Novena VC advocates improved funding of varsities

VICE chancellor, Novena University, Delta State, Prof Chris Aniche Okorafor has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently address the issue of university funding so as to reposition the sector for improved performance.

He decried a situation where education fails to make the priority list of government budgeting in a developing country like Nigeria, describing such as scandalous and unethical. The vice chancellor who spoke at the 4th combined convocation of the institution urged government to restrategise its educational policy to favour private universities.

Specifically, Prof Okorafor sought the inclusion of private institutions in Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND) and other intervention grants to enable them do better in their contribution to the nation’s economic growth and development, a task which he believes functional and proximate pri- vate universities will fare better in achieving.

The pro- chancellor, Dr. Chuks Ochonogor reminded that universities in Nigeria would contribute more to national growth if government at all levels adequately fund education.

Ochonogor then challenged Nigerian universities to be more commercially resourceful and creative so as to proactively re-engineer the society for more positive development.

He also used the opportuni- ty to announce the birth of the university’s college of law set to commence academic activities in the current 2018/2019 academic session.

The university’s chancellor, King Alfred Diette Spiff pointed out that sustainable development can only be achieved if the enormous resources of government are channeled towards the support of a functional educational system where no section of the society is politically estranged.