Follow Us on Google
From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Director-General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigeria French Language Village (NFLV) Ajara-Badagry, Lagos State, Prof Babatunde Ayeleru, has identified corruption, outdated library-holding, lack of funding, and inadequate human resources as major factors preventing the quality assurance and accreditation capable of repositioning the universities and other higher education institutions (HEIs) in Nigeria.
He made the observation in a paper, entitled: ‘Repositioning Nigeria Universities Towards Sustainable National Growth and Development,’ organised by the Global Alumni Association of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, to commemorate the 60th Founder’s Day Anniversary of the institution, held on the campus of OAU recently.
According to him, “A repositioned university is ready and competent to turn around the fortune of a nation. The world is changing fast now, and this dynamism is premised on socio-economic, political, and technological advancement. If our universities are properly positioned, it will become easy for them to boost the expected national sustainable growth.”
He stated that for the Nigerian universities to enhance national sustainable development, there is need for a regular and consistent repositioning of the country’s HEIs.
Ayeleru noted that the fundamental tools required for the repositioning include quality assurance, which encompasses programmatic and institutional accreditation, external examination system, students’ support programmes, as well as staff and students’ discipline.
“There should be an automated system in place to motivate all vices militating against sustainable development: corruption, academic fraud, examination malpractices, oppression, harassment in any form, caucus-inclined system of governance, tribalism, favouritism, and self-centredness.
“Heads of HEIs must always remember that the positions of Vice Chancellor, and Director -CEO of universities and inter-university centres respectively, are held in trust and must be seen as a call to national service. As professors, selected from a pool of equally very qualified professors, we should recognise that we have been given the grace to represent, not only our colleagues, but the entire constituency and the education family.
“I recognise the danger often poses by sycophants and the ‘friends-of-the-office’, we must arrive at all times to rise above their antics to be able to harness the avalanche and quantum of human and material resources at our disposal for the sustainable development of our universities.”
Ayeleru stated further that the government has been seen to be doing its best, saying “there is always room for improvement. The United Nations’ recommendation of allocation of 26 per cent of the annual budget to education is attainable and doable. I appeal to governments at all levels to prioritise the education sector to erase the task of the sector’s repositioning for excellence and national development.”
