The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has promised to work toward ending recurring strikes in Nigerian universities.
Rep. Abubakar Fulata, the Chairman of the Committee, made this known at a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission (NUC) and Vice-Chancellors of federal universities in Abuja on Tuesday.
“This kind of meeting is necessary considering the fact that it is a new government, new assembly, new committee, and new committee’s leadership,” he said.
He said the House leadership had created six committees out of the previous two for quality oversight.
Fulata said that the committee was working toward ensuring quality, reliability, easy access, and a rewarding university education.
“It is unfortunate that university education today is facing serious challenges spanning strike actions, cultism, insecurity, drug pedalling, and immoral acts,’’ he said.
He said the challenges required collective efforts to address them, including the intervention of the committee and the contributions of all well-meaning Nigerians.
In his response, the acting Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Chris Maiyaki, said that Nigerian universities were faced with lots of challenges.
He expressed confidence that, with the commitment of National Assembly, some of the problems would be addressed.
Prof Folasade Ogunsola, who spoke on behalf of the Vice-Chancellors, said that Nigerian universities had the potential to emerge as the best in Africa.