It said that it would be forced to take all necessary measures against the universities, if after two weeks the students were not recalled into the classrooms, noting that the institutions were lagging behind in serious academic activities.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Deputy Director (Information and Public Relations) of the commission, Malam Ibrahim Usman Yakasai, said the NUC as the regulatory agency of the government could not fold its arms and watch the academic activities compromised by the prolonged industrial action.
Although the statement did not spell out the nature of sanctions, The Guardian gathered that the commission was already in dialogue with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to stop enlisting the institutions in its next round of examination schedules. Besides, the NUC might suspend all its relationships with the affected universities, including embarking on its periodic accreditation visits.
The statement reads in part: “The attention of the National Universities Commission (NUC) has been drawn to the continued closure of all the five public universities owned by state governments in South-East Nigeria due to the persistent industrial action by the staff unions of the institutions.
“NUC, as the sole regulatory agency in charge of quality assurance in Nigerian universities and all degree-awarding institutions, is seriously concerned about the effect such closure will have on the current academic session and ultimately have on the quality of degrees of such institutions.
“Therefore, in order to protect the sanctity and quality of all degrees awarded by Nigerian universities, the management of NUC is hereby appealing to all concerned; the university authorities and the proprietors of the five universities to, as a matter of urgency, enter into a constructive dialogue with a view to reaching an amicable settlement that will result in the reopening of all the institutions for academic activities.
“NUC cannot fold its arms and watch academic activities compromised by this industrial action. Consequently, the NUC management is hereby giving the proprietors of the five universities in the South-East a two-week ultimatum to resolve issues and ensure the reopening of such institutions for academic activities. Failure to do this will leave the NUC with no option but to apply the necessary sanctions.”
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