Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Vice Chancellor of Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Prof. Ekundayo Alao, has called on the National Assembly and stakeholders to declare a state of emergency on education in order to redeem the system from eminent collapse.
He lamented that the current plethora of crises in the country’s education sector called for an urgent proactive measure to restore stability, quality standard and sanity to the system.
Prof. Alao stated this during the university’s 7th matriculation ceremony at its main campus, where 1,113 students were matriculated.
He cited the ongoing strike embarked upon by the non-academic staff unions in federal and state universities to protest the sharing formula of the N23 billion released by the federal government as earned allowance for both teaching and non-teaching staff.
Recall that of the amount, the non-academic staff were allocated only 11 percent as against 89 percent approved for the teaching staff.
Irked by the huge discrepancy, the aggrieved non-academic staff had proceeded on strike in the last three months and grounded administrative activities on campuses.
The don called on the Federal Government, stakeholders and the aggrieved staff to go to the round table soonest and resolve the logjam amicably.
Prof. Alao also cited Nigerian universities’ inability to admit millions of candidates due to inadequate space and lack of infrastructure as another crisis plaguing the education system.
He expressed worries that those that are not admitted increase the number of hoodlums, prostitutes, robbers and perpetrators of violent crimes in the society.
While reiterating Adeleke University’s deep commitment to quality education, Professor Alao urged the new students to jettison drugs addition and immorality and dedicate themselves to serious studies to be able to graduate in flying colours in four years time.