NUC wants committee on private varsities not to compromise standards
The National Universities Commission (NUC), urged the Standing Committee on Private Universities (SCOPU) not to compromise standards in the discharge of its duties.
The NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, made the call in Abuja at the inauguration of a six-man Standing Committee on SCOPU.
Okojie advised the committee to critically assess and scrutinise all applications for the establishment of private universities from intending individuals or organisations to ensure that standards were met.
Represented by Akinbode Agbaoye, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the NUC, Okojie said the committee should be thorough and effective in the discharge of its duties.
The NUC boss expressed displeasure at some licenced private universities which, he said, were not living up to their expectations, with some of them not able to pay their staff salaries.
Okojie said that some had deliberately violated the laws of the NUC, which led to the suspension of their operational licences.
He added that although the suspended licences were restored after a forensic audit was carried out, the whole process was not without challenges on both students and parents.
According to him, some proprietors have a wrong notion that once a university is established, it must yield profit.
``But I must say that every first 10 years of any university is very challenging, as the promoters will be required to subsidies the cost of running the institution until such a time when it has stabilised.
``Any proprietor nursing the idea of establishing a university must be adequately prepared to provide funding and other critical facilities to be able to produce quality and globally competitive graduates.’’
Okojie tasked the committee to live above board by being firm and resisting undue pressure.
He reminded the committee on the importance of SCOPU to the NUC, considering its quality assurance mandate and the overall improvement of Nigerian University System (NUS).
The NUC boss also warned that standards and quality must not be compromised, irrespective of the social status of those involved.
Okojie observed that most universities wanted NUC staff to assist them in preparing their documents, such as the Academic Brief, Physical Master Plan and University Law.
He urged members of the committee to redouble their efforts in the discharge of their duties, as a lot was expected of them by the public.
The executive secretary said one of the terms of reference of the committee was to consider applications received by the NUC from individuals and organisations wishing to establish private universities.
The committee is also expected to assess applications received in accordance with the guidelines for the establishment of degree-awarding institutions in Nigeria.
The committee is to prepare a report of its assessment of each application to the relevant management committee for recommendation to the NUC Board and the Federal Government for consideration and for appropriate decision.
Responding on behalf of members, the Chairman, Prof. Akaneren Essien, commended the NUC for the opportunity given them to serve.
Essien appealed for support to enable the committee to discharge its duties effectively.
Members of the committee are Prof. Akaneren Essien as Chairman, while Abdullahi Hamza will serve as Secretary.
Others members are Dr Modupe Adeniran, Dr Joshua Atah, Faruk Lawal Pascal Eruaga, Hadiza Abdulrahman, John Abah and Mustapha Rasheed.
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