The West Africa Students Union has called for improved access of tertiary education to all qualified candidates.

The group stated that there could not be sustainable development without access to sound and qualitative education.

WASU Secretary-General, Mr. Bamikole Babs, said this in an interview with our correspondent on Monday after attending an educational seminar and leadership recognition summit in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

He also said that education should be a right of all qualified students rather than the preserve of some students.

Babs canvassed for more funding of the education sector, more scholarship for deserving students, better learning environment and infrastructure and provision of more qualified lecturers as well as regular update of the knowledge and skills of lecturers in tertiary institutions across West Africa.

He appealed to other stakeholders to assist government in improving education in the sub- region.

According to him, WASU decided to acknowledge the contributions of the Founder, Alhaji Dauda Okoh Okerekere Education Foundation, for investing huge resources in education and for providing scholarships for many indigent students across West Africa.

Earlier, Dauda had said that tertiary institutions should be involved in more researches and development that would positively impact the society.

He opined that education in Nigeria was more theoretical than practical.

According to him, there is the need to make education more practical and problem-solving.

He also appealed to the government and other stakeholders to collaborate more to increase access to education to many qualified and interested indigent students.

"I do not know any university in Nigeria that ensures that money dedicated to research and development gets there. Our universities are more theoretical. They do not really train people to be self-reliant. Many graduates are not well trained.

"We need to review the school curriculum and make it in line with our societal needs. We have engineers who find it difficult to compete with their contemporaries from abroad. Some even studied Computer Science and they never even know what a PC looks like.

"We should put round pegs in round holes. We should make sure that our universities are well equipped