REASONS have been advanced why Nigerian universities occupy the rear positions in world rating.
Inclement environment, poor funding, lack of basic technology and erratic power supply are some of the factors that make varsities in the country to rank poorest globally, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Prof Hayward Babale Mafuyai said.
The vice chancellor dropped stated the reasons yesterday in his office while showcasing the breakthrough made by scientists of the institution in malaria drug research.
In the recent ranking of all universities across the globe, none of the 117 universities in Nigeria was rated among the best 100.
According to Mafuyai, “no university in Nigeria made the best 100 globally and this is not surprising giving the operating environment.
“There is no way a university in Nigeria can compete favourably with her counterparts in the developed world because our kind of environment is not conducive at all for serious academic endeavour.
“Everybody knows that Nigerian universities are facing the general problem of lack of funds, the country itself is technologically backward; our environment is not safe for meaningful research.
“No meaningful scientific work can be done without steady power supply due to the sensitivity of research works; the lack of adequate power alone has knocked the country off from cutting an edge in academic research and competition.
“This is coupled with security problem where academicians cannot work late in the night for fear of attack by cultists as well as the staff accommodation challenges of the universities.”
Urging the relevant authorities to reverse the trend, he said: “Let this be a challenge to the Federal Government that our universities require more attention if we must compete on global standard.
“There are quality Nigerian academicians at home and abroad. The difference is the working environment because Nigerian scientists have been making breakthroughs in various research outside the country.
“The outcome of research embarked upon by some scientists of the university in 2008 has yielded positive outcome with the cultivation of Artemisia annua, a plant used in the treatment of malaria.
“In spite of the unfavourable environment, the university, through its Center for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, got funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and the World Bank to conduct a research into the viability of using Artemisia annua plant to cure malaria.”
The vice chancellor informed that the institution has acquired 1300 hectares of land for the cultivation of the plant in commercial quantity for the production of malaria drugs.
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