FG abolishes admission policy on catchment area for varsities

The Federal Government has announced abolishment of the policy
of preference for catchment areas in admitting new students in
Federal Universities.

President Mohammadu Buhari announced this yesterday at the 45th
convocation ceremony of the University of Benin in Benin City.

The President who was represented by the Deputy Executive
Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Suleiman Yusuf,
therefore, directed all federal universities to ensure that every
local government, all states, and all geopolitical zones are
represented in their admission of the new entrance.

President Buhari warned that any institution found to go against
the directive would be sanctioned, adding that he has directed the
Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigeria
Universities Commission to ensure compliance commencing from the
2020 admission season.

President Buhari said the NUC and JAMB have been directed to
thereafter carry out a comprehensive student audits to ascertain
compliance.

”If you look at the demographics of the various Nigerian
universities, it reveals a preponderance of over localisation and
over indigenization with only a few universities including those
owned by the federal government having a semblance of national
institutions in terms of the national spread of their staff and
students population.

“Universities should be more broad-minded, less parochial and
eschew over indigenization.

“Government expects university managers to do a lot more with
less, given the economic reality confronting us as a nation today.
This calls for innovative and transparent management practices.

“Funding is not just about the quantum of fund disbursed to
universities, it also includes the judicious management of
available funds to ensure that we get more mileage on whatever
funds are expended”, he said.