The Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, mni,MFR, FNAL, recently received the Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, Air Vice Marshal A.A. Olabisi in his office.
Air vice Marshal Olabisi told the Executive Secretary that his mission to the NUC was to consult and seek his advice on three main issues concerning the smooth running of AFIT and the institute’s movement and operation of its new campus in Bogoro, Bauchi state. He said that the two other issues were take off grant and admission issues.
According to the Commandant AFIT was in the Commission to seek the Executive Secretary’s approval to move some of its faculties to its new campus it acquired in Bogoro, Bauchi State in order to decongest the headquarters in Kaduna.
He also requested the NUC’s approval to reduce the student admission to reasonable and manageable size from the current 5,000 to about 2,000 students in order not to over stretched the facilities.
On the issue of quality assurance, he told the Executive Secretary that AFIT had complied fully with NUC directives on establishment of online e-learning platform in line with COVID 19 pandemic. “Lectures have been going on well and hope to continue with the online teaching even after COVID 19 and to that effect we have applied to TETFund for a grant to establish a more robust IT centre, for that purpose, in the institute.”
Air Vice Marshal Olabisi thanked the Executive Secretary and Management of NUC for their continued assistance and support to the institution since his assumption.
In his response, the ES NUC welcomed the commandant and his team to the Commission and congratulated him for his achievements and efforts in repositioning AFIT Kaduna and Air Force Military school, Bauchi.
Prof. Rasheed said that NUC had no objection with the Institution operating both Degree and HND programmes separately in one campus but offering them on the campus would pose a challenge.
He advised that if the AFIT could take over the ATBU Bagoro campus, then it would be more economical to move all the HND programmes there.
On over admission, the Executive Secretary said it was entirely the responsibility of the Institute through their internal Quality Assurance mechanism, and depending on available Facilities and resources in the school to control their admission.
He advised the institution to stop over admitting students and avoid over stretching the available resources.
He said that universities were not ranked based on the number of students admitted but by the quality of graduate output and as such “AFIT should endeavour to train quality graduates that could bring improvement in both the Military and the society in general.”
On the issue of take off grant, the Executive Secretary advised the commandant to take up the matter with the Chief of Air Staff.
On the request to migrate to online education platform, Prof. Rasheed said there was a misinformation about the issue, adding that the Federal Ministry of Education only advised schools to develop an online culture and NUC has not directed any institution on that.
The Director of Academic Planing, Dr. Biodun Saliu in his contribution said that it was good the commandant came to consult before taking any step capable of eroding the successes achieved so far in the institution.
Director, Public Affairs, Mal. Ibrahim Usman Yakasai admonished the commandant and his delegation to be law abiding in running the institution in order to prevent sanctions from the NUC.
Responding, the commandant thanked the Executive Secretary and the Directors for the advice and enlightenment which has brought so many issues to light. He promised to do more consultation with a view to bringing up some better proposals. He also said that AFIT in response to COVID 19 pandemic has invented and produced Ventilators and some personal protective equipment (PPEs) including mechanised hand washing machine and sanitizer dispenser. The Ventilators was sent to the ABU Veterinary Institute for testing on animals to see its efficiency. The AFIT also donated one of the fabricated hands washing sanitizer dispenser to the NUC for public use.