Gyang Bere, Jos
President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said the proliferation of Private Universities in Nigeria by the political class has reduced the quality of education in the country.
Prof. Ogunyemi disclosed this on Saturday during a Town Hall meeting with critical stakeholders in the education sector in the state, held at ASUU Secretariat, Jos, Plateau State.
He noted that the polical class has deliberately refused to address the neglect of infrastructural deficit in Nigeria Universities but prefer to establish private Institutions to kill public Universities.
“Not only Students are suffering the infrastructural deficit in the Universities but the lecturers are also suffering because out salaries has been amputated by the Federal Government for about 11 years.
“The proliferation of Private Universities will not help Nigeria Educational system, that has reduced the quality of education.
“I am pained that Nigeria Universities are established as constituency projects by Governors rather than Centre for learning. Governors who come from different Senatorial districts always want to establish states Universities in their Senatorial districts rather than funding the existing ones.”
He explained that the money being generated from the stamp duty which was recommended by the ASUU to Federal Government is no where to be found.
Prof. Ogunyemi said ASUU has introduced accountability and transparency in place of the IPPIS which he said has defrauded his members of their salaries.
He noted that the implementation of the the 2012 need assessment signed between ASUU and and Federal Government will end infrastructural deficit in the Universities.