President Bola Tinubu has granted approval for the phased commencement of six out of the 14 public universities established during the closing days of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
According to The PUNCH, this was announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tahir Mamman, during a briefing with State House Correspondents.
He stated that the selection of these six universities, comprising two colleges each for agriculture, education, and medicine, was designed to align with the specific skills-acquisition needs of the Tinubu-led administration.
He also explained that the Buhari administration had granted approval for the establishment of around 75 universities, encompassing federal, state, and private institutions over a seven-year period.
Among the universities established during the final days of the previous administration are the David Nweze Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences in Uburu, Ebonyi state, the Federal University of Transport in Daura, Katsina state, Shehu Shagari University of Education in Sokoto state, and Admiralty University in Ibusa, Delta state.
Minister Mamman acknowledged that the Federal Government faced limitations in terms of resources required to simultaneously launch all these institutions due to their capital-intensive nature. As a result, President Tinubu’s administration has opted for a conservative approach in granting approvals for the establishment of new universities.
Mamman explained, “Tertiary institutions are highly capital-intensive. They need a lot of money, especially at that take-off stage, for infrastructure, staff recruitment, and all other needs. So, by the time you want to start about 14 institutions at once, it is a very heavy burden on the finances of the government.”
Furthermore, the Minister elaborated on the government’s rationale for staggering the commencement of these universities. The selected institutions cater to critical areas of need, such as colleges of education to address the demand for trained teachers and colleges of agriculture to support the agriculture sector. This phased approach allows the government to ensure that the necessary funding and resources are allocated appropriately.
While Minister Mamman did not specify which universities were approved for initial commencement, the emphasis was on responsible and sustainable allocation of resources to support these vital education and skills-acquisition initiatives.
Additionally, the Minister revealed that discussions had taken place regarding the completion of the National Library in Abuja, demonstrating the government’s commitment to advancing educational infrastructure in the country.
