The President Tinubu-led government says the suspension of the kick-off of the operations of the new universities approved in the twilight of then President Buhari administration is due to funding issues.
The Nigerian government has put on hold the kick-off of operations of new federal universities approved in the twilight of the past administration of then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, disclosed this after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said this was in recognition of the funding needed to ensure effective and efficient running of educational programmes of the universities.
The Buhari administration had approved the licensing of 37 new universities in the country a few days to the handing over date.
"A number of these new universities were approved by the past administration in its twilight. After much consideration, President Tinubu felt their take-off should be staggered.
"It's not that the universities will be scrapped but that they would be looked at in terms of their areas of strength and advantages to the students.
"The focus of education of the new administration will be on the skills that such institutions would impact on the youths.
"We desire a university where students can graduate with skills that are not only beneficial to them but to the economic growth of the nation," he said.
The minister said that the government was equally looking at the challenges of states not being able to access the Universal Basic Education Board funds.
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He said the president has approved a review of the funding to allow for quicker and more access to the fund by states.
Industrial disputes
Mr Mamman also said that the pending issues between the federal government and staff of tertiary institutions were being discussed with the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
He said that the president had also approved the meeting of players in the education sector schedule to hold on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the conference would chart a new course for the education sector in the country in line with the administration's Renewed Hope Agenda.
NAN reports that on 15 May, the outgone Buhari administration approved the establishment of 37 new private universities nationwide.
NAN reports that the approval brings the total number of universities approved for establishment under the Buhari-led government to 72.
They include 14 federal universities, 21 state universities and 37 private universities from 2015 to date.
NAN reports that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has given provisional licences to the newly established 37 universities.
(NAN)
