The Federal Government has threatened to withdraw the provisional licenses issued to private universities, which are found to be operating outside the law and minimum standards set by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, gave this warning on Thursday while presenting provisional licenses to promoters of two private universities recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The new private universities are Lighthouse University, Evbuobanosa, Edo state and African School of Economics, FCT Abuja. This brings the number of private universities to 149 and the total number of universities in the country to 274.
He urged NUC to intensify efforts on supervision and monitoring of Universities in Nigeria to ensure that minimum standards are not compromised, noting that “while we are improving access to University education by way of increased enrolment, quality and relevance to national needs are not compromised.
“I will continue to follow with keen interest the activities of the NUC at sanitizing the system, and the boldness with which the Commission has approached its mandate of quality assurance (imposed by law), as the sole regulatory agency of university education in the country,” he said.
Mamman charged the proprietors of the universities to capture skills and entrepreneurship which are the current thinking of this government.
He said that a substantive licence would be issued to the universities three years after the probation only if they met the requirements of quality assurance.
He, therefore, warned that the provision of the licences might be withdrawn after three years of probation if they fail to meet the full requirements.
“As you are probably aware, Nigeria currently has the largest economy in Africa with great potential. The country’s population is forecast to increase up to four hundred million by the year 2050.
“This should therefore evoke a sense of urgency in preparation to cater for the needs of this anticipated population.
“Government being well aware that education holds the key to the preparation we speak of, will continue to welcome partnership with the private sector, especially in the area of university education.
“As long as the gap of access to University education continues to widen and the enrolment of students in excess of the standard carrying capacity of the Nigerian University System persists, government will continue to welcome proposals for the funding and infrastructural development,” he said.
On quality assurance, Mamman urged the universities to maintain the highest standards in the adoption of best practices.
He advised that upon commencement of academic activities, the universities should sustain funding towards improving infrastructure, equipment for teaching and learning, as well as human resources up to a level that would earn them full accreditation.
On certificate racketeering, he warned that the ministry would go after anyone with fake university certificates with the wrath of the law.
Earlier, the Acting Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, said private universities bring a certain uniqueness to the Nigerian university landscape.
Maiyaki noted that while the commission encouraged the innovative posture of some of these private universities, the ministry through the commission embarked on radical reengineering of curricula to meet best global standards.
“It is also pertinent that the establishment of more private universities, under the strict supervision of the NUC is an important antidote to the proliferation of illegal universities or degree mills across the country.
“I wish to enjoin you to acquaint yourselves with the code of governance for private universities which aims to enhance the successful running and sustainability of institutions.
“It has been further reviewed to give some latitude to the proprietors on the issue of appointment of principal officers.”
He, however, encouraged the proprietors to ensure that quality is not compromised for profit motives, as any operation outside the provision of NUC guidelines would attract sanctions.
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