Government Launches Investigation Into 107 Universities Amid Allegations Of Fake Degrees

Government Launches Investigation Into 107 Universities Amid Allegations Of Fake Degrees....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Federal Government has extended an invitation for public input as it commences an inquiry into private universities established within the last 15 years. This investigative initiative follows a report by Umar Audu, a journalist from Daily Nigerian, who exposed certificate racketeering in Benin Republic and Togo.

A total of 107 private universities have been established in the past 15 years, as per The PUNCH’s findings. The Federal Government has constituted the Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to scrutinize whether these universities possess prescribed facilities, appropriate management structures, adequate program funding, and the necessary staff with diverse designations such as full-time, contract, adjunct, visiting, among others.

In an advertisement published in The PUNCH, the committee emphasized that the inquiry does not undermine the periodic accreditation efforts of the National Universities Commission. The committee actively seeks input from the general public to gather information for making suitable recommendations in accordance with its terms of reference.

The genesis of this probe can be traced back to an investigative report by Daily Nigerian’s Umar Audu, who, in a report last year, detailed how he obtained a degree within six weeks from Benin Republic and even went on to complete the mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme in the country.

Responding to Audu’s report, the Federal Government, on January 9, 2024, announced its decision to launch an investigation into private universities established within the last 15 years. The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, revealed this development in Abuja during the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on fake degrees and activities of degree mills.

The Committee Chairman, Jibrila Amin, outlined the committee’s mandate to review the role of government agencies or their officials in facilitating the recognition and procurement of fake certificates. Additionally, the committee will examine the rules, procedures, and processes for recognizing and accrediting foreign universities and programs by the Federal Ministry of Education, aiming to identify any unapproved foreign institutions (Degree Mills) in Nigeria.

The committee is tasked with making appropriate recommendations to prevent future occurrences and propose sanctions for officials found to be in violation of established rules and processes. Further recommendations to address the identified issues will also be part of the committee’s report.

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