The National Universities Commission (NUC) has scrapped sub-degree diploma programmes in the Nigerian University System (NUS).
NUC, which has also scrapped post-UTME, therefore, warned Universities running such to wind them down as soon as possible.
Executive Secretary, NUC, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed on Monday said that the decision to scrap the sub-degree diploma was reached during a meeting in Abuja with Vice Chancellors of federal, state and private universities in the country.
He said: ”Running sub-degree diplomas was not the business of Universities, but that of Polytechnics, more so when the Federal Government, as far back as November, 2001, had issued a circular stating that such diplomas could not be used for employment or promotion purposes in the Public Service.
“Rather than stretch their facilities to run sub-degree programmes, universities should direct their energies towards their primary function of producing high level manpower for the economy, by strengthening their part-time programmes, in addition to offering high quality undergraduate degrees as well as postgraduate diplomas and degrees.”
Other decisions taken during the meeting include the revamping of Institutional Accreditation, commencement of accreditation of part-time programmes and resumption of the Nigerian University System Annual Review Meeting (USARM).
He said that universities were charged to develop and implement an Institutional Research Policy adding that universities must establish a Research Administration Directorate, to be headed by an academic, not below the rank of a Professor; with appropriate human and material resources to run an Office of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer (OIPTT).
He added: ”The issues of accreditation of academic programmes by professional bodies, shortfalls in personnel emoluments and incorporation of universities into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information Systems (IPPIS) and matters arising from the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) were also extensively discussed.”
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