The Federal Government has vowed to clamp down on illegal satellite campuses and affiliations with foreign unaccredited universities as well as carry out an evaluation of certificates obtained by some Nigerians from foreign universities.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, spoke on Thursday in Abuja during the inauguration of the 34th National Standing Committee (NSC) on the evaluation of foreign qualifications.
He said there would be no hiding place for those operating illegal campuses in Nigeria claimed to be affiliated with non-existing foreign universities, stressing that the era of “Boys Quarter” degrees were over and for good.
He said this was in line with the present administration’s quest for ensuring that Nigerian students obtain foreign qualifications that are internationally competitive, and of high academic and moral excellence.
He said, the Standing Committee was constituted for the purpose of determining the Nigerian equivalent of certificates and degrees of foreign institutions, a statement, on Thursday, in Abuja by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr Ben Bem Goong, said.
Adamu has accordingly directed the Committee to ensure that “the quality groundwork already laid for evaluation is progressively improved upon in such a manner that inspires national and international confidence.”
He expressed hope that the outcome of the Committee’s proceedings would improve the protocol of evaluating foreign education certificates and other related issues.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Arch Sonny Echono, revealed that the Standing Committee was constituted in 1914 to evaluate the Nigerian equivalent of academic diplomas and degrees obtained from Eastern European countries.
He, however, lamented that the advent of distance learning and the establishment of “numerous sub-standard tertiary institutions in the country have made the situation more complex.”
Echono also explained that the government in its quest to make the evaluation process less cumbersome has dedicated an online portal to which applicants could now send their requests.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed the Ministry’s intention to improve on the portal’s functionality for optimum and seamless operations.
He subsequently urged members of the Standing Committee to put in their best in ensuring that the menace of illegal foreign certificates is eradicated.
Speaking earlier, Dr Lydia Giginna, Director of Education Support Service department of the Ministry expressed hope that full compliance with the new protocol will complement the Ministry’s efforts aimed at reducing the use of illegitimate and forged foreign degree certificates in the country.
The Terms of Reference, (ToR) for the National Standing Committee include; to deal with the broad principles of evaluation, fine-tune and improve the established criteria for the evaluation of foreign qualifications as well as decide the Nigerian equivalent of foreign educational qualifications.
Others are: “To objectively consider briefs on respective foreign countries’ education system presented by Desk Officers, with a view to deciding Nigerian equivalents to such country’s qualifications.
“To consider emerging challenges emanating from routine evaluations by Federal Ministry of Education’s Desk Officers and to serve as the appellate body to appraise representations from aggrieved individuals on emerging routine evaluation issues and; Carry out other assignments relevant to its mandate.”
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