Education Minister Alausa Warns Against Accreditation Fraud

On Wednesday, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, issued a stern warning to heads of tertiary institutions in Nigeria regarding the integrity of accreditation processes. He stated that officials who manipulate these processes risk losing their jobs, while private institutions could face license revocation.

This warning was made during the inauguration of the Ministerial Committee on Strengthening the Accreditation and Quality Assurance System for Tertiary Institutions in Abuja. Alausa highlighted the negative impact of weak accreditation on the employability of graduates, citing difficulties employers face in finding qualified candidates.

He announced the government's decision to end the practice of institutions temporarily borrowing academic staff and resources for accreditation purposes. This announcement comes amid controversy surrounding Atiba University in Oyo State, where the Council of Legal Education imposed a 10-year moratorium on its Law program due to inadequate facilities and unauthorized admissions.

Alausa stressed that accreditation must reflect an institution's actual capacity rather than a temporary facade.