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Tag: NUC

  • Why dons are relocating, by NUC boss

    Why dons are relocating, by NUC boss

    THE Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Julius Okojie, has lamented the rate at which Nigeria- trained professors are relocating abroad.

    He said they were relocating owing to lack of conducive environment for education to thrive in Nigeria.

    He added that the education system was facing problem of inadequate teachers, hence lack of quality.

    Okojie said he had discussed the situation with President Muhammadu Buhari for possible solution, adding that most of the professors making scientific breakthroughs abroad are Nigerians.

    The NUC boss said this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a four-day training on Internal Quality Assurance in West African (TrainlQAfrica), with the theme: “Quality assurance of teaching and learning in higher education institutes”.

    To achieve progress in the standard of learning, Okojie said quality must start from basic and secondary school levels.

    His words: “We need to improve on our standard.  Nobody regulates students again. No enough teachers in the system and we must address this sad development. I told President Muhammadu Buhari that we cannot be ranked with Yale University because of our research problems and quality assurance is an issue.

    “We must change our style of teaching. We are losing fast on these issues. I also told Mr. President that most of these professors, who are making waves abroad, are Nigerians. We must have a conducive environment for education to thrive. If you do not have a leader, who can carry people along, then there will be problem.

    “Quality depends on the approach that we have and teachers must assess themselves in the system.”

    Head of Press, Culture and Education Department, German Embassy, Abuja, Mrs. Kornelia Bitzer-Zenner, acknowledged that universities and institutions could not be compared due to lack of quality.

    She said there must be common quality standard in Africa for a meaningful progress.

    Mrs. Bitzer-Zenner advised experts on quality assurance from African countries participating at the training to take every deliberation serious for effective impartation.

     

  • Okebukola rates curriculum, teacher training method low

    Okebukola rates curriculum, teacher training method low

    Prof. Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary National Universities Commission (NUC), says the education curriculum and method of training teachers in Nigeria is defective and not in tune with modern trends in teaching.

    Okebukola said this on in his keynote address at a Colloquium on Education in Nigeria organised the Government Secondary School, Owerri, Old Boys Association on Thursday in Abuja.

    The theme of the colloquium is “A Review of the Education Sector in Nigeria and Recommendations for Sector-Wide Reforms.’’

    Okebukola, who also identified other challenges confronting the education sector, said that teachers’ preparation had been worsened by the Sandwich programmes.

    The former NUC boss said that the curriculum was cumbersome; learning facilities lacking, while students had become indolent.

    “The teacher factor in education is critical; the teacher has very low content, not deep in his subject.

    “I propose that education, as a degree programme should be for five years; you concentrate on your core subject for four years and on the fifth year, you concentrate on education – teaching skills.

    “Teachers must continue to upgrade themselves and run regular competence test; they should also have more time for teaching practice.

    “Students are no longer as diligent as they used to be; they do not read as they used to; they are now more inclined to social media.’’

    He said that the curriculum was laden with too many topics -`junks’’ which are not relevant to modern development.

    The professor of Science Education said that there was little room for projects and field work; opportunities for experiment and developing the skills of a scientist.

    According to him, Nigeria’s education curriculum needs to be trimmed to lay emphasis on 21st century skills.

    Okebukola also recommended the collapse of all higher education regulatory bodies into a Tertiary Education Council, to streamline operations and ensure fluency.

    Earlier in his address, Dr Joseph Nnorom, the association’s branch Chairman, said the colloquium was organized to mark the 80th anniversary of the school.

    He said that over the years, the Old Boys Association had given a lot to its alma mater but decided to give back to the larger society this year, hence the colloquium.

    “We decided to do this because we recognise that it is our school and in particular, our education in general that laid the foundation for whatever we have achieved today.

    “So, in a way, we want to give back something of enduring value to the society that nurtured us.

    “Without sound education, we and many generations to come are doomed; it is our fervent hope that recommendations that will have far reaching effects on the future of our society are articulated in this colloquium,’’ Nnorom said.

    He listed some of the association’s contributions to the school to include erection of library, classrooms, administration blocks and renovation of dormitories.

    Nnorom listed other contributions to include the sinking of boreholes, installation of generators, and provision of Information Communication Technology equipment.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Igwe Alfred Achebe, Obi of Onitsha, said the colloquium showed a burning desire to ensure that high quality education was sustained.

    Represented by Chief Chuka Oboli, Achebe said that sound education was needed to engender an orderly society.

    He commended the Old Boys Association and called on other alumni associations nationwide to emulate it.

  • NUC lifts ban on UniAbuja

    NUC lifts ban on UniAbuja

    • Approves five courses

    The National Universities Commission (NUC) has lifted the ban on admission into the programmes of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education (CDL&CE).

    The university’s distance learning programme failed a revalidation assessment by the NUC in 2012, resulting in the ban on admission into its courses for nearly two years.

    The lifting of the ban was in line with remarkable progress by the centre in addressing shortcomings that necessitated the ban.

    The Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, in a letter to the Vice- Chancellor of the University, Professor Michael Adikwu, dated October 12, said that the moratorium placed on admission into the university’s centre had been lifted.

    The development, Okojie explained, was following a recommendation by a panel constituted by the commission for an on-site assessment, which concluded the exercise between September 2 and 5, 2015.

    A statement yesterday by the university’s Deputy Registrar (Information and Publications), Waziri Garba, said that the commission approved that: “the moratorium on admission of students into the five (5) approved programmes be lifted and academic work may commence for 2015/2016 academic session.”

    The five programmes approved to commence academic activities include B.Sc. Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Business Administration and Public Administration.

    The NUC boss advised the university to address other deficiencies pointed out in the technical report comprehensively before the expiration of the session.

    This, he said, will boost the Centre’s bid to secure full re-validation status for all the courses.

    He added that a desk officer had been appointed by the NUC to follow up on the revalidation of outstanding deficiencies to ensure success.

    Commenting on the development, the Vice Chancellor UniAbuja, Professor Michael Adikwu, and the Director of the university’s Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education, Professor Peter Siyan, said plans were underway to reinvigorate the distance learning component of the institution with a view to regaining the confidence of critical stakeholders.

  • NUC lifts ban on UniAbuja distance learning courses

    NUC lifts ban on UniAbuja distance learning courses

    The National Universities Commission (NUC) has lifted the ban on admission into the programmes of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education (CDL&CE).

    Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, in a letter to the Vice- Chancellor of the University, Professor Michael Adikwu, dated October 12, 2015, said that the moratorium placed on admission into the University’s Centre had been lifted following a recommendation by a panel constituted by the Commission for an on-site assessment which concluded the exercise between September 2 and 5, 2015.

    The University’s distance learning programme failed a revalidation assessment by the NUC in 2012 resulting in the ban on admission into the Centre’s courses for nearly two years.

    A post-revalidation visit in December 2014, however, resulted in the ban being lifted provisionally which only allowed the University to commence the process of admitting students while remedying outstanding deficiencies and awaiting the NUC’s final post-revalidation visit.

    According to a statement issued on Saturday by the University’s Deputy Registrar (Information and Publications), Waziri Garba and made available to The Nation, Okojie said that the Commission had now approved that: “the moratorium on admission of students into the five (5) approved programmes be lifted and academic work may commence for 2015/2016 academic session.”

    The five programmes approved to commence academic activities include B.Sc. degrees in Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Business Administration and Public Administration.

    The NUC boss advised the University to address other areas of deficiencies pointed out in the technical report comprehensively before the expiration of the session in a bid to secure a full re-validation status for all the Centre’s courses adding that a desk officer had been appointed by the NUC to follow up on the revalidation of outstanding deficiencies to ensure success.

    Commenting on the development, the Vice Chancellor UniAbuja, Professor Michael Adikwu, and the Director of the University’s Center for Distance Learning and Continuing Education, Professor Peter Siyan, said that plans were under-way to reinvigorate the distance learning component of the University with a view to regaining the confidence of its teeming patrons across the country.

     

  • NUC not rigid about Distance Learning, says Okojie

    NUC not rigid about Distance Learning, says Okojie

    The National Universities Commission (NUC), has defended its stance on non-approval of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes in most tertiary institutions of the country

    The commission said it was committed to ensuring that quality assurance measures were in place ahead of such undertaking.

    According to its Executive Secretary, Prof Julius Okojie, NUC stand  should not be seen as being unduly rigid in granting approval for ODL, noting that the Commission is working towards ensuring that universities go through the proper procedures.

    Speaking at a stakeholders Forum/Open Distance Learning Workshop organised by the Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning (CODeL) of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Okojie said NUC would permit any university that has gone through the laid down rules and regulations.

    Okojie, who was represented by the Director, Open and Distance Education, Dr. Olamide Adesina, said the Commission does not intend to subject the nation’s economy  to graduates with certificates that are not credible.

    “NUC is not being unduly rigid in approving Open Distance learning. Any university that comes to us, we will only allow that institution as soon as they go with the laid down rules and regulations,” Okojie said.

    He added: “Though we see the advantages of Open Distance Learning in developed countries, we are not rushing on it. NUC is working towards making universities go the proper distance learning way as the Commission have a task to ensure delivery of quality education.”

    In his address, the Chief Press Secretary to Niger State governor, Dr. Ibraheen Dooba, said the time is ripe for Nigeria to integrate e-learning into its education sector.

    He said: “e-Learning is the new twist to learning. Nigeria needs to wake up and embrace this development because it will give room for the nation to grow. If we do not heed to this wake up call, Nigeria will be left behind because the world will not wait for us.”

    Addressing the stakeholders, the Vice Chancellor, FUT Minna, Prof Musibau Akanji, said e-learning is the answer to quality education and harmonising education in the country.

    He said Open Distance learning will help the nation address the large number of youths, who are unable to gain admission into various tertiary institutions in the country every year.

    The Director, Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning (CODeL), Dr. Musa Abiodun Aibinu, said the need for CODeL is necessary to address admission challenges in the nation. He noted that there is a great imbalance in demand and supply in universities as not all candidates who apply for admission each year are being offered.

    He said CODeL will provide access to quality education to students by leveraging on the issue of new technology with the aim of educating the Nigerian masses.

  • NUC summons VCs over discriminate grading system

    NUC summons VCs over discriminate grading system

    Worried by irregularities in the grading system of most Nigerian Universities, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has summoned Vice Chancellors of all public and private universities to Abuja to deliberate on the issue.

    They are meant to brainstorm and harmonize the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) grading system, including a uniformed Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) for all certified Nigerian universities, rather than using discretional method to grade students in each discipline.

    Speaking at the workshop which was held at the Commission’s headquarters, the NUC Executive Secretary said it was worrisome that most universities were derailing from the original academic traditions that guaranteed high quality education in the country, especially the post independence era.

    Okojie who attributed these developments to poor governance structures in most of the institutions, said individual grading systems pose technical challenges for proper grading of students, particularly inter-university credit transfer and student mobility both within and outside the country.

    He said some institutions, while awarding grades in some disciplines use the 6 grade points of 5,4,3,2,1,0 for letter grades of A,B,C,D,E and F respectively. While in some cases, other disciplines removed the E grade altogether thereby having a grading system with grade points of 5,4,3,2,0 for letter grades of A,B,C,D and F respectively.

    Okojie said the discriminations have incontrovertibly introduced two systems of grading within the Nigerian university system.

    He said: “What is happening is that with the kind of governance structure in some institutions, you find that they lose trend about the tradition in the system itself.

    “They should go back to their Senate.  Why we are having this discussion is that we also have private universities coming on board and we have assumed that because Vice Chancellors who service these private universities are from older institutions, they know some of these traditions.  It is not the case, so we are going to go through the process.

    “For CGPA the maximum is 5.  University of Ibadan have been using 7. We have told them, when you are using 7 scale and the maximum is 5, how do you compare, whereas the first class honours on the 5 scale maximum is 4.5 and above. These are the issues we are concerned about.  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife at some point was using 4.3 they went back to 4.5. We need a common platform and it is very important.

    “A review would not only facilitate curriculum design within the university that would foster inter-departmental and inter-disciplinary collaboration but would also minimise duplication thereby enhancing understanding by most foreign universities too”.

    NUC’s Director, Academic Standards, Gidado Kumo explained that the Vice Chancellors and Directors of Academic Planning were invited to Abuja to get their feedbacks or observations on how to arrive at a generally satisfactory university education policy.

     

  • NCDMB, NUC to link oil industry with universities

    The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) are partnering to link the oil and gas industry with the university curricula so that both sectors can improve their operations for the benefit of the economy.

    The management of the two agencies agreed to this initiative tagged: Adopt A Faculty (AAFac) programme at a meeting in Abuja and set up a joint committee to develop a detailed action plan within four weeks.

    The Executive Secretary,NCDMB, Mr. Denzil Kentebe, described the AAFac Programme as a capacity development initiative of the Board intended to use academic institutions as a catalyst for local content development.

    He said the programme is aimed at facilitating partnerships between the academia and the oil and gas industry to align the university curriculum to industry technology and skill requirements to enable them train their students in courses and programmes relevant to the needs of the industry.

    He listed other goals of the programme to include developing a culture for applied research, stimulating commercialisation of research findings from academic institutions, encouraging beneficiaries of oil and gas resources to invest in manpower and innovation and maintaining healthy pipeline of oil and gas talents.

    Kentebe confirmed that the Board would use its regulatory powers and mandate to ensure that oil and gas operating and service companies comply with the AAFac programme.

    The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof Julius Okojie, praised the Board for initiating the programme and engaging the commission first rather than going to various institutions.

    He said Nigeria has 142 universities with 610 academic programme, assuring the commitment of NUC to partner with NCDMB in the implementation of the AAFac.

    The NUC boss decried the rejection of various students by operators in the industry due to perceived lack of relevant skills and expressed hope that the initiative will address the trend.

    Okojie, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary 1, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, said the first step in the AAFac programme, would be to review the curriculum, identify the gaps both in theory and practical and restructuring the curriculum to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry.

    The deal identified the inclusion of effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms into the action plan as imperative to ensure the success of the programme.

    They regretted that most operators of the oil and gas industry had carried out intensive research and development in their home countries over the years and expressed hope that the AAFac programme will reverse the trend in favour of universities.

  • NUC is sanitising all varsities, says Okojie

    Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Julius Okojie, has disclosed that the commission is sanitising all universities in the country to compete with global best practices.

    He said this in Abuja when members of the Senior Executive Course 37 2015 study group five of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, visited the commission.

    Okojie said though there are poor universities across the world but Nigeria through the NUC is taking a drastic step as a regulatory body not to fail in its activities.

    To also monitor standard, the NUC boss urged universities to report to the commission when Vice Chancellors are appointed.

    Okojie said the Act of NUC of 2004 Cap 3 and 8, is being reviewed to empower the commission to close institutions.

    Aside what government is doing, he encouraged private university owners to invest more in their institution to enhance performance.

    His words: “We need the rebranding of the Nigeria university system. NUC is short of staff to monitor all the universities in the country. Universities must be up and doing.  In my days a lecturer changed marks and we dismissed him, but now such is hardly done.  There are poor universities everywhere in the world, even in the United States of America (USA), but we are doing our best to sanitize all universities in Nigeria.

    “Nigeria must get to the level where we can compete globally. During the era of former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili we draw a list of Vice Chancellors (VC) that can be appointed to various universities, but now that is no more in place. The universities do not report to us when VCs are appointed.

    “The Act of NUC of 2004 Cap 3 and 8, is right now been reviewed on how we can close institutions among other steps. We must have that law to operate effectively.”

    The Director of Studies and leader of NIPPS delegation, Prof Celestine Bassey, had urged the commission to arrest the rot in the university system.

    Bassey said the group went round some universities and observed that the level of infrastructural and intellectual development was poor.

    He said the good old days where Nigeria universities turned out best brains were no more and urged the NUC to restore the fortunes of the system.

     

  • ‘Niger State University of Education is not on hold’ 

    ‘Niger State University of Education is not on hold’ 

    The Niger State Government has refuted a newspaper report claiming that the government has put on hold degree programmes at the newly approved state owned University of Education by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

    In a statement by the Mr. Jide Orintunsin, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the state governor, the government described the report as misleading as there was no plan by the administration of Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello to suspend the degree programmes of the University.

    The statement reads; “For a government that has identified education as a major focal area of its four-point agenda, putting on hold or suspending the programmes of the University will be a negation of the lofty agenda of this administration.

    “In order to ensure a sound take-off and sustainability of the University, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello directed and approved 8-man Committee under the Chairperson of Hajiya Dije Bala to determine the viability and sustainability of the University. The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday September 1st by the deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed Ketso.”
    It added; “It should clearly be stated that the deputy governor at no time during the inauguration of the committee said that government is suspending degree programmes of the University.

    “The importance attached to the University informed an unscheduled visit by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello to the premises of the would-be University recently and it was on record that he expressed satisfaction with the infrastructure on ground for the take-off of the University.

    “Inaugurating the committee, the deputy governor pointed out that the establishment of Niger State University of Education should not be an ego trip but stressed the need to take a serious consideration of the challenge of sustainable funding of its programmes/projects in its entirety, hence the constitution of the committee.

    “This position should not be taken for suspension or putting on hold the University.

    “Governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s administration is committed to ensuring qualitative education at all levels and will ensure a proper take-off of a monumental project like the Niger State University of Education, which will serve as the bedrock of his education policy.”

  • Jega resumes work at Plateau Varsity

    Jega resumes work at Plateau Varsity

    Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman, Governing Council, Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos on Thursday assumed work by inspecting some projects and presiding over the council’s meeting in Bokkos, near Jos.

    The projects inspected by the former INEC boss shortly after inauguration by Governor Simon Lalong, include the N114 million TETFund Lecture Halls and Office.

    Others are the N72 million Entrepreneurship Centre and the N69 million 250-capacity theatre.

    The university’s Acting Director of Works, Mr Aku Ayok, who took the council members round the projects, said most of the projects were TETFund’s with some completed while othersat near completion.

    The PLASU Vice Chancellor, Prof Doknan Sheni, said that the greatest challenge of the university was non-accreditation and funding.

    “A total of 319 of our students could not graduate last year due the issue of non-accreditation of our courses by NUC and we still have another set of 400 students in their final year, “ the VC lamented.

    Sheni said there was need for the rapid infrastructural development in the university and recruitment of the staff to meet up with the NUC accreditation.

    Jega, who expressed gratitude to the Plateau Government over the appointment, said that the university was founded on very lofty objectives with a very good mission and vision statements.

    According to him, the role of the council is defined by law and that it will do everything possible to see that staff worked together to stimulate the growth and development of the university.