Rivers
Accreditation Is For Quality Assurance -NUC
The National Universities Commission (NUC) says the aim of accreditation exercise is to ensure quality assurance of all academic programmes offered in Universities across the country.
NUC’s Representative, Alhaji Ahmad Abu, stated this on Friday, during a courtesy visit on the Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Professor Okechuku Onuchuku in his office.
Abu noted that most of the problems of Nigeria’s economy can be addressed if universities produce quality human resources.
According to him, producing human capital resources and turning quality research available into practical actions would help tackle the country’s collective challenges.
The Deputy Director, Accreditation, NUC, Abuja, who emphasized that the Commission is a regulatory and advisory body on the needs and development of university education in the Nigeria, also noted that the curriculum of the university system across the country is outdated and needs overhaul.
He commended universities for their participatory roles in ensuring that the challenges faced in the system is addressed head-on.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the NUC team for the accreditation of Social Science Education programme, Professor Oyaziwo Aluede, said the exercise is not a witch-hunt, but a peer review mechanism.
He, therefore, called for cooperation as they collect relevant data for NUC to take final decision on granting approval for the intended academic programme.
The Professor from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, who hinted that this was his fourth time of visiting the university, expressed appreciation to the Vice Chancellor and his Management team for what he christened “uncommon hospitality” accorded him and his team.
In his response, the Vice Chancellor of IAUE Professor Onuchuku, who was represented by the Registrar, Mr. Donald Okogbaa, described the visit as a welcome development, saying “it ensures quality assurance of programmes run in the university”.
He assured that the university would give the team the necessary support to carry out their duties.
He also assured that the university would not go below the standard approved by the NUC, but “would meet the requirements mapped out for the programme to run as outlined by the NUC”.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo