Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
Eminent lawyer and university administrator, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has called for the arrest and prosecution of those operating unaccredited universities in the country, saying their activities are inimical to academic growth and quality education.
The legal luminary suggested that degrees in sciences and humanities and other academic areas should be minimum qualification to study Medicine and Law as obtainable in Britain and other advanced climes.
He told the National Universities Commission (NUC) that the best way to discourage illegal universities in Nigeria is by meting out stringent sanctions on operators, describing this as a veritable way to halt certificate racketeering in the country.
Babalola spoke, in ABUAD, on Monday, while playing host to NUC team, who came on assessment tour and to evaluate the level of compliance to good governance in the institution.
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In his words, “Get those operating illegal universities arrested. It is a common knowledge that there are many illegal universities masquerading as real universities.
“I urge you to recommend to NUC a more drastic action against the proprietors or owners of such institutions.
“I attended primary school during the colonial days. If I had attended just ordinary primary school we have today, I could not have passed London GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels with which I went to university. That is why quality education is very crucial.
“Why do we lower our own standard to ordinary school certificate? JAMB must take note of this”, he asked.
Commenting on the lopsided admission policy in Nigeria, Babalola continued, “Even in admission, 200 should be minimum mark in JAMB to secure admissions to the universities, but the mark had been deducted and once JAMB allowed this to happen, then it has lowered the standard already.
“The minimum should not be so ridiculous. I hereby suggest a universal cut-off mark, which should not be less than 40 percent of the total mark.”
He urged the Commission to rework the curricular being used in the universities, saying the present ones in operation lacked modernity and not in touch with the reality of 21st century economic growth.
The legal icon urged the NUC to begin a process of ranking universities by itself to prevent fictitious organisations from hijacking the process and rate based on sentiment, thereby damaging the reputations of credible institutions.
The NUC team Leader, Prof. Yekeen Sanusi, said the NUC will continue to strive hard for excellence, by enforcing provision of adequate infrastructures and personnels in the universities.
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Prof. Sanusi added that one the major challenges across the world now has been the issue of quality governance, describing it as very important “because it was assumed that once there are good governance, then every other thing will work.
“Good governance changes lives, landscape, our experience, brings quality that is why we are here to learn. We want to say that the universities should be staffed adequately .
“For any university to scale the hurdles of good governance, NUC needs data about equipment, staffs and students, because it is the cumulative effects of these that will help the development, expansion and growth of our ivory towers.”
Prof. Sanusi stated that the infrastructures availabe in ABUAD gave him the overwhelming impression and conviction that the university focused on quality.
“I want to recognise the great achievements this university has achieved, what you have done here is not for the university alone, but for Nigeria and Africa, our father land.”
Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Sylvester Ojo also said, “Apart from the fact that our students have won national and international laurels in Law, Medicine and Engineering, we are the only university that has commercial farm in the Federation”.
He said the university was able to achieve this feat because of motivations in terms of prompt payment of salaries, academic sponsorship and scholarships for teachers and students who displayed exemplary brilliance.