Education is known as the bedrock of any society with quality impact on both the citizens, family and the country at large.
While tertiary education in Nigeria may have witnessed different stages with challenges from strikes, poor amenities among others, About 2 million graduates still emerge from the universities across the country.
Speaking on how can we better position Nigeria’s education system especially the universities in a positive light to create more job opportunities and better skillful graduate, Vice Chancellor of Benin/Chairman, Committee of VCs of Federal Universities, Professor Lilian Salami says looking at the statistics of graduates coming out of the universities, a lot of them are doing exceptionally well when they leave our universities and when they go out.
She noted that students are trained not just for Nigeria but internationally.
The VC said most of the Students making it outside the shores of Nigeria are Nigerian Nigerian graduates.
She added that even though the University system is void of challenges within the context of availability of funds, availability of human resources, availability of materials, infrastructure and all, the system is trying its best and this is evident in the output of students that are churned out to the society.
Speaking on issue of funding for universities, the VC said there is no educational system globally that ever gets enough money but what needs to be done is to sit down with government who is the principal and look at areas where they can come in to assist.
According to her, what is currently being gotten from federal government right now is remuneration of staff staff salaries while adding that University lecturers are not adequately paid in commensuration for the amount of work done.
“We need to have a discussion, somebody has to pay for education.
“If the government is saying that they want to fund the university then the action must be seen. Salaries will not be what will run the university we need more funding to run the university.
“But, if they are also claiming that they cannot take the bill totally, then somebody has to pay and so incidentally, the students, parents would have to come together and pay for the services.
“Free services cannot be gotten anywhere but again, this needs to be discussed adequately” Mrs Salami added.
The VC noted that discussions have been had with some of her colleagues on having an education Summit with stakeholders that know how to drive the system and then come up with positions.
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