ASUU Strike: Private Varsities Record More Students’ Intake, Says VC

Students in public universities are now seeking transfer to private universities because of the incessant and prolonged strike actions by members of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU).

The vice chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, Prof Noah Yusuf, disclosed this yesterday during a press conference to herald the 12th convocation of the faith-based Ivory Tower.

The university will on Saturday graduate 1,280 graduates, among whom are 25 First Class award winners, in its 2021/2022 academic session.

Yusuf said the university has witnessed upsurge in the number of students seeking transfer to it from public universities.

“Private universities are recording upsurge in the number of students from public universities seeking transfer because of the stable academic calendars at the private universities.

“At Al- Hikmah university we have witnessed upsurge in the number of enrolment and students from the public universities seeking to complete their courses here because of our stable academic calendar,” he added.

Yusuf who rued the incessant strikes by ASUU, however, advised the federal government to accord education topmost priority.

He reasoned that education remains the only solution to multifarious security problems bedevilling Nigeria, noting that well-educated youths would not indulge in banditry and other social vices now rampant amongst the Nigerian youths.

On the convocation ceremony, the vice chancellor said that the institution would be graduating four PhD students for the first time in the history of the university.

He added that 362 students obtained Second Class (Upper Division), 566 bagged Second Class (Lower Division), while 94 got Third Class.

He said the university produced a total number of 1,047 undergraduates, 184 postgraduates and 49 diplomas in the 2021/2022 academic year.

Yusuf, who said that the academic feat was due to availability of qualified lecturers and the commitment of the students to their academic excellence, added that the commitment of the university’s management to the vision and mission of the university also played significant role.