At least 63 bills have been proposed before the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives for the creation of new universities, polytechnics, colleges of education amid poor funding of the educational sector and an industrial action by university lecturers that is in its fifth month.
For many years, little or nothing has been achieved in the education sector by successive Nigerian leaders who observers believe have only paid little or no attention to the sector. This is despite the promises made by politicians during campaigns that they will give education the deserved priority in the country’s polity.
While primary and secondary school systems have gradually slipped into comatose with many private schools springing up on almost every street in the country, the Nigerian government is going the same route with tertiary education with the establishment of universities it cannot fund.
Currently, the Academic Staff Union of Universities and other bodies like the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions are all on strike to compel the Nigerian government to revitalise the country’s educational system.
But that did not stop the National Assembly from proposing bills to establish new federal tertiary institutions.
Native Reporters
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