Fred Ezeh, Abuja and Agaju Madugba, Katsina
President Muhammadu Buhari has taken a swipe at the nation’s universities, accusing them of failure to conduct “ground-breaking researches” in various fields of human endeavour, for sustainable development of the society.
Apparently reviewing the nation’s tertiary education development since independence, the President regretted that, “it is not heart-warming that in our over 58 years of independence, Nigerian universities are slow in discoveries and inventions.”
Buhari who spoke yesterday in a message he sent to the fourth convocation ceremony of the Federal University (FUDMA), Dutsinma, in his home state of Katsina, challenged, “all universities to come out of their shells to conduct researches that will attract industries to patronise the universities in order to enhance and improve their capacities to produce and diversify their products.”
The Executive Secretary,, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Abubakar, represented Buhari at the ceremony and read the President’s address.
The President said: “Research, critical thinking, moral dispositions, discoveries and inventions should find a natural habitat in our universities as they do in several other universities in the world. Though we are facing funding challenges at all levels, universities have both the legal and internal revenue muscles to generate funds to finance research and other academic activities. My administration is fully aware of the challenges confronting all sectors of the economy, especially the education sector. In this regard, government is doing everything possible to improve structures and facilities in our institutions and to train the required manpower through the various TETFUND intervention programmes.”
In a related development, the President said Nigeria might not achieve the desired remarkable socioeconomic development until its education system is transformed.
He maintained that education sector received impressive financial and logistics support in the past four years, adding that, it will remain high priority item in the new administration in order to avail Nigerians equal access to quality and affordable education.
Buhari who was the Visitor at the 23rd convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), challenged everyone involved in education administration and management to support government efforts in education transformation.
He said: “The acquisition of quality and affordable education will, undoubtedly, have great impact on the socioeconomic development of Nigeria.
“Evidence revealed that the ability of Nigeria, with its huge population to overcome its developmental challenges and emerge as global economic force no longer depend on the petroleum resources that it possesses but on its ability to develop its human capital and education is the key to achievement of that ultimate goal.
“Statistics from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) indicated that in 2018, remittances from Nigerians in diaspora exceeded the net revenue made from petroleum. It’s an indication that Nigeria does not only possess the competitive edge but will be a key player in emerging knowledge economy.”