By Umar Yakubu,
The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, has announced the establishment of a committee tasked with scrutinizing the operations of ministries and agencies responsible for recognizing and accrediting degrees obtained abroad.
“The committee is going to review the operations of the various ministries and agencies responsible for recognition and accreditation of degrees from outside the country.”
Acknowledging the vigilance exercised on internal mechanisms for quality assurance, Professor Mamman commended investigative journalist, Umar Audu for uncovering institutions offering pizza certifications. He noted that while the authorities were aware of the issue, recent revelations served as a wake-up call to address these irregularities.
Mamman emphasized that individuals obtaining these fraudulent degrees should be considered criminals rather than victims. To address this, security agencies are actively participating in the committee to ensure that those involved are held accountable.
“I have no sympathy for those people, instead they are part of the criminal chains that should be arrested”.
The minister concluded by stating that the ongoing investigation by the committee is expected to be completed within three months. He assured the public that the report’s findings would be made accessible, fostering transparency and accountability.
In a brief mention, Mamman also touched upon the proposed student loan by President Tinubu, confirming that the implementation is slated for this year. He highlighted the committee’s dedicated efforts in making this initiative a reality.