FG set to clampdown on Illegal Campuses, Affiliations with Foreign Universities

By Daniel Ayantoye

The Federal Government has said it will no longer tolerate operations of illegal satellite campuses and affiliations with foreign unaccredited universities.

The Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, stated this during the inauguration of the 34th National Standing Committee, (NSC) on the evaluation of foreign qualifications.

The minister who frowned at illegal affiliation with foreign Institution by some Tertiary Institutions in the country stated that the days of “Boys Quarter” degrees are over and for good.

This is contained in a statement signed by Director, Press and Public Relations Department, Ministry of Education, Ben Bem Goong on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020.

The statement read in part “The Minister said this today in Abuja when he inaugurated the 34th meeting of
the National Standing Committee, (NSC). He said the Standing Committee was
constituted for the purpose of determining the Nigerian equivalent of certificates
and degrees of foreign institutions.

“Adamu Adamu directed the Committee to ensure that “the quality groundwork
already laid for evaluation is progressively improved upon in such a manner that
inspires national and international confidence”
.
He expressed hope that the outcome of the Committee’s proceedings will
improve the protocol of evaluating foreign education certificates and other
related issues.”

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Arch. Sonny Echono,
revealed that the Standing Committee was constituted in 1974 to evaluate the
Nigerian equivalent of academic diplomas and degrees obtained from Eastern
European countries.

He lamented that the advent of distance learning and establishment of
numerous sub-standard tertiary institutions in the country have made the
situation more complex”.

Echono also explained that government in its quest to make the evaluation
process less cumbersome, has dedicated an online portal to which applicants can
send their requests.

Candidates can now access the portal via www.ess.education.gov.ng
The Permanent Secretary disclosed the Ministry’s intention to improve on the
portal’s functionality for optimum seamless operations.

He subsequently urged members of the Standing Committee to put in their best
in ensuring that the menace of illegal foreign certificates is eradicated.

Speaking earlier, Dr. Lydia Giginna, Director Education Support Service
department of the Ministry expressed hope that full compliance with the new
protocol will complement the Ministry’s efforts of reducing the use of illegitimate
and forged foreign degree certificates in the country.
The Terms of Reference, (TOR) for the National Standing Committee include;
To deal with the broad principles of evaluation, finetune and improve the
established criteria for the evaluation of foreign qualifications
To decide the Nigerian equivalent of foreign educational qualifications
To objectively consider briefs on respective foreign countries’ education
system presented by Desk Officers, with a view to deciding Nigerian
equivalents to such country’s qualifications
To consider emerging challenges emanating from routine evaluations by
Federal Ministry of Education’s Desk Officers
To serve as the appellate body to appraise representations from aggrieved
individuals on emerging routine evaluation issues and;
Carry out other assignments relevant to its mandate.