Seriake Dickson, the Bayelsa State governor, said in a press
statement that the new educational institution is a public-private
partnership.
A new tertiary
institution, University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Bayelsa, has been approved
for establishment by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The development was contained in a press release issued on Saturday, July 30, 2016, by Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson.
The statement, which carried the intent of the government, reads, "The
approval of the university followed the formal presentation of
relevant gazette law, academic brief, physical master-plan as well as
the satisfactory report of the advisory resource assessment visit by the
commission."
According to Dickson, the
institution will be funded through a public-private partnership, with
the government providing the environment for the school to thrive.
It
is expected to attract worldwide involvement of those seeking quality
education and others willing to facilitate such a venture.
“I
am here leading this small delegation to present to you these laws
passed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, establishing a new
university working with the private sector.
“It
will be run on a public private partnership (PPP), basis. Unlike the
existing one, it will not be directly funded by the state.
“Our belief is that for a university to be sustainable, we must create room for private sector participation and involvement.
“The
University of Africa, Toru-Orua, is the first of its kind in this
country to be established by government with private sector
involvement.
“It will be strictly a fee paying tertiary institution that will attract students from across the continent and the globe.
“It will be the model as we encourage more private universities in this country’’, the governor said.
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