Government have been urged to allocate more fund to the universities so that they can be more effective in their day- to- day operations.
Senior advocate of Nigeria Yusuf Olaolu Ali made the call at the 36th convocation lecture of the University of Ilorin, with the theme: ” Tertiary Education And The Future Of Nigeria” at the University main main auditorium Ilorin. Kwara state
Yusuf Ali who called on the government to abide by the 26% annual budgetary allocation prescribed for the educational sector by UNESCO noted that it would go a long a long way to change the face of education in the country.
“The Universities should also seek alternative sources of revenue generation to augment what the government allocates to them. Apart from the release of fund, there is the dire need for an effective monitoring of the management of funds presently being allocated to the sector, as afforts should be intensified to improve on what is currently being allocated to the system. As a means of ensuring effective management of funds, it has been suggested that reliable and credible accounting system should be established in each Nigerian university to guarantee accountability, honesty and transparency.”
“The present situation calls for an urgent need for our governments to make available enough funds for the rehabilitation of existing facilities. Government should intensify efforts in providing more physical facilities in the Universities. Besides corporate bodies, philanthropists and alumni associations should also assist in the provision of these facilities to aide effective teaching- learning activities in order to achieve the academic goals of university education for national development. There is need for a serious expansion of physical facilities and equipment to meet increasing students population. Also important is the need to take serious look at maintenance culture, which is lacking in an average Nigerian, as this will go a long way to reduced the rate of decay of the existing facilities. Not only that, such appropriated sums must be released for the purpose they are meant for.”
He also stressed the need for provision of a conducive working and learning environment for staff and students
The Legal luminary who noted that education should not be seen as the responsibilities of only the government stressed the need for industry to come to the aid of the Universities, not only in the area of direct endowment or establishment of chairs but in active and engagement of the Universities in commissioned research efforts, that will bolster the income of the Universities.” He said.
He stressed the need for students to be be independently minded and research forced.