By Adekunle Samuel
The Federal Ministry of Education has established a committee to assess the activities of private universities established in the last 15 years.
Prof. Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, stated that the review aims to evaluate if the investigated private institutions possess the necessary facilities, proper management structures, and sufficient funding for their programs. The inter-ministerial committee, tasked with investigating illegal universities, will also scrutinize allegations of degree certificate racketeering within both foreign and local private universities in Nigeria.
The committee, led by Prof. Jibrila Amin, Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), has been given an eight-week timeframe to submit its report. The Minister instructed the panel to assess the recognition and accreditation procedures for foreign universities and programs by the Federal Ministry of Education, including a review of existing policies and procedures to identify weaknesses contributing to the identified issues.
Additionally, the committee will investigate the role of relevant ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as their officials, in facilitating the recognition and procurement of the alleged fake certificates.
