NUC has not ranked Nigerian universities in the past 14 years – Executive Secretary

The National Universities Commission (NUC), has said that it had not ranked the nation’s universities in the last 14 years, and declared that claims to that effect were “simply fake’’.

Prof. Abubakar Rashid, its Executive Secretary, in an address at the 3rd Combined Convocation of the Bingham University, Karu in Nasarawaa State, urged members of the public to disregard recent rankings said to have been done by the NUC.

“The purported ranking published in the conventional and social media is false, fake and not from the NUC. It is meant to deceive members of the public and should be disregarded,’’ Rashid said.

Rashid, however, said that the NUC would soon carry out the ranking to determine the true status of the universities, adding that the exercise would represent a true assessment of the schools by the NUC.

He challenged Nigerian universities to put more efforts into research so as to proffer solutions to the nation’s myriad of problems.

The NUC boss commended ECWA Church, the proprietor of Bingham University, for tackling the crises that hit the school some years ago, and even led to students’ unrest.

He particularly commended the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof William Barnabas Qurix, for successfully steering the school through its “turbulent moments’’, saying that the NUC was impressed with his capacity to always “listen to wise counsel’’.

“Such efforts have set the university on the path of progress and massive growth. The institution is back on track and the dark days are now in the past. It has become a centre of excellence and we are all happy,’’ he said.

Rashid said that he was part of “a clique’’ that “conscripted’’ Qurix into the job because he was sure that his five years experience as Vice Chancellor of the Kaduna State University would help him to addresses the challenges.

“Prof. Qurix was conscripted into this job. He was practically `ambushed’ and I was at the thick of that plot. I am happy that we have not been disappointed,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that 676 graduates received first degrees during the combined convocation with 33 of them bagging First Class.

NAN also reports that more than 50 Vice Chancellors of various universities attended the convocation ceremony of the 13 years old institution. (NAN)