Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose has reiterated his commitment to the return of the scrapped University of Science and Technology, Ifaki-Ekiti, and the University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, saying the scrapping of the two universities was a disservice to Ekiti people.
Speaking through the director general of Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, AFCO, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, the governorship candidate said, “Governor Kayode Fayemi denied thousands of Ekiti youths the opportunity of gaining admission into the university by merging the three universities that he met in the State into one.”
“For instance, if the National University Commission, NUC, quota for Ekiti indigenes was 40 per cent in each of the three universities and each of the universities is to admit 2,000 students, the population of Ekiti indigenes that will be admitted into the universities will be 2,400 out of 6,000 to be admitted. But with the merger, only 800 will get admission into Ekiti State University, EKSU, because NUC will not increase the quota because three universities were merged into one.
“Also, by the merger, Ekiti State is being shortchanged in terms of access to funds from federal government Education intervention agency like Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund.
“Between 2010 and 2014, University of Nigeria, Nsukka alone was able to access N4.3billion from TETFund, and as at the time USTI was scrapped, the university had attracted over N1billion intervention fund from TETFund.
“Also, as at the time USTI was scrapped, the university already had an arrangement with Semyung University, Jecheon City, Chungbuk, South Korean to run an exchange programme that will enable the students the opportunity of earning dual certificates. 36 students of USTI were already billed to travel to South Korea for the programme before the university was scrapped.
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