The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has applauded President Bola Tinubu for granting provisional licences for 11 new private universities.
Ogunbanjo expressed the hope that the approval would create more opportunities for Nigerians to acquire tertiary education.
“President Bola Tinubu has done very well. Candidates write UTME yearly; so, establishing more universities will cater for the need of more people seeking education.
“However, the Federal Government should ensure that the newly-approved institutions make education affordable in terms of fees, while adequate facilities should be on ground,” he said.
He said that the universities should give attention to research and devote adequate funds for it.
Mr Joe Ejiofor, Deputy Registrar at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, told NAN that the new universities would contribute to education development.
Ejiofor advised he institutions not to prioritise profit over education quality.
According to him, Nigeria hosts about 150 private universities.
“This expansion may challenge the NUC’s ability to effectively regulate and oversee the quality of education in the ever-growing private university sector,” he said.
Also, Dr Azeez Wahab, a former Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Yaba. called on the new institutions to live up to expectations.
Wahab noted that university operations required lots of funding for effective teaching and learning.
“It is advisable for them to engage the services of qualified staff,” he said.
He praised Tinubu for granting the licences.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, had on Monday announced the approval of the new universities.
He made the announcement after a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
The Minister said that the 11 universities fulfilled the requirements for the licences.
He listed the universities to include New City University, Ayetoro Ogun; University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State; Eranova University, Mabushi; Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun; and Abubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara.
The others are: Southern Atlantic University Uyo; Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara; Monarch University, Iyesi-Ota, Ogun; Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos State; and Kevin Eze University, Mgbowo, Enugu State