Names UNILAG, UI, UNICAL, UNN, UNIZIK as mentors

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved eight new private universities. The owners were given three provisional licences and appointed higher institutions to mentor them.

This brings the number of private universities to 69 and nations total to 151.

Addressing State House correspondents, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, said the FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, who approved the universities based on the recommendation of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

According to him, the approval will ensure that the teeming population of students seeking admissions are given the opportunity to do so.

Prof. Anwuka listed the new universities as Anchor University, Ayobo, Lagos (promoted by the Deeper Christian Life Ministry); to be mentored by University of Lagos,  Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Cross River State (promoted by The Clitter House Nigeria Limited); to be mentored by University of Calabar, Clifford University, Owerrinta, Abia State (promoted by the Seventh Day Adventist Church); to be mentored by University of Agriculture, Umudike, Umuahia, and Coal City University, Enugu (promoted by African Thinkers Community of Inquiry College of Education, Enugu); to be mentored by University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Others are Crown Hill University, Eiyenkorin, Kwara (promoted by Modern Morgy and Sons Limited); to be mentored by University of Ilorin, Dominican University, Ibadan (promoted by the Order of Preachers, Nigerian Dominican Community); Kola Daisi University, Ibadan (promoted by Kola Daisi Foundation) to be mentored by University of Ibadan and Legacy University, Okija, Anambra State (promoted by the Good Idea Education Foundation) to be mentored by Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa.

Explaining the appointment of mentors, Prof. Anwuka said mentoring is part of the requirement as contained in the Education Act Cap E3 Law of Federal Republic of Education 2004 implemented by the NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education.

“So, it is the part of the requirements. And older university old enough within the university zone where each of the new universities has been approved is given the mandate to oversee and mentor the new universities in terms of academic culture, administrative for three years within which period they must have learnt the art of university governance and academic details. So, there must be some  nearby big brothers that make sure you don’t operate outside the scope of what you are expected to do within the university structure”.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, throwing more light on, said, “the law is very specific on exactly what is required. I think the first is that each of the mentoring universities would among other issues ensure that the correct appointment of the governing council is made; that they recruit appropriate principal officers both academic and administrative; that there would be availability of human and material resources for the commencement of any academic performance.