodate the teeming population of applicants in the country.
“There are 74 private universities that have been licensed, making the total number if universities in the country to 160, this is far too small.
“I will encourage all those who can afford to establish private universities to please do that because government alone cannot do it.
“I will like to see more of this licensing of private universities. There is no nation that can survive without education. We should do more not only to establish schools and universities, but to ensure quality education is being imparted,†he said.
The former head of state also urged Nigerians to embrace their collective responsibility of maintaining peace in the country.
Also lamenting an inadequate number of universities, Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Rasheed Abubakar, stressed  the need for universities to double the number of students admitted in order to adapt to the changes going on in the world and in the country.
While noting that the number was inadequate to meet the nation’s demands of access to university education, he disclosed that the NUC was committed in the business of processing applications for establishing private universities through the provision of a conducive environment.
Commending the resilience of the new proprietors for passing through the rigorous but transparent system to earn the provisional licence, he urged them to strictly abide by the terms of operation, reminding them that sanctions including the withdrawal of licence, awaits any university that runs fowl of the minimum standard expected of them.
On his part, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, encouraged the universities to champion the revolution of University education system in the country, by maintaining academic and professional standard in their universities.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Sunny Echono, he urged the proprietors to solicit means of sustaining funding and also to work hard to ensure the highest standards through adoption of best practices in order to achieve academic excellence.
The six new private universities are: Admiralty University, Ibusa, Delta State; Spiritan University, Nneochi, Abia State; Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, Oyo State; Pamo University of Medical Science, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State; Atiba University, Oyo, Oyo State; and Eko University of Medicine and Health Science, Ijaniki, Lagos State.
