ON Wednesday, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor,  University of  Ibadan, Professor Olufemi Bamiro  officially vacated the office for the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folorunso Adewole, having completed his five year-tenure  hitch-free.

At  an interactive meeting held with the media to mark his exit as the chief executive officer of the university, Professor Bamiro re-emphasised the need for  re-engineering and restructuring of open university education system vis-a-vis distance learning programme, for its effective functioning in the country.

According to him, the development would go a long way in reducing the  increasing number of admittable but not admitted candidates applying for admission into tertiary institutions in the country  yearly.

‘’The establishment of more universities  may not have much effect in the sense that  it is from  the existing universities in the country that  the proposed universities would source for workers, especially  the lecturers. It is sad to note that Nigerian universities are under staffed in terms of lecturers.

So, if Nigeria would promote and manage its open univesity system adequately as obtained in some advanced or some few developing countries, some of the higher education problems would be half solved.

You need to know some of the problems we are facing in terms of admission. We have more than what we can absorb. This explains why some parents and  candidates go to any length to ensure that they get admission,’’ he said, adding that the development of  Information Communication Technology (ICT) would enhance the  operations of distance learning programmes in the country.

Professor Bamiro decried the incessant academic instability confronting public universities in Nigeria, as he appealed to all the stakeholders within the system to find other means of expressing their grievances without paralysing the system.

While thanking God for  the successful completion of his tenure, Professor Bamiro declared that the prayers of Muslim and the Christian communities on campus enhanced his performance. According to him, University of Ibadan is a praying institution and it has really helped the progress of the institution.

‘’Moreover, success is a  joint efforts So, all what could be refered to as achievements in my administration   were  results of  team work. I made bold to say that I had good team that worked with me, ‘’ he said.