ASUU STRIKE: 34 Percent Funding Shortfall Kills Universities, Says Former NUC Boss ..Read more

A former head of National Universities Commission, which regulates Nigerian universities, says incessant strikes continues to cripple university education because government has failed to abide by funding commitments it made over years.

Professor Manzali Jibril, a former executive secretary of NUC, said series of shortages in government funding by as much as two-thirds over the past 21 years have left Academic Staff Union of Universities as the "sole agitator" for better funding.

"The amount of funding that universities receive is only about 34% of what they should be receiving," he said.

He spoke at an event to mark the commission's 51st anniversary.

It is the first time an official of the NUC, past or present, has criticised government over strike by lecturers, which has lingered since July 2.

Supposed monies

What universities should get was based on criteria approved by government, which considered things as staff-student ratio, equipment and needs of individual students with respect to their study discipline.

"This funding gap now leaves ASUU as the main agitator for funding to be improved, for funding gap to be filled, and government does not listen to its own agencies," he said.

"If the executive secretary were to write a hundred memos, appear before a hundred committees, make a hundred submissions, it will amount to nothing. One ASUU strike will do better than that."

Jibril noted that the past 21 years have shown direct correlation between strikes and improved funding.

"One ASUU strike equals one quantum leap in funding. What are you telling ASUU? That if you want funding, go on strike."

Auto drive

This comes as the Union was reported to have rejected a government offer of some N600 billion in part funding to meet its demands last weekend.

Jibril also faulted modes of direct appropriation to universities that bypass the NUC, insisting it violated acts establishing the commission.

University system in Nigeria is still faced with the challenge of providing access to millions of students seeking placement, said NUC executive secretary Julius Okojie, noting the proliferation of 50 private universities since the start of the Commission was in efforts to "expand access."

Okojie spoke of strong efforts to push up quality, but insisted university administrations should get some autonomy in how they run. "We want to put the university system on autodrive," he said.