Editorial by Blueprint Newspaper, July 23, 2012.
The recent suspension of the operating licenses of six private universities by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on the grounds of poor structure and management, as well as poor and unaccredited academic programmes has given credence to the alarm raised by well-meaning Nigerians, and this newspaper in a previous editorial, about the quality of these universities.
Many Nigerians have expressed worry at the rate at which new institutions of higher learning were being licensed for private operators in the last decade which led to an astronomical increase in the number of higher institutions while the issue of standard was neglected. The problem in our tertiary education today is that the latter has been afflicted with the bug of democratisation whereby, an individual or group with some money and some infrastructure in some place can apply for a university license, and pronto, it is granted.
The result is that in a space of 15 years, the Nigerian educational landscape witnessed the greatest growth in number of institutions of higher learning. The usual argument put forward is that there are not enough places for students wishing to acquire higher education. The question arises however; must the nation sacrifice sound education on the altar of providing enough spaces? The result is that in the name of university education, we have mushroom institutions all over the place fleecing ambitious students and their anxious parents of hard-earned money. The students, most times are left to cater for themselves academically as these ill- equipped and ill-prepared institutions lack the requisite facilities and personnel to attend to the needs of their students.
Many Nigerians have expressed worry at the rate at which new institutions of higher learning were being licensed for private operators in the last decade which led to an astronomical increase in the number of higher institutions while the issue of standard was neglected. The problem in our tertiary education today is that the latter has been afflicted with the bug of democratisation whereby, an individual or group with some money and some infrastructure in some place can apply for a university license, and pronto, it is granted.
The result is that in a space of 15 years, the Nigerian educational landscape witnessed the greatest growth in number of institutions of higher learning. The usual argument put forward is that there are not enough places for students wishing to acquire higher education. The question arises however; must the nation sacrifice sound education on the altar of providing enough spaces? The result is that in the name of university education, we have mushroom institutions all over the place fleecing ambitious students and their anxious parents of hard-earned money. The students, most times are left to cater for themselves academically as these ill- equipped and ill-prepared institutions lack the requisite facilities and personnel to attend to the needs of their students.
At the end of the day, these ill-equipped higher institutions churn out half-baked graduates who remain a burden to their families and the nation despite having gone through a higher institution. We think that the corrective measure of suspending licences to compel the affected universities to take their assignments seriously, should not be limited to private universities. The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), which regulates polytechnic education, should also put the searchlight on private polytechnics.
While the NUC deserves commendation for its action on the seven universities that are lagging behind in meeting up with its requirements, it needs to be stated that, as a regulatory body, it is doubtful whether it has done its job very well so far! Bearing in mind that these universities have operated for less than a decade at most, the question arises as to whether the NUC did a thorough job of its regulatory functions before the institutions came on stream? For the NUC to suspend the operating license of a university that is barely three or five years old, is curious and shows a lack of thoroughness on the part of the commission. The impression is that the commission granted the take-off licences in a haste, or was unduly influenced to do so by the proprietors of these institutions! The consequences are here with us.
Not long ago, the same NUC suspended part-time programmes in all the universities after discovering that many of the universities lack the capacity to instruct properly, its bona-fide students let alone the part- time ones! This of course will disrupt the academic life of those affected even when the programmes produce mostly half-baked graduates like most private universities in an environment lacking in adequate and qualified personnel and facilities.
We hope that the NUC and the concerned institutions will tidy up things, to enable the universities concerned to resume operation at the earliest possible time.
http://blueprintng.com/2012/07/that-suspension-order-on-some-universities/
While the NUC deserves commendation for its action on the seven universities that are lagging behind in meeting up with its requirements, it needs to be stated that, as a regulatory body, it is doubtful whether it has done its job very well so far! Bearing in mind that these universities have operated for less than a decade at most, the question arises as to whether the NUC did a thorough job of its regulatory functions before the institutions came on stream? For the NUC to suspend the operating license of a university that is barely three or five years old, is curious and shows a lack of thoroughness on the part of the commission. The impression is that the commission granted the take-off licences in a haste, or was unduly influenced to do so by the proprietors of these institutions! The consequences are here with us.
Not long ago, the same NUC suspended part-time programmes in all the universities after discovering that many of the universities lack the capacity to instruct properly, its bona-fide students let alone the part- time ones! This of course will disrupt the academic life of those affected even when the programmes produce mostly half-baked graduates like most private universities in an environment lacking in adequate and qualified personnel and facilities.
We hope that the NUC and the concerned institutions will tidy up things, to enable the universities concerned to resume operation at the earliest possible time.
http://blueprintng.com/2012/07/that-suspension-order-on-some-universities/
- Ikhide
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