Don calls for declaration of state of emergency in education sector

A University Don, Prof. Ibrahim Gbajabiamila has called on President Mohammed Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the education sector to enable tackle the myriad of problems confronting the sector.

Gbajabiamila who spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital lamented that 10 million children who are supposed to start school are roaming the streets, saying “The situation was the same ten years ago and it is the same today”.

“The 10 million out of School children in Nigeria is the highest in the whole world. Fifty years after, we still have not got it right and that is why our children are trooping to other African countries to study.”

Gbajabiamila who is the Vice-Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta blamed the crisis in the education sector to lack of proper planning over the years.

He regretted that every year close to one million students who seek admission into Universities through the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) are not admitted, even though they are qualified due to lack of space and stressed the need for more Universities to be built.

The Vice-Chancellor spoke at a Press briefing, organised to highlight the activities lined up to mark the 10th anniversary of Crescent University.

The activities include an Anniversary Lecture to be delivered on Saturday by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. He is to speak on “Nigerian Economy and The Future”.

Gbajabiamila expressed deep concern about the alarming rate at which illegal Universities are springing up in the country, saying there was need for the government to take drastic action to stop it in the interest of the country.

His words, “Out of the 1.3 million students who seek admission into Universities, only about 300,000 of them gain admission”, insisting that until the number of Universities are increased, unapproved Universities might continue to flourish.

According to the National University Commission (NUC) report, there are 57 illegal Universities operating in the country. There are 46 Federal Universities, 40 State Universities and 61 Private Universities as at now.

“Nigeria is short of 30,000 PHD holders and this is not a good development for the education sector”, the Don stated.
The Crescent University was established in 2005 by Prince Bola Ajibola, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice.