Stakeholders and experts in the education sector have applauded President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the immediate dissolution of all boards, and Councils of all Federal Government’s parastatals and Corporation.
While they said the action was a timely positive decision, they also insisted that all Governing Councils of Federal Universities across the country must be included.
Some of the experts noted that the Universities Councils should not be considered in the exception clause, derived from the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153 ( i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Although in the past there may have been pressure from other groups to exclude university councils which must be vacated.
Dr. Abednego Silverstone, an educational researcher, argued that a relevant provision in the Act establishing the Councils, also supports the idea of sacking them, in an event they are ” found to be incompetent and corrupt “.
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Silverstone urged the President to remain resolute and intentional in addressing the obvious challenges affecting university system and standard of education in Nigeria.
Investigation had shown that due to political patronage, many unqualified persons were appointed into the governing Council of most of the Federal Universities.
It was also revealed that many of the Councils members were going outside their mandate, and were interfering with day-to-day running of Universities, thereby hampering progress with inordinate conflicting interests.
An insider source, who pleaded anonymity, called on the President to sack the Councils and reconstitute them, appointing only those with proven track record and can add value to the system.
The source disclosed that most of the members in many Universities Councils, have not made any significant contributions towards the growth of education, simply because they are hugely bereft of relevant knowledge.
The source added that if the President is interested in proffering lasting solutions to the problems of education in Nigeria, he should beam his searchlight on the governing council, as most have become springboard for corruption.
” Many of the people appointed into the Governing Councils of most Universities, do not have requisite knowledge and technical expertise to contribute meaningfully to the development of the systems.
” Great majority of them, were political errand boys, who were simply emplaced in the positions as reward from their political benefactors.
” The President should start sanitising the education sector from the Councils. He should appoint only technocrats with high pedigree and people that have cognate experience and can help the system to grow, “ the source said.