The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised concerns regarding the increasing number of first-class graduates emerging yearly from private universities across Nigeria.
During an event held to celebrate the tenure of Professor Andy Egwunyenga as Vice Chancellor of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, emphasized the potential ramifications of this trend.
He cautioned that if public universities were to adopt similar practices without appropriate regulation, the integrity of academic standards in the country could be compromised.
Professor Osodeke observed that this issue is exacerbated by primary and secondary schools producing students who, despite achieving exceptional grades, lack a sufficient depth of knowledge.
Furthermore, Professor Osodeke criticized the widespread emigration of skilled Nigerian professionals to countries with more favorable working and living conditions. He attributed this "brain drain" phenomenon to serious systemic issues within the nation's institutions, citing incidents such as frequent building collapses as indicative of these underlying challenges.
“In the past, academics could maintain a reasonable standard of living; however, the current situation has significantly deteriorated. ASUU must revitalize its efforts in advocating for fairness and justice within the academic sector,” Professor Osodeke stated.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is a Nigerian union representing university academic staff, established in 1978. ASUU emerged as an offshoot of the Nigerian Association of University Teachers (NAUT), which was founded in 1965. At its inception, NAUT comprised only five universities, namely the University of Ibadan, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, the University of Ife, and the University of Lagos.