FG grants provisional licences to nine new private universities
The Federal Government on Thursday granted provisional licences to nine new private universities, summing up the total number of private universities in the country to 59. Ibrahim Shekarau, the minister of education, at the presentation of the provisional licences in Abuja revealed that the present administration is determined to provide access and quality education to young Nigerians for a better future.
The licensed universities include Augustine University, Ilara, Lagos State; Chrisland University, Owode, Ogun State; Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State; Hallmark University, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State; Kings University, Ode-Omu, Osun State; Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Owhrode, Delta State; Mountain Top University, Makogi/Oba, Ogun State; Ritman University, Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom State and Summit University, Offa, Kwara State. Prior to this approval, Nigeria had a total of 129 universities servicing a population of 170 million people.
In comparison to countries like Brazil and Mexico which have 1,648 and 1,250 universities to service populations of 203 million and 120 million, respectively, the gross inadequacy of this figure in relation to population size becomes glaring.
As a result, the minister noted that the Federal Government has been working closely with the private sector to ensure access to qualitative education in the country as he revealed that inadequate access to university education and enrolment of students in excess of the carrying capacity has been a source of worry to government at the highest level