A delegation from the International Institute of On-line Education (IIOE), China, an affiliate Institute linked with the United Nations Education , Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), led by Professor Jiansheng Liang last Wednesday paid a courtesy visit on the Acting Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Mr. Chris J. Maiyaki in his office.
The International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) is a global collaborative initiative to strengthen the teacher’s competency for Higher Education Institutes in developing countries and improves access to quality higher education resource.
Briefing the delegation on the evolution of university education, the Acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Maiyaki told the delegation that their visit to the NUC coincided with the period of significant expansion of the Commission’s activities aimed at further increasing access to university education.
Giving insight on the emergence of NUC, he recounted that the Commission was established in 1962 as an administrative unit in the Cabinet Office and eventually became a statutory agency in 1974.
Chronicling the history of university education in Nigeria, he explained that this dated back to 1948 with the establishment of University College, Ibadan, followed by the founding of the first indigenous university, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1960; and subsequently the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Lagos, Lagos as well as Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 1962 and University of Benin in 1970, which marked the culmination of the first-generation universities.
He said the Mid-70’s was the period that the government responded massively to the demand for tertiary education, which saw the emergence of second-generation universities and later supplemented by the establishment of private Universities in 1999.
Nigeria, the Acting Executive Secretary said, boasts of 274 Universities as at today, comprising 62 Federal, 63 States and 149 Private universities.
He explained that Nigeria, currently faced significant problem of access as universities available could hardly cater for the demand for university education.
The NUC scribe also lamented that the system witnessed an annual enrolment of over 2 million prospective individuals seeking university admission with the existing institutions only able to accommodate between 500,000 and 700,000 candidates.
Stressing on the need to address this gap, he reiterated that the NUC remained unwavering in its commitment towards facilitating the establishment of additional universities across Nigeria.
This strategic initiative, he said, was aimed at bolstering accessibility and meeting the escalating demands for tertiary education and drew attention of his visitors to the fact that despite the presence of 149 Private universities, they could only cater for approximately 10 percent of the Nigerian university population.
Mr. Maiyaki added that the developmental trajectory of these private institutions also required granting them time to mature and expand their capacity in order to effectively contribute to the educational landscape.
On the recent achievements of NUC, he highlighted the launch of the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) which was a collaborative effort involving the academia and industry stakeholders.
He recounted that the process commenced in 2018 and was finally launched in 2023, highlighting the importance of the curriculum in shaping the educational landscape.
On the roles of the Commission in the NUS, the Acting ES listed them to include: setting Minimum Academic Standards, conduct of accreditation to academic programmes, Resource Verification for new programmes, Inspection and Monitoring of universities, formulating policies, and processing the licensing of the establishment of private universities.
He informed the IIOE Chinese delegation that the NUC had recently introduced guidelines on Transnational Education (TNE), encompassing six competitive models.
While introducing the delegation, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Professor Kabiru Bala, whose institution is designated as the International Institute of Online Education National Centre, informed the Acting Executive Secretary that the University is hosting the Global IIOE Rotating Presidency Unit 2024, to which he assumed office this June 2024.
He said the ABU in partnership with the IIOE will be hosting the one-day national dialogue, which will take place at the Communication and Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja, Entitled “National Dialogue on Consensus Framework Towards a Policy/Guidelines Roadmap for Nigerian Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
The event the VC said, is part of an effort to empower policy-makers, educators, learners and researchers to fully take the advantages of artificial intelligence in teaching, learning, and research.
Also speaking, the Director, IIOE Nigeria National Centre, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Muhammad Bashir Mu’azu, said, specifically, the objective of the national dialogue is to examine the potential benefits of incorporating AI technologies in teaching, learning, and research to improve innovation, global competitiveness and preparedness for the future workplace.
“It is to also identify challenges related to the responsible, ethical and safe use of AI and cybersecurity concerns within the higher education landscape.
He also pointed out that the ABU UNESCO IIOE national centre remained the first to domesticate the issue of teacher professional development trainings for micro certifications.
He said ABU, was collaborating with the UNESCO IIOE to co-develop two courses of the teacher professional development while the University had also benefited from some smart classrooms donations since 2022 from the Institute.
Meanwhile the dilaogue will be declared open by the Honourable Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, OON, while Professor Mu’azu, will make a presentation on “AI in Higher Education: Ethical Challenges and the Need for a Governance Framework”.
Speaking at the event, Professor Liang the leader of the Chinese team, who spoke through an interpreter, UNESCO-ICHEZ Consultant, Mr. Roger Yanwen Jieo said the major mission of IIOE is to Cultivate highly skilled and technically proficient talents; Foster collaboration between the TVET sector and private sectors; and recruit and train masters in technical and pedagogical fields.
Others include the conduct of applied research and development as well as Implementation of effective community engagement initiatives and making of a pioneer of innovative development in global TVET sector.
In the Chinese Delegation were, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Ahmed Doko Ibrahim; IIOE Nigeria National Centre Director, Professor Muhammed Bashir Muázu; IIOE Nigeria National Centre Officer, Professor Emmanuel Adewale Adedokun; IIOE Facilitator, Professor Ahmed Abubakar and another UNESCO-ICHEZ Consultant, Mr. Chao Wang.
At the meeting were the NUC Acting Directors of: Research, Innovations and Information Technology (DRIIT), Mal. Faruk Lawal; Academic Planning (DAP), Mr. Abubakar Girei; Finance and Administration (DFA), Mrs. Hauwa Amos; Accreditation (DA), Engr. Abraham Chundusu; and Open Distance and e-Learning (DODel), Dr. Funmilayo Morebise. The Director, Executive Secretary’s Office (DESO), Mr. John Mairafi Ahmadu, was represented by Deputy Director, Procurement in the Directorate of Executive Secretary’s Office, Mr. Jubril Momoh.