As a follow-up to the first National Summit on Higher
Education held in March, last year and in response to contemporary
issues affecting the quality of university education in
the country, the Minister of Education, Professor Babalola
Borishade is to convene a University Stakeholders' National
Consultative Forum.
This was contained in the Monday memo of the National Universities
Commission (NUC). The forum which is expected to be an annual
event will review the performance of the university system
in the preceding year, identify and proffer sustainable
solutions to problems impeding progress and plan towards
a more productive university education in the current and
forthcoming year.
The Forum's objectives include: to update stakeholders
on the current status of university education in Nigeria
in such areas as quality, relevance, access, funding, student
and staff union matters to intimate stakeholders with the
newly introduced grant from government to federal universities
for Direct Teaching and Research Cost to ensure that effective
teaching, research and practical work go on as scheduled
on the Timetable.
Other objectives are to identify the causes, possible effects,
modalities for resolution and lessons learned from the national
strike actions embarked upon by staff unions over the past
10 years.
It will also review the NUC's Blueprint on Breaking the
Cycle of Strikes in Nigeria Universities, reach consensus
among stakeholders on private sector participation in university
hostel development and management and also reach consensus
among stakeholders on the funding and management of municipal
services in universities.
The meeting, which will take place at the NUC auditorium,
is expected to attract the participation of opinion leaders
from all sectors of the Nigerian economy, the
National Assembly, representatives of the National Parent
Teacher Association (NAPTAN), representatives of Alumni
Associations, all Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments,
Vice Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors of Nigerian universities.
Others are officials of the Federal Ministry of Education,
NUC, representatives of the National Association of Nigerian
Students (NANS) past and present, ASUU, SSANU, NASU, ASUTON
and development partners.
