By Favour Nnabugwu

IF recent pronouncements by the Federal Government is anything to go by, specialised universities and monotechnics nationwide will have to diversify or broaden their base of instruction if they are to remain in business. Minister of Education, Prof Ruqquayat Rufa’I said that government’s new decision was to diversify and expand operations of those instituions while maintaining their specialty and focus.

It would be recalled that federal government had scrapped all specialised universities and monotechnics in the country.
The minister said: “The Federal Government has concluded arrangements that there will no longer be monotechnics or universities with single courses or specialised universities. All monotechnics and specialised universities will have to diversify and expand. We may maintain our specialty and focus.”

The Federal Government has also barred private polytechnics from running programmes not approved by the NBTE or affiliating with other institutions for the purposes of the award of the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma certificates.

She had warned polytechnics against the establishment of satellite campuses and study centres across the country, warning that those who violated the rule would be shut down or risk losing their operational licences. “We have received reports that some private polytechnics have established satellite campuses or study centres. Some have also entered into affiliation with unapproved institutions to award ND and HND.

“May I remind you that satellite campuses and study centres were banned by the Federal Government in 2001. Private polytechnics are also not allowed to affiliate with other institutions for purposes of award of the ND or HND.

“Any private polytechnic that engages in such illegal activities risks losing its operational licence. There are also reports of private polytechnics offering programmes that are not approved by the NBTE; it is illegal for any private polytechnic to admit students into any programme that has no approval from NBTE.

“Act CAP E3 does not empower any approved private polytechnic to make any award without due approval by the NBTE. Any institution that engages in such illegal offering of programmes also risks losing its operational licence.”

Similarly, in exercise of its regulatory function in the ducational sector, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has banned part-time programmes in all universities. Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, who disclosed this in Abuja while announcing the accreditation of 30 out of the 31 programmes run by the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, said the step was aimed at rationalising the activities as well as ensuring that best practices and standards are maintained.

Giving reasons for the ban on part-time programmes, Prof Okojie said it was because of illegal operations by some of the institutions and over-bloated number of students during admission process. He said that until the ban is lifted, admission into part-time programmes will not exceed 20 per cent of a university’s total intake adding that lectures for all part-time programmes will be restricted to university campuses only.

His words: “For now, all part-time programmes are suspended; we are going to streamline them. In effect, we should not have more than 20 per cent of the total students population on part-time programmes. All part-time programmes must be located on campus, we don’t want satellite campuses again.”

He emphasised that regulation is the major part of the commission’s activities and NUC will not hesitate to wield its big stick on any institution that dares to go against its rules and regulations.

Meanwhile, NUC has announced the accreditation of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Announcing the result of the accreditation visit which was conducted in March this year, Prof Okojie said only Nursing Science was denied accreditation for using a 10-year old curriculum.

The 26 programmes representing 83.9 per cent was given interim accreditation while four courses representing 12.9 per cent of the programmes was given full accreditation.