Tag Archives: nuc

NUC To Review Varsity Curriculum, Scraps Sub-degree Diplomas

Posted on by
4

The National Universities Commission (NUC) will commence a comprehensive review of the entire university curricula (the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS)) and ranking of Nigerian Universities in 2017.
Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed said the commission would engage a mix of old, experienced and young vibrant academics to come up with curricula that would not only be dynamic and responsive to national needs but also conform to global trends.

A statement from NUC noted that the decision was reached at the end of the meeting between Professor Rasheed and Vice Chancellors of federal, states and private universities recently.
The Commission has also scrapped sub-degree diploma programmes in Nigerian University System (NUS) with a call on universities running them to begin the process of winding them down.
The Executive Secretary told the meetings that running sub-degree diplomas was not the business of universities but that of polytechnics.
The statement said Accreditation of Programmes and Resource Verification will take place only twice and thrice a year respectively with the accreditation slated for May and November while resource verification for March, July and December.

Credit: dailytrust

Scrap NUC, Ex-UNILAG DVC Tells FG

Posted on by
Reply

A former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Laide Abbas, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to scrap the National Universities Commission and disband the governing councils of universities.

Abbas said that in his over two decades of working as a university administrator, he had never come across an establishment like the NUC in advanced countries, insisting that the NUC was an aberration.

He spoke at an award ceremony organised by The Wings Schools, in Iwo, on Saturday.

Lamenting the dearth of role models in the country, the Professor of Computer Science said that the lack of role models had affected the development of Nigerian youths.

Abbas also said that the composition of many governing councils of uni vers i t i e s nationwide had been replete with unworthy personalities.

He said, “The story of the birth of the NUC is well known to me. It was to serve as a link between government and the university so that vice-chancellors will not be seen parading the corridors of power to get funds.

“(The late) F.R.A Williams, as the pioneer chairman of the NUC, used his contacts to raise funds for the commission and its activities were managed well but now what we have is an NUC that feeds fat on the meagre resources available to the education sector.”

He alleged that some members of universities’ governing councils were linked to the diversion of public funds, while many others engaged in outright stealing of public funds.

Abbas noted that an external examination body or group with lesser financial implications could do the regulatory and supervisory roles being played by the NUC.

A consultant to the school, Lai Olurode, who is a Professor of Sociology, said the ceremony was organised to help youths to attain high moral standards, adding that Nigerian youths had become an endangered species.

A UNILAG lecturer, Dr. Ismail Musa, who delivered a lecture titled, “The dearth of role models and poverty of ethical leadership in Nigeria,” said Nigeria needed to rebuild a school culture in order to check the pervading degeneration in the country.

Some the personalities honoured with awards include Deacon M. A. O Shoyele, Alhaji Agoro Elere, Khalifah Abdul Olodo, Prof. Olasupo Ladipo, Pa Adebayo Agbaje,Otunba Adebayo Aremu, Pa James Alagbe and Dr. Daniel Olaosebikan.

Senate Summons Ministry Of Health, NUC, Others

Posted on by
1

The senate yesterday issued sweeping summons to the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Universities (NUC) and other agencies to address lawmakers on the plight of new medical doctors awaiting residency.

The senate also urged the federal government acredited health institutions for the training of house officers to enforce the utilisation of the full quote.

Other agencies invited are the Provost of Colleges of Medicine, the Nigerian Medical Council (NMC) and the Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) of federal and state medical institutions.

This was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa representing Abia North senatorial district.

Leading the debate ,he said the that malaria alone is responsible for 20 per cent of annual deaths in Nigeria with pregnant women and children as the worst affected.

He also said that Pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract diseases are responsible for 19 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria, while Nigeria is the second largest group of people living with HIV with a death rate of 3.1 per cent in 2015.

“Over 140 people everyday in Nigeria die from pregnancy and prenatal related consequences even after recovery.

“Our nation is not doing enough to improve the health statistics and the death rates in our country even by African standards. These can be relevant to how we have addressed the important conditions and timeliness of the training of new doctors who can begin to take new responsibilities.

“The result has been a frustrated class of locum doctors working as contract doctors under very harsh and tedious conditions that encourage quackery,” he said.

Read More: leadership

57 Illegal Universities In Nigeria, See Full List

Posted on by
2

The National Universities Commission recently released a list of illegal degree awarding institutions operating in Nigeria.

The NUC Executive secretary, Julius Okojie, warned that those who patronise the schools, do so at their own risk.

“Certificates obtained from these sources will not be recognized for the purpose of NYSC, employment and further studies,” the NUC said.

1. University of Accountancy and Management Studies, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
2. Christians of Charity American University of Science and Technology Nkpor, Anambra State or any of its campuses.
3. University of Industry, Yaba, Lagos or any of its other campuses.
4. University of applied Sciences and Management Port Novo, Republic of Benin or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
5. Blacksmith University, Awka or any of its campuses.
6. Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
7. Royal University Izhia, P.O. Box 800, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State or any of its other campuses.
8. Atlanta University, Anyigba, Kogi State or any of its other campuses.
9. Sunday Adokpela University, Otada Adoka, Otukpo, Benue State or any of its other campuses.
10. United Christian University, Macotis Campus, Imo State or any of its other campuses.
11. United Nigeria University College, Okija, Anambra State or any of its other campuses.
12. Samuel Ahmadu University, Makurdi, Benue State or any of its other campuses.
13. UNESCO University, Ndoni, Rivers State or any of its other campuses.
14. Saint Augustine’s University of Technology, Jos Plateau State or any of its other campuses.
15. The International University, Missouri, USA, Kano and Lagos Study Centres, or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
16. Columbus University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
17. Tiu International University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
18. Pebbles University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
19. London External Studies UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
20. Pilgrims University operating anywhere in Nigeria.
21. Lobi Business School Makurdi, Benue State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
22. West African Christian University operating anywhere in Nigeria.
23. Bolta University College Aba or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
24. JBC Seminary Inc. (Wukari Jubilee University) Kaduna Illegal Campus.
25. Westlan University, Esie, Kwara State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
26. St. Andrews University College, Abuja or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
27. EC- Council University, USA, Ikeja Lagos Study Centre.
28. Atlas University, Ikot Udoso Uko, Uyo Akwa Ibom State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
29. Concept College/University (London) Ilorin or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
30. Halifax Gateway University, Ikeja or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
31. Kingdom of Christ University, Abuja or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
32. Acada University, Akinlalu, Oyo State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
33. Fifom University, Mbaise, Imo State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
34. Houdegbe North American University Campuses In Nigeria.
35. Atlantic International University, Okija, Anambra State.
36. Open International University, Akure.
37. Middle Belt University (North Central University), Otukpo.
38. Leadway University, Ugheli, Delta State.
39. Metro University, Dutse/Bwari, Abuja.
40. Southend University, Ngwuro Egeru (Afam) Ndoki, Rivers State.
41. Olympic University, Nsukka, Enugu State.
42. Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Abuja.
43. Temple University.
44. Irish University Business School London, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
45. National University of Technology, Lafia, Nasarawa State.
46. University of Accountability and Management Studies, Mowe, Lagos Ibadan Expressway and its Annex at 41, Ikorodu Road Lagos.
47. University of Education, Winneba Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
48. Cape Cost University, Ghana, operating anywhere inNigeria.
49. African University Cooperative Development (AUCD), Cotonou, Benin Republic, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
50. Pacific Western University, Denver, Colorado, Owerri Study Centre.
51. Evangel University of America and Chudick Management Academic, Lagos.
52. Enugu State University of Science and Technology (Gboko Campus).
53. Career Light Resources Centre, Jos.
54. University of West Africa, kwali-Abuja, FCT.
55. Coastal University, Iba-Oku, Akwa-Ibom State.
56. Kaduna Business School, Kaduna.
57. Royal University of Theology, Minna, Niger Delta.

The NUC listed another eight illegal institutions as currently undergoing investigations and court actions. The commission said the action will lead to the prosecution of the proprietors and recovery of illegal fees and charges on subscribers.

The Universities are:

1. National University of Nigeria, Keffi, Nasarawa state.
2. North Central University, Otukpo, Benue State.
3. Christ Alive Christian Seminary and University, Enugu.
4. Richmond Open University, Arochukwu, Abia State.
5. West Coast University, Umuahia.
6. Saint Clements University, Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State.
7. Volta University College, Aba, Abia State.
8. Illegal Satellite Campuses of Ambrose Ali University.

Mariam Abacha University Replies NUC, ‘You Are Out To Blackmail Us!’

Posted on by
350

After the National Universities Commission (NUC) asked Nigerians not to patronize Maryam Abacha American University of Niger, the university on its website has replied the commission saying they are only out to black mail them and could be due to jealousy of the young but fast growing institute. Below is what the university management also wrote in a memo published on its website. In the memo the institution said;

“It considers the NUC publication about Maryam Abacha American university of Niger as blackmail and orchestrated campaigns of calumny to smear the reputation of our young but rapidly growing university by some self-seeking corrupt officers of the NUC and their external collaborators jealous of the university.”

The management further made the following below clarifications to the public:

  1. As a foreign university, the National Universities commission (NUC) has no jurisdiction or legal right on the activities of Maryam Abacha American university of Niger. This is why NUC has not in any way made any visitation to Maryam Abacha American university of Niger since its inception in 2013. Strangely enough, the NUC was quick to issue public statement against a university it knows absolutely nothing about.nursingworldnigeria.com
  2. The NUC publication against Maryam Abacha American university of Niger is an indictment of international policy as it has violated diplomatic channels of communication and other relevant diplomatic norms
  3. It is on record that on 7th April, one Ajayi Eunic of the state house medical center, Asokoro Abuja wrote the NUC to verify the status of Maryam Abacha American university of Niger with the commission.

In its response ref: NUC/AS/PRV/VOL.1/105 dated 9th April, 2015, the NUC stated, inter alia “I am to add that the Republic of Niger is one of the countries that have a bilateral agreement with Nigeria, therefore, any approval by the republic of Niger is recognized by Nigeria. The letter was signed by Director, Academic standards, Dr G. B. Kumo for the executive secretary of NUC. Who then is fooling who and why should NUC be so desperate to disown degree that have not yet been awarded?

  1. Maryam Abacha American university of Niger has also received a similar letter of recognition from the federal ministry of education of Nigeria, dated 27th October 2014 through the evaluation and accreditation division/education department.

Maryam Abacha American University runs undergraduate degrees in core sciences, social sciences and the arts.

NUC: Online Degrees Accreditation By Sadiq Abubakar Gulma

Posted on by
1

The National Universities Commission (NUC) recently announced Nigeria will not be accepting online degrees, “yet”. Unfortunately there wasn’t much reason given as to why they took the stance and nothing was mentioned of what they are doing to start ensuring Nigeria accepts it. Highly reputable schools around the world like University of Manchester, University of Florida, University of Liverpool, University of Birmingham and many others are offering quality online education that leads to students obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It will be absurd to regard many online degree holders who possess qualifications from reputable universities around the world and better than what someone will get by attending the many poorly performing traditional universities in Nigeria.
More absurd will it be to disregard the effort of Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships and that of many of its beneficiaries, many of whom are Nigerians. The scholarships are tenable only for online degrees. I am currently enrolled as for a Bachelors of Arts in Islamic Studies with Islamic Online University (IOU) in my second semester year 1. Prior to that, I have taken more than 15 online courses offered by top universities in Europe and America. These experiences have elaborately exposed to me to the many sides of online learning, as I have with the traditional learning I went through during my 5 year degree Ahmadu Bello University. Thus leading me to a reasonable conclusion that the educational value one receives from the two types of learning is more or less the same.
Online degrees offer much flexibility, offering learners great opportunities to perform other activities. It allows students to continue working while undertaking the degree at their own pace. I met some couple of students in Ahmadu Bello University who wish for longer holidays in order they can work for longer times to earn more money to cover for school in the upcoming semester. Some report late when the semester starts because they haven’t made enough to keep them till the end of the semester. How many people are out there in this quagmire too? These problems added together could be alleviated if online degrees are encouraged by the commission.
The painful truth that our universities are ranked a shameful far distant position in the World Universities Ranking says a lot about the mechanisms maintaining the traditional educational system. Change is normally slow in the academia, but the lack of hope given to online students by the NUC is not reassuring and is in every way demotivating. My simple questions to the commission are why are online degrees not accepted? What are they doing to make sure it is accepted? If the National Open University of Nigeria (the university has already graduated hundreds of people with these “online” degrees, purportedly accredited by the NUC) degrees are accepted, why aren’t other online degrees accepted?
To think that the traditional education system is doing better than the online experience provided by some universities is a fallible pompous gesture. I believe there is a general consensus amongst many that our universities have failed and need repositioning. There is no denying that they produce many half-baked graduates.
Many institutions offering online degrees have disseminate quality education to its students. Online degree holders should be treated with same accord traditional degree holders get.
Sadiq Abubakar Gulma wrote in from Birnin Kebbi.
Sagulma101@gmail.com

Views expressed are solely that of author and does not represent views of www.omojuwa.com nor its associates

Maryam Abacha University Degrees Not Recognised – NUC

Posted on by
2

The National Universities Commission has warned that degrees obtained from Maryam Abacha American University of Niger Republic (MAAUN) are sub-standard and will not be accepted in Nigeria, saying henceforth such certificates would not be recognised as a means of seeking employment or doing other legitimate business in Nigeria.
The NUC Director of Information and Public Relations, Malam Ibrahim Yakasai, handed down the warning while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

According to him, NUC has been inundated with inquiries from some Nigerian students who have been offered admission in MAAUN on part time with a graduation time of four semesters.

He listed some of the programmes as Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health, among others.
He explained that “in Nigeria, the duration for a full-time degree programme is not less than three years for direct entry and at least six years for part-time.

He said:

“Professional programmes in Science, Engineering and Health Sciences-Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Public Health are not offered on part-time basis in Nigeria.

“More so, their graduation time is far less than the graduation time in Nigeria-they admit students with HND on direct entry and they give them two years to do a degree in Nursing or Health Sciences.

“We wish to restate that as the only Quality Assurance Agency for universities in Nigeria, NUC is maintaining its stand that degrees from MAAUN will not be accepted in Nigeria.”“We wish to restate that as the only quality assurance agency for universities in Nigeria, the NUC is maintaining its stand that degrees from Maryam Abacha University will not be accepted in Nigeria”, the commission stated.

The NUC which also discredited all part- time cross boarder education in Nigeria, therefore warned citizens against patronising online universities which offer academic programmes without physical contact with their students.

According to him, the Nigerian constitution has no backing or recognition for such degrees obtained online, insisting that students look for cheap means of acquiring qualifications to avoid competition at home.

He said,

“Nigeria will not recognise online degrees. Online degrees are not accepted in Nigeria at the moment; the Nigerian constitution does not even give recognition to such degrees. Those who ran out of Nigeria for study outside this country are those looking for cheaper degrees. It is either they cannot pass the examinations or they do not possess the minimum entry qualifications.”

He expressed displeasure that rather than addressing the issues raised by NUC, MAAUN resorted to campaign of calumny against the commission.

The NUC spokesman advised parents to always crosscheck with the commission before sending their wards to foreign institutions.

On his part, the NUC Director of Academic Standards, Dr Gidado Kumo, urged students to be wary of Houdegbe North American University, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

He said that the institution opeprated in Badagry and Kano, then relocated to Jos; but was recently running Bachelors Degree in Public Health in Gombe State.
“We have made it very clear that any degree obtained in Houdegbe North American University within the shores of Nigeria is not accepted.

“In Februray 2015, we had cause to request for a joint assessment visit to the university with the Council for Legal Education.

“At the moment, the institution has been graduating over 600 students from its law faculty whereas in Nigeria, the highest output from any law faculty is about 200.

“We requested a joint accreditation visit but we were flatly refused by Houdegbe North American University.

“So, our decision is that no law graduate of Houdegbe University will be moblised for the BL programme with the Council for Legal Education.”

Controversial Cut-Off Mark: What Candidates Should Do – JAMB

Posted on by
Reply

Against the backdrop of controversy trailing move by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to post students rejected by
some universities to other schools, on the account of increased cut-off mark, the apex examination body has stated affected candidates
should check its website on Friday, August 5, 2015 to know the schools they are posted to.

Reacting to Wednesday’s protest by candidates billed to participate in UNILAG’s 2015/2016 post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination
(post-UTME), JAMB spokesman, Mr. Fabian Benjamin told Vanguard that the Board has entered into an agreement with the school to post the rejected students to other schools in Lagos environs.

According to Benjamin, “Admission is not the way people think. We have Merit, Catchment and closeness to a state. Those are the criteria we
are following to arrive at that list we sent to UNILAG. It’s not about the cut off point, there other considerations.

“UNILAG has only 9000 capacity in this year’s admission exercise and that is why we are trying to push the others to other universities.
They will not understand we are trying to send them to schools that will admit them because UNILAG can only take 9000 candidates. But the
students are not being patient with us to get this information across to them.”

He added that “We sympathise with them but wish to state categorically that the national cut-off point is just the minimum expectation that
each candidate desirous of university admission should have. However, universities are at liberty to go higher than 180, depending on their
peculiarities and the performance of candidates who chose them.

“For instance, if over 10,000 candidates who made UNILAG their first choice scored 250 and above, it will be difficult for them to go lower than 250 when they are to admit only about 9000. I wish to state that a time will come when some universities will go up to 300 as their
cut-off mark, depending on the performance.”

JAMB’s image-maker further explained that because of the development, the board decided that some of the candidates who chose such
institutions but fall below their cut-off marks should not miss out, hence the need to send them to other schools

Aftermath Of School Closure: Several UNN Students Feared Dead In Auto Crash

Posted on by
14

The sudden closure of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, claimed first casualties Tuesday evening as several students of the institution lost their lives in a multiple road accident.

It was gathered that the students, who were traveling home after the University authorities ordered them out of hostels, met their untimely death at the Nsukka-9th Mile Express way. Although the Enugu State Police Command put the death figure at three, an eyewitness account said the number was higher.

In a statement by the spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, DSP, he said “three persons have been confirmed dead while five others sustained various degrees of injuries”.

All Universities Established By Jonathan Are Illegal – ASUU

Posted on by
1

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has described as illegal all the 16 universities and other higher institutions established by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, saying they lack the necessary legal backing and so may be living on borrowed time.

This remark was made by the union’s National President, Dr. Issa Fagge Nasir, while commenting on the recent conversion of four colleges of education to universities by the Federal Executive Council, FEC. Nasir, in an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, described the conversion as an assault on the Acts establishing the colleges, adding that universities are not only established via executive fiats but through thorough consultations with stakeholders and deep understudy of the pros and cons of
such decisions.

He said, “Our quarrel with the government is that universities are not just established by executive fiats like this administration is doing. So the Federal Government is only compounding the problems already bedeviling the education sector and I wonder if the incoming administration will allow this to stand.

“Strictly speaking, the Federal Government is not respecting its own laws, and I wonder how you just transmute an institution without looking at its laws. What happens to its staff, facilities and infrastructure?” The ASUU president also queried the release of N500 million each to the four new universities as take-off grant, saying the money alone cannot be enough for staff training not to talk of infrastructural upgrade.

He said academic institutions like universities are the bedrock for national development and so are not run without defined mandate and vision, and that using them to achieve political gains will only further compound the nation’s problems.

He, therefore, called on the incoming administration to critically assess these decisions and make impartial judgment that will benefit the mass of the people and return the country’s education sector’s lost glory.

FG To Begin Screening Of Degrees Obtained Abroad- NUC

Posted on by
Reply

The Federal Government has constituted a committee to screen certificates obtained by Nigerian students who studied abroad, says Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC).

Mr. Okojie made this known while fielding questions from journalists shortly after the presentation of licences to two new private universities on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Mr. Okojie, the committee comprises members from the NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education. “When they come for NYSC, they are referred to the Ministry of Education to look at the quality of their certificates.

“Recently, the ministry decided to set up a joint committee of NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education to look at the quality of those certificates; the committee has been set up but it has not been inaugurated.

“In Ukraine, where we have many of our students for instance, it is not that all the universities are bad; some are really good but it depends on which one.

“Some of our students who attended universities in Ukraine pass through the UK and get a second degree; in some countries, you can buy a certificate in the airport.’’

He said that mere knowing that a foreign university was approved was not enough as the programme pursued by a student might not be approved.

The NUC boss had earlier expressed concern over the quality of universities Nigerian students attend in the West African sub-region, especially in Ghana.

The universities that got provisional licences are Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo, Delta State, and Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State.

Credit: NAN

Public Appeal To University Of Lagos Mgt : ”Please Allow Us Graduate From Your Masters Program After 4 Years”- Unilag MSc Student

Posted on by
16
A Student of the University of Lagos Post Graduate studies, names withheld reached out to us (www.omojuwa.com) about an issue with his academics that he and students in his class, had with the authorities of Unilag since 2012 and is seeking public help, to reach relevant authorities, to intervene and help them find a possibility of ending this age long school ordeal read his story below.
I resumed for MSc at the department of geosciences, University of Lagos as one of the pioneer student for the department’s first academic post graduate studies, that was in october 2011. Being the pioneer set, there was no existing structure on ground even as regards tuition, we paid the same rate part time students from other departments paid but those didn’t cause any issue because we had the will and we were all willing to commit ourselves so that in the coming years we would be back for our PhDs.
By october 2012, we had finished all the exams (first and second semesters)we had our fieldwork in december of the same year and started our research work. The research work took us more than a year due to the nature of data acquisition and the selfishness of our supervisors. A number of my classmates spent close to 300000 naira (Especially those with geology options) to send samples from the field to canada and Germany since their supervisors discredited sample analysis from Nigeria (Some of these thesis are already being used to write papers in the supervisors name already)
By the second year (2013), we were asked to pay an additional 91000 when we had already paid in excess of 100000 than any other full time student in the university, at this junction, we had to write letters to the dean of students and the dean of postgraduate school this was when the dean of postgraduate school told us we cannot graduate with the numbers of courses we enrolled for and the department was asked to do something about it. And because of this, many of us have been targets by some of the senior lectures in the department.
We were finally able to do our seminar and defense by october 2014 and we were dead certain that we would be presented for graduation but unfortunately our names did not feature in the convocation list as our results were not yet approved. We realized that our results have not even been uploaded for pg school to approve, all efforts to ensure that this issue is solved has been futile as the course adviser who is to do the upload has refused to answer his phone since yesterday after all the efforts that have been put in place by members of my class to liaise with the officer in charge of result uploading and IT in pg school.
We are the first set from this department ( previous postgraduate degrees have been professional degrees), there is at least 2 set on ground now and not one person is been presented for graduation. As much as we desire the anonymity of our message, we want our voices heard loud and clear. This injustice must stop, we should not be made to pay for the failures of others.