Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said Nigeria needs more universities to tackle the problem of access to tertiary education in the country. The Governor also advocated an increase in the carrying capacity of existing institutions.
The Governor made this known during the official opening ceremony of the Aletheia University, Ago-Iwoye, saying that the opening of the institution represents a dream of a society where education is not just a privilege, but a right for everyone.
“Statistics show us that almost two million candidates apply for admission into our tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Out of this number, only about 800,000 are able to secure admission. This leaves a huge gap because of the limited carrying capacity of our various institutions.
“Therefore, there is an urgent need to tackle this problem of access through the approach of increasing increasing the carrying capacity of our institutions as well as establishing new ones.
“Definably, government alone can not handle this, hence, there is a need to establish more private institutions like this,” he said.
Prince Abiodun, while noting that his administration having recognized the transformative power of education, introduced the Ogun State Education Revitalization Agenda (OGSERA), which he said has made the state the only state in the country with the Learners Identification Number (LIN).
The Governor added that the LIN has enabled his administration to identify, and also follow the progress of students in the public primary and secondary schools in the state.
Abiodun also said that OGSERA would help transform education in the state, ultimately fostering a more skilled, knowledgeable and empowered generation ready to contribute to the state’s social economic development.
“The Ogun State Education Revitalization Agenda (OGSERA), stands as a testament to our determination to provide quality education that is accessible to all.