No-strike-system took a lot of experimental journey

The Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali spoke with cross section of reporters during the week on sundry issues at the institution's in Ilorin, Kwara State. PILOT EDUCATION was there. Excerpt.

Alleged Rape on Campus Let me seize this opportunity to categorically inform parents and Nigerians that there is no iota of truth in that rumour of rape on our campus. We have a very robust security system that combines modern way of policing with our own traditional outfit. Since we started the synergy between the two of them, we have been getting positive result. So, the rumour is not true. We lost a lady based on normal sickness. She was admitted in our university clinic for about three or four days. When they found the condition deteriorating they rushed her to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, unfortunately there was strike by health workers. In the process of trying another clinic, she gave up. That incident coincided with rumour of rape going about. So, there is no element of truth in that. University Fund Accessing, Research Grants In terms of fund assessment, I think we have been very successful over the last two years. As a matter of fact, I think we have a little money left with TETFUND now. So, the UNILORIN has been able to access its allocation as far as funding from government is concerned. Regarding research funding, we have made our mark especially within the last one year. In the last research grants awarded by TETFUND, UNILORIN was the university that got the highest research grants. We submitted 20 applications and about six of our researchers succeeded, and that formed the highest number of people who got the research grants during that exercise. I think a total number of 15 grants were awarded; for one university to obtain six and left the remaining 10 for 114 universities, it means we have tried very well. Expulsion of Students Let me share this secret, the university management usually feels very sad when we have to resort to asking students to leave. But all the same, University of Ilorin was established to produce graduates worthy in characters and learning, despite their academic excellence and if we feel character-wise they have refused to be modelled, we are left with no choice than to ask them to go. The rate of our expulsion is not too high on the sacrifice of those that are affected is not too high when you compare it on the number of students we have. We have about 35,000 students. When parents asked their wards to come into the university, it means their welfare is under our custody each and every one of them. This means we have to monitor every one of them and if we find one of them as a threat to the majority, then, sadly we ask that person to go. The university has zero tolerance for cultism, examination malpractices, and abnormal dressing. But, having said that, the severity of the punishment on vices varies: for example, hardly do we expel students based on dress code; they are other forms of punishment available to them. But for cultism and examinations malpractices, we have zero tolerance. When it comes to reporting the punishment, we restrict the details to parents because if and when anybody is expelled either the guardian or the parents are informed of the details of the person's offence. We avoid over publicising it. For security reasons, we inform the university community when a student is expelled. JAMB CBT as threat to Universities Post-JAMB In terms of Computer-Based Test, UNILORIN was the first university to start it and I'm glad that it has been embraced nationwide most especially by JAMB. The JAMB did the CBT fully this year; it was done in half last year. So, let give JAMB couple of trials more and then as the Registrar of JAMB said once the confidence is restored many universities will review the need for post-JAMB. But in the meantime, we will continue to watch each other and see how consistent the board would be in handling its CBT. Incessant Strike by institutions On what to tell government on how to avert strike based on our experience, there is no one solution to solve it all. I just feel each university should look at its own environment and work out the best way to keep the system going. We can’t say what we experience here at the University of Ilorin should be replicated in all other universities. It may not work. It took us a lot of experimental journey before we arrived where we are. But I will just urge the government and other universities to look inward, assess and re-assess their strategies and come out with something that is workable for them. Nigerian varsities' positions in ranking Well, in terms of ranking of the university, I wouldn't say the standard of education in Nigeria is falling. It is a matter of keying into the best practices in the world. When it comes into ranking of universities so many variables are used; the age of the university, the amount of asset you have, the amount of laurels you have in your university, how much you are able to attract in terms of research, the visibility of the university in the web, the ICT capacity, the numbers of your students, research and other academics activities that go on your campus. So, we have so many variables used by various ranking bodies. It is matter of beefing up those areas by respective universities. In terms of the standard, if you go to anywhere outside Nigerians you find Nigerians doing well in their activities and if they have been found wanting they would have taken corporate decisions that anybody coming from Nigeria or anybody with Nigeria certificate should not be employed. Without that, it means they have found the quality of our graduates to be high and comparable to theirs. If you go to Canada, USA and others you find Nigerians engaging in academic activities and occupying a high pedestal in those places. They still admire the quality of our graduates despite under atmosphere they have been trained. Expectations from Buhari's government I respect the new administration and based on the antecedent of the person we all elected to lead us I have no doubt in my mind that he will lead us to an enviable destination.