Despite the clampdowns and repeated warnings against the establishment and operation of illegal universities by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the menace has not been sufficiently curbed. Instead of abating, Nigerians are yearly inundated with a long list of illegal universities located across the country. The other day, the NUC warned that “anybody who patronises or obtains any certificate from any of these illegal institutions does so at his or her own risk.” According to NUC, “certificates obtained from these sources will not be recognised for the purposes of NYSC, employment, and further studies.”
Notwithstanding the stern warning from NUC, it is still business as usual for the operators of illegal degree mills scattered all over the country. More are even springing up in some parts of the country. In a recent release by the NUC, the number of the illegal varsities or “degree mills” was put at 58. It is very likely that the number could be more than the NUC figures. We say this because NUC is apparently not doing enough to arrest the ugly phenomenon.
Some of the unlawful degree factories are: University of Accountancy and Management Studies, Christians of Charity American University of Science and Technology, Nkpor, Anambra State, University of Industry, Yaba, Lagos, University of Applied Sciences and Management, Port Novo, Republic of Benin with campuses in Nigeria, Blacksmith University, Awka, and Royal University, Izhia, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
Others include Atlanta University, Anyigba, Kogi State, United Christian University, Macotis Campus, Imo State, United Nigeria University College, Okija, Anambra State, Samuel Ahmadu University, Makurdi, Benue State, UNESCO University, Ndoni, Rivers State and Saint Augustine’s University of Technology, Jos, Plateau State.
The proliferation of illegal universities, a present threat to varsity education and national development, has also put Nigeria in the unenviable league of countries with the highest number of such institutions in the world. A recent report shows that while the United States is ranked first, Nigeria is second. This development should be of much concern to the NUC, the Federal Government and other stakeholders in the country’s tertiary education system.
The existence of illegal varsities has further underlined the crisis in the nation’s university education occasioned by paucity of admission places in public universities, underfunding and lack of facilities, including manpower and equipment in the universities. Why are some Nigerians patronising illegal universities when existing universities don’t fill up their carrying capacities?
High cut-off marks in public universities, exorbitant tuition fees charged by private universities, course preferences, and ignorance might be responsible for the malaise. Since there is high demand for university education, some shrewd Nigerians have intervened negatively to fill the gaps in varsity admission. These smart Nigerians and their foreign collaborators are doing so solely because of profit motive and not that they are interested in the development of university education or the production of quality graduates and intellectuals.
Illegal varsities abound in the country simply because the NUC has not sufficiently sanctioned the promoters of such institutions. Their promoters have been treated as sacred cows, hence the phenomenal growth of such degree mills. To curb the menace, it is time the Federal Government and the NUC wielded the big stick and close these unlawful institutions. Apart from closing them, the government must make laws, if not in existence, to confiscate the assets of such illegal schools henceforth.
For so long, the government has handled this issue with kid gloves or indifference. Since it is illegal for people to establish and run unregistered universities, government should muster the will to apprehend and prosecute their proprietors and secure convictions. This is probably the best way to deter other unscrupulous Nigerians from indulging in such illegality.
The proliferation of the degree factories is a threat to varsity education and national development. NUC should desist from the annual ritual of regaling Nigerians with the list of illegal universities operating without much restraint across the country. Instead of announcing their existence, NUC must go ahead and rein in those behind such unwholesome practice. The NUC should use its powers to curb the menace before more harm is done to our varsity education system.