The Acting Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Mr. Chris J. Maiyaki, has said that the Commission was poised to ensure full implementation of the recently launched Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) by all universities in Nigeria.
He said this last Tuesday, when the Commission played host to the leadership of Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU), who paid a courtesy visit to the NUC to seek recognition and partnership in the implementation of its programmes. Mr. Maiyaki stated that Registrars were the nexus of university academic and administrative activities, adding that they were also the drivers of policies in the system. He called on ARNU to, in conjunction with other relevant stake holders in the system, ensure full implementation of the CCMAS as the document was now a reference document for NUC Resource Verification going forward.
He stressed that the CCMAS was painstakingly put together by seasoned professors from each programme, professionals and captains of industries, adding that the outcome of the CCMAS was in line with global best practices, fit-for-purpose and capable of producing graduates that could compete globally.
The Acting Executive Secretary, noted that the visit was coming at a time when the Commission was repositioning the Nigerian Universities System (NUS), adding that the Commission had recently launched a new guideline for cross boarder education to bridge the gap between demand and supply.
“The idea behind the cross boarder education guideline is to open up our education space for international partnership and collaborations while creating an enabling environment to expand access to university education”, he said.
Mr. Maiyaki noted that plans were on ground to re-launch and review the manual for universities ceremonies. The manual, he said, would ensure uniformity in the way university ceremonies were been conducted. In his words: “We will ensure that as soon as the draft manual is ready, a copy will be sent to your association for your input. “You should know that we take your role as Registrars seriously, as you are the institutional memory of your respective universities,” he stated.
He urged the ARNU leadership to send a communiqué to the Commission on resolutions made by the Association during its recently held annual workshop at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja, assuring that the NUC was ready to partner with ARNU for a better university system.
Responding, the ARNU Chairman, Mr. Ife Oluwole, fnim, fcia, stated that the Association operated as one unified body, adding that the office of a Registrar was a position recognised by the law establishing Nigerian universities as the Chief Administrative Officers, ex-officio secretaries to Council, Senate, Congregation and Convocation and the Chief Advisers to these bodies.
He added that Registrars were responsible for all records both academic and administrative pertaining to staff. The Registry, under the Registrars leadership, served as the gateway for students entering and exiting the University. The Registrar interfaced with students before, during, and after their studentship. He said “we are the gate-keepers and touch-bearers of the NUS. We are the record keepers and policy executors of the Nigerian universities. “Sitting with you in your office today are men and women who are dedicated to seeing Nigerian University System compete on the global stage”.
Mr. Oluwole stated that the Manual of university administration published by the NUC some years back spoke much about the pivotal roles of Registrars within the NUS. He, therefore, called on the Commission to carry the Registrars along in formulating policies as it affected the universities and also when providing training for Principal Officers of universities, urging that the Commission should actively commit to involving Registrars as they were critical stake-holders in university education.
The ARNU Chairman called on the leadership of the NUC to consider the re-introduction of institutional accreditation alongside programme accreditation, adding that it would, no doubt, address gaps in the NUS and enhance quality in other spheres of universities. He noted that ARNU over the years hold training for its members so that they could greatly impact on the entire system, stating that the Association during its Business meeting held twice a year normally holds workshop in April and its Retreat in October.
The Chairman extended to the Acting Executive Secretary an invitation to deliver a keynote address at the second edition of its workshop to be held at the National Open University of Nigeria NOUN and assured that the ARNU was committed to assisting the Commission in achieving it goals.
In the ARNU delegation included the Registrar, University of Benin and Vice-Chairman, Mr. Ademola A. Bobola; Registrars of: Tansian University (Assist. Gen. Sec), Mr. Daniel Ugwilo; Plateau State University, Bokkos, (P.R.O), Mr. Yakubu F. Ayuba; Federal University, Gashua( Ex-Officio), Dr. Abubakar Mamudu; Federal University of Technology Babura-Jigawa (Treasurer), Mrs. Fatima Binta Mohammed mni, and NOUN, Mr. Oladipo A. Ajayi.
At the meeting were the Acting Directors of Research, Innovation and Information Communication Technology (DRIIT), Mallam Lawal Farouk; Public Affairs (DPA), Mallam Haruna Lawal Ajo; Inspection and Monitoring, Mrs. Lydia Imoroa; Finance and Accounts (DFA), Mrs. Hauwa Amos, Human Resources (DHR), Mrs. Victoria Omorudion.
Also present were the representatives of the Acting Directors of Establishment of Private Universities (DEPU), Mr, Sardauna Samuel Adejo; Academic Planning (DAP), Mrs. Morebishe Funmilayo as well as Open, Distance and e- Learning (DODel), Mrs. Funke Sule.