The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Mr Sonny Echono, on Saturday urged both Federal and state governments to grant full autonomy to universities.
Echono made the call during a convocation lecture titled, ‘University Autonomy and the Challenge of Quality Tertiary Education in Nigeria,’ held at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
He stated that universities, as ivory towers, have three core mandates: teaching, research, and community service.
These roles require a level of independence to function effectively, according to him.
The TETFUND Executive Secretary argued that to carry out their functions, both federal and state-owned universities must be granted full autonomy, allowing them greater operational freedom.
Echono explained that university autonomy and academic freedom are separate but fundamental aspects of university operations, crucial for maintaining quality education and fostering academic growth.
He highlighted that the government’s current policy on university autonomy does not fully guarantee freedom, as it retains ultimate control through university governing councils.
