Stakeholders within the education sector, including the West Africa Office of the Association of African Universities (AAU), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the National Universities Commission (NUC), have collectively introduced a Framework of Action for Accelerating Academic Excellence (FAAAE) within the Nigerian higher education system.
This significant framework was officially unveiled during a seminar jointly hosted by the AAU West Africa Office and JAMB.
The event was attended by Vice-Chancellors, participants of VICBHE Module 7, and various other stakeholders within the realm of higher education in Nigeria.
The one-day seminar was masterminded by Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola, a renowned AAU Ambassador for Higher Education in West Africa and former NUC Executive Secretary. Professor Okebukola underscored the paramount importance of expediting academic excellence to foster both national and regional development.
Notably, Professor Okebukola, who also serves as the President of the Global University Network (GUNi-Africa), advocated for sustainable funding for higher education. He further urged prudent and judicious utilization of available resources by higher education authorities.
This virtual seminar witnessed addressed by esteemed figures, including Professor Olusola Oyewole, the Secretary-General of AAU, who was lauded for AAU’s remarkable progress over the past two years.
Other distinguished participants at the forum included Professor Saeed Bakri Osman, President of AAU; Christorpher Maiyaki, Acting Executive Secretary of NUC; and Professor Yakubu Ochefu, Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
Professor Is-haq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, identified numerous obstacles impeding academic excellence and presented comprehensive and sustainable strategies for overcoming these challenges and advancing academic excellence.
Professor Okebukola also highlighted that the event served as a continuation of the Conference of Rectors, Vice-Chancellors, and Presidents of African Universities (COREVIP), which took place in Windhoek, Namibia from July 4th to July 7th, 2023.
In the preamble to the Framework of Action, endorsed by the 256 participants in the seminar, commendation was extended for the significant contributions of the immediate-past Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, in revitalizing university education in Nigeria. These efforts are now being actively pursued by his successor, Christopher Maiyaki.
Stakeholders further applauded the remarkable strides in enhancing access to quality higher education in Nigeria made by Professor Is-haq Oloyede, particularly through the exemplary activities of JAMB.
They acknowledged the steady progress towards academic excellence as evidenced by improvements in the global rankings of Nigerian universities.
They also acknowledged that several challenges persist in the pursuit of excellence in higher education, notably funding, and the effective management of available resources.
The stakeholders affirmed that enhancing the system’s resourcing and significantly improving the welfare of higher education staff would expedite the journey towards academic excellence.
They emphatically asserted that the government should not shirk its responsibility of adequately funding higher education in Nigeria.
Their determination was evident in their commitment to transforming the Nigerian university system into an African exemplar, showcasing excellence in teaching, research, and relevance in addressing the multifaceted socio-economic challenges confronting the nation.
Key components of the Framework for Action encompass:
1. Elevating the drive towards academic excellence, especially through research and the production of quality graduates, by enhancing resourcing of physical facilities and staff welfare, in alignment with national development goals and the SDGs.
2. Urging Vice-Chancellors to study the COREVIP 2023 report and implement its recommendations into actionable programs within their respective universities.
3. Encouraging effective and prudent utilization of the existing resources within the system.
4. Instating a scheme to provide all staff and students with the necessary technology, including laptops, to facilitate online delivery of the CCMAS.
5. Implementing recommendations from COREVIP 2023 focused on enhancing academic excellence in Nigerian higher education.
6. Emphasizing the development of staff capacity and fostering partnerships as pivotal strategies to deliver excellence.
