President Bola Tinubu is interested in a stable academic calendar for tertiary institutions in the country, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, reveals.
The minister also stated that preparations were in the pipeline to examine the country’s institution’s security infrastructure.
Mamman, who spoke at an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors in Abuja on Monday, also stated that the government boosted salaries in tertiary institutions as part of its commitment to the academic community’s welfare.
The minister also challenged the committee to include Nigerian universities in the list of global institutions that use science and technology to solve challenges.
He also stated that, in terms of energy, initiatives had been taken to power the universities through gas-powered facilities, utilizing the government’s PPP window.
“The scheme is intended to start with 18 universities in the first instance, and the shortlisted universities will be contacted at the appropriate stage of the project.
“The centrality of the power to service delivery, research, and cost savings cannot be overemphasized.
“Due to the recognition of the centrality of the education sector, a committee was set up to provide a roadmap to guide policy, provide implementation plans, deliverables, and key performance indicators.
“And the timeline was put in place, and the report of the committee is expected to be submitted this month,” he said.
“The government is also keenly interested in having a stable academic calendar for appropriate learning, research, collaboration, and student exchange to take place,” he added.
Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, Secretary General of the CVCNU, who also spoke at the event, offered a brief history of the committee since its inception in 1962, noting that the University of Ibadan has remained the sole university with the largest number of vice-chancellors since its inception.
