Afe Babalola raises alarm over influx of substandard varsities

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola SAN, has expressed concern over the widespread approval of what he termed “mushroom and substandard universities” in Nigeria.

The respected elder statesman criticised the lack of essential learning facilities and infrastructure in many of these institutions. He highlighted the neglect of strict adherence to laws and regulations governing university establishment, emphasising that quantity is being prioritised over quality education.
He, however, urged the National Assembly to put a stop to the approval of substandard universities to foster national development.

The eminent statesman spoke on Monday in Ado-Ekiti at the opening ceremony of a High Impact Research and Journal Advancement Workshop, organised by ABUAD’s Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (JSDLP), with the theme: “Diamond Open Access Journal Management and Sustainability.”

Expressing displeasure at the Senate’s inaction against illegal universities identified by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the legal luminary said such a nonchalant approach is eroding the integrity of the educational system.

He urged lawmakers to critically examine the over 200 new institutions currently under consideration to address the ongoing decline in the quality of education in Nigeria.

Babalola whose university – ABUAD -was described by the NUC described as a “miracle, model, reference point and benchmark” for other universities said “The mass approval of mushroom and substandard universities—some lacking even basic learning facilities and infrastructure—is alarming. Strict compliance with laws and regulations has been brushed aside.

“As a result of the ‘anything-goes’ approach to university licensing and accreditation, the NUC’s ability to ensure quality control and stamp out substandard institutions has been seriously compromised.

“We currently have over 270 universities in Nigeria, with proposals for the approval of another 200 institutions under consideration by the National Assembly.

“The focus now seems to be on quantity, not quality—licensing more universities without adequate plans for monitoring their standards.”

He continued: “The result is a rapid decline in our educational system and the quality of our graduates. What we need is quality education—poor education is worse than illiteracy.

“We cannot seriously speak of advancing sustainable development through high-impact research unless we tackle the proliferation of substandard Universities.

“Mushroom institutions hire substandard faculty, produce substandard research published in substandard outlets, and churn out half-baked graduates with little to offer to national development.

“Many public institutions owe salaries. How can such universities acquire the latest equipment required for 21st-century education?”

He stressed that if Nigeria is serious about driving national development through research, the NUC must prioritize quality over quantity.

“The NUC must overhaul the university licensing process to ensure the highest standards and take immediate steps to close down illegal universities—many of which are operating without NUC approval.

“Shockingly, neither the government nor the NUC seems concerned about the large number of illegal universities—recently put at 58 by the NUC.

The foremost lawyer stressed that “poor education is worse than illiteracy” and called for a thorough process for approving university licenses to advance sustainable development through research.

In his lecture titled “Promoting High-Impact Research Publications for Sustainable National Development in Nigeria: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Directions,” Peter Okebukola called for increased collaboration with international researchers to boost the global ranking of Nigerian institutions.

Breaking: INEC chairman, Mahmood not sacked -Presidency

Democracy can’t foster development, says Burkina Faso president