The National Universities Commission has said that it has discovered 67 illegal universities, satellite campuses and study centres in the country.
Executive Secretary of the Commission, Abubakar Rasheed, stated this while speaking at the 11th convocation of Al-Hikmah University held in Ilorin on Saturday.
Prof. Rasheed expressed concern that all the alleged illegal institutions award certificates. He, however, said that the NUC is tackling the situation headlong to discourage the illegality and ensure that reputation of tertiary education in the country is not harm beyond remedy.
“The commission is taking concrete steps through inter-agencies collaboration to tackle the untoward development headlong, especially by mass sensitisation of unsuspecting patrons through periodic publication list of such ‘Degree Mills’,” he stated.
The NUC boss called for concerted effort of all stakeholders to check dwindling standard of education to make the country greater.
He said, “The New Nigeria project is a task that must be accomplished by all. We all have a role in shaping the future of our dear country. So, no sacrifice will be too much to salvage the palpable nosedive of our education system. We are all stakeholders in the scheme of selfless commitment to producing competent and resourceful manpower that will drive the much desired development in all strata of the Nigerian life.”
Also speaking, the Pro-Chancellor of the Al-Hikmah University who was a former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said the security challenge in the country was a creation of all the people of the country and advised that there is the need for the people to all get involved in the efforts to get rid of the challenge if the country is to get over the crisis.
He stated, “At present, the overarching topical issue is the one that borders on security challenges. We are where we are today as a direct consequence of our actions and inactions although the government, especially at the centre, is doing its best to tackle the problem, we all must stand up to confront the monster together.
In his speech, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Noah Yusuf, congratulated the 1,079 students that graduated at various levels at the convocation but advised them to be ready for the task ahead and not to see their graduation as end of learning and life struggle.
Out of the 1,079 graduands produced by the institution, 28 are in first class, 282 in Second Class Upper Division, 532 in Second Class lower division while 97 are in Third class. 97 received their Master degree certificate while 43 receive post graduate diploma.