TheCable

The government of President Muhammadu Buhari is working toward establishing six new universities of science and technology, Adamu Adamu, minister of education, has said.

The minister disclosed this at a forum in Abuja on Tuesday, saying they would be located in the six geo-political zones.

Adamu said the future of the world depended on science and technology.

“This government has already decided to even add more; it is going to establish six new universities of science and technology,” he said.

“And at the lower level, there will be a technical school in each state of the federation and then vocational centres at the wards and local government levels.

“You know, we have a problem of access; if you look at it last year, one million people sat for the universities but only 150,000 were taken.

“So, we still need to build more universities to create more space for those who want to get in.

“And then the fact that the six new universities are being created for science and technology underscores the decision by the government to put more emphasis on science.

“Whether we agree or not, oil has limited time before it finishes; the whole economies of the world are going towards the knowledge economy.

“Actually, it is the cultivation of Science, Technology and Engineering studies that will hold the economy in the future.”

He said over the years, the government had laid emphasis on science and technology by giving more access to students in such fields.

Adamu recalled that during the tenure of Babs Fafunwa, a former minister of education, it was agreed that the ratio of science to arts should be 60 to 40.

The minister noted that ever since, the policy had been carried out by successive governments, adding that it remained the stance of the current administration.