IMPLEMENTING STEPS FOR NEW MEDICAL SCHOOLS, ACCREDITATION ISSUES AND THE NEW MINIMUM BENCHMARK (2015) FOR THE MBBS/BDS PROGRAMMES

PROGRAMMES
Following several Stakeholders’ meetings in the last two years and as a prelude to the formal release of the New Minimum Academic Benchmark (2015), proprietors of Medical and Dental Schools in Nigeria (both current and prospective) are requested to note the following implementing steps including relevant adjustments relating to accreditation of Medical/Dental Schools. 1.From 1st September 2015, both current and prospective proprietors of Medical and Dental Schools should: a. Write a letter to the Executive Secretary stating their intent and provide relevant information as available. b. On receipt, (if NUC has no obvious reasons to disqualify the application), they would be sent a copy of the BMAS for MBBS/BDS and advised firmly to ensure that they are strictly complied with. c. The setting up of medical schools is not an emergency exercise. To this end, prospective proprietors must own and have in place (prior to a request for a Resource Verification), a fully functional and well run tertiary type hospital. In the circumstance of the above not being in place, consideration for an affiliation with a tertiary government-owned institution may be given only when the said university owns a medical institution fully functional with a minimum of 150 beds and a rural health medical unit. (See Appendix 4 of the BMAS). d. A Pre-clinical Accreditation would be expected to take place within two years of a positive Resource Verification. Students can only sit for the second MBBS professional examination (Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry) when they have a successful preclinical accreditation. The preclinical accreditation would, amongst others, concentrate largely on the Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pathology and Pharmacology and to a lesser extent, Community Health. All evaluated departments must have the minimum requirements in terms of academic staff, non academic staff and laboratory facilities. (See Appendix 3 of the BMAS) e. The Commission has now approved a Clinical Accreditation expected to take place within twelve months of a successful preclinical accreditation. Subsequent to that, a reaccreditation exercise will take place every five years. 2. With respect to established medical schools, (and irrespective of their accreditation status), it should be noted that only institutions that (by the deadline of March 20th,2016) have requested and obtained formal approval from the National Universities Commission for a re-evaluation based on the following considerations would be allowed to admit students into the MBBS/BDS programmes from the 2016/2017 academic year:
a. All Medical and Dental schools must have an approved, and appropriately utilized, Clinical Skills/Simulation centre. b. Ensure strict adherence to the proper use of the course system for all approved programmes in Nigerian Universities. The implication of the above is that a particular programme (subject) is taught not only broken into cluster units of 1-4 but also have the components of university supervised examinations. For clarity, current end of posting examinations (practiced by some medical/dental schools) that neither have units allocated nor follow the standards of a University examination, do not conform to the Minimum Academic Standards as established by the National Universities Commission. c. Universities are strongly urged to immediately review their current methods of teaching medical and dental students to include more tutorials, self study group teaching, use of IT in the delivery of courses and simulation/competency based evaluations that must be signed by a lecturer not below the status of a senior lecturer. It must be noted that the confirmation of a successful simulation/competency based evaluation should be a mandatory requirement before the students are eligible to sit for the various professional/sessional examinations 3. Proprietors are urged to note the Essential Component changes of the new curriculum expected to be in use from the 2016/2017 academic session. Details of these changes are available in the New Minimum Academic standards booklet and at the National Universities Commission website. (www.nuc.edu.ng.) Major components include the following: (a) The approval of three alternative models viz; i. A seven year MBBS/BDS programme that encompass a mandatory seamless four-year acquisition of the B.Sc. (Basic Medical Science) with interest in either Anatomy/Physiology/Biochemistry. At the end of seven years, students would have acquired the Bachelor of Basic Medical Science, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees. In case of the dental programmes, the students would have acquired a degree in Basic Dental Science and Bachelor of Dental Surgery. ii. In order to allow for career change for interested non-medical health professionals, the Commission has also approved a four year programme leading to MBBS/BDS for interested and qualified graduates of Nursing, Pharmacology, Physiotherapy, Image Science, Paramedics, Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology. It must be noted for such to be considered for admission they must have at the WAEC/NECO levels minimum credit scores in Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology at one sitting, prior to the admissions for their first degrees. They must also have a good CGPA. iii. Admission into universities based on the current six year programme would be allowed to continue as suitable alternative based on the discretion of the University. iv. It should be noted and emphasized that all the above degrees have the Bachelor appellation as they remain undergraduate programmes. (b) Specific periods of posting to the department of Family Medicine. The obvious implication here is that, the Universities should create the Department of Family Medicine following their due process. (c) Redesignation of the Department of Pharmacology to the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. The department is now expected to provide relevant basic clinical teaching and conduct relevant professional examination in Pharmacology. They will also be expected to provide relevant clinical teaching in Therapeutics. All Universities should set in motion the machinery to achieve the above. 4. In view of the above essential component changes of the new curriculum, the Commission will be organising a National training for Medical teachers in Nigerian Universities. Details of the training would be made available shortly. 5. Interested stakeholders are invited to send comments/suggestions on the above to: The Executive Secretary, NUC, okojie_julius@yahoo.com and copy to chiedu.mafiana@gmail.com

 MANAGEMENT
 www.nuc.edu.ng

UNICEF U-Report Initiative Seeks NUC’s Nod

L-R: UNICEF Chief of Health Section, Dr. Aboubacar Kampo; NUC Scribe, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON; Mr. Chris Maiyaki, Dr. Noel Saliu and Mal. Ibrahim Yakasai

A delegation from U-Report, led by the Chief of Health Section, United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), Dr Aboubacar Kampo, recently visited National Universities Commission (NUC), to seek the Commission’s approval to introduce U-report in all Nigerian Universities to staff and students. Welcoming the team, the Executive Secretary, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, thanked them for taking the right step of seeking the consent of the Commission before embarking on such a project, saying that U-Report would benefit students, if well harnessed. He called on them to think about deploying the U-Report platform to only things that would promote the interest of the students and to be sensitive to issues that would benefit both staff and students. L-R: UNICEF Chief of Health Section, Dr. Aboubacar Kampo; NUC Scribe, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON; Mr. Chris Maiyaki, Dr. Noel Saliu and Mal. Ibrahim Yakasai 7 Monday Bulletin Vol. 10 No. 35 - 30 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary The Executive Secretary, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary 1, Professor Chiedu Mafiana urged the team to carry the Commission along in all activities on the platform by linking the Commission to it. He also stressed the need to avoid posting anything that might offend the sensibilities of the users of the platform and the society in general. To this end, the Deputy Executive Secretary requested that all materials to be hosted must first be sent to the Commission for scrutiny before being carried on the U- Report platform. Earlier in his speech, Dr. Kampo informed the Commission that Ureport was an innovation- based and user-centred social monitoring tool, which relied on volunteer community members serving as U-reporters on a free entry and free exit basis, with the aim of providing information on issues in their communities such as medical, health, social, among others. This, he said, operated on a simple Short Message Service (SMS) by sending alert to key stakeholders about issues their constituents were facing and feeding back useful information to the U-reporters, who were empowered to work for change and improvements in their communities.

L-R: Director, Quality Assurance, Dr. Noel Saliu; Deputy Director, Students Welfare and Social Development, Mr. Alex Ewuruje; National Coordinator of U-Report, Mrs Victoria Ndoh; Deputy Executive Secretary I, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, UNICEF Chief, Dr Aboubacar Kampo; Director, Protocol and Special Duties, Mr. Chris Maiyaki and Deputy Director, ICT Projects, Dr. Joshua Atah

The UNICEF Chief of Health Department said that, with the universities being communities in themselves, the U-Report would thrive as there were many interest groups within the environment to relate with. He further explained that the U-report was all about a collaborative platform focused on community members, their views and rights and was meant to address challenges identified in any sector by amplifying the voice of the communities. Dr. Kampo further explained that U-Report had the ability to ensure that identified gaps were filled through citizen’s proactive monitoring, which makes all sectors more visible to the public and provides opportunities to strengthen public discourse on social issues in the public fora and through the media. He stated that information obtained through the platform served as a solid accountability system and was difficult to be influenced by stakeholders, as it was driven by citizens and constituencies. He remarked that the U-Report could not necessarily provide scientific evidence, but reflected the honest opinion and thoughts of the citizens. The platform served as what the Team Leader described as a ‘trigger pulse’ for further scientific investigations or spot checks and audits the platform. The U-Report might be used to report the outbreak of an epidemic, lack of infrastructure in schools, poor Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Healthcare (RMNCAH) services in medical facilities and lack of vaccines in real time and help save lives as well as improve livelihoods. According to Dr. Kampo, UNICEF in its programming and work ethic had adopted community engagement, involvement and empowerment as part of its core value and important working principles. This, he added, presented Nigeria with an opportunity to have one of the world‘s youngest population that had high literacy level and well spread in various communities. He revealed that seventy percent of U-reporters in Nigeria were young people and UNICEF considered them as the needed critical mass necessary in establishing linkages with communities to stimulate the process of positive change, through information exchange and feedback. He further said that U-Report, under the auspices of UNICEF was currently in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and National Orientation Agency (NOA), where it had helped to promote social accountability. In the delegation was the National Coordinator of U-Report, Mrs. Victoria Ndoh.

NIPSS Course 37 Visits NUC

NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON right, presenting a copy of the Commission's weekly Bulletin to the leader of the delegation, Senior Exexcutive Course 37, NIPSS, Kuru, Prof. Celestine Bassey

Members of the Senior Executive Course 37 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies( NIPSS), Kuru, led by Professor Celestine Bassey, on Tuesday, 26 August 2015, visited the National Universities Commission (NUC) on a study tour, as part of activities to under study strategic institutions in the country.

Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, in a group photograph with some Management staff and the NIPSS delegation

The Executive Secretary, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, said that the Commission was established following the recommendation of Eric Ashby’s Commission in 1962, first as a Department in the Cabinet Office with advisory responsibility. However, in 1974, it became a statutory body with the responsibility of ensuring the orderly development of a well co- ordinated university system that would guarantee quality and relevant educational development and global competitiveness. He stated that the Commission was vested with the responsibilities of granting approval for all academic programmes and the establishment of all higher educational institutions offering degree programmes and assuring quality of all academic programmes and the offered in Nigerian universities. It also serves as a channel for all external support to Nigerian universities. Professor Okojie stated that the Commission had a vision of been a dynamic regulatory agency that would act as a catalyst for positive change and innovation for the delivery of quality university education in Nigeria. He explained that in carrying out some of its activities, the Commission matches university graduate output with national manpower needs through the Nigerian Labour Market Observatory Project (LMOP) to enhance manpower development. The Project, he noted had amongst other things, fostered a cordial relationship between the NUS and the private sector. Part of the objectives of the Project was to create a national and institutional structure for guidance and management of the Management Information System in the country.

Group Photograph

Deputy Director, ICT Projects, Dr Joshua Atah briefing the NIPSS delegation on the NgREN project

The Executive Secretary informed the group that as part of the Commission’s quality Assurance mechanism, it provided the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) for all academic programmes in the NUS and also carries out accreditation exercise of such programmes in order to ensure compliance. He stated that the Federal Government was addressing the challenge of access through the establishment and licencing of more universities. Responding to questions from the group, Professor Okojie stated that the Commission was partnering with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other security agencies to arrest and prosecute illegal university operators, adding that some suspects had being convicted while others were still undergoing trials. He stated that the Commission was also collaborating with other University Regulatory Agencies of 2 Monday Bulletin Vol. 10 No. 35 - 30 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary Vol. 10 No. 35 - 30 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary 3 Monday Bulletin Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, in a group photograph with some Management staff and the NIPSS delegation foreign countries to ensure that only approved and accredited universities were patronised by Nigerians. A summit in Dakar Senegal recently examined the possibility of inter-country student transfer. A decision was, however, yet to be taken on the matter due to the differences in the Anglo-Phone and Franco-Phone countries. Professor Okojie informed the group that few years ago, the Commission sponsored some Education Correspondents on a fact- finding visit to Ghana, where it discovered that a four-storey shopping mall housed three illegal universities with predominantly Nigerian students. The challenge of illegal university, he said, was a global phenomenon. The Executive Secretary stated that the Commission had a tripartite relationship with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to ensure that only graduates who were duly admitted through JAMB and whose programmes were approved and accredited by NUC were mobilised for youth service. He stated that with these efforts, the NUS was being rid of illegal operators. On Open and Distance Education, Professor Okojie noted that the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) was as good as the regular brick and mortar system, adding that NOUN was a mega university with almost 200,000 student population. He stated that the Commission had made it compulsory for students of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and the Police Academy to be admitted through JAMB, noting that the Commission had also introduced the Linkage with Academics in Diaspora Scheme (LEADS) through which Nigerian academic in the diaspora could be engaged for the NUS. The Executive Secretary stated that the Commission, under his watch, had successfully reviewed the curricula of the 13 disciplines in the NUS, taking into consideration current realities and developments. He reiterated the fact that Nigerian graduates were globally competitive in view of their performance in some foreign universities. He also noted that many foreign Universities, especially African, paraded Nigerian professors. Earlier, the leader of the delegation called on NUC to ensure that only men and women of proven integrity were appointed into the Governing Councils of Universities in order to ensure effective policy direction for the universities. He advocated for more powers for the NUC to enable it discharge its regulatory functions more effectively, adding that the repositioning of the nation’s education system required an effective regulator like the NUC. At the event were the Deputy Executive Secretary I, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana; DES II, Mal. Ibrahim Dan’Iya and some Directors. In the NIPSS delegation were Asst. Inspector General of Police, Umaru Abubakar Manko, mni; Prof. Kyauta Tanyigna; Col. A.A. Fayemimo; CP Ibrahim Adamu; Onyebuchi Joachin Akosin; Lawal A. Tambari; Dr. (Mrs) Bolatito Morenike Obisesan; Alh. Alkali Abubakar; Barr. Paul Ishola Bankole; Barr. (Mrs) J.C. Emekekwue; Kayode Abe and Sirajo Umar Yauri

Navy Partners Private Firm on Proposed IUSAMS Varsity - NUC Pledges Support

L-R: Dr. Pavlos Pavlou; NUC Scribe, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON and Rear Admiral J. O. Oluwole

The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, has described the International University of Science, Arts and Maritime Studies (IUSAMS), proposed to be located at Ogwashi-Ukwu, Ibusa, Delta State, by the Nigerian Navy, in collaboration with its subsidiary company, Naval Building and Construction Company Limited (NBCCL) and Hellenic Education, as a giant step that would enhance the training programmes of the Navy when established

L-R: NUC Scribe, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON and Rear Admiral J. O. Oluwole

Receiving a delegation of the proposed University led by Rear Admiral J.O Oluwole of the Nigerian Navy, on a courtesy visit in his office, on Monday, 17 August, 2015, Professor Okojie stated that the University would be the first of its kind when established. He commended the promoters for the initiative. Professor Okojie informed the team that running a university required a great commitment of funds and tasked the promoters to ensure that the University concentrated on those programmes that would give it comparative advantage, having been championed by a Maritimerelated organisation. He noted that the NUC had the responsibility to guide them in achieving their goal, stressing that every university set up in Nigeria was expected to stick to its mandates and be run in line with laid down procedures. Professor Okojie expressed joy that the involvement of the private sector in establishing uni- 7 Monday Bulletin Vol. 10 No. 34 - 24 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary L-R: Dr. Pavlos Pavlou; NUC Scribe, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON and Rear Admiral J. O. Oluwole versities had increased access to university education, stating that private universities had also enhanced quality in the sector. He told the delegation that he was elated about the idea of establishing a specialised university that would complement the training needs of the Nigerian Navy, saying that the Commission would do its best to support the promoters to ensure that the proposed institution took off on a sound footing. Responding, the Team Leader, Rear Admiral J. O Oluwole, thanked the Executive Secretary for the warm reception accorded them and disclosed that they had already started the modalities for the setting up of the University and would return to the Commission in a couple of weeks with the infrastructure and the building plan. He assured him that the promoters were prepared to meet NUC’s requirements for the establishment of the University and that they would follow due process in running the programmes. Rear Admiral Oluwole informed the Executive Secretary that the proposed University would not be controlled solely by the Navy, but also by a School Management

Professor Akaneren Essien
Chairman, SCOPU

Committee, in conjunction with other partners. He appreciated the kind gestures of the NUC Scribe, and for agreeing to assist the team with all the necessary support documents that would aid the proposers in building a solid institution. Others in the delegation were, the representatives of Hellenic Education/University of Nicosia, Cyprus, Dr Pavlos Pavlou; Mr. Kabir Ado Bayero; Rear Admiral (rtd). K. O Komomolafe; representatives of the Nigerian Navy, Vol. 10 No. 34 - 24 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary 8 Monday Bulletin NUC Scribe, Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, in a group photograph with the visitors and some members of the Standing Committee on Private Universities (SCOPU) Hajia Hadiza Abdulrahman DD, UA & Member, SCOPU Mr. Mustapha Rasheed DD in DPP&D & Member, SCOPU Lieutenant Commander O. A. Ekokotu; Captain S.H. Abdullahi; Engineer I. A Mohammed; Engineer I.A Wakali; the Managing Director of NBCCL, Commodore A. B. Adamu; a Civil Engineer with the Company; as well as some Consultants of the Nigerian Navy, Professor Olatunji Abanikannda; Dr. Idris O. Jibrin and those of Hellenic Education/AASTMTEgypt, Mr. Mohi Eldui Mohamed Elsayeh and Mr. Amr Ali Mohamed Hassan, respectively.

Uphold Journalism Ethics - Prof. Okojie Charges Reporters

The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, has charged members of the press to uphold the ethics of journalism in their reportage, in order to earn and sustain the confidence of the public. He gave the charge during a capacity building workshop and Monthly Press Luncheon, organised by the Commission for members of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN), FCT Chapter, at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday, 20 August, 2015. He said that objectivity was a necessary ingredient in any reportage as “it guides the reporter against bias”, adding that good reportage would enable the journalists to rise to the pinnacle of their profession. He stated that as members of the fourth estate of the realm, a lot was expected of them. Professor Okojie stated that the training was a way of building the capacity of the education correspondents for optimum productivity and also acquainting them with the activities of the Nigerian University System (NUS). He added that the Commission was always willing to interact with the press, both at the formal and informal fora so as to provide the public with useful information on the activities of the NUS. He decried the activities of “fake journalist who go about harassing members of the public with the motive of extorting money”. He advised the press men to always strife to be the best in their profession, charging them to endeavour to visit Nigerian universities for first-hand assessment.

Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON
Executive Secretary, NUC

The Executive Secretary stated that Nigerian universities were doing well as evidenced by their performance, which led to the selection of 10 out of the 19 African Centres of Excellence, from West and Central African Countries. He observed that most African universities paraded Nigerian professors among their best academics, adding that Nigerian graduates were also globally competitive, as witnessed by the performance of some scholars of the Presidential Special Scholarship for Innovation and Development (PRESSID) who were studying in top 20 universities in the world. He maintained that the university system was the only system that was not corrupted until the “gown went and fused with the town”. Professor Okojie informed the journalists that the Commission was not bothered about global ranking of Nigerian universities for now, due to the fact that the parameters used were peculiar to their environment, adding that the internet bandwidth which provided adequate visibility on the internet had been a major challenge in the NUS. He stated that Mr. ‘Bayo Atoyebi Guest Lecturer although the Commission had been trying to address the challenge by introducing the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN), its subscription was yet to be renewed. He regretted that since the 3-billion naira research grant was provided, not much of it had been accessed by scholars. Professor Okojie reiterated the fact that illegal university operators were finding it very difficult to operate as the environment had become very unconducive for them, due to various mechanisms that the Commission had in place. He disclosed that the Commission had been clamping down and prosecuting illegal university operators in order to sanitise the NUS. He also said that the Commission was trying to partner with other African countries to clamp down on illegal universities. Responding to questions, Professor Okojie said that the recent presentation of operational licences to nine private universities was a way of ensuring that they operated within the laid-down guidelines, adding that the Commission was willing to revisit those yet to be given full licenses. He stated that some of the criteria for the granting of operational licenses included academic stability, constitution of a University Governing Council, among others.

Professor Chiedu Mafiana
NUC Deputy Executive Secretary I

NUC Commits to PartneringNCDMBon Faculty Model Programme

The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A.Okojie,OON, has assured the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) of the Commission’s partnership to promote the ‘’Adopt a Faculty (AAFac) Model Programme”.

Welcoming ateam from the Board led byMr.DenzilA. Kentebe, on a courtesy visit to the Commission, on Monday, 24 August, 2015, the Executive Secretary, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary 1, ProfessorChieduMafiana, said that he was elated about the collaboration which, he noted, would open a new frontier of opportunities for Nigerian universities. He told the delegation that the main responsibility of the Commission was to ’see to the orderly development of the Nigerian Universities,’ which it does through quality assurance and maintenance of academic standards. 

The NUC Scribe remarked that the relationship between Industries and Universities was very weak and that there was need to strengthen it, saying that the Commission have a TV Programme (Voyage of Discovery) which showcased researches of different professionals, aimed at drawing the attention of those who need the output of the universities in the industry.He commended NCDMB for seeking the consent of the Commission before tinkering with the idea of the curriculum review which was NUC’s sole responsibilities and stated that linkage with the relevant industries in the oil and gas so as to accommodate students on the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was very crucial.

Professor Okojie disclosed that the team would have to identify the gaps so that the universities in return would know what they have to deliver. He stated that the Commission would advise the Board on the issue of “Adopt a faculty” with the 12 selected institutions so that they worked out details of the programme and agree implementation steps. He said that monitoring and evaluation should be instituted in whatever decision taken, adding that the checking of who goes on sabbatical would have to be fully defined. He informed the delegation that the NUC team would comprise 5 members of the Management including the Deputy Executive Secretary 1, Directors of Academic Standards, Research and Innovation, Quality Assurance and Inspection and Monitoring.

Responding, Mr. Kentebe, disclosed that the establishment of NCDMB was propagated in2010 by the Nigerian oil and gas industry as a way to sustain production and revenue which was a spring board to sustain production and revenue for the industrialisation of the Nigerian economy.  He noted that the role of the universities was to provide skill and manpower in the oil and gas chain, but the academic structure does not fully address the needs of the sector since the partnership between the Board and universities had not being fully defined.

The leader of the delegation informed the NUC Scribe that the Board was implementingAAFac programme as part of its capacity development initiatives to achieve the linking of academia with oil and gas industry, to address the problem of lack of job readiness of graduates from Nigerian institutions by facilitating partnerships between industry and academia. He canvassed for the university curriculum to be aligned to industry technology and skill requirements so as to maintain healthy pipeline for future oil and gas talents and help build training capacity and infrastructure relevant to the needs of the industry. He said the Board sought to develop a culture for applied research that would stimulate commercialisation of research findings emanating from Nigerian academic institutions and   pilot an initiative where beneficiaries of Nigerian oil and gas resources invest towards manpower and innovation development.

The NCDM Executive Secretary said that in order to achieve the set objectives of (AAFac), the scopethey had adopted covered the provision of internship slots (SIWES) for students in oil companies, curriculumrevision, research incubation, with intent to adapt and commercialise sabbatical slots for academicians in the oil company so that they would understand trends in the industry and transfer such knowledge to their students. He requested that the Commission partner with them to set up a Committee within the next few weeks andproposed a meeting again in October to approve the course.  He also pledged to cooperate with NUC as regards the processes involved, adding that operating and service companies would be required to sign a Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) with preferred academic institutions detailing the scope of AAFac and its expected impact.

Also in the delegation were: Manager Strategy and Policy,Mr AbudulmalkHalilu, Manager Government Relations,Ms Alexis B. Emelle, Strategy and Policy Development Officer,Mr Chukwuma O.Ojiudu and Director, Planning, Research and Statistics,Mr.DazibaP.Obah.

ES ADVOCATES PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION IN HEIs - At Babcock Varsity Conference

The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A.Okojie, OON, has advocated the need for programme accreditation to be carried out in all categories of institutions(federal, state and private), describing it as a panacea to African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) creating impact on the economy through the products of these institutions.

Delivering a position paper on The Role of Accreditation in Higher Education at an International Conference on the Future of Higher Education organised by the School of Education and Humanities, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, from 23^rd to 26^th August, 2015, Professor Okojie stressed that notwithstanding its financial implications, no effort should be spared in conducting it until the international standards fit for the purpose of entrenching a quality assurance culture in the institutions were achieved. He alsocanvassed that each country should devise ways and means of funding her accreditation exercises including possible assistance from international partners. 

The NUC Scribe, who was represented by a Visiting Professor Akaneren Essien, told participants that Nigeria established the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), as an intervention agency, which had helped the system as it had intervened massively and routinely in equipping public tertiary institutions in the country’s Quality Assurance exercises. He further harped on the need for the pursuit of institutional accreditation pari-pasuwith programme accreditation since the former sought to objectively measure the performance of a university holistically, guided by a clearly identified set of criteria and relevant minimum standards. 

The Executive Secretary asserted that universities and other HEIs that have fared prominently in regional or global university rankings had combined institutional with programme accreditation exercise. He emphasised that the idea of establishing a continental quality assurance body was commendable, but however, stated that the promoters of National and Regional Accreditation Agencies must ensure the sustainability of their goals.

Professor Okojie called for synergy in the accreditation of professional courses with the respective professional bodies concernedwho were statutorily empowered to conduct the accreditation of their professional programmes since the role of accreditation agencies was to ensure compliance with the quality criteria spelt out for the various programmes. He disclosed that the NUC had in response to this, continuously worked closely with such professional bodies like the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), Council for the Regulation of Engineering practice in Nigeria (COREN) and the Council of Legal Education, among others.

The paper chronicled the history of quality assurance of higher education in Africa which was traced to the pre-colonial and pre-independence dispensations and particularly observed that the first formal accreditation in tertiary education took place in Francophone Africa in 1968 with the creation of ConseilAfricaine et Malgache pour l’EnseignementSuperieur (CAMES,)to among others, harmonise recognition and equivalence of awards among the 16-member countries. It also noted that the first NUC accreditation exercise was conducted in 1990-involving 758 academic programmes in Nigeria Universities, with about 13 programme accreditation exercises having been conducted since then, while in 2011, the first round of Institutional accreditation exercise was conducted in selected Nigerian universities (minimum of 10 years of establishment and the attainment of 70% fully accredited programmes).

In the paper, Professor Okojie identified some changes in quality assurance over the post-independence years in Africa HEIs and attributed them to such factors as the end of affiliation and mentoring relationships, growth in students enrolment which posed negative effects on the quality of teaching and training of the students, growth of private HEIs, general economic decline as well as increased pressure from competition and globalisation, among others. He disclosed that as part of measures to tackle these challenges, some efforts had been made by various agencies and groups in Africa leading to a movement from diversity to harmonisation while they still maintained their institutional and national identities as well as autonomies.

The Executive Secretary enumerated some of these efforts to include the development of Guide to Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa, development of Guide to Effective Teaching in Higher Education in Africa, each with a Module for implementation.  The focal point and activities of the agencies within Africa were highlighted as including the establishment of, African Quality Assurance Systems Peer Review Mechanism, aimed at sharing experiences on structure, functions, management, legal frameworks and other enabling attributes of quality assurance agencies in higher education in Africa and the African Quality Rating Mechanism for Higher Education (AQRM). Others were the African Quality Assurance Network (AfriQAN), which was committed to enhancing the quality of higher education and also with similar organisations in other continents and the African Credit Transfer Systems, which was aimed at enhancing students mobility across institutions within and countries after reaching common understanding on what constituted “credit”.  

The NUC Scribe explained that in Nigeria higher education system, some specific institutions were responsible for the conduct of accreditation such as the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for Polytechnics, the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) for National Certificate of Education (NCE)-awarding institutions and the NUC, with the mandate to lay down minimum standards for all universities in Nigeria and to accredit their degrees and other academic awards after obtaining prior approval through the Minister from the President as due from time to time and approved by the Commission. The NUC, he said, use a newly developed Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) document for accreditation which provided for minimum course contents in each degree programme, among other variables.

Professor Okojie submitted that the Commission carry out its quality assurance programmes by way of accreditation activities in the form of programmes accreditation, institutional accreditation and postgraduate accreditation.NUC, had also continued to quality assure in the process of licensing private higher education institutions and through the conduct of accreditation along with professional bodies and the accreditation of distance learning higher education programmes.

Meanwhile, the Conference had its objectives for African universities to share best practices for higher education performance in different countries and regions of the world, to discuss the roadmap to effective and efficient higher education delivery in Africa, to identify the challenges and prospects of higher education development in Africa and to explore how society can fully benefit from the contributions of higher education in Africa.