By Njoku Chijioke
The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, has voiced concerns about the escalating number of first-class degrees awarded by private universities in Nigeria.
Speaking at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Osodeke labeled the trend “worrisome” and raised questions about its implications for academic credibility and integrity.
Osodeke warned that this pattern might pressure public universities into similar practices, thereby diluting academic standards across the nation.
He called for stringent regulations to safeguard the quality and credibility of degrees in the country.
Reflecting on the state of foundational education, the ASUU president attributed a decline in standards to the subpar performance of primary and secondary schools, which, he argued, often produce students with inflated grades but inadequate knowledge.
“The obsession with first-class degrees could undermine the integrity of higher education, especially if the awards are not backed by rigorous academic merit,” Osodeke remarked.
His comments have reignited discussions on education reforms in Nigeria, with stakeholders emphasizing the need for robust oversight to preserve the integrity of the nation’s educational system.
Policymakers are now tasked with addressing these concerns to ensure that the quality of Nigerian university graduates remains globally competitive.
