New BUK VC, Professor Yahuza Bello Visits NUC

The Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano T(BUK), has approved the appointment of Professor Muhammad Yahuza Bello as the new ViceChancellor of the University. He succeeds Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed whose five years tenure, as the Vice-Chancellor, has elapsed. The new Vice-Chancellor, who is a Professor of Mathematics from the Institution, was born on 22 January, 1959. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Education/Mathematics from BUK in 1981, an MSc in Mathematics in 1984 from the same University and thereafter bagged a Ph.D in Mathematics from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA; in 1988. He joined the services of BUK as a Graduate Assistant in 1982 after completing his one-year mandatory NYSC at the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin. He rose through the ranks to become Professor in the same University in 2001. Professor Bello has contributed to scholarly research in the area of modern techniques in Mathematics and Computer Sciences, which he taught at various levels of degrees in BUK and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA. His research findings are of strategic importance to policy makers, educational planners and administrators, the academia, researchers and numerous other strategic stakeholders. The new Vice-Chancellor is a member of many professional bodies/associations, including the Nigerian Mathematical Society, Mathematics Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Mathematical Physics as well as Africa Mathematics Forum (an Internet-based group), among others. Professor Bello has held several administrative positions in BUK, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics (2010-2014); Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic (1999 -2003); Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies(2009- 2010); Director, Centre for Information Technology (2003-2007); Dean, Fa c u lt y o f Sc i e n c e ( 1 9 9 5 - 1999);and was also Elected Member, University Senate(1998- 1999); among others. He has also held several committees positions in the University, including being Chairman, Academic Staff Development Committee (1999-2003); Chairman, Senate Committee on Examinations Regulations( 2007 to date); Chairman, MacArthur Grants Implementation Committee, MAGIC (2000-2005); as well as Chairman, Investigative Committee on Misconduct in the School of General Studies, SGS(1997); among others. Professor Bello has served as member of various Boards and Committees including: Member, Governing Board of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (2000-2004) and (2012-2015); Member, Science and Technology Thematic Area, National Technical Group on Nigeria Vision 20:2020; Member, Technical Committee for the Establishment of Northwest U n i v e rsi t y, K a n o ,( 2 0 1 1 - 2012);Member, Implementation Committee of the same Institution (2012-2013); Member, 1 and nd 2 Visitation Panel to Kano State University of Science and Technology, Wudil (2006 and 2013); respectively. He is also a serving Member and Rapporteur-General, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), 2009 to date and Chairman/Member various NUC Accreditation Panels, 1999 to date, among others. The Vice-Chancellor has supervised and graduated five Ph.D Mathematics candidates, 32 MSc Mathematics and MSc Computer Science and is currently supervising one Ph.D candidate in Mathematics. He has been serving as External Examiner for Undergraduate and/ or Postgraduate coursework in many Universities, including Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Jos, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Federal University, Kashere, Gombe as well as Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, among others. Professor Bello has over 20 publications to his credit published, in renowned and reputable journals locally and internationally. He is a recipient of many scholarships and honours, including Best Graduating Student, GSS Gaya (1977); Federal Scholarship for exceptional performance in undergraduate studies, BUK (1979 and 1980); Aminu Dantata Prize for Best Graduating Student in the Faculty of Education, BUK (1981) and Graduate School Dean's List for obtaining 'A' in all courses, University of Arkansas, USA ( 1985-1988). The new Vice-Chancellor is happily married and blessed with seven children.

Nigeria, 4th Largest Client of UK Universities - David Woolf

Executive Secretary, NUC Professor Julius A. Okojie, with the 1st Secretary, Science, Innovation and Climate Change
British High Commission, Abuja, Mr. David Woolf.  

Nigeria is the 4 largest client of UK universities N st in the world, says the 1 Secretary, Science, Innovation and Climate Change, British High Commission, Abuja, Mr. David Woolf. He disclosed this on Monday Wednesday, 16 September, 2015, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A. Okojie, to explore further areas of collaboration between UK universities and the Commission. Mr. David Woolf said that the visit was necessitated by the recent press conference by the Commission on online programmes, adding that the UK Government was willing to partner with the Commission to ensure that its online programmes were duly recognised by NUC and to market its Open and Distance learning mode to Nigerians as a veritable means of providing university education to other countries of the world without necessarily travelling to the UK. He stated that the efforts would enable the two countries to establish useful links, especially in Science Education, through the transfer and application of UK Science and research in the Nigeria University System (NUS). He stated that the UK Government was concerned about the quality of programmes run in both the online and regular universities. Responding, the Executive Secretary stated that although the Commission recognised the National Open University of Nigeria as a duly accredited institution in the country, he observed that the UK had some online, open and distance learning centres in countries other than the UK, which quality may not be guaranteed. He said that there was the need for both countries’ regulatory agencies to collaborate for effective mutual regulations. Professor Okojie stressed that the NUC was skeptical about allowing Nigerians to patronise online education because it had been abused in the past by prospective university proprietors who had been denied approval to establish private universities. With a good bilateral monitoring mechanism in place, he said the Commission could consider recognising online programmes at the Postgraduate level, for a start, provided that adequate information would be given with regards to semester system, student exchange system, course credits and learning outcomes, among others. For first degrees, the Executive Secretary observed that this was better obtained from a recognised brick-and-mortar university, in order to ensure a proper interface between student and lecturer. He, however, noted that the Nigerian government, through the NUC,had introduced a split programme, where a student could spend a semester in the home university and another in the partner institution. The Executive Secretary said that the NUC was concerned about three major issues: quality of content, physical site/location of the institution and mutual recognition of degrees. He re-echoed the NUC's willingness to partner with reputable institutions in providing online educations, on condition that requirements for establishing same were met. He further stressed the need for open dialogue on getting regulatory agencies to partner with the NUC as well as joint effort on granting programme approvals.

L-R:  Mr. Felix Olaniyan; Mr. Ayo Bankole, Engr. Kayode Odedina Prof. Julius A. Okojie, Mr. David

Woolf, Mr Chris Maiyaki and Mr Sunday Essien 

President Buhari Applauds Military's Resolve to End Insurgency

The President,
 Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, at the
26th Combined Convocation and Passing
Out Parade of the Nigerian Defence Academy,
Kaduna

The President and Commander-in-Chief of the T-Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has applauded the renewed resolve of the Nigerian Military to speedily tackle insurgency that had ravaged the North-East region, ahead of the three-month time-frame. While noting that insurgency remained a threat to the peace and stability of the nation, the president, however, warned that military personnel should resist the temptation of behaving like bullies in the course of carrying out their constitutional duties of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country, noting that the fight against terrorism could only be won with a credible and effective military. Speaking on Saturday, 12 September, 2015, during the 26 Combined Convocation and Passing-out Parade of 399 Officer Cadets of the  62 Regular Course, Short Service Course 43 (Army) and the Postgraduate Students of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Reviewing Officer of the Parade, stressed that his administration would not compromise on the rule of law and that the Armed Forces must be focused and not deviate from the laws of armed conflicts by ensuring that human rights were not abused. He reiterated that his Government was committed to due process, merit and total observance of the rule of law which he referred to as the central pillars of a prosperous and democratic society. The President expressed regret that insurgency had caused the nation needless loss of human and

President Buhari in a hand shake with some senior officers at the convocation

material resources. He tasked the graduating cadets to play their roles as junior officers in tackling the prevailing security challenges and to realize that they needed the guidance and supervision of their superiors to discharge their duties with diligence. He noted that the Armed Forces had a reputation for valor, resilience and loyal service and, therefore, urged the military top brass to know that on their shoulders laid the mechanism to drive the junior officers. He said it was gratifying that all the three Services recently took steps to emphasize strict adherence to rules in the areas of recruitment, promotions, procurement, project executions as well as better civil-military relations. Mr. President lauded the NDA Management for recognizing that the Institution had a professional military education-background and advised that they should devote their energies to ensure that all its academic endeavours related essentially and served the professional needs of the military, especially those that sought solutions to the current insurgency and terrorism pervading the society. He said that he was aware that ongoing efforts to review all academic courses of study towards ensuring the professional education capacity of the military would soon be completed and affirmed that the NDA must carve out a niche for itself as a military research University because of its uniqueness, instead of competing with civil universities. To this end , P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari urged the NDA to refocus its entire training system to make it more sensitive and responsive to its mission of developing men and women who, in addition to conventional military training, were also able to fight the intellectual battle for self-confidence and self-assertion. By so doing, he said, the Academy would not only be pursuing excellence in teaching, for which the military University was known, but would also be fulfilling Nigeria's overarching development goals by using academic means and research to meet the needs of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the society at large. He, particularly, recognised and commended the new Commandant for supporting and carrying on the Centres of Excellence projects, established by his predecessor and assured him that the Federal Government would continue to work towards the facilitation of NDA's permanent site. The President congratulated the two eminent Nigerians, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule and Lt. Gen. (rtd) Ipoola Alani Akinrinade on the conferment of Honorary Degrees of Doctor of Letters and Management Science (Honoris Causa)respectivelyon them, describing the honour as well deserving for having distinguished themselves in their vocations. He also extended the same felicitations to the graduands for gallantly enduring the tough physical, mental and intellectual rigours of the training in the Academy, which some of the colleagues that began with them could not endure. President Buhari urged the instructors to remain steadfast in their uncommon task of producing world-class officers who would continue to bring laurels to the Academy and the country at large. He also charged them to do more to inculcate discipline and professionalism

The colour party of the 62nd Regular Course Cadets and the Short Service Course 43 (Army)
on the parade at the ceremony

 as critical parts of the cadets' military training's and to ensure that they remained loyal and ready to defend the territorial integrity of the nation, at all times. He also tasked the NDAto be at the forefront of promoting his Government's fight against corruption and abuse of office, remarking that recent events that led to the investigation of the weapon's purchase within the military, were a product of the decay in every facet of the nation's life. The President further said that the Federal Government, under his leadership, would not renege on the promises made to Nigerians during his electioneering campaigns. He stated that he had the conviction that Nigeria would be better with the collective resolve of the citizens, particularly the labour force, to unite and align with him, to fight the evils of corruption and impunity of the recent past. He reiterated that the Federal Government would assist the NDA, as a premier military University, to achieve its lofty objectives of producing officers with broad-based training in both military and academic subjects. In his welcome Address, the NDA Commandant, Major-General Mohammed Tasiu Ibrahim, thanked President Muhammadu personnel that had done well to bring honour and laurels to the nation, both in peacekeeping and other national and international assignments. Major-General Ibrahim disclosed that a total of 185 Cadets were graduating in the Regular Course, comprising 71 Officers of the Nigerian Army, 53 in the Nigerian Navy and 61 in the Nigerian Air Force, with two from Togo. He added that in the SSC 43 (Army) Cadets, 214 passed out; postgraduate diploma graduated 260, while masters produced a combined with postgraduate diploma also producing 260 graduands. The postgraduate Professional Masters had 710 while 21bagged Ph.D degrees. The Academy was upgraded to a Buhari for honouring the Academy with his presence. He also thanked other distinguished personalities from all walks of life, including the honorary award recipients. He told the gathering that the NDA was in moments of celebration as the Institution just had its Golden Jubilee last year, saying that the NDA had recorded so many milestones in the past years that would be difficult to recount. The Commandant recalled that the NDA was conceived, as part of a grand design to secure the territory of Nigeria, by way of giving a robust training to military officers, both in academic and military warfare. He, particularly, noted that over the past 30 years, the Academy had been producing highly mobile and effectively deployable Cadets and SSC personnel that had done well to bring honour and laurels to the nation, both in peacekeeping and other national and international assignments. Major-General Ibrahim disclosed that a total of 185 Cadets were graduating in the Regular Course, comprising 71 Officers of the Nigerian Army, 53 in the Nigerian Navy and 61 in the Nigerian Air Force, with two from Togo. He added that in the SSC 43 (Army) Cadets, 214 passed out; postgraduate diploma graduated 260, while masters produced a combined with postgraduate diploma also producing 260 graduands. The postgraduate Professional Masters had 710 while 21bagged Ph.D degrees. The Academy was upgraded to a

The Postgraduate graduands taking the oath
at the ceremony.

degree awarding institution in 1985 and prior to that year, Regular that Nigeria was better than what it was now. He decried the current lack of unity in the country and the brazen corrupt practices of today's crop of Nigerian leaders, saying that the founding fathers like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello, were men interested in what they would do for the nation and not what the nation would do for them. He described the Nigerian scene as reminiscent of Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, bemoaning that things had really fallen apart in a country where he grew up to see the citizens united and living together as one. He blamed the situation today on failed leadership and prayed that Nigeria would see, in President Muhammadu Buhari, one who could rescue the nation from its poor state, with his track record of discipline, integrity and zero tolerance for corruption. Alhaji Miatama Sule charged the President to live up to his past records and ensure that he pursued his vision with fairness, justice and equity, noting that with people like him,it was possible for Nigeria to be great again, politically and economically. At the graduation ceremony, Cadet Officer Kehinde T Alao, of the Nigerian Air Force, with NDANo. 8625, emerged the overall best, both in the Regular Cadet Course and as the graduating students in Academic performance. Present at the event were the Governor of Kaduna State, Mal. Nasir El-Rufai; the Deputy Governor, Arc. Barnabas Bala; Permanent Secretary of Defence, Alhaji Aliyu Isma'ila; top Military Chiefs; Acting Permanent Secretary of Education, Hajia Hindatu Abdullahi; some Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of Nigerian universities; traditional rulers; parents; friends and well-wishers of the graduands.

President Buhari Honoring the best graduating cadet, Kehinde T. Alao

L-R: The Deputy Commandant, NDA, Air Vice Marshal ABC Nweze;
Kaduna State Governor, Mal. Nasir Ahmed El- Rufa'i;
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari; Commandant NDA,
Maj-General Mohammed Tasiu Ibrahim; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Aliyu Isma'ila
And one of the honorary award recipients, Gen(rtd) Ipoola Alani Akinrinade at the ceremony

The Ph.D graduands at the ceremony

NUC Sports Club Elect New Officials

Domingo Tunbosun
Chairman

The National Universities Commission sport club on Wednesday, 9 September, 2015, conducted an election for its executives. The election which was conducted in a free and fair manner produced the following officials; Domingo Tunbosun as Chairman, Attahiru Bature as Vice Chairman, Harry Ogugua as Secretary General, Godson Ohaekelem as Asst. Sec Gen, Anyanwu Iheoma as Publicity Secretary, Mansur Umar as Financial Secretary, Victoria Ikani as Treasurer and Obianuju Nnabuenyi as Director of socials.

Attahiru Bature
Vice Chairman

While appreciating the members of staff for their votes,  Mr Domingo promised to bring the desired change NUC staff craved as regards sporting activities, he promised that both his team would be transparent and accountable for funds made available to them adding that they would introduce inter departmental games that would help foster unity among staff and also sign a bilateral agreement with other commissions around in order for the Commission to competite with them.

Harry Ogugua
Sec Gen

The chairman also solicited for the support of the management of the commission in order to take NUC Sport club to a greater height and also stated that his team would initiate a quarterly jogging for members of staff, adding that they were open for suggestions and ideas from staff to aid the sport club grow.

Godson U. Ohaekelem
Asst Sec Gen

The Vice President Mr Attahiru Bature charged members of staff to come out in mass and form a stronger supporters club which would help move its activities forward, asking them to also turn up for sporting activities which was for their own good as it would help build them both physically and mentally, and as well be ready to represent the commission in Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA).

Anyanwu Iheoma O.
Pub Sec

Mansur Umar Bunza
Fin Sec

Obianuju Nnabuenyi Dos
Welfare

Victoria U. Ikani
Treasurer

NOUN graduates to join NYSC, Law School programme soon – Director

Ilorin – Graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) would soon be allowed to participate in the National Youth Service Corps Scheme (NYSC) and the Nigerian Law School Programme.

The Director, Ilorin Study Centre of NOUN, Mr Michael Abikoye, made this known on Thursday in an interview in Ilorin.

Abikoye, who was NOUN first Acting Registrar, attributed exclusion of NOUN graduates from the scheme and law school to public misunderstanding of the difference between Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and part time studies.

He expressed optimism that with the ongoing talk between the management of the Open University and the relevant stakeholders, NOUN students would be absorbed into the scheme.

“The denial of our graduates in participating in the NYSC scheme is based essentially on the general misunderstanding of difference in concept between open and distance learning system, which Nigerians have equated with part time studies.

“But open and distance learning is not exactly the same thing as part time study.

“Open and Distance Learning is a standard form of education and it is the vogue in many advanced countries today.

“Incidentally, most of NOUN programmes are accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) that accredits programmes of conventional Nigerian Universities.

“Our course materials are prepared by seasoned academics in the conventional university system and they go through rigorous and thorough process of editing and printing before they are released to the students.

“It may not surprise you to know that even in the conventional universities; our course materials are being used by some lecturers to produce their own handouts for students.

“That shows you the quality of our materials and by extension, the quality of our products,” Abikoye added.

Abikoye said that NOUN has standard and functioning laboratory at its headquarters and in some selected study centres across the country.

He said what NOUN has done in some centres where it has no laboratory of its own was to go into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the neighbouring conventional universities.

“At the Ilorin Study Centre here for instance, we have gone into collaboration with the University of Ilorin, so that NOUN students can avail themselves with laboratory facilities there.

“This was particularly meant for the students of our School of Health Science and ICT,” he said.

Abikoye disclosed that NOUN has set up two skills acquisition vocational centres at graduate, post graduate diploma and certificate levels to fill the gap left behind by conventional universities.

Nigeria Needs 266,667 Doctors, 21,333 Dentists

Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON
Executive Secretary, NUC

Nigeria requires, at least, 266, 667 Medical Doctors and 21,333 Dentists to tackle its deficiency in healthcare delivery and meet the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s recommended ideal doctor/patient ratio of 1: 600. With only about 35, 000 registered Medical Doctors practicing in the country today, giving a doctor/patient ratio of 1: 3, 500, Nigeria has a deficit of 231, 667 doctors.” The Chairperson of the Nigerian Association of Colleges of Medicine (NACOM), Prof e ssor Folasade Ogunsola, who disclosed this, when she led other executive members of the Association on a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, on Thursday, 3 September, 2015, Professor Ogunsola noted that, with the present quota for admission into Medical Schools, less than 3,000 doctors graduated every year. She said that even if all of them stayed in the country and no one died and population growth remained at zero, she said, it would take a minimum of 77 years for Nigeria to achieve this ideal ratio. The Chairperson revealed the stark reality that with this imbalance, about half of the number left the country or were internally displaced into other professions, in addition to the population, which was growing at a rate of 3.2% annually, above the world average of about 1.1%, meaning that it would take over 100 years to achieve the desired ratio. “The situation is worse in Dentistry where there are less than 3, 000 Dentists in the country and less than 175 are produced

ES, NUC, Prof. Okojie with the President, NACOM, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola during the visit.

annually. With an ideal ratio of One Dentist to 7, 500, It would take the country 103.5 years to meet its need of 21, 333 Dentists, assuming all indices are static. There was therefore an urgent need to improve the rate of production of healthcare workers to meet the needs of Nigeria”, she said. Professor Ogunsola noted that Medical education was expensive everywhere in the world. She expressed regret that Medical education in Nigeria was in a crisis as the capacity of Colleges and Faculties of Health in the institutions to produce healthcare professt sionals in the 21 Century was gradually being eroded. This, she said, was due to inadequate funding that resulted in decay and inadequate infrastructure as well as related issues of incessant strikes in the health sector, coupled with inadequate technology for practical works, especially in the Basic Sciences. The NACOM Chair said that the Colleges of Medicine/Health were usually operated at separate campuses close to the teaching hospitals, noting that the funding of the Medical Schools was through the main campuses and dependent on the priority given to them by the University Management. She stressed the importance of creating a funding line for Medical School items, within the university budget, for capital projects, including equipment, overheads and the Medical Library.

Professor Okojie in a group photograph with members of NACOM and NUC Management

 The Provost, University of Lagos College of Medicine, appealed to NUC to make a case for a special intervention fund, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) for simulation laboratories in Dentistry as well as the provision of dental chairs for students' use, since these items were not always provided for in setting up the Clinical Skills Laboratories. She decried the situation whereby the Teaching Hospitals were managed by the Ministry of Health, with little oversight by the Ministry of Education, noting that the arrangement had distorted the purpose for which these Teaching Hospitals were set up. She also made a case for the entry level for professional Nursing and Physiotherapy, among others, saying that it was sometimes difficult to get the professionals in the field to come into the academia as they were better paid in the hospitals than in the universities. On the new Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS), proposed for the Medical and Dental professions, Professor Ogunsola said that the Association, which consisted of Provosts and Deans of Medical Schools in Nigeria, accepted it wholeheartedly. She commended the Executive Secretary and members of his Management for the BMAS which, according to her, had put the necessary pathway in place for training programmes from the undergraduate to Ph.D levels in the Clinical Sciences. Responding, Professor Okojie said that there were many issues that needed to be addressed in the medical profession. He assured the delegation that NUC would do all within its powers to partner with ES, NUC, Prof. Okojie with the President, NACOM, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola during the visit. 11 MONDAY BULLETIN - A Publication of the office of The Executive Secretary the Association to tackle them, just as it was addressing similar challenges affecting other disciplines in the Nigerian University System (NUS), without compromising standards. The Executive Secretary stated that maximum attention should be paid to revamping the infrastructure in the existing Medical Schools to pave way for possible increase in their carrying capacities. He advised NACOM to articulate its demands and challenges, with a view to providing lasting solutions to them in the best interest of the NUS. Professor Okojie expressed the hope that TETfund would extend its funding interventions to Medical Schools to rebuild their infrastructure and update the skills of their personnel. He promised that the Commission would look into other issues raised by the NACOM Chairperson and the Association's long list of requests to the NUC such as, the release of BMAS, entry level for professionals, dichotomy between Ph.D and Fellowship as well as other identified grey areas in the Medical profession. A member of the NUC Management, the Director, Academic Standards (DAS), Dr. Gidado Kumo, urged the Association to maintain the existing Minimum Academic Standards set for the Medical profession. The Director of Quality Assurance, Dr. Noel Saliu, commended the Association for its useful inputs and involvement in the Commission's p r o g r a m m e a c c r e d i t a t i o n excercise, adding that the visit would further enhance the existing cordial relationship between NACOM and the NUC. He advised the Association to take advantage of technology-assisted learning approaches to further enhance teaching and learning in the profession. Other members of the NUC Management team at the meeting were: the Director, Information and Public Relations, Mallam Ibrahim Usman Yakasai; Director, Inspection and Monitoring, Mr. Felix Olaniyan; while Mr. S. B. Essien and Engineer Kayode Odedina represented the Directors Management Support Services and Open and Distance Education, respectively. In the NACOM delegation were Professors P. C. Ibekwe, Memfin Ekpo, Ernest Onwasigwe, G. O. G Awosanya and Adesegun Fatusi. Others were Oladejo Azeez and O. O. Odubunmi.

ADVERTORIAL CONFIRMATION OF APPROVAL OF THE NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES e-LEARNING PROGRAMME

The general public is hereby informed that whereas the Commission maintains its stand that online degrees are not accepted in Nigeria at the moment, this does not include the approved Nigerian Universities e-Learning Programme run within the shores of Nigeria. The Nigerian Universities e-Learning Programme is a legitimate and well thought out pilot e-learning initiative. It is a Public Private Partnership between the National Universities Commission (NUC), Park Associates E-Learning Group, and four federal universities. Its goal is to provide new opportunities for students to access university education in Nigeria. The fourParticipating Universities are: i. University of Uyo; ii. National Open University of Nigeria; iii. Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; and iv. University of Maiduguri. Students enrolled in the Programme can select any of the following undergraduate degree programmes: Economics, Banking & Finance, Accounting, Business Administration and Marketing for which they have requisite qualifications. The Programme for now is only available for candidates who wish to obtain BSc Degree in Economics. The Commission wishes to use this medium to allay all fears and doubts concerning the legitimacy or NUC endorsement of the Nigerian Universities e-Learning Programme. This is one of the avenues that the National Universities Commission is exploring to increase access to university education without compromising quality. Students in the Programme are therefore advised to continue to pursue their studies without fear and prospective applicants are encouraged to enrol. Concerned parents, guardians, students and the general public may contact the Commission for further clarification on the Programme under reference. Signed Ibrahim Usman Yakasai Director Information and Public Relations.
                                                           
                                                                         Signed
                             Ibrahim Usman Yakasai Director Information and Public Relations

Ibrahim Usman Yakasai
Director Information and Public Relations