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The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced the upgrade of some medical-related programmes in Nigerian universities from hitherto Bachelors Degree to ‘Doctor’ status in Nigerian universities.
The affected programmes which are found in NUC‘s Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) and Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) are the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D); Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT); and Optometry (OD Doctor of Optometry).
Consequently, the duration of the affected programmes has been increased from five to six years to accommodate the additional courses and clinicals incorporated into the curriculum.
Franca Chukwuonwo, Acting Director, Public Affairs, NUC, in a statement on Wednesday – today, January 22 – on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, announced that the decision is in line with global perspectives on programmes and course delivery in the university education space.
She explained that the quest to upgrade the status of some medical-related programmes was borne out of the desire to incorporate more clinical/practical sessions, provide sufficient coverage of foundation courses, improve on clinical skills and cover all specialty areas.
“The trend seeks to also align with global best practices applicable in the training of Professionals in these medical-related programmes. This will further make the certificates obtained from the Nigerian University System to be at par with those obtained in similar programmes from other climes.
“Additionally, it will ensure the requisite harmonisation, mutuality and global competitiveness of Nigerian graduates in terms of Certificates evaluation, employability and further studies in the relevant disciplines,” she explained.
Chukwuonwo, however, informed Nigerians, particularly stakeholders, that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme does not exist in the NUC’s BMAS or CCMAS and, thus, has not been captured as an upgraded programme.
“Consequently, MLSD is not an approved progamme for study in any Nigerian university,” she added.
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FAVOUR ISHEMBER , Abuja
Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu has officially assumed office as the new Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), succeeding Dr. Chris Maiyaki.
The handover ceremony, which took place in Abuja, was attended by notable figures, including former NUC Executive Secretary Professor Julius Okojie, commission staff, and other special guests.
During his handover speech, Maiyaki highlighted the challenges posed by obsolete laws, which hinder the smooth operation of the commission.
Ribadu, in his address, emphasized the need for the NUC to reassess its existing laws and interactions with stakeholders to identify areas for improvement.
This, he believes, will enable the commission to strengthen its service delivery.Ribadu, a renowned academic and administrator, has pledged to prioritize staff training and welfare, recognizing that investing in their professional development and well-being will yield maximum productivity.
His impressive academic background includes a Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Ibadan, and he has served as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, and the University of Maiduguri.
With his wealth of experience and commitment to education, Professor Ribadu is well-positioned to drive positive change in Nigeria’s university system.
His research interests span veterinary medicine, animal health, and public health, and he is a member of several professional organizations, including the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association and the Nigerian Academy of Science.
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Shugaban Najeriya, Bola Tinubu ya tabbatar da Farfesa Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, a matsayin sabon shugaban hukumar kula da jami’o’i ta kasa (NUC).
Gwamnati ta sanar da nadin a cikin wata sanarwa da kakakin shugaban kasa, Bayo Onanuga ya fitar a ranar Juma’a.
Kafin nadinsa, Farfesa Ribadu, ya taba rike kujerar shugaban jami’ar fasaha ta tarayya Yola da jami’ar Sule Lamido a jihar Jigawa.
Shugaba Tinubu ya kuma nada shugaban jami’ar Al-Istiqamah da ke Kano, Farfesa Salisu Shehu a matsayin shugaban majalisar binciken ilimi da ci gaba ta Najeriya, NERDC.
In line with the vision of the President Bola Tinubu administration, the National Universities Commission, NUC, has commenced verification of the approved 18 degree programmes for the take-off of the Federal University of Allied Health Sciences Enugu (FUAHSE).
It could be recalled that President Tinubu had on March 15, 2024 approved the conversion and upgrade of the former Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy to the Federal University of Allied Health Sciences, Enugu, for robust human resources development in the health and social welfare sector.
Consequently, the university in its inaugural senate, approved 22 programmes in five allied healthcare faculties, while NUC directed verification of 18 out of the 22 programmes for take-off in the 2024/2025 academic session.
Speaking before commencement of the verification exercise, one of the verification team leaders and NUC Academic Planner, Jude Akubue said that the Acting Executive Secretary of the NUC, Amb. Chris J. Maiyaki approved their verification of the 18 programmes for take-off of the university.
“We are glad to be here because today is historic for the university and for us; it’s an epoch out for us because after this visit, you will know whether you have the nod to run the programmes as a university.
“Therefore, we congratulate you for this transition and to President Bola Tinubu for approving the university,” he said.
He disclosed that the team comprised resource persons carefully selected from different parts of the country such as from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Nnamdi Azikwe University Awka, Babcock University, among others, where experts in different academic fields such as in basic and allied Sciences where drawn.
“We are going to use Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standard (CCMAS) documents as our benchmark and that will be the basis for the assessment.
“Since last year, the CCMAS was introduced and the implementation started from 2023/2024 academic session, so when you get approval for these programmes, it’s the CCMAS that you are going to use as a minimum of 70 percent content and the remaining percent you are going to use to suit your own uniqueness as a university,” Akubue said.
Welcoming the team, the Acting Vice Chancellor of FUAHS, Prof John Emaimo expressed appreciation to President Tinubu who approved the transition of the former college into a full-fledged university and first Health Science University in Nigeria.
He noted that the NUC took its time to choose the verification team to help nurture the university, which he said was yet in a paper until the academic activities begin to take place in the university.
“The team is well chosen to deliver on their assignment and this is just the beginning.
“The university is starting today by virtue of this verification. We are adding another feather for universities in Nigeria to mould more minds into the society.
“We are confident that the team will put us in the right direction to get the university accreditation.
“What we are doing is for humanity, trying to intervene on the current need issues in Nigeria, to make sure that we have a place for the young people in the society.
“We, the staff, are ready to help you in whatever you want to verify so that at the end of the day, you will give us a better way to go and we take it up from there,” Emaimo said.
By Taiye Agbaje
A 15-year-old Senior Secondary School (SSS) Student, Master Chinaemere Opara, has sued the Federal Ministry of Education, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Universities Commission (NUC) over the introduction of a new admission policy.
Opara, filed the suit through his guardian, Mr Maxwell Opara, his father and a lawyer, at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.
In the originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1512/2024 dated Sept. 30 and filed Oct. 14 by Wayne Elijah, the SS 2 student listed the ministry, JAMB and NUC as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.
In his six reliefs, the applicant sought a declaration that the respondents’ minimum age for admission policy to restrict the age of Nigerian citizens for admission into universities in the country is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
He said it amounted to a gross violation of his right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under Sections 42 of the 1999 Constitution, 2011 (as amended) and Article 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 13(2), 17 and 28 of the African Charter on Human and People Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9 Vol. 1 LFN.
He urged the court to declare that his right to peaceful assembly and association cannot be limited by the respondents’ admission policy.
He also sought a declaration that the policy which restricts his age before exercising his right of association and self-determination as to when to enroll to write the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and/or JAMB exams infringed on his right of equal access to public service.
This, he said, is guaranteed under Article 13(2) and (3) of the African Charter on Human and People Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9 Vol. 1 LFN.
Opara, therefore, sought an order of perpetual Injunction restraining the respondents, from attempting to disturb, breach or interfere with his rights.
He equally sought an order setting aside the policy.
In the affidavit deposed to by Maxwell, he said he is the biological father of Chinaemere.
He said Chinaemere is an SS2 student of Sure Start Secondary School who is directly affected by the respondents’ minimum age for admission policy.
He said the policy had impeded on Chinaemere’s right to freedom from age discrimination and education as enshrined in the law.
He said his son “read from online newspaper that the 1s respondent stated that there’s no going back on the implementation of his policy which stated that any person below 16 years would not be qualified to get admission in the university no matter how brilliant the person is.
“That since then the applicant believes that his right to education has been or likely to be violated.
“That the applicant would enter SS 3 in this 2024/2025 academic session with his plan/arrangements of writing his WAEC, NECO AND JAMB in 2025 with his expectations of gaining admission in 2025/2026 university academic sessions.
“That I know as of facts that in Nigeria, there is no specific age limit for gaining admission into universities.
“However, candidates typically must have completed their secondary education and sit for WASSCE or its equivalent.
“That I know as of facts that in Nigeria most universities in Nigeria require candidates to meet certain academic qualifications, such as having a minimum number of credits in relevant subjects and passing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
“That I know as of facts that in Nigeria there is no federal or state law making age a barrier for the applicant to gain admission.
“That the applicant strongly believes that he will perform excellently and make good grades in all the subjects that will be required for him to gain admission.
“That the applicant wants to study Medicine & Surgery whose duration is 6 years along with a mandatory 1-year youths service and 1-year compulsory Medical Externship totalling all 8 years,” Mr Maxwell said.
The suit is yet to be assigned to a judge as at the time of filing the report.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had in July stated that beginning from 2025, candidates under 18 years old would not be allowed to sit for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, a prerequisite for admission to higher institutions.
The announcement, however, sparked intense debate among education stakeholders and parents, forcing Mamman to accept 16 years as the admission age into tertiary institutions.
(NAN)
The Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) has reiterated its commitment to the international benchmark in providing 21st century knowledge-driven education and fostering intellectual growth across the country.
The NUC deputy director, Mrs Anthonia Bawa, spoke in Ikere-Ekiti, Ikere Council Area of Ekiti state on Tuesday, July 9, during the opening ceremony of the accreditation excercise of 45 academic programmes at the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology.
Bawa said that NUC, as the regulatory agency for universities in Nigeria was irrevocably commited to ensuring proper development of university education and implementation of minimum academic standards.
She expressed joy the commission is achieving its goals and objectives going by distinguished quality of graduates being produced by Nigerian universities who she said can favourably compete with their counterparts in other climes.
She said that the accreditation excercise was not to witch hunt anyone but rather to verify the quality of physical facilities and human resources available for the commencement of new programmes.
The director added that the accreditation was necessary to holistically evaluate proposed programmes to ensuring the university meet the global benchmark for quality academic standard.
She commended BOUESTI management for its enthusiastic reception of the NUC team,assuring that the delegation would carried out the exercise with high sense of professionalism.
In his remarks, BOUESTI Vice Chancellor, Professor Olufemi Adeoluwa assured the NUC members of the NUC delegation of the university’s cooperation and support to ensure a smooth exercise during its stay in the institution.
Adeoluwa said expressed optimism that the maiden accreditation exercise for the institution’s 45 academic programmes would be accredited after completion of the excercise because the management has best its meet the requirements set by the NUC.
He said: “This is a special time in the prestigious bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology being the maiden accreditation of the 45 programmes we started with. We now have 78 programmes. The first 45 are to be accredited this week and today is the starting point.
“We are ready for the exercise. I must tell you that there’s no university in Nigeria that is perfect especially when it has to do with staffing because the brain drain has affected university education in Nigeria. But even then we have done our best to be able to have requisite number and quality of staff we are supposed to have in some of the programmes. We they get there, they we see what we have presented and they would be able to assess us.
“Our hope is to have full accreditation for every of those 45 programmes. We have done our best. Like I told them, we don’t do window dressing here. Whatever they have seen is what we have because we believe we our programmes is strong that the students will be able to benefit and the nation itself will be able to have well grounded graduates. So, we expect positive results from NUC”, he added.