By Samuel Oamen
After a long interface between the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the duo recently sealed a fresh deal on accreditation of architecture programs in all Nigerian polytechnics and others.
Both agreed recently, and the deal was sealed via a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) endorsed by them.
The MoU among others have led both parties to establish a credible and time-tested accreditation process in the country.
Although the process had been on for many years, the deal was finally signed few weeks ago.
The brief ceremony was in the presence of Dr. Adamu Kazaure, the immediate past Executive Secretary, NBTE and Arc. (Sir) Dipo Ajayi, President, ARCON and other senior members of both parties.
Ajayi, who was visibly elated, said he was satisfied with the agreement, adding that, it is dream comes true and that since the government recognizes both parties, they cannot afford to be working at cross-purposes.
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ARCON president said it was high time both parties work more closely towards lifting architecture in Nigeria.
Besides their mandates, the MoU now empowers both parties to jointly accredit and approve programmes for training technologists, technicians and craftsmen as well as middle level and skilled manpower for the nation.
Now, all products of architecture in those ARCON’s accredited institutions will be registered as architectural technologists, and they will be certified accordingly.
Endorsed by Arc. Umar Murnai, Registrar, ARCON and Kazaure, the MoU specifies that visitations to polytechnics, colleges of technology, vocational and innovation enterprise institutions, technical colleges and similar institutions for purposes of accreditation, re-accreditation, resources inspection and advisory visits shall be undertaken jointly by NBTE and ARCON appointed representatives for each programme.
The programmes of visitation to the institutions, it was stated shall be drawn up by NBTE at the beginning of each year or periodically, while ARCON will be informed and given adequate time to confirm the schedules and to appoint its representatives for each programme.
However, all schedules shall be forwarded to ARCON at least four weeks before the commencement date.
A joint template for accreditation, which shall encompass the academic and professional aspects of the training shall be evolved and used for uniformity purpose
Programmes of visitation to the institutions shall be funded by NBTE.
ARCON also shall receive the report of all accreditation visits conducted to architecture programmes in polytechnics, colleges of technology, vocational and innovation enterprise institutions and technical colleges via its representatives and consider the final outcome as deemed appropriate.
Normally, the MoU stated that team members of any accreditation visit to an architecture programme should be made up of fully registered architects and architectural
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