By Abdulmumini Ashiru
The Federal Government has commenced major reforms to strengthen accreditation and quality assurance in tertiary institutions and end the practice of temporarily borrowing academic staff, equipment and facilities to meet accreditation requirements.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, stated this in Abuja while inaugurating the Ministerial Committee on Strengthening the Accreditation and Quality Assurance System for Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.
Dr. Alausa said accreditation must reflect an institution’s actual and sustainable capacity, stressing that prescribed standards must be maintained throughout the year, rather than only during accreditation visits.
He directed the Committee to develop a digital, data-driven and continuously verifiable system using technologies including geospatial mapping, geotagging and secure digital records. The system will verify staff identity and institutional affiliation, as well as the ownership, functionality and sustained availability of facilities, laboratories, workshops, libraries and major equipment.
The Minister also called for stronger measures to address illegal admissions and other weaknesses in the regulatory system.
The Committee, chaired by Professor Ishaq Oloyede, will review existing policies and recommend measures to strengthen monitoring, verification, technology adoption and continuous quality assurance.
The Ministry will collaborate with NUC, NBTE, NCCE and other stakeholders to ensure accreditation standards are authentic, functional and sustainably available to students.
