Two new private universities – Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, Delta State and Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State – were yesterday awarded provisional licences to operate, thereby bringing such universities to 61.
Provisional approval for the universities to operate is intended to create room for effective mentoring and qualitative growth within the first five years of operation.
During the period, the universities will be affiliated to older generation universities for academic and administrative mentoring to be moderated by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who issued the certificates, said: “Substantive licences can only be issued to well-managed institutions after the three years of probation, following their respective performance and growth within guidelines stipulated by the NUC.”
He said the problem of access to university education continued to be a serious challenge, calling for concerted effort from the private sector. But, the minister warned that this should not been seen as investment alone, but a contribution to the growth of education sector.
The minister said prior to this approval, Nigeria had 138 universities, servicing a population of over 170 million people, compared to other countries with smaller sizes in population, but with over a thousand universities.
“Private universities have contributed to the opening up of admission space for the swelling population of candidates seeking university education.
“The growth of private universities has created an environment for health competition that stimulates improvement in quality service delivery in the system,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof Julius Okojie, during the presentation, reminded the proprietors of the institutions that a daunting task lies ahead as “infrastructure and human capacity must be in place before approval was made.”
He said it makes no sense to be awarded licences only for the institutions to fizzle out.
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