New NUC Boss, Ribadu Pledges Increased Access to University Education
By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The newly appointed Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, has assumed office, with the promise to among other things, improve access to university education.
Ribadu stated this on Monday, in his remarks when he officially took over from the immediate-past acting Executive Secretary of the NUC, Dr. Chris Maiyaki at the NUC headquarters in Abuja.
He pledged to increase access to university education, noting that access had been a challenge, as two million candidates registered for JAMB but only 500,000 were admitted into tertiary institutions.
“Access to university education still remains a challenge. About 2 million candidates sit for the JAMB examinations annually, but only about half a million are admitted.
“Not all those who sit for the exams will have passed. Assuming a pass rate of 50 per cent, we say about 1 million candidates are qualified.
“But out of that number, only about half a million are admitted into universities. Of course, a small percentage go to polytechnics and colleges of education. So, there is still a gap in the admission of candidates.
“We hope to increase access by expanding existing infrastructure and resources in public universities, e- and distance education, as well as private sector growth, enhancing funding, and external support channels,” he said.
Furthermore, the New NUC Boss promised to work diligently with the management and staff of the Commission to improve productivity by prioritising the training and welfare of staff.
“I ask each and every one of you to join me on this journey of building a commission that is even more robust, efficient, effective, and responsive to the needs of our various stakeholders.
“On my part, I will prioritise your training and welfare. This is because of my belief that investing in your professional development and well-being will yield maximum productivity.
“In the coming weeks and months, I will be working closely with the management team to develop a comprehensive strategy for the commission,” he said.
On his part, the outgoing Executive Secretary of the NUC, Chris Maiyaki noted that many of the enabling laws of the commission were outdated and in need of legal reform adding that these were obstinate laws that limit the ability of an institution to adapt to new trends.
“In the case of the NUC, our outdated laws impede the commission’s capacity to control the proliferation and activities of illegal degrees, unauthorised or unapproved degree-awarding institutions.
“They also limit our powers to checkmate the activities of some professional bodies, thereby weakening the commission’s ability to effectively regulate the dynamic landscape of higher education in the country,” he said.
Maiyaki therefore urged the staff to give the new Executive Secretary their support.
