Ex-Registrar: Our Universities Are Poorly Funded

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Ex-Registrar: Our Universities Are Poorly Funded

By Correspondent

The former Registrar of the Ekiti State University, Dr Omojola Awosusi, has condemned the poor and inadequate funding of universities in Nigeria, which he said majorly affects the country’s relevance globally. Speaking at the maiden Annual Lecture Series of the University of Ilorin, titled “The University of the Future: Challenges and Prospects for the University Administrator”, he lamented that the funding of universities in the country has always been below the expectations of the stakeholders. He reiterated, “Findings of A. O. Bamiro in 2014 on funding for universities and university education in Nigeria revealed that despite the insistence of ASUU that government should reserve 26% of its budget allocation to the education sector, the Nigerian government has consistently been unable to do so.” Awonusi explained that when government allocates money, the bulk of the money is used to finance the personnel cost and a few other recurrent items, leaving a paltry sum for capital development. “In 2012 and 2013, the recurrent allocation accounted for 93% and 92% of the Federal Government allocation to the federal universities respectively, leaving less than 10% for capital development,” he lamented. Awolusi said the impact on infrastructural development is still minimal because the bulk of the money was utilised for the implementation of the 2009 agreement with its attendant heavy salary bill and gargantuan aggregate bill of earned allowances. The ex-registrar opined that the university of the future would need to compete vigorously for money, students and grants, adding that it is gratifying that today, the universities have realised that they can no longer continue to rely solely on the government for sustenance, especially in the face of global oil crisis which has plummented the nation’s economic fortunes. “The use of technology will speed up university administration of the future, as the Registrar will get his directive down the line faster and obtain feedback speedily. Skype is a face-to-face talking device and a tool that would be highly valuable,” he added.

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