…urges wealthy Nigerians to patronise local universities
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has advised private university owners in the country to adjust their high tuition fees to the current economic situations in the country.
The JAMB boss also advised elites in the country to stop sending their children abroad for the first degree education.
The registrar said this on Thursday night in Abuja, during a training and sensitisation for admission officers and stakeholders from universities.
Oloyede added that the board would no longer consider students admitted by universities, who did not have the Ordinary Level and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination requirements.
He said, “Private universities have a challenge of high costs of school fees. I believe that the private universities are established for worthy purposes. In Nigeria, all of them claim they are not for profit but most of them are for profits. Let private institutions be declaring their status.
“’Not for profit’ means that they are doing it for public services and their charges will reflect that. When they are able to recover their overhead, I think they can be okay. But some are established, especially for making money. It is not a crime; but show us where you stand. The market forces will determine where students will be. What is happening is that the private universities must be realistic in taking into consideration the economic realities in the country. Otherwise, they will put themselves out of the market.
“I believe also that it is better for the elite in Nigeria to send their children to universities and higher education institutions in Nigeria. But they can go abroad for higher education.”
Oloyede added that the board had also introduced the Central Admissions Processing System to ensure “transparency and tracking” of the admissions carried out by the universities.