Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, has disclosed that 270 applications were awaiting approval for the establishment of private universities in the country.
Rasheed also lamented that 161 universities were not sufficient for the teeming Nigerian populace seeking university education through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) each year.
Receiving the Zamfara state Governor, Abdul Yari, in his office, Rasheed said time was apt for strong commitment to investment in higher education and national development.
While calling on individuals and government to establish more universities, Rasheed said “this is the time to establish a university to key into National Universities Commission’s reforms.”
The ES disclosed that as at now, some states have established three, some two, and one-an-a-half, while others are having one university each, stressing that the effort would also endured proprietors to participate in regulating the system.
Yari had told Rasheed that they were at NUC to submit academic briefs tagged: “Strategic Documents for the Establishment of Zamfara State University” to the Commission.
He said the state government had taken its time for the establishment of the university and commended the Commission for granting its approval.
The governor said the establishment of the university in the state was the beginning of the journey to make Zamfara state great, stressing that the desire for a state university had been conscientiously expressed by all and sundry in the state.
“University education should not be exclusive by accessible to all”, he said, assuring that Zamfara State University, as a conventional university, would begin academic activities in 2018/2019 session.
Yari disclosed that the state government has set aside N3billion for the take-off of the university in areas of critical needs of the state such as social and natural sciences.
He said the N3 billion would be distributed forN1 billion for equipment and infrastructure, N1 billion for staff development and training and N1 billion stabilisation fund.
