By Fawaz Adebisi
In a decisive move, the National Assembly has pledged to bring an end to the frequent disruptions of academic activities in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
According to PM News, the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Education assured the nation of this commitment during a session where Vice Chancellors of federal universities and Prof. Chris Maiyaki, Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), defended their 2024 Budget.
Co-chaired by Sen. Dandutse Muntari and Rep. Abubakar Fulata, the Joint Committee also promised to address complaints stemming from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and recruitment challenges faced by universities.
Sen. Muntari, emphasizing the pivotal role of education in national development, expressed the committee’s determination to examine and resolve the challenges confronting universities.
He underscored that Nigeria possesses abundant resources to excel in education.
Rep. Fulata echoed this sentiment, stating that the lawmakers are committed to ensuring Nigerian universities gain international recognition and value.
He also assured a thorough investigation into the complications arising from IPPIS and the recruitment process.
Identifying inadequate funding, recruitment challenges, and IPPIS as major obstacles, Prof. Maiyaki remained optimistic that, with the support of the National Assembly, the pressing issues affecting Nigerian university education would be effectively tackled.
Speaking on behalf of the Vice Chancellors, Prof. Sagir Abbas of Bayero University Kano commended the lawmakers for their dedication to addressing challenges in the Nigerian university education system.
He highlighted the cumbersome approval process for university hiring and emphasized the need to address IPPIS challenges as crucial steps toward resolving their issues.
In response to concerns about power supply, the lawmakers challenged universities to conduct research aimed at achieving stable electricity at a reduced cost.
