Nigeria’s suspension of accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo following an investigative report is more like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound.
Development Diaries reports that the recent commendable investigative piece by Umar Audu of the Daily Nigerian exposed the ease of obtaining questionable degree certificates from some African universities.
The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Education, also said it will be extending the suspension of accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates to Uganda, Kenya and Niger.
According to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Benin Republic Chapter, over 15,000 students in the country have been affected by the government’s move.
While this is a huge problem, the federal government must deploy the right strategy to address it from the root. The decision by the government is more like an attempt to deal with a serious problem inadequately.
People who have genuinely worked hard and dedicated themselves to earning their degrees may feel undermined by these recent developments. Legitimately admitted students must be considered instead of putting them in a confused state.
Development Diaries calls on the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, the acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Chris Maiyaki, and other concerned stakeholders to deploy other methods to tackle the proliferation of fake education certificates in the system by coming up with a measure that should identify institutions and schools that are not qualified.
Also, they should implement robust verification processes to uphold educational standards in the country and foster a trustworthy academic environment.
Photo source: Daily Nigerian
