NUC Kick Against Online Degrees, Says Could Spell Doom

In a move that could impact on the acquisition of online degrees, the National Universities Commission (NUC), has warned that the commission will not allow 100 per cent running of online degrees in Nigeria as it could spell doom for the university system.

The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof Abubakar Rasheed, stated this during an annual retreat for Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities in Abuja, said NUC only approves open and distance learning education, ODL, in the country.

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The NUC boss cited widespread irregularities observed in online programmes, lack of university experience by students and other anomalies as reasons for NUC’s decision not to allow its full operation.

He said the commission was finalizing work on its protocol for open and distance learning to encourage a blended system, stating that when the document is ready, it would be open for criticism and inputs.

While noting that the country’s university system was growing with 164 universities, 2 million enrolments and over 60 thousand academics, Rasheed stressed the need for periodic review of what it intends to attain to enhance common quality and forge more collaboration.

“The University system is growing, with over 2 million enrollments and over 60,000 academics; we have a large growing expanding system, that we need to monitor effectively, in order to ensure high quality assurance,” he said.

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Rasheed said NUC and the Nigerian University System have already embarked on an ambitious reform agenda for the system and were considering a review of the university curriculum.

He added that in the past one year, the commission has approved the full complement of ICT degree-awarding courses.

According to him, the approved courses include: software engineering, cyber security, among others while appeals have been made for the approval of data management and networking.

He further stated that private universities in the country can only accommodate 6 per cent of the annual student population.

The NUC boss said the number of students admitted each year by the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, was more than what the 75 private universities admitted in four years.

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Earlier, the chairman of Committee of Vice Chancellors of State Universities, Prof Samuel Bamidele, commended NUC for its commitment, quality accreditation, in novation and efforts towards ensuring quality education in the universities.

Also speaking, the chairman, Association of Vice Chancellors of Private Universities, Prof Debo Adeyewa, lauded NUC’s involvement of private universities in the discussion of how to move the university system forward.

Adeyewa stressed the need for quality assurance and unity to ensure common quality in federal, state and private universities that will be at par with the quality of universities abroad.

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