…Says Computing Now A Discipline
By Gift Samuel, The Sight News
Abuja-The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission(NUC) Prof. Abubakar Rasheed has decried the lack of accurate and reliable data collection and management system in Nigerian Universities.
The ES speaking on Thursday at a one day interactive session with Directors of Academic Planning of 153 universities noted with disappointment that Nigeria is losing a lot in the international community due to inaccuracy in statistical data.
He stressed that until Nigerian Universities take data collection and management seriously, they will not be taken seriously in other climes, adding that it is both sad and embarrassing for University system to be operating without proper basis for planning.
While urging the various Directors of Academic Planning (DAP) to list out the modalities in the next one or two months on how to get the accurate data required for their schools to function adequately, he added that NUC needs more information from them to take some decisions concerning staff welfare, psychology, physiology as well as student performance.
According to him; “Directors of Academic Planning(DAP) are the engine room of accreditation and strategic planning in the Universities but what planning are we doing if we do not have data, how can we plan if we do not know exactly what and who is involved?
“I don’t want approximation or somebody to say we have about a certain figure, we should be able to tell the government the exact number of people in any faculty and departments and if the Directors of Academic planning does not have these data then we are losing a lot “.
Furthermore, he noted that Computing has been formally recognized as the 14th discipline with about 6 programmes developed by NUC and is now
Open to all universities.
He said; ” Now we have added Computing as a clear and independent discipline, of course it can still continue to be subsumed as a Science if you don’t want to go full into the computing”.
The ES also vehemently kicked against Vice Chancellors of schools paying huge sums of money into accounts that are not the CBN remittal account in the name of NUC, adding that NUC does not and will not grant any concession to any University.
He further urged the Directors of Academic Planning to know who they are dealing with in the NUC to avoid falling into the traps of fraudsters, adding that any DAP that agrees to pay money in the name of NUC is not fit to be a Director of Academic Planning.
Prof. Rasheed pointed out that the NUC will issue letters of credence to the Directors as Ambassadors of the NUC to their Universities and urged them to enlighten, sensitize and inform their communities about NUC activities.
The interactive session which is the first of its kind is aimed at guiding the NUC in getting reliable and accurate data about all facets of the Nigeria University System.
