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#Post#: 6--------------------------------------------------
Shut Illegal Varsities: ICPC To Reopen Four
DIR By: Ebenezer
Date: July 25, 2013, 5:11 am
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Nta vows to sanitize education sector
Four of 20 illegal degree-awarding institutions shut down in May
by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) will be re-opened, ICPC chairman, Barr. Ekpo
Nta has said.
He said: “The Commission is taking every legitimate step to
ensure that only the indicted individuals are prosecuted.
Arrangements are also being finalized to ensure the re-opening
of four institutions earlier closed down and also to ensure that
their names are delisted from NUC’s list of illegal
universities.” He, however, declined to mention those amongthe
20 institutions that will be reopened.
Speaking during an interactive session held with newsmen in
Abuja, Nta stated that the exercise which was carried out by
nine teams of enforcement officers between 16th and 21st of May,
2013 in Lagos, Abia, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi,
Delta, Edo, Kano,Nassarawa, Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Osun, Benue and
Plateau states and the FCT, was successful.
He noted that the ICPC embarked on the University System Study
and Review (USSR)exercise basedon the numerous complaints and
petitions received by the Commission as they relate to
operations of the university system in Nigeria.
The ICPC boss who explained thatpart of the duty of ICPC is to
prevent corruption said the commission has recorded another
achievement with the closure of 20 illegal degree-awarding
mills, including those with acclaimed foreign affiliation
without proof. These illegal institutions, according to him,
areout of the identified 41 illegal degree mills.
Explaining what informed the initiation of USSR, he said it was
established to ensure that the tertiary institutions in Nigeria
meet the basics of higher education management and conform to
international best practices. He added that the essence of these
exercises is to help the tertiary education sub-sector in
Nigeria witness better structured policies and procedures and
consequently, attain improved service delivery, achieve global
standards, quality education and value in the system.
Said he, “Instead of rushing into endless investigations ICPC
invoked the provisions of Section 6 (b-d) of its enabling Act,
to undertake a comprehensive study and review of the Nigerian
University system in order to get at the root causes of the
infractions and effect sustainable preventive mechanisms.”
His words: “Taking cognizance ofthe professional and
far-reachingrequirements of this national reformation agenda, a
protocol for cooperation and collaborationin the planning and
execution of the project was established between ICPC, the
National Universities Commission (NUC) the key regulator, and
other stakeholders such as TETFUND.
The over three months exercise, which is intended to help
improve the delivery of quality education, especially at the
university level, improve the climate for transparency and
accountability in the same systemand ensure delivery of a world
class performance, revealed disturbing findings. Key amongst the
vices was the disregard for and abuse of stipulated rules,
policies and procedures in terms of admissions, examination
management, recruitment, promotions, contracts awards,
infrastructure, etc. which, based on the findings, remained the
most serious challenge plaguing the system.
Some by-products of our studies and interactions with NUC
revealed that there are proliferation of illegal degree awarding
entities which take entrepreneurial advantage of access
deficiencies into approveduniversities.
It also disclosed the operation of un-accredited programmes and
courses by approved institutions which result in the products
not having access to the NYSC and postgraduate programmes.
At this point it must be made clear that ICPC is not seeking to
regulate the tertiary education system as an alternate regulator
to NUC. Our role is limited strictly to correcting and
preventing corruption-prone processes and procedures as provided
for in Section 6 (b-d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences Act 2000. At the conclusion of the System
Review exercise, a new standard and system of operation would be
established which the universities must follow and any deviation
thereafter will attract prosecution.
Education plays a key role in national development,
particularlyin a country like ours with high level of illiteracy
and imperatives of change. The same is true of all other
Nigerians occupying various positions in every sector of the
economy. The truth is that whatever quality education we provide
for the citizenry will impact positively on our national
development.
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