Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, came down hard on proprietors of private universities in Nigeria, yesterday, when he accused them of aiding academic corruption and decadence in the country.
Prof. Oloyede said private university operators deliberately, or otherwise, violate several laws guiding university operations in Nigeria, particularly in areas of admissions and other academic works.
He said the action of some of the private universities, most often, make government regret ever opening up the space for private operators to run universities.
Oloyede spoke in Abuja, during the opening ceremony of a two-day summit on Nigerian private universities organised by the National Universities Commission (NUC), with the theme: “Private university education delivery in Nigeria; challenges and opportunities.”
Proprietors and vice chancellors from across 79 private universities in Nigeria and other stakeholders participated in the summit.
He said: “Government opened up the space few years ago for private operators to come complement government effort in providing university education to Nigerians, but, it seems like the aim is gradually being defeated.
“When you visit some private universities, you will be ashamed for Nigeria. From the structures, you will know that something is wrong.
“If you take a deeper look, you will discover more decadence and rot in their operations.
“Some of the proprietors choose to run the universities like a family business and it ought not to be so.”
He reminded the proprietors that only vice chancellor is recognised, by law, as being in charge of day-to-day running of the university, while every other person with ceremonial titles play supportive roles.
Said Oloyede: “If I were to be university proprietor, I will prefer to take the position of chairman of the Council because of the control of power attached to that office.”
He, thus, challenged university owners to seize the opportunity of the summit to exchange knowledge, ideas, expertise so they could collectively assist government provide quality and affordable university education.