Osogbo — Vice-Chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUT ECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Professor Babatunde Adeleke, at the weekend said for the nation's universities to measure up with world universities, there was the need for increase in funding and infrastructural facilties of university education in the country.

Adeleke, in a chat with newsmen in Osogbo, said the country was blessed with a lot of human resources that could be used to develop the nation's university system, but inadequate finance on the part of the goverment has remained an obstacle.

According to him,"most of the facilities on ground are old and irreplaceable, but if funds are available, the sky will be the limit."

He said "when funds are available, there will be opportunity for staff to go for research, which will help universities to attain its status among other universities of the world."

Adeleke, who spoke against the backdrop of the recent ratings of the nation's university that they cannot match up with 50 universities in the world, said inadequate funding and lack of infrastructural facilities in the nation's universities that had debarred many of the students from performing up to standard, because many of them are not exposed to practicals and research.

This, he said, has affected students from matching up with their counterparts in neighbouring countries of the world, he said, adding that " in LAUTECH,Ogbomoso, we have been able to perform well due to availability of funds for from the two owner states, Oyo and Osun.

He said "the development has earned the institution the best state university in the country, as a result of the commitment of staff and students since it was established almost 10 years ago."

He called on goverment to rise up to the demands of the nation's universities in the area of funds and infrastructural facilities, to enhance the development of university education.