Proliferation of private universities has not improved education standard- unionist

The union leader called for university autonomy

The immediate past Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Samuel Olorunfemi, has said the proliferation of private universities has not improved the standard of education in the country.

Mr. Olorunfemi, who disclosed this in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES in Akure, said majority of students in private universities are those that could not pass the Joint Admission Matriculation Board examinations

The former SSANU Chairman lamented that the dwindling standard of education in the country is affecting the quality of products being churned out on a yearly basis.

He noted that it is highly saddening that no Nigeria University is listed among top 100 rated universities in the world.

Mr. Olorunfemi therefore called for the full autonomy of the nation’s university system.

He urged the National University Commission, NUC, to put stringent policies in place to guide the establishment of private universities.

“It is a known fact that most private universities are not threat to the government owned universities. In fact most of them cannot compete with federal institutions

“Most students that seek admission in private universities are those who cannot meet the cut-off marks in public universities. So, the proliferation of private universities has not anyway improved the standard of our education,” he said.