Give NUC Full Control of Varsity Budgets, JAMB Registrar Tells Federal Government
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has urged the Federal Government to grant the National Universities Commission (NUC) full control over the budgets of public universities. Oloyede believes this move would enhance institutional autonomy and improve financial management within the sector.
In an interview on the ‘Inside Sources’ show with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, monitored by LEADERSHIP, Professor Oloyede emphasized that the current mechanisms for funding universities require restructuring. He suggested that instead of individual universities presenting their budgets independently, the NUC should take charge of budget coordination for all public universities in the country.
He argued, “The National Universities Commission (NUC), for example, should be left alone to run the universities. Hold the NUC responsible for the management of the universities.”
Recalling his experience as a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Oloyede shared insights into the effectiveness of the university’s Annual Review System, which previously determined budgets based on student enrollment across disciplines. He expressed confidence that giving the NUC responsibility for university budgets would better achieve the desired autonomy for universities.
“When the NUC was in charge, things were done well. I strongly believe that the autonomy we are talking about for our universities can be better achieved if we allow the NUC to coordinate affairs,” he added.
Oloyede also criticized the current process where universities independently defend their budgets before the National Assembly. He noted that this system is often influenced by lobbying and political connections, which he said skews the fair distribution of funding.
“Now, every university goes to the National Assembly for their budget defence, and the more weight you can pull, the more funding you get. The NUC should determine the parameters, including student numbers, and defend the budget at the National Assembly and the Ministry of Education,” he stated.
Additionally, Oloyede proposed that a more centralized approach to funding could ensure the fair allocation of resources, especially for professional programs like Medicine. He suggested that funding should be based on the actual cost of training each student, taking into account both capital and recurrent expenditures.
He explained, “We could get to a level where we say University of Abuja, you are producing XY medical doctors—what does it take to train one medical doctor? We calculate the total cost, and both capital and recurrent expenditure won’t be our business. We must build research into it to ascertain the amount.”
Professor Oloyede’s remarks come amidst growing concerns over the financial sustainability of Nigeria’s university system and the need for greater accountability in the funding of higher education in the country.
