Priority given to Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by administrators of tertiary institutions in the country is greatly affecting the quality of education, Presidential Visitation Panels for Tertiary Institutions have said.
The chairman of the panel to the University of Abuja, Bukar Aji, who spoke on behalf of chairmen of visitation panels of 88 institutions disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on April 13, inaugurated the visitation panels of 38 federal universities, four Inter-University centers, 25 polytechnics, and 21 Colleges of Education to review the performance of institutions, following agitation by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) about governance deficit in the institutions, as well as the Independence Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) report of high-level unwholesome practice in some universities.
The panels were to review the performance of the institutions in the areas of governance, standards, quality assurance, management of finances, and the relationship between management and staff.
They were also to look at the assessment of the condition of physical infrastructure and quality of instruction as well as instructional facilities and advise the government accordingly.
The panels’ assignment covered a 10-year period, which was presented in separate five-year reports.
Aji said that at the inauguration of the panels, the committees took it upon themselves to address all 11 terms of reference given to the panel.
“We painstakingly took time to X-ray the entire university management and did our forensic work to come up with the report,” he said.
“We took time as a panel to see the extent of the white paper of the last visitation panel and we observed areas of disappointment.
“From approval of the last white paper at the University of Abuja, only about 45 percent of the recommendations was implemented which may not be a pass mark.
“From the recommendation that came out from our reports, it has been observed that the priorities given IGR are affecting qualities in our various institutions,” he said.
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Chukuemeka Nwajiuba, promised that adequate attention would be given to the recommendations resulting from the report.
He said a sub-committee would be set up to look into the white paper that would be drawn from the recommendation.
