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The Federal Government, under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Education, is set to establish an inter-ministerial committee today, Tuesday, to tackle the proliferation of degree mills. The announcement was made by the ministry's Director of Press and Public Relations, Ben Goong, in a notice circulated to journalists in Abuja.
According to Goong, Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman will inaugurate the inter-ministerial committee later this afternoon, signaling a proactive response to the concerning prevalence of degree mills in the country.
Recent discussions on the issue gained prominence following an investigative report by Umar Audu, a journalist with the Daily Nigerian newspaper. Audu uncovered the activities of degree mills in Benin Republic and Togo, revealing how he obtained a degree within six weeks and successfully underwent mandatory youth service under the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
The investigative report led to the Nigerian government imposing a ban on the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from Benin Republic and Togo. Minister Mamman further indicated that the government would extend its scrutiny to institutions in other African countries, including Ghana.
As a result of the ban, a substantial number of Nigerian students, totaling 10,900, who are enrolled in universities in Benin Republic and Togo are expected to be affected, according to statistics from the National Association of Nigerian Students in those countries.
Additionally, the National Universities Commission, the regulatory body for universities in Nigeria, disclosed that 18 out of the 58 universities facing suspension in the country are foreign-owned. The establishment of the inter-ministerial committee signals the government's commitment to addressing the challenges posed by fraudulent degree mills and maintaining the integrity of educational qualifications in Nigeria.
