ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES VIABILITY REGARDING TO ACCREDITATION STATUS AND VALID STATISTICAL DATA: CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD. BY MR. OGUNNIYI OLASANMI Deputy Director of Academic Planning A Paper Presented at the 1 ST Ekiti State University Academic Summit holding on Thursday, 4 th February, 2016

INTRODUCTION  University Education is crucial to the production of a critical mass of human capital that will turn the fortunes of a country around. As such, its quality needs to be guided and continuously improved to ensure that it is well equipped to pass the viability test to be able to perform its fundamental and social functions and respond effectively and efficiently to societal needs and aspiration.  The National Universities Commission (NUC) as the regulatory agency for University education in Nigeria has among its mandates to carry out viability test on academic programmes in Nigerian Universities through what is known as PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION.

 RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND VERIFICATION First Viability test for every programme introduced by any institution  PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION  INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION TYPES OF VIABILITY TEST

What is ACCREDITATION The term accreditation in this context is used to connote a system for recognizing Universities and Programme offered for a level of performance, integrity and quality which entitles them to the confidence of the educational community, the public they serve and the employment of labour (NUC 1989).

Programme ACCREDITATION PARAMETERS  ACADEMIC CONTENT  Philosophy and objectives of programmes.  Curriculum of the programme  Strict Adherence to Admission Requirements  Academic Regulations (well publicized)  Standard of Test and Examinations: The test and examination must be of good standard and adequately cover the curriculum  Evaluation of students’ work  Practical Work/Degree Project

Programme ACCREDITATION PARAMETERS  STAFFING  STAFF MIX RATIO –Professor/Reader :Senior Lecturer : Lecturer = 20:35:45  STAFF/STUDENT RATIO Administration/Management1:30 Arts/Humanities1:30 Social Sciences1:30 Law1:30 Education1:30 Science1:20 Agricultural Science1:15 Engineering1:15 Medicine1:10

Programme ACCREDITATION PARAMETERS  QUALIFICATIONS OF THE TEACHING STAFF At Least 70% Should have PHD  NON-TEACHING STAFF Adequate with respect to the need of different programmes  STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME There must be an evidence of the existence of this.

 PHYSICAL FACILITIES  Laboratories/Clinics (Well Equipped)  Adequacy of Office Accommodation  LIBRARY Library holdings must include recent works e-Library is now a neccessity  FUNDING Programme ACCREDITATION PARAMETERS

Programme ACCREDITATION RESULTS  FULL ACCREDITATION  70% and Above in 4 Core Parameters  ACADEMIC CONTENT  STAFFING  PHYSICAL FACILITIES  LIBRARY  and an overall score of 70%  Valid for 5 years  INTERIM ACCREDITATION  60% and Above but less than 70% in any of the FOUR Core Parameters (An Overall score of 70% does not literarily translate to a FULL Accreditation Status)  Valid for 2 years

Programme ACCREDITATION RESULTS  DENIED ACCREDITATION  Overall Score of less than 60%  SANCTIONS OF DENIED ACCREDITATION STATUS  Ban On Student Admission  Students Admitted into such programme will not be mobilized for NYSC  Non-Recognition of Certificates issued after the ban

Full Accreditation status % Interim Accreditation status % Denied Accreditation status -00.0% Yet to be visited -57.3% Total Number of programmes-69 Twenty-Three Programmes were due for Accreditation in 2015 but could not hold due to paucity of fund to pay the prescribed levy by NUC. WHERE IS EKSU?

CHALLENGES  FUNDING  INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENTS  LATE RESPONSE TO DATA REQUESTS FROM FACULTIES  MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF NUC REQUESTS BY STAFF UNIONS  NON-COMPLIANCE TO NUC DIRECTIVES ON SUBMISSION OF SELF STUDY FORMS (SSF)

WAY FORWARD  Generation of more funds through IGR to augment Government Subventions.  Involvement of Alumni in the Development of the University’s Infrastructure.  Responses from Faculties to Data Requests Should be Swift.  Trade Unions should always endeavour to seek clarifications on grey areas whenever statistical requests on staff are made before denying access to such.

WAY FORWARD  Academic Planning as the Desk Office of NUC in the University is ready to guide Faculties in their responses to Data requests from NUC.  Such Guide should be seen and accepted as the True position of NUC.  Regular Access to Internet Connectivity should be provided in the Directorate of Academic Planning to facilitate easy access and communication with NUC  Self Study Forms are to be filled promptly electronically and submitted to Academic Planning for onward transmission to NUC

THANK YOU GOD BLESS YOU ALL ALL PROGRAMMES IN EKSU ARE VIABLE PROVIDED WE ARE READY TO WORK HAND IN HAND TO MAKE EKSU GREAT.