Re: FG approves 8 new universities

Thank you Daily Trust for putting the story on the new private universities in perspective. It really shows the state of education in the North. The North West, North Central and North East combined have only 14 private universities, while the South West has 31, more than twice the northern total. South East and South […]

Thank you Daily Trust for putting the story on the new private universities in perspective. It really shows the state of education in the North. The North West, North Central and North East combined have only 14 private universities, while the South West has 31, more than twice the northern total. South East and South South have 12 each.
Breaking down the numbers further, as effectively done by the Daily Trust infograph, the North Central has 11, while the North West and North East – derisively referred to as the core north – have one and two, respectively.
In the South West, Ogun has 9, Lagos 7, Osun 7, Oyo 4, Ondo 3 and Ekiti. In the South East, Enugu has 4, Anabra 4, Abia 2, Imo 1 and Ebonyi 1. In the South South, Edo has 4, Delta 4, Akwa Ibom 2, Rivers 1, Cross River 1 and Bayelsa 0.
Comparatively, in the North West, only Katsina has one, while Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa and Sokoto have none. In the North East, Adamawa and Taraba have one each, while Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Borno have none. In the North Central, Kwara has 4, Kogi 1, Benue 1, Nasarawa 1, while Niger and Plateau have none. The FCT, which is geographically in the North Central, has 4.
I remember Heritage University had the opportunity of being the first private university in the whole of Nigeria. But somehow, it fizzled out and never saw the light of the day.
This should serve as a wake-up call to our leaders in the North. As the most populated half of the country, there are so many opportunities and potentials to be tapped. Our elites can set up private universities even if the aim will be to make money, rather than having educated populace.
Right now, according to the United Nations Chlidren’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Nigeria has 10.5 million out-of-school children – the world’s highest number. Out of this number, 60 per cent of those children are in northern Nigeria. And we all know that these out of school children are out there roaming the streets as Almajirai.
Our leaders should see this as a challenge and do what is right. Without education, there can hardly be any opportunity in anything honourable, but crime and other evil ventures. A word is enough for the wise.
Amiru Halilu, Kaduna