Vice-chancellors in nigeria (pop. 140 million) have agreed to set up a quality-assurance system in a bid to drive up standards and boost the Nigerian university sector’s global standing. At a workshop organised in late April by the country’s National Universities Commission (NUC) in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, the vice-chancellors agreed to introduce a national system of institutional accreditation, in addition to the 20-year-old system of accrediting individual courses. The delegates, who received a presentation on the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings, set a target for Nigeria to have at least two institutions among the top 200 universities in the world rankings by 2020 — the so-called 2/200/2020 vision.
Opening the two-day event, Sam Egwu, Nigeria’s education minister, said: “The emergence of high-quality Nigerian universities will enhance the possibility of (their) being ranked among the best in the world.” He said that he wanted to see “a robust system that will leave no stone unturned”, and would examine every facet of universities to drive up standards and ensure value for money.
He confirmed a new N42 billion (Rs.1,353 crore) Special Intervention Fund, under which six universities, three polytechnics, three colleges of education and the Nigerian Defence Academy will receive funding to improve their infrastructure. The minister said the fund would be the first phase of a wider intervention programme designed to “meet the best global standards”. The second phase will be launched next year.
Nigeria’s higher education sector has seen explosive growth, from one university in 1960 to 93 in 2008. Its annual public funding has increased from about N12 billion (Rs.385 crore) in 1999 to N62 billion (Rs.1,990 crore) in 2006. However, according to an analysis last year by the British Council and the Economist Intelligence Unit, the rapid expansion has “come at the expense of quality”, with some domestic provision “likely to remain substandard” and drive students abroad.
Nigeria introduced accreditation of individual university programmes in 1989. Peter Okebukola, former president of NUC who presented the proposals for institutional accreditation at the meeting, says that Nigeria, the “giant of Africa, has woken up now”.
According to Okebukola, institutional accreditation will not only enhance quality and stimulate efficiency, but would also promote accountability and bolster the university funding provided by their proprietors. He promises “harsh” sanctions for failure, such as the closure of institutions, required to persuade proprietors to release resources.
The audits are likely to consider information on institutions’ “vision, mission and goals”, governance and administration, resources, effectiveness and efficiency, including student dropout rates, financial management and stability, and relations with external constituencies.
(Excerpted and adapted from Times Higher Education)