The Pro-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko Mr Tunji Abayomi has revealed the several issues regarding the University has attracted various controversies from the public in recent times. This was revealed in an interview with Mr Femi Salako of the Triangle News Magazine.
According to the Pro- Chancellor, the general standard of University education in Nigeria has reduced greatly in the last decade over the inability of the government to adequately fund the Universities across the nation as the funds allocated to State government have greatly reduced which has affected the state’s funding of its various Universities.
“ If you look at our situation in Adekunle Ajasin University as an example, the University gets 148 millions, we pay salary of 280 millions as subvention every month to discharge its obligations and the government is complaining because it has three Universities and one Polytechnic”
He explained that as a result of the dip in the nation’s economy the State government has intensify it efforts to keeping the state’s economy afloat in spite of the economy dip by ensuring it seeks other viable ways to growing its internally generated revenue.
In his words,” For our University to be rated high and able to really function in terms of education, it needs good professors, library, laboratory, environment, water must be in hostels, but we are financially stressed out”
Mr Tunji Abayomi also added that the University is faced with various challenges which hovers around money, according to him,” the demands, confrontations and conflicts is all about money and it is understandable. The Union are after all established to fight for their own interests, either for the purpose of their salaries” he added that the University is owing many of its staffs salaries which is as a result of the outbreak of the novel virus, Covid-19. According to him he is actively working with the Union as the Pro-Chancellor to find an understanding relationship.
Discussing the tuition hike in the University, he stated that,” during the 2017 convocation, the Executive Governor said there will be an increase in tuition fees, the only issue is the haste in proposition to increase the school fees as it’s not consistent with the practical reality”
He explained that the minimum increase that will sustain the University based on professionally assessment as studied is 150 thousands with full subvention of 250 million which when reviewed the Governor and the governor council of AAUA eventually pegged it at 80 thousands as a minimum which is about 50% of the amount which can sustain the University