By Funmilayo Adeyemi
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the establishment of additional three universities in Imo to address the challenges of admission in the country.
The universities are: University of Science and Technology, Omuna Isiako, University of Creative Technology, Umuna and the University of Medical Sciences, Ogboko.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with the additional three universities, Imo now have five universities, the only state with the highest number of universities in the country.
Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, Executive Secretary of the commission, while receiving the master plan, Academic brief and Environmental impact analysis from Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo on Tuesday in Abuja, said the universities would meet the needs of the country.
Rasheed noted that the commission would move into action on how to develop the curriculum for the universities to be allowed to commence operations in the university of creativity.
“On behalf of the NUC, I congratulate the Imo governor on his efforts in supporting university education in the country.
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“By the provision of the law establishing NUC and by the power converged on me and having Imo House of Assembly to pass the law for the establishment of the universities, I hereby recognise the three universities.
“What will be left is due diligence of the NUC for the take-off programmes of the newly established universities.
“We will have to quickly work on how to develop the curriculum for the universities to be allowed to commence,” he said.
Earlier, Okorocha explained that the need to satisfy more candidates seeking for admission informed the establishment of the universities.
Okorocha noted that there was need for more manpower to handle the medicals, sciences and the creative sector of the country.
“The challenges of no admission for our children will be reduced with the establishment of the new universities.
“The support from NUC is encouraging public private participation in university education.
“As a state, we have made adequate plans in sustaining the university through enough funding to run the universities,” he said.
The governor, however, added that the state had made education a pivot point with which other sectors could thrive, hence the need for adequate funding of education.
“Education is a matter of priority. If Federal, State and Local Governments can prioritise education, then funding will not be a problem.
“The danger of not allowing children to go to school is enormous, in other words, this project has been on for the past five years.
“It is about the vision to give free education to the people. We should not be depending on the government for funding, we are ready to take up the funding of the universities,” he said.
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