TheCable

Adamu Adamu, minister of education, has inaugurated a committee for the accreditation and evaluation of foreign degrees obtained by Nigerians.

The minister said there is a need to assess the quality of foreign qualifications obtained by Nigerians in order to determine the Nigerian equivalence for the purpose of further studies and employment.

He said a lot of progress had been made in the last six years toward improving services in the area of confirmation of the accreditation status of foreign institutions.

Adamu said progress had also been made in the areas of non-acceptance of courses of some universities in Africa not accredited as well as non-recognition of some foreign institutions, especially those in Togo, Ghana, Cameron and Republic of Benin.

“The processing of documents has been streamlined with relevant professional bodies for proper assessment of professional degrees,” he said.

“There has been effective liaison with law enforcement agents as a result of which quacks and fraudsters have been checked.”

The minister charged members of the inaugurated committee to work assiduously to consider and recommend criteria for the recognition of degrees obtained outside Nigeria.

He urged them to maintain the standard of education as well sustain professionalism in their assignment.

Adamu said this at the 33rd National Standing Committee (NSC) meeting on accreditation and evaluation of foreign qualifications in Abuja on Monday.

NSC is the highest decision making body on the evaluation of foreign qualifications.

It was first constituted by the federal government in 1974 when many Nigerians were sponsored to Eastern European countries to acquire different types of degrees and diplomas.