The National Universities Commission, NUC, has lamented the increase in number candidates taking the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board, JAMB examination against the number of candidates it’s prepared to admit into universities yearly.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday when receiving the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, said only 400,000 of the 1.5 million candidate who sit yearly for the examination gain admission into Nigeria Universities.
The NUC Executive Secretary added that the nation needs new universities in order to cater for the rising number of candidates seeking admission yearly.
He added that; “I am always happy when a new university comes on board; what that means is that we are expanding and we are opening up access.
“We know the number of candidates that sit for UTME organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board every year.
“However, out of the 1.5 million candidates who take UTME every year, we are barely able to make provision for only about 400,000 students.
“The new university will, therefore, be accessible not only to candidates from Edo State but those from Ondo State and other states.”
The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who was at the NUC to collect the Certificate of Recognition of the newly established Edo State University, Iyanmo said the weight of sound university education lies on the amount of effort put into churning out top notch secondary school graduates, he added that “We have structures that are strong and well designed; we are building more faculties.
“We are building more standard hostels; students will behave based on the influence of the environment.
“So, it is my hope that we will make the right level of investment and the university will charge fees that will enable it to access revenue for sustained development without depending much on the state government.”
The Newly established Edo State University according to the NUC Executive secretary is the 41st state university and 142nd University in Nigeria.