Nuc scraps pre-degree and diploma programmes on Nigeria university

Pre-degree and diploma programmes in Nigerian
universities have been scrapped.
The National Universities Commission (NUC),
which took the action, instructed them to leave
the running of such programmes for
polytechnics and concentrate effort on
producing human capital in the core
undergraduate, part-time and post-graduate
courses.
Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof.
Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, gave this order at
meetings held between October 10 and 12 with
vice chancellors of the 143 universities in the
country, according to a statement by the NUC
yesterday.
He also directed that the research directorate
of NUC be strengthened to work with those of
universities. This is to co-ordinate research
activities in universities and ensure relevance of
their outputs. He said the NUC, would engage a
mix of old, experienced and young vibrant
academics to come up with curricula that
would not only be dynamic and responsive to
national needs, but also conform to global
trends.
The statement continued: “A comprehensive
review of the entire university curricula (the
Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards
(BMAS)) and ranking of Nigerian universities
have also been scheduled for 2017, while two
of the cardinal activities of the commission,
accreditation of programmes and resource
verification, will now take place only twice and
thrice a year, respectively: May and November
for accreditation as well as March, July and
December for resource verification.”
NUC also warned that any university that failed
to present its programmes for accreditation
promptly without satisfactory reasons, given
well in advance, would be denied same and the
relevant agencies (JAMB and NYSC) duly
notified.
Guardian