Education Minister Tahir Mamman has called for the total overhauling of the higher education system to put tertiary institutions at par with others around the globe.

Mr Mamman made this known while declaring open the eighth edition of the “Libsense” open science symposium in Abuja on Wednesday with the theme:” Advancing Open Science and Collaboration: The Role of Stakeholders”.

The event is organised by the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) in partnership with the West and Central African Research Education Network (WACREN) and other partners.

Represented by the director of university education in the ministry, Rakiya Ilyasu, the minister said the ministry is committed to fostering the role of science through partnership from shared knowledge.

He noted that higher education was to produce manpower for the country’s development, but unfortunately, the education sector faces many challenges.

“It is, however, unfortunate that our higher education sub-sector is plagued with many challenges, such as inadequate funding, corruption, inadequate infrastructural facilities, shortage of academic staff, strike actions, brain-drain, poor research, weak governance, and insecurity, among others.

“You will agree with me that the higher education landscape in Nigeria requires a total overhaul so that it can effectively put Nigeria universities and other levels of tertiary institutions at par with others around the globe,” he said.

The minister added that President Bola Tinubu is aware of the challenges of Nigeria’s higher education and fully prepared to confront them headlong.

He said in addressing this information, the president decided to improve the education budget to 25 per cent with the right policies in place.

Also, the secretary general, CVCNU, Yakubu Ochefu, said there was a need to explore innovative ways for the country’s scientific future.

Similarly, the chief strategy officer, WACREN, Omo Oaiya, said the symposium would immensely benefit the Nigeria academy space as it would increase the visibility of research in the education sector.

(NAN)