Chidimma UCHEGBU
There has been a change of guards at the National Universities Commission (NUC) with Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu assuming office as the 9th substantive Executive Secretary of the Commission.
Ribadu, while speaking in Abuja on Monday at the event organised by the management and staff of the commission, promised to revisit the laws of the commission for better service delivery.
The Executive Secretary added that he would work diligently with the management and staff of the commission to improve productivity by prioritising the training and welfare of staff.
“I ask each and every one of you to join me on this journey of building a commission that is even more robust, efficient, effective, and responsive to the needs of our various stakeholders.
“On my part, I will prioritise your training and welfare. This is because of my belief that investing in your professional development and well-being will yield maximum productivity.
“In the coming weeks and months, I will be working closely with the management team to develop a comprehensive strategy for the commission,” he said.
Ribadu also pledged to increase access to university education, noting that access had been a challenge, as two million candidates registered for JAMB but only 500,000 were admitted into tertiary institutions.
“Access to university education still remains a challenge. About 2 million candidates sit for the JAMB examinations annually, but only about half a million are admitted.
“Not all those who sit for the exams will have passed. Assuming a pass rate of 50 per cent, we say about 1 million candidates are qualified.
“But out of that number, only about half a million are admitted into universities. Of course, a small percentage go to polytechnics and colleges of education. So, there is still a gap in the admission of candidates.
“We hope to increase access by expanding existing infrastructure and resources in public universities, e- and distance education, as well as private sector growth, enhancing funding, and external support channels,” he added.
He assured maximum internal and external support for funding opportunities for Nigerian universities
