From Ruth David, Bauchi
President Muhammadu Buhari has said there is need for all stakeholders in the country to join hands to save the education system from collapse.
He said this on Saturday in Bauchi at the combined 19th to 22nd convocation ceremony of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, adding that all hands must be on deck to salvage the nation’s education system which was adrift. “It is worrisome that no Nigerian University is quoted among the top 100 universities in the world. We rank below a thousand,” he lamented.
The President who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof Julius Okojie, stated that only a robust education system can launch Nigeria into the comity of the top economies of the world, adding “if we do not aspire to be among the world class Universities, we cannot boast of a robust system capable of launching the country among the top economies of the world.”
According to him, strike action is one of the major bottle necks in the progress of the University system in Nigeria, assuring University lecturers that the present administration will listen to their grievances.
He said, “No doubt, Most of the teachers’ demands are very germane but the repercussion of strike actions usually retard the smooth running of academic activities with heavy negative consequences. Let me assure University teachers that this administration is a listening one. All grievances must come to the table for discussion.”
The President promised that his administration will address the decay in the education sector and advised continued dialogue and consultations among all stakeholders in the system.
He also called on all state governments to support and encourage the universities in their states for the upliftment of the education sector saying that “the University in each state is responsible for harnessing and encouraging local talents and promotion of local innovation, the federal government established a federal university in each state of the federation. I therefore urge state governments to accord similar concern to the federal universities in their midst as they render their state Universities.”
The President then warned University students to shun cultism and imbibe the culture of discipline and respect for constituted authority.
According to him, “For the graduating students, a turning point in your journey is marked today by this event. The country expects nothing from you beyond what you can offer but you must offer the country your best at all times and not disappoint your parents, teachers and society.”
The new Chancellor Of ATBU , the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, in his address, advised the Federal Government to expand the capacities of the Universities in order to accommodate more students.
According to him, “on our campuses, we have increasing growth in number of students every year, we admit less than the total number of applicants who are qualified. The admission capacity for all our Universities, is far below the quantum of youth passing their entry examinations.
“Very few parents can afford to send their children to private universities, hence the abundant talents who find themselves unable to attain university education is a loss to the nation. I therefore urge stakeholders to urgently find both short and long term solutions to this growing problem.”
He lamented that unavailability of jobs in the country has necessitated that the graduands must look inwards of become self reliant in order to contribute to the technological and economic development of Nigeria.
The Oba then assured the federal and state governments of his determination to employ all apparatus in discharging his responsibilities in the University in order to achieve the desired result of developing the education sector.
The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi had 8,127 graduands. The break down of the graduands are 845 for diplomas, 5577 for first degrees, 1620 for PGD/Masters and 85 Ph.Ds.
Out of the 5,577 first degree graduands, 32 obtained first class. 1,203 got second class upper, 2,702 obtained second class lower while 1,481 got third class and 136
obtained pass.
