President Muhammadu Buhari on
Saturday said in Ibadan, Oyo State that the agitation by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities for improved welfare, infrastructure, funding and other
contentious issues affecting the nation’s universities were genuine.
Buhari, who was represented by
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the 70th Foundation Day ceremony and award of
certificates to the PhD graduands and honorary doctoral degree awards to some
notable Nigerians by the University of Ibadan, however, said the government
could not do it alone. He called for alternative sources of funding education.
The celebration peaked with the
conferment of honorary doctoral awards on six Nigerian: Chief Bode Akindele;
Prof.(Mrs.) Bolanle Awe; Prof. Grace
Alele-Williams, Mrs Olufunmilayo Olopade, Prof. Akinlawon Mabogunje, and Prof.
Omoniyi Adewoye.
Buhari agreed that the nation’s
education was underfunded but regretted that the Federal Government could not
meet all the demands of the lecturers.
He, therefore, called on the
authorities of various institutions to explore other sources of fund to meet
their demands.
The President, who said basic
issues such as population growth, climate change and education called for
insightful thinking, singled out education as a major source of concern to the
Federal Government.
The President pointed out that
the best efforts of the government could not provide what was needed for
education in the country, stressing that government alone could not provide
everything needed for the nation’s education, saying ASUU’s agitation was
valid.
While emphasising that the
country could not achieve accelerated development without substantial
investment in education, he canvassed the idea of raising money from the
capital market to fund education.
In his remarks, Governor Abiola
Ajimobi of Oyo State called on all the stakeholders to come together to develop
the nation’s education sector.
A former Head of State, General
Yakubu Gowon (retd.) called on members of the university community to continue
to hold on to the tenets of academic excellence, integrity and patriotic zeal
in the country.
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