http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/27244.html

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has described the creation of 12 new universities by the Federal Government as “the politicisation of the university education system.”

Addressing reporters yesterday after its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the Federal University of Technology in Owerri (FUTO), the Imo State capital, ASUU National President Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie said though the new schools may have met some political exigencies, it would have been better to upgrade the 28 existing federal universities.

Awuzie said: “The level of dilapidation of infrastructure at these schools demands a huge infusion of funds to bring them to acceptable international standards.

“If the funding of existing universities is not substantially improved and sustained, the creation of new ones will further worsen the condition of the university system.”

Awuzie said existing universities lack about 30,000 staff, stressing that the N1.6 billion take off grant for each of the new varsities would solve many problems of the old schools.

On the implementation of the FG/ASUU Salary Agreement in state universities, which caused a protracted strike in the Southeast, he said only Cross River was yet to implement the agreement and urged the state to implement it.

ASUU thanked the Federal Ministry of Education, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and National Universities Commission (NUC) for their roles towards the implementation the agreement.