FG Reforms Tertiary Accreditation to Ensure Integrity

The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated significant reforms in the accreditation and quality assurance system for tertiary institutions, aiming to eliminate the practice of institutions temporarily borrowing academic staff, equipment, and facilities to satisfy accreditation requirements. This announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa CON, on Wednesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Ministerial Committee on Strengthening the Accreditation and Quality Assurance System for Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.

Dr. Alausa emphasized the need for accreditation to reflect an institution's actual and sustainable capacity rather than a temporary setup for accreditation visits. He directed the Committee to create mechanisms for verifying the authenticity and continuous availability of academic and non-academic staff, as well as the adequacy and accessibility of facilities.

The Minister also called for a digital identity and staff verification framework, collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure accurate institutional affiliations and prevent misrepresentation of personnel.