14Dec 2017

ACCREDITATION AS A QUALITY ASSURANCE IN NIGERIA UNIVERSITIES: THE CHALLENGES.

  • PhD Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, University of Abuja.
  • PhD College of Education, Open, Distance and e-Learning, Kampala International University, Kampala Uganda.
  • Human Resource Directorate, Kampala International University, Kampala Uganda.
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Accreditation of undergraduate programmes emanated owing to The proliferation of universities in Nigeria and the public concerns on the ill preparedness of graduates for work and further studies in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world. Accreditation of undergraduate programmes is conceptualized as the official recognition and approval given to a programme offered in any Nigeria university which has met Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) as established by the external accreditation agency, the National Universities commission (NUC). In this paper, accreditation and quality assurance were seen as related constructs. The NUC?s accreditation in Nigeria started in 1999/2000 through processes initiated by the NUC to the Universities. Accreditation in Nigeria has positively impacted on the quality of university education in Nigeria, by setting standards which each university must meet to offer any undergraduate programme. This has significantly unified undergraduates programmes offered in over 129 universities in Nigeria. The major challenges of accreditation in Nigeria includes; paucity of funds, multiplicity of functions performed by NUC, policy/functions overlaps with other agencies, professional bodies and unhealthy relationship between the NUC and the Academic staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria. Strengthening NUC?s accreditation exercise of undergraduate programmes in Nigeria requires that Federal Government makes special budgetary allocations for accreditation to reduce the cost sharing of accreditation exercises between the NUC and the universities, streamlining NUC?s functions on accreditation and deliberate policy review of the functions of NUC and the university senates. Finally, NUC should develop strategies for harmonious relationships with the academic staff of universities, the major players in quality assurance of university education in Nigeria.

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[M. S. dada, Yakub Ibrahim Wunti and Tukei Martin. (2017); ACCREDITATION AS A QUALITY ASSURANCE IN NIGERIA UNIVERSITIES: THE CHALLENGES. Int. J. of Adv. Res. 5 (Dec). 500-508] (ISSN 2320-5407). www.journalijar.com

YAKUB IBRAHIM WUNTI, PhD
College of Education, Open, Distance and e-Learning, Kampala International University, Kampala Uganda

DOI:

Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/5984      
DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/5984

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