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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has solicited the Federal Government collaboration to rid the country of “illegal” tertiary institutions towards repositioning the education sector.
NANS equally called on the government to sanction tertiary institutions in the country offering courses without accreditation from relevant authorities.
The students body made this call in a statement by its national Senate President, Elvis Ekundina.
The Federal Ministry of Education had raised concerns over the utilisation of deceptive methods by some Nigerians to acquire degrees from Benin Republic and Togo, aimed at securing job opportunities for which they lack qualifications.
The government, however, ordered the immediate suspension of accreditation of degree certificates obtained from tertiary institutions from the two countries.
NANS commended the Federal Government over the suspension of the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates obtained from institutions in Benin Republic and Togo.
It urged the government to commence investigation immediately into the activities of the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other agencies involved in the fraudulent activities of obtaining degree certificates from foreign universities.
“While we commend the Federal Government for its quick decision to suspend the accreditation of degree certificates obtained from institutions in Benin Republic and Togo, it is however important for the government to take further steps into investigating the activities of relevant agencies fingered in the fraudulent activities.
“This is the only way the Federal Government can save its face and restore the battered image of the country.
“We also want to use this opportunity to call on the government to beam its searchlight into the activities of tertiary institutions, especially privately owned ones who are running unaccredited courses.
“These institutions in their fraudulent acts are destroying our education sector and swindling innocent young Nigerians of their money by offering them unaccredited courses.
“These universities and polytechnics offering unaccredited courses are illegal institutions and we want the government to deal with them appropriately,” Ekundina stated in the statement.
