The recent suspension of evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Republic of Benin, Togo and other countries, following the uncovering of a degree mill in Cotonou, has further exposed the rot in the nation’s education system. A system that allows people to obtain a first degree certificate from a university in Cotonou in a record six weeks and use it to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, as exposed by an undercover journalist, should be thoroughly overhauled and sanitised.
The worrisome development is coming less than three months after a certificate racketeering scandal was uncovered at Lagos State University, where some teaching and non-teaching staff were indicted for selling certificates to people for millions of naira and inserting names of those who never attended the university’s defunct satellite campuses into the list of graduates to be cleared by the Senate of the university for graduation.
It is gratifying that the Ministry of Education has risen to the occasion by taking drastic action against the affected institutions. It is also heartwarming that the unsavory findings from outside and within Nigerian universities have prompted the National Universities Commission (NUC) to reiterate its commitment towards the eradication of fake certificates and universities operating within the country.
The government has also shut down 18 foreign universities in Nigeria for having no licence to operate. These include University of Applied Sciences and Management, Port Novo, Republic of Benin, or any of its other campuses in Nigeria; Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana, or any of its other campuses in Nigeria; The International University, Missouri, USA, Kano and Lagos Study Centres, or any of its campuses in Nigeria; Columbus University, United Kingdom, operateing anywhere in Nigeria.
Also blacklisted are Tiu International University, UK; Pebbles University, UK; London External Studies, UK; Pilgrims University; West African Christian University; EC-Council University, USA; Concept College/Universities (London), Ilorin; and Houdegbe North American University operating anywhere in Nigeria as satellite campuses or study centres.
Others include Irish University Business School, London; University of Education, Winneba, Ghana; Cape Coast University, Ghana; African University Cooperative Development, Cotonou, Benin Republic; Pacific Western University, Denver, Colorado; Evangel University of America and Chudick Management Academy, Lagos, operating anywhere in Nigeria as satellite campuses or study centres. Seven other universities in Nigeria, said NUC, were also undergoing investigations.
While we commend the Ministry of Education for its prompt response to certificate racketeering in the country, we also believe that it should have acted earlier than now to arrest the ugly development. It is sad that the cankerworm was allowed to fester for years without making concrete efforts to eradicate it. No doubt, the Federal Ministry of Education is aware of the list of approved foreign universities and the courses they offer in Nigeria, while the ministry’s Department of Evaluation grades certificates brought by foreign students.
Therefore, it is baffling that foreign universities without licenses have been operating in the country and awarding unapproved certificates to Nigerians. It is also worrisome that the NYSC could not detect the fake certificate submitted by the undercover reporter who exposed the racket before being allowed to participate in the scheme for a second time. This shows that there may be other illegitimate corps members in the country or corps members who might have served more than once.
We urge the NYSC to thoroughly investigate certificates submitted by prospective corps members from abroad to ascertain their genuineness. Nigeria should not be a dumping ground for graduates with questionable certificates.
The craze for fake university degrees among Nigerians is condemnable. The emphasis on paper qualification over skills can possibly explain why some Nigerians patronise degree mills in neighbouring West African countries and others. It is possible that some fake graduates might be working in some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Though education is important, acquiring fake certificates in order to be respected in the society is uncalled for. There is the need to thoroughly and urgently investigate certificate racketeering in Nigeria and other countries where Nigerians patronise such degree mill syndicates. The role of officials of Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Ministry of Education and NYSC in the fake certificate saga must be properly investigated.
The investigation should not be limited to Nigeria and other African countries. It must go beyond the aforementioned regions to cover some countries in Europe and America. Those found culpable in certificate racketeering must be given adequate punishment.