Minister Alausa Reforms Tertiary Accreditation in Nigeria

The Federal Government of Nigeria, led by Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa, is initiating reforms to the accreditation system for tertiary institutions. During the inauguration of the Ministerial Committee on Strengthening Accreditation and Quality Assurance Systems, Alausa cautioned institutions against presenting borrowed staff, equipment, and facilities during accreditation exercises.

He emphasized the need for a transformation from a periodic accreditation process to a continuous, digital, and data-driven quality assurance system that accurately reflects the capacity of universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Alausa stated that the current system must be made more transparent, efficient, and difficult to manipulate, ensuring that what accreditation teams verify represents the actual capacity of institutions.

He proposed the use of technology, including geospatial mapping and digital identification, to strengthen the verification process. Additionally, he called for a comprehensive digital identity management framework to verify the identity and affiliation of personnel presented by institutions.