"Nigeria does not need more Universities" - Okebukola

The immediate past Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof. Peter Okebukola has said that the only way to cope with challenges facing education in the country is to expand the facilities in existing institution, and not the creation of new ones.

He made this assertion during his speech at the 6th Convocation Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State.

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According to Leadership reports, Okebukola also advised that for the nation to achieve the desired quantity-quality requirement, its universities must keep within its carrying capacity, install a robust quality assurance directorate, institute annual ranking of Faculties, and boost their cutting-edge research efforts.

Speaking on the topic, “Quality or Quantity: Positioning the Nigerian University System for the Challenges of Science and Technology in the New Millennium”, Okebukola noted that the country must embark on massive upgrading of physical facilities in existing universities to take in at least additional 1,000 students per year. This, according to him will involve more classrooms, hostels, laboratories, workshops, library and offices.