VC Seeks Dedicated Funds For Research In Varsities

Governments at all levels have been urged to make more funds available to universities to be dedicated for the conduct of research.

The Vice Chancellor of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) Ado-Ekiti, Professor Edward Olanipekun who gave the advice also said that the country needs more universities that would be adequately funded.

The professor of industrial chemistry who stated this during a media chat in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, said carrying out research is capital intensive and huge funds are required to conduct groundbreaking research.

He, however, stated that the state owned university is not doing badly in terms of research with the recent commissioning of the Office of research, development and innovation.

“This is to see how some of the research breakthroughs can actually be showcased and the office is working on that. We are also not resting on our oars to ensure that better ground breaking research findings are recorded here.

“Research costs a lot of money.  If not for TETFUND support, it would have been practically difficult for us to conduct new research.

“We need a lot of funds to be able to conduct research. It is an area we also need the support of the government. The government should be able to set aside some funds for universities to carry out these researches.”

Maintaining that it is not a bad idea to establish more universities  in Nigeria with her ever growing population, he said  adequate funding of the institutions has always been the problem.

Olanipekun said, “As I speak we don’t have enough tertiary institutions in the country to accommodate teeming applicants who are craving for university education. Looking at the available statistics, less than 10 percent of students writing UTME yearly are lucky to secure admission into the available

“I think establishing universities is good but finding them is something that is germane. And that has been a recurring issue that is leading to imbroglio between government and the staff unions. This is an issue that the government has to look into seriously on how it can be addressed. There are still other challenges the Universities are facing in Nigeria which include the problem of accommodation for the students on campus.

“It will be nice having almost all students residing on the campus.

There is a dearth of infrastructure in the available universities and having more is not a problem but they must be well funded. Conscious efforts must be made by governments to fund education, especially at the tertiary level.”

Olanipekun who counselled undergraduates to learn skills through entrepreneurship centres on campuses to be self-reliant after graduation said, “I also don’t subscribe to the idea of a graduate after study to be looking for white- collar-jobs. Things have changed over time. It is no longer the certificate one is carrying that can only bring food to the table , you can do other things after graduation to become an employer of labour.

“To bridge that gap, our university has a very good and robust entrepreneurship study centre, where all the students will at least learn one skill or the other before they graduate. And is compulsory for every student. We have quite a number of activities going on there, which can make them self reliant and independent. We thank the TETFUND for providing the needed fund for equipping the centre.

“So, in terms of entrepreneurship, we are ensuring that all our graduates master one skill or the other before they leave the university. The university is ready to support them to acquire facilities that would enable them to set up their own businesses after graduation. It is compulsory that all the students, including medical students learn one skill depending on their time. Some can even learn two or more.”