Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has bemoaned the educational backwardness he claimed is prevalent in the Northern region of the country.
Speaking at the public presentation of Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) Book 1 series for Nigerian universities and a book in his honour in Abuja on Tuesday, May 16, Adamu said the educational backwardness is prevalent because the North’s interest is Islam.
He also said the National Universities Commission (NUC) drive for more private universities in the country, is paying off following the establishment of more institutions in Northern Nigeria in recent times.
The Minister also revealed that out of the 37 new private universities approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday, May 15, a large of them are situated in the North.
Adamu said;
“The North is in self-imposed educational backwardness because the interest of the North is Islam, and Islam is the greatest promulgator of knowledge.
“In 859 AD, one Fatima Al-Fihri (sic), a woman-Muslim woman established the first university in the world, at the time, the Italian universities, Oxford, and Cambridge universities have not started, the first university still existing there, it is now in Morocco.
“About 100 years after that one, another university was established, the second university in the world before the universities of Europe, in Cairo and just like the first one, this university was established by a Muslim woman, Fatimatu Zahara.
“So the first two universities in the world were established by Muslim women and here people are using Islam to keep women at home. I think it does not make sense.”