Two of the four retiring professors at the Redeemer’s University, Ede, Professor Isaac Komolafe, and Professor Gabriel Kolawole have advised the Federal Government to revitalize and provide more funds to existing universities in order to reverse the downward trajectory facing them. They gave the advice during the valedictory lecture organized recently in their honour by the institution.
Professor Komolafe, an eminent virologist argued that the licensing of additional 20 new private universities by the government is a disservice to the university system at a time when the existing ones have been grossly underfunded.
He posited that in the face of inadequately qualified academics in the public universities who are not readily available to join private universities on full-time portends danger of moonlighting that will further aggravate the declining standard of education in Nigeria.
Professor Komolafe identified proper funding of the university system to fix infrastructural deficits, upgrade teaching facilities; and encourage research and development in order for the Nigerian university system to scale up and compete globally.
Meanwhile, Emeritus Professor Gabriel kolawole made a case for private universities to be allowed to partake in TETFUND intervention in order to accelerate the nation’s manpower development. He argued that it is presumptuous and erroneous that private universities are making huge commercial gains without having direct experience of the teeming challenges facing them.
He supported the call for adequate funding of the university system in order to reclaim its lost glory.
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