The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Monday disclosed that the federal government has blacklisted degrees from questionable institutions especially from Republics of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cameroon.
The minister made the disclosure during the inauguration of a 16-member committee to screen 40, 000 Nigerians with degrees obtained from foreign tertiary institutions.
Recall that after public outcry by some Nigerian students over how their colleagues rush to Cotonou to bag degrees within a year, a DAILY NIGERIAN reporter travelled to the country and investigated the situation.
In the story, published February 25, it was gathered that the duration of the degree programmes is short, sharp and attractive to students willing to cut corners. Like grist of bees, Nigerian students swarm there to collect the easy but cheap academic nectar.
It was reported that universities in Benin Republic hire agents in Nigeria to visit both public and private universities to get students on probation, or those withdrawn and lure them to Cotonou to get the quick degrees.
But Mr Adamu said the blacklisting applies to both the government and local job markets in Nigeria.
According to him, the need arose in view of reported cases of fake foreign degrees obtained by Nigerians from substandard institutions.
Mr Adamu said preliminary assessment by the Ministry of Education shows that no fewer than 40,000 Nigerians are either holding or currently studying as undergraduates in various tertiary institutions across some African countries.
To this end, Mr Adamu inaugurated a 16-man committee to set the criteria for evaluation of foreign certificates.
He said the ministry had also established mechanism to streamline students seeking government approval to study abroad.
“The recommendations that will be given by the committee will prove crucial to the well being and future of those that acquired the qualifications and foreign certificates,” he stated while inaugurating the committee.
The inauguration was performed on the sidelines of the 33rd meeting of the National Standing Committee on Evaluation and Accreditation of Foreign Qualifications.
Part of the terms of reference for the committee includes to consider and recommend criteria for recognition of degrees obtained outside Nigeria.
Daily Nigerian
