By Mercy Osajiugo
Edu-soko University in Bida, Niger State, has called on the Federal Government to consider supporting private universities by way of obtaining research funds, grants and other benefits enjoyed by their counterparts in public universities.
The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Dr Aliyu Muhammed, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bida on Monday.
Muhammed said that private universities are also rendering social services to the nation and complementing the public universities across the country.
According to him, graduates from private universities are contributing immensely to every sector of the economy and as such needs to be supported with grants and funds.
“A lot is being done through Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) by the Federal Ministry of Education to fund researches and provide infrastructures in public Tertiary institutions.
“We want the same gesture to be replicated here as this will go a long way in fast-tracking our development as well as give the students and lecturers a sense of equality,” he said.
The VC also said that resource persons from the National University Commission (NUC) will be visiting the school in April for resource inspection of new courses.
“We are planning to introduce new courses in Nursing, Public Health, Cyber Security, Computer Science, Laboratory Science, Technology and software engineering.
“When these courses are accredited by the NUC, we shall admit students into the new departments and this will ease pressure on large number of students seeking admission into Nigerian universities,” he said.
Similarly, he said, Edu-soko University has begun negotiations with Public Private Partnership (PPP) for adequate hostel accommodation as the student population increases.
Also speaking, the Registrar, Hajia Azumi-Salamatu Ndayeko, a former Deputy Registrar at Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, applauded the Pro-Chancellor, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, for his vision.
She said that the Pro-Chancellor will soon inaugurate members of the Endowment Fund Board of Trustees to raise funds for Edu-soko university to propel its development.
“When we are able to raise the desired funds, this will help the school to put many things in order structurally while we continue to call on the Federal government to support us,” she said.
Ndayeko also said that officials from Turkish and Indian institutions visited the university for consultancy and possible teaching staff exchange, saying this will benefit Edu-soko students and the teaching staff at large.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, who is the Etsu Nupe, is the Pro-Chancellor of Edu-soko University.
He founded the private university in 2021 after securing the licence and approval from the NUC. The university has over 200 students and will be graduating its first set in 2025. (NAN)