The National Universities Commission (NUC) has presented provisional licenses for the newly established 37 universities approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on May 15.
Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, at the presentation of the licenses, pegged the number of private universities in the country at 147.
Rasheed, who said the country now has 264 universities, said investment in tertiary education was a prerequisite for human capital development in the country.
He said access to university education remained a challenge due to the high demand and increasing number of secondary school leavers.
He said, “The Nigerian statistics of high demand of tertiary education is grossly inadequate. Statistics put the number of enrolment in tertiary institutions at 2.23 million which is about 12 per cent of the total population of 220 million.”
He charged proprietors of the new universities to ensure that the motive for creating them is not for money but for a higher and noble goal.
“In establishing universities, you don’t expect to get financial rewards. If your main motive is to make money, then you are in the wrong place. You are here to pay back to humanity.
“The establishment of private universities is in dire need of passion from people, so that passion should drive you,” he said.
While charging the proprietors on quality assurance in the universities, the NUC boss assured of the commission’s support and cooperation to grow the university system.
The permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo, said the federal government was committed to public private partnership, especially in the education sector which gave rise to the new universities.
He said this was in a bid to increase access to university education.
Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-shaq Oloyede, urged the proprietors to start on a good note while following procedures and standards.
Oloyede also urged them never to outsource their admissions but follow the admission procedure.
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