Education professionals have thrown their weight behind the decision of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to clamp down on illegal universities saying this will help curb unwholesome practices in the education sector.
Reacting to the decision of NUC to publish the names of 58 illegal universities Thursday, educationists and university professors who shared their views with BusinessDay say this action is a welcome development and should be done more frequently to deter others.
The 58 illegal universities according NUC are
- University of Accountancy and Management Studies, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Christians of Charity American University of Science and Technology, Nkpor, Anambra State or any of its other campuses.
- University of Industry, Yaba, Lagos or any of its other campuses.
- University of Applied Sciences and Management, Port Novo, Republic of Benin or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- Blacksmith University, Akwa or any of its other campuses.
- Volta University College, HO, Volta Region, Ghana or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- Royal University, Izhia, PO BOX 800, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State or any of its other campuses.
- Atlanta University, Anyigba, Kogi state or any of its other campuses.
- United Christian University, Macotis campus, Imo State or any of its other campuses.
- United Nigeria University College, Okija Anambra State or any of its other campuses.
- Samuel Ahmadu University, Makurdi, Benue State or any of its other campuses.
- UNESCO University, Ndoni, Rivers State or any of its other campuses.
- Saint Augustine’s University of Technology, Jos, Pleateu State or any of its other campuses.
- The International University, Missouri USA, Kano and Lagos studies centres or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- Collumbus University, UK, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Tiu International University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Pebbles University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- London External Studies, UK, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Pilgrims University operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Lobi Business School, Makurdi, Benue State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
- West African Christian University operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Bolta University College, Aba or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
- JBC Seminary Inc. (Wukari Jubilee University) Kaduna illegal campus.
- Western University, Esie Kwara State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
- St. Andrews University College, Abuja or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- EC-Council USA, Ikeja Lagos Study Centre.
- Atlas University, Ikot Udoso Uko, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- Concept College/Universities (London) Ilorin or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- Halifax Gateway University, Ikeja or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
- Kingdom of Christ University, Abuja or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- Acada University, Akinlalu Oyo state or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- Filfom University, Mbaise, Imo State or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
- Houdegbe North American University campuses in Nigeria.
- Atlantic Intercontinental University, Okija Anambra State.
- Open International University, Akure.
- Middle Belt University (North Central University) Otukpo.
- Lead Way University, Ugheli, Delta State.
- Metro University, Dutse/Bwari Abuja.
- Southend University, Ngwuro Egeru (Afam) Ndoki, Rivers State.
- Olympic University, Nsukka, Enugu State.
- Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Abuja.
- Temple University, Abuja.
- Irish University Business School, London, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- National University of Technology, Lafia, Nasarawa State.
- University of Accountancy and Management Studies, Mowe, Lagos – Ibadan Expressway and its annex at 41, Ikorodu road, Lagos.
- University of Education, Wenneba Ghana operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Cape Coast University, Ghana operating in Nigeria.
- African University Cooperative Development (AUCD) Cotonou, Benin Republic operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Pacific Western University, Denver Colorado, Oweri study centre.
- Evangel University of America and Chudick Management Academic, Lagos.
- Enugu State University of Science and Technology (Gboko campus).
- Career Light Resources Centre, Jos.
- University of West Africa, Kwali Abuja, FCT.
- Coastal University, Iba Oku, Akwa Ibom State.
- Kaduna Business School, Kaduna.
- Royal University of Theology, Minna, Niger State.
- West African Union University, in collaboration with International Professional College of Administration, Science and Technology, Nigeria operating anywhere in Nigeria.
- Gospel Missionary Foundation (GMF), Theological University,165 Isolo road, Cele bus stop, Egbe Ikotun, Lagos.
NUC further added that eight other universities undergoing investigation are:
1) National Universities of Nigeria, Keffi , Nassarawa State.
2) North Central University, Otukpo, Benue state.
3) Christ Alive Christian Seminary and University.
4) Richmond Open University, Arochukwu, Abia state.
5) West Coast University, Umuahia.
6) Saint Clements University, Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti state.
7) Volta University College, Aba, Abia state.
8) Illegal Satellite Campuses of Ambrose Alli University.
National Universities Commission (NUC) is a regulatory body and a licensing body too especially for the whole universities in Nigeria says Florence Obi, former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar adding that part of the responsibilities of NUC is to monitor the establishment of universities in order to prevent a situation where individuals arbitrarily take a decision to establish a university without due process.
Official figures from the National Universities Commission (NUC) shows that Nigeria has 162 approved universities (41 Federal, 47 State and 74 Private) these institutions in total has the capacity to absorb only 500,000 students yearly.
Considering that millions of candidates yearly sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), this recognised deficit in university spaces potentially leaves over a million qualified college-age Nigerians without a post-secondary place.
Obi observes that the reason for the proliferation of illegal universities in the country is because of the desire by Nigerians for university degree certificates saying that students in their quest to gain admission don’t bother to do due diligence on the status of the universities they are applying.
“So NUC is right to clamp down on these illegal universities and even published their names just to prevent gullible Nigerians from falling prey to these unwholesome practices”,
The university professor opines that most of the unwholesome practices that happen in the universities system have the footprint of lecturers.
She further queries the reason any right thinking academic staff will want to lecture in an illegal university if such a person is actually qualified.
To her, the lecturers that end up teaching in those illegal universities are just looking for money. “Lecturers found in these universities are there for the money, they are not after the status of the universities, rather they are after the money they will get from teaching whether the university is approved or not, nobody cares”.
She insists that it is incumbent on the candidates which in this case are the students to carry out the right enquiries to ascertain the status of the universities they are applying.
Nobody should blame NUC for coming down hard on these illegal universities, Isaac Adeyemi, former vice Chancellor, Bells University of Science and Technology Otta, Ogun State said.
According to him, “The blame should go to proprietors who are establishing illegal universities without approval and the candidates who didn’t bother to check with NUC before they applied to those universities.
The reason Nigerian students fall prey to these so called mushroom universities is all in their quest to seek knowledge at all cost and by all means. Some of these candidates are blindfolded such that instead of going through the normal channel, they prefer short cut and sometimes are aided by their parents.
“The NUC publishes annually list of approved universities so I expect prospectus candidates to ascertain the status of any university they want to apply into. Even with approved universities, they have to find out if the course they intend to study I approved for such universities”, he said.
Commenting on the lecturers found in these illegal universities, Adeyemi describe them as mere mercenaries whose sole concern is money without any recourse to the status of the said universities.
He is of the view that if institution exists in any country including Nigeria without any formal approval from the regulatory agency such institution is illegal. There are procedures and protocols to follow if and when you wish to establish university.
KELECHI EWUZIE
