The Federal Ministry of Education, yesterday, announced the suspension of evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Benin and Togo Republics.
The action, perhaps, was in response to a media report where an undercover journalist bagged Cotonou university degree in six weeks, and also participated in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. The ministry, in a statement, said the suspension and evaluation takes effect from January 2, 2024, till the end of investigation by relevant authorities.
Mrs. Augustina Obilor-Duru, who signed the statement, on behalf of the Director, Press and Public Relations, noted that investigation that would involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and the two countries, the ministries responsible for education in the two countries as well the Department of State Security Services (DSSS), and the NYSC, has begun.
She said that in addition to that, the ministry has commenced internal administrative processes to determine the culpability or otherwise of its staff for which applicable public service rules would be applied.
Meanwhile, the ministry admitted that it has been contending with the problem, including illegal institutions located abroad or at home, preying on unsuspecting, innocent Nigerians and some desperate Nigerians who deliberately patronise such outlets.
“Periodically, warnings have been issued by the Ministry and the National Universities Commission (NUC) against the resort to such institutions and in some instances, reports made to security agencies to clamp down on the perpetrators. The ministry will continue to review its strategy to plug any loopholes, processes and procedures and deal decisively with any conniving officials,” the statement added.
It maintained that it had always adopted the global standard for evaluation and accreditation of certificates of all forms, which relies on receipt of the list of accredited courses and schools in all countries of the world. It assured Nigerians that it is already putting in place mechanisms to sanitise the education sector, including dissuading the quest for degree certificates, locally or from foreign countries, through a re-invigorated focus on inclusivity.
It also renewed its commitment to collaborating with stakeholders, including civil society organisations, to consistently enhance the Nigerian education system, hence, it solicited public understanding and patience as it strives to address the issues.
Reacting to the development, some stakeholders in the education sector asked the Federal Ministry of Education to extend its searchlights to the activities of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. They pointed to the fact that illegal institutions are on the rise, and innocent students are being swindled of their fortunes and issued illegal certificates.
A university lecturer, who pleaded anonymity, said, “unfortunately, we have a weak system that would not enable us to detect these fake certificates being issued by unapproved institutions. The recent media report by an undercover journalist, who was able to acquire a university degree in six weeks, and was mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, was one of the numerous cases we have in Nigeria. Unfortunately, many people have escaped with these fake certificates because we have a corrupt and weak system.”
A recent investigation by Daily Sun revealed that some acclaimed education consultants are operating illegal satellite campuses of various tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The Federal Government, in 2019, banned polytechnics from operating study centres and campuses outside their approved bases (satellite campuses), for being short in quality and standard.
It warned that whatever qualifications obtained from such study centres and satellite campuses would not be recognised for further studies or enlistment into the NYSC programme, as well as for employment or promotion. Unfortunately, these illegal campuses have been running for years unchecked, and have been issuing certificates to thousands of students across the country, in clear violation of the directives from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Either directly or by proxy, the satellite campuses have sprang up in Abuja and several other locations across the country, and thousands of innocent students are being swindled of their financial fortunes, with promises of “certificates”, including NYSC discharge or exemption certificate.
However, there are accusations from some polytechnics that the attention of the NBTE had been drawn to the activities of these “fraudsters” who have been using the name of some institutions to run satellite campuses across the country, thus, defrauding innocent students.
Some officials at the NBTE and the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters were, however, accused of compromising their responsibilities of monitoring the activities of the polytechnics. Findings further revealed that privately-owned polytechnics are mostly involved in the illegal deal and have been “reaping” huge financial resources from thousands from unsuspecting students.
Few weeks ago, the management of Novelty Polytechnic, Kishi, Oyo State, raised the alarm that some people had used the name of the school to operate satellite campuses across several locations in Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, Ogun, and Niger states, among several yet-to-be-identified locations.
Investigation further revealed that some people operate satellite campuses for three different private polytechnics, namely, NACABS Polytechnic, Akwanga, Nasarawa State; Temple Gate Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State; Heritage Polytechnic, Eket, Akwa-Ibom State; Imo State University, under the trade name of Bright Management Concept Institute (BMCI) Abuja.
Hundreds of students have been admitted for different academic programmes by the BMCI at different satellite campuses across the country. The operators offer programmes, including Higher National Diploma (HND) that are neither known to the parent-schools nor offered in their respective main campuses. They operate the satellite campuses at Ado, Kabayi and other locations in Karu LGA, Nasarawa State, as well as in Garki Area 10, Lugbe, Kubwa, and some other locations in Abuja, with hundreds of students in their admission database.
It was also gathered that they offer several OND and HND courses in engineering, administration, social sciences and others, and hundreds of students are in their database.
A contact number in the letter-head of NACABS Polytechnic sighted by Daily Sun, identified through True caller as David Abuluya, confirmed that they operate these satellite campuses, but refused to confirm the one in Ado. “Whoever is operating any satellite campus in Ado is a fraudster,” he said.
A female prospective student, who preferred to be identified as Enoh (not real name), ABS that many people are in the school, but unknown to them, they are being deceived and defrauded by the operators of the satellite campuses unknown to the parent institution.
The prospective student said: “Thank God for a friend that saved me. I would have fallen victim to these fraudsters. Someone I trusted and still trust referred me to the satellite campus of NACABS Polytechnic located in Ado, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State, with strong conviction that the school was the best for me since I was interested in getting education.
“With the level of trust I have in him, I took off to the school to purchase a form. I was told the campus is located at Ado and direction was provided, hence, I zoomed off to the location. I stopped at Ado junction, crossed the road as if I was going back to Nyanya, and took Okada to the place. It wasn’t difficult to locate because virtually all the Okada operators know there. That was how I found myself there and purchased the form at N5,000, which I paid cash to the person I met there.
“The man gave me more information about the school as I enquired. He also told me that I could start as soon as I could pay my school fees which, according to him, was over N60, 000. It was when I returned home to fill the form that I began to ask questions about the school and my interest in running a programme there. This was because I was curious and troubled in my spirit. A friend, who questioned the genuineness of the school, referred me to an NBTE official who told me that the operations of satellite campuses had been banned by the Federal Government long ago. The official advised me not to participate in such activities because the school was not registered with them, hence its academic activities and certificates are illegal.
Someone in the school, who also preferred anonymity, said he started the school three years ago with N46,000 as school fees, which was later increased to N65,000.
“I can’t believe what you are saying about the illegitimacy of the campus. We went to Akwanga to participate in the matriculation. Many students have graduated and participated in the NYSC programme. How can you now tell me that the school is illegal and unregistered? How do I also tell my people that the school I have been attending all these years is unregistered?
Bacima (not real name), a student newly admitted into the Lugbe, Abuja, satellite campus of Temple Gate Polytechnic, run by BMCI, said he resumed classes a few weeks ago and was yet to pay school fees. “I paid for the cost of the admission form. They gave me their Access Bank account number for the payment of the school fees (N69,000), but I am yet to get the complete amount.
A BMCI lecturer, identified through True caller, as Gbande Ngutsav Utu, insisted that the satellite campus of Temple Gate Polytechnic, located at Lugbe Primary School, Abuja, is genuine and many students have graduated and participated in the NYSC programme.
“Have no fear if you are interested in our programme because we are legit. This centre started in 2015 and many people have passed through it successfully and have participated in NYSC. I can assure you that the Federal Government is aware of the satellite campus. Temple Gate Polytechnic is not the only one operating a satellite campus at the Lugbe Primary School. There are several other Polytechnics and even a university, Imo State University. So, I can assure that we are legit and recognised.