Prof Abdullahi Ribadu has assumed office as the 9th substantive Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Ribadu, while speaking in Abuja on Monday at the event organised by the management and staff of the commission, promised to revisit the laws of the commission for better service delivery.
The Executive Secretary added that he would work diligently with the management and staff of the commission to improve productivity by prioritising the training and welfare of staff.
“I ask each and every one of you to join me on this journey of building a commission that is even more robust, efficient, effective, and responsive to the needs of our various stakeholders.
“On my part, I will prioritise your training and welfare. This is because of my belief that investing in your professional development and well-being will yield maximum productivity.
“In the coming weeks and months, I will be working closely with the management team to develop a comprehensive strategy for the commission,” he said.
Ribadu also pledged to increase access to university education, noting that access had been a challenge, as two million candidates registered for JAMB but only 500,000 were admitted into tertiary institutions.
“Access to university education still remains a challenge. About 2 million candidates sit for the JAMB examinations annually, but only about half a million are admitted.
“Not all those who sit for the exams will have passed. Assuming a pass rate of 50 per cent, we say about 1 million candidates are qualified.
“But out of that number, only about half a million are admitted into universities. Of course, a small percentage go to polytechnics and colleges of education. So, there is still a gap in the admission of candidates.
“We hope to increase access by expanding existing infrastructure and resources in public universities, e- and distance education, as well as private sector growth, enhancing funding, and external support channels,” he added.
He assured maximum internal and external support for funding opportunities for Nigerian universities.
He also stressed the need to undertake a needs assessment to make informed decisions on the quantum of funds required to support tertiary education in the country.
The outgoing Executive Secretary of the NUC, Chris Maiyaki, described Ribadu’s appointment as timely, given the Nigerian University System’s need for decisive and innovative leadership to tackle its challenges.
Maiyaki called for a review of the enabling laws of the commission to allow for effective delivery of its mandate.
“Many of the enabling laws of the commission are outdated and in need of legal reform. These are obstinate laws that limit the ability of an institution to adapt to new trends.
“In the case of the NUC, our outdated laws impede the commission’s capacity to control the proliferation and activities of illegal degrees, unauthorised or unapproved degree-awarding institutions.
“They also limit our powers to checkmate the activities of some professional bodies, thereby weakening the commission’s ability to effectively regulate the dynamic landscape of higher education in the country,” he said.
He further commended the visionary leadership capabilities of past Executive Secretaries, saying that their roles had led to the transformation of the commission’s mandate.
“In the past 18 months of my tenure as Acting Executive Secretary, the NUC has remained steadfast in advancing its mandate through strategic initiatives.
“The NUC approved or recognised the establishment of six universities during this period, raising the total number of institutions to 276.
“In addition, over 1,800 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes were approved following rigorous resource verification exercises.
“The commission’s initiatives aimed at expanding access and equity included the establishment and activation of the first four private open universities and 12 new open and distance learning centres in the nation’s conventional universities.
“These measures underscored the commission’s unwavering commitment to meeting the educational needs of a growing population,” he said.
He added that the quality assurance efforts of the commission had yielded excellent results, with over 87 per cent of accredited programmes achieving full accreditation status. (NAN)
