- ASUU national president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed worry over the high number of first class graduates being churned out by private universities in Nigeria
- He further warned about the danger of producing students with exceptional grades who have insufficient knowledge
- This disclosure was made at the ceremony held in honour of the outgoing vice chancellor of Delta State University, Professor Egwunyenga
The president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, has expressed concern over what he described as the growing trend of first-class degrees being awarded by private universities across Nigeria.
Osodeke voiced these concerns during a ceremony held in honour of Professor Andy Egwunyenga, marking the conclusion of his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka.
The event recently took place at DELSU’s campus in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State.
Highlighting the issue, Osodeke pointed out that many primary and secondary schools now produce students with exceptional grades but inadequate knowledge. He warned that if public universities followed a similar path without stringent regulation, it could compromise the integrity of academic achievements and diminish genuine scholarly pursuits.
In his address, the ASUU president also lamented the increasing migration of skilled professionals from Nigeria to countries offering better opportunities, linking this trend to challenges such as structural failures and declining institutional standards within the country.
“The struggle for a decent standard of living for academics once yielded meaningful results, allowing scholars to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. However, the current reality calls for renewed efforts to restore these standards. ASUU will remain steadfast in advocating fairness and confronting injustices,” Osodeke stated.
During the event, another don, Professor Omotoye Olorode, criticised Nigeria’s low budgetary allocation to education, which has historically remained below UNESCO’s recommended 26 per cent.
“Nigeria has never exceeded seven per cent, a clear reflection of the stagnation in our educational development,” he remarked.
The ceremony also celebrated Professor Egwunyenga’s tenure as DELSU Vice-Chancellor. ASUU’s DELSU Chairman, Dr. Paul Opone, commended Egwunyenga for steering the university through challenging times and earning widespread admiration within the academic community.
“This marks the first time ASUU has honoured a DELSU lecturer with such an event. Professor Egwunyenga has surpassed all expectations, leaving an enduring legacy,” Opone opined.
In response, Egwunyenga expressed gratitude for the accolades and revealed that his leadership approach was inspired by the themes in Festus Iyayi’s novel Demons and Monsters.
ASUU blames World Bank, IMF for deteriorating state of Nigeria’s higher education
In a previous report by TheRadar, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were accused of working to destroy Nigeria’s public higher education system by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, the National President of ASUU, revealed this during the 2024 ASUU Heroes Day event in Abuja on Tuesday, November 12.
