Chris Maiyaki, the acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), disclosed that the Federal Government is in the process of reconstituting the governing councils of universities.
He mentioned that the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, has already initiated the necessary steps to finalize the list for the councils.
During a media briefing with education journalists in Abuja, Maiyaki assured that the councils would be inaugurated promptly upon completion of the list.
In response to a recent ultimatum from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) demanding the restructuring of public university governing councils within two weeks, Maiyaki reiterated the NUC’s commitment to enhancing access to higher education.
He emphasized the increasing demand for university education in Nigeria, with nearly two million applications received annually by the existing 272 universities, resulting in limited admissions.
Maiyaki advocated for the establishment of more universities to meet the growing educational needs of Nigerian youth and underscored the NUC’s strategic priorities, which include curriculum development, quality assurance, research and innovation, infrastructure enhancement, and international collaboration.
The NUC has revamped university curricula to align with the country’s goal of achieving a knowledge-based economy driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and 21st-century skills, fostering industry partnerships and blended learning.
He highlighted the expansion of academic disciplines to 17 in the new Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards implemented from September 2023, with a focus on staff training and improved teaching materials.
Additionally, the NUC has developed guidelines for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) to integrate e-learning into traditional teaching methods, ensuring quality education delivery in Nigerian universities.
In line with global best practices, various guidelines, such as those for Transnational Education, e-Learning, Open Educational Resources, and Private Open Universities, have been introduced by the NUC to enhance the quality and accessibility of university education in Nigeria.
Maiyaki emphasized the importance of these guidelines in promoting quality, equity, and wider access to university education, aligning with initiatives aimed at expanding educational opportunities, enhancing IT infrastructure, and improving online teaching competencies in the country.