Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The National Universities Commission (NUC), on Tuesday, came down hard on Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions in the country, for alleged ineptitude which, it said, has been responsible for students’ academic stagnation.
Aside poor academic attitude to students as reflected in their results, the Commission said it was unhappy that some institutions have deliberately sat on results, transcripts and other details required by students to secure higher academic opportunities.
It said that close observations have also revealed that many graduates lost good opportunities of employment or higher academic pursuit due to poor attitude of universities.
Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, who addressed university stakeholders that participated in a workshop on proposed higher education reforms and African Centres of Excellence (ACE), in Abuja, was worried that Nigerian universities are falling behind in giving quality education to students.
“These days, graduates in different disciplines are unable to defend themselves. They can neither express themselves in writing nor speaking. Some find it difficult to adapt to new environment even after training.”
He said that NUC might be forced to apply sanctions to such erring institutions and officers involved to serve as lesson to others.
He said attitudinal approach of the lecturers have contributed greatly to the unpalatable development.
“Imagine a situation where some lecturers assume lord over students that they ought to guide properly. Some lecturers deliberately stay back in their office having conversations with friends and colleagues when they ought to be in the classroom.
“Some will even drop message for the students to call them when they are ready. This is unnecessary assumption of a demigod and it encourage academic corruption,” he said.
