A former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, OON has declared that any nation that is serious about engaging education, as a social-change instrument, should ensure good quality University education for her citizenry.
The University Don made the disclosure while delivering the maiden Distinguished Lecture Series of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, titled “A Robust Regulatory System: An Imperative For Quality Assurance in Nigerian Universities” to commemorate the 30th anniversary celebrations of the University.
According to him, Universities are pivotal to research, innovation and enterprise which underlie the progress and development of any nation as well as its global competiveness, hence the need for a more efficient and effective monitoring system to guarantee an acceptable balance between quality and access to University education.
Stressing the need for proper monitoring of access and quality of programmes to guarantee the standard of University graduates, Professor Okojie who is also a former Vice-Chancellor of the University said that fortunately, regulators such as the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), professional bodies, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders assist in Quality Assurance issues in Nigeria alongside external quality agencies like International Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education(INQAAHE); Nordic Network of Quality Assurance Agencies; African Quality Assurance Network among others.
Professor Okojie noted that the existence of these bodies confirms that quality of programmes and graduates is a worldwide concern because of staff and students mobility, advocating that the education sector takes advantage of these organisations and domesticate global best practices to improve its quality assurance architecture.
The former Vice-Chancellor of the University said that it is evident that Nigeria’s Quality Assurance activities have improved the quality of programmes in the Nigeria University System as the number of programmes with full accreditation status has continued to improve.
Speaking on the way forward, Professor Okojie recommended that Universities in Nigeria should take advantage of the Nigerian Research and Educa
tion Network (NgREN) platform to share resources with other Universities, adding that it provides cheaper bandwidth, telephony, video conferencing and improves the prospect of teaching larger class sizes.
The former Executive Secretary who disclosed that contrary to the belief that the quality of Nigerian graduates is poor, said that the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development (PRESSID) confirmed that graduates from Nigerian Universities are globally competitive with over 200 of the First Class Honours graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) who benefitted from it being top in their programmes in the top 25 per cent Universities in the World. He stressed that some of the best graduates from the Nigerian Universities are world acclaimed professionals in developed countries.
He charged the University at 30 not to rest on its oars but to continue to raise the bar of excellence as “only the ultimate is best for FUNAAB”.
Other Related Posts
- FUNAAB Embraces FG Initiative on Power
- Ogun CP Commends FUNAAB … For no case of Cultism in the State Command – As Mgt. Visits CP, DSS Director
- VC Shares Experience after Two Years in Office
- Registrar Appreciates University Management
