Chris Maiyaki, Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), has responded to the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ (ASUU) strike threat, stating that the Federal Government is working on ways to reconstitute university governing councils.
He verified that the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, had appointed a panel to work on the list.
According to the NUC Boss, the councils will be inaugurated after the list has been approved.
Maiyaki spoke with education reporters in Abuja on Wednesday where he responded to the development.
“To reconstitute the Councils of 61 universities is not a small feat. Government is working to ensure that people that are qualified and with the right pedigree are put in those councils,” Maiyaki said.
He admitted that the absence of governing councils for public universities was slowing down the administration of the universities.
He appealed to the leadership of ASUU to be patient with the government during the period. Commenting on alleged proliferation of universities in the country, the NUC Boss said the Commission is committed to expanding access to higher education.
“The current number of 272 Universities in the NUC is not sufficient to accommodate the ever-growing demand for university education by Nigerian youths. Each year, Nigerian Universities receive millions of entries for admissions, therefore there is the need for Nigeria to continue to increase access by establishing more universities to meet the demand for quality education in the country, ” he said.
On the initiatives put in place by NUC to boost the nation’s university system, Maiyaki said the Commission has identified strategic priorities that encompass curriculum development, quality assurance, research and innovation, infrastructure development, and internationalisation, among others.