Education minister Tahir Mamman has committed to addressing fundamental issues in the nation’s education sector.

This is contained in a statement issued Wednesday by the secretary general of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), Yakubu Ochefu.

Mr Mamman assured the delegation that President Bola Tinubu, a visitor to all federal universities, is serious about turning the nation around through education.

“The ministry under his watch will address the fundamental structural issues from primary to tertiary education and work with all stakeholders to ensure that the sector is turned around,” stated Mr Mamman. 

The minister added, “A key focus for the universities will be aligning educational outcomes to national productivity, research innovation, and entrepreneurship among graduates to promote self-reliance and reduce dependence on white-collar jobs.”

He expressed the ministry’s commitment to improving university education in the country.

 The chair of the committee, Lilian Salami, conveyed her appreciation to the minister for allowing the delegation to officially congratulate him on his appointment as the first serving Vice-Chancellor to become a Minister of Education.

Ms Salami highlighted some key challenges universities face, including funding, staff recruitment, universities’ autonomy, aspects of university laws that conflict with other laws, and unending industrial disputes with university-based unions.

While presenting the committee’s report on ‘Challenges, Opportunities, and Sustainable Models for Nigerian Federal Universities’, Ms Salami said this would help to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing public and private universities.

She formally invited the ministers to the diamond jubilee celebration of the committee, which will take place from October 9 to 11 in Abuja.

Vice-chancellors who visited the minister included Kabiru Adeyemo (Lead City University), Dili Dogo (Nile University), Ibiyemi Bello (Lagos State University (LASU), Fatima Tahir (Bauchi State University) and Allen Agih (Niger Delta University).

Others were Barnabas Qurix (Bingham University), Mu’azu Abubakar (Federal University, Gusau), and Mr Ochefu.

(NAN)