The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, has warned that the government should stop the discrimination between public and private universities in funding research else, Nigeria may not benefit fully from its results.
Speaking with reporters at the university’s library, the VC noted that the country may not reap any benefit from research if it failed to put proper structures in place.
“For research to serve Nigeria well, there must be a structure, there must be a challenge for each research centre to address and in the case of failure to meet their target, there should be consequences. This will discourage nepotism and enhance result-driven goals.
“There is a need for collaboration among universities in Nigeria, no one school can do it all. We must acknowledge that a school is better in a field and also celebrate our scientists, instead of waiting for them to go abroad and be celebrated.
“Private universities don’t enjoy TETFUND at all, and before they can, the National Assembly will have to amend the act to accommodate them. We must stop the discrimination, research effort does not choose to come whether from a public or private school. Research output emerges from the national effort, so, our discrimination may not help the national research enterprise at all.
“As university administrators, we do not have to wait for the National Universities Commission to overhaul the national curriculum, the body has set a Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) for each school to surpass. So, it is the responsibility of schools to look inward and develop a standard for itself,” he said.
Ogunwole also stressed that efforts geared towards improving education.
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