By Dayo Hassan
One of the identified obstacles of University autonomy in Nigeria is NUC, National University Commission. National Universities Commission (NUC) is the regulatory agency for higher education institutions in Nigeria. While its mandate is to ensure quality assurance and standardization of academic programs in universities, there have been concerns about how the NUC is obstructing university autonomy in Nigeria. Here are some ways:
- Centralization of decision-making: The NUC is accused of centralizing decision-making and not allowing universities to make decisions on their own. For example, the NUC sets guidelines on admission requirements, academic calendar, and curricula, which universities must comply with.
- Excessive regulation: The NUC has been accused of imposing excessive regulations on universities, which stifle innovation and creativity. This includes guidelines on the establishment of new academic programs, research grants, and collaborations with foreign universities.
Recently, - Delay in accreditation: The NUC is responsible for accrediting academic programs in universities. However, there have been complaints about the delay in the accreditation process, which has led to the suspension of some programs and affected the career prospects of students.
- Funding: The NUC has been accused of not providing enough funding for universities to carry out research and develop new academic programs. This has forced universities to rely on external funding sources, which can sometimes compromise their autonomy.
- Lack of transparency: There have been concerns about the lack of transparency in the decision-making process of the NUC. For example, the issues and directives from the NUC on CCMAS are clear violations of the University Senate’s role and power. Specifically:
a. The NUC insists on developing 70% of the course content without broad consultation, leaving universities with 30%.
b. NUC is also spearheading ongoing book projects for the 70% course content, which will serve as reading materials for all Nigerian universities. The project was carried out in such a way that people (only some professors) were handpicked without any clear criteria other than primal consideration (who you know), and not necessarily based on reputation. Should the National Universities Commission (NUC) recommend reading materials for Nigerian universities?
In summary, NUC has been accused of obstructing universities autonomy in Nigeria through centralization of decision-making, excessive regulation, delays in accreditation and lack of transparency.
These issues must be addressed in order for universities in Nigeria to operate independently and effectively contribute to the country’s development.
