CONUA backs FG’s ban on hired lecturers, equipment for accreditation

The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has backed the Federal Government’s directive banning universities from using contracted lecturers, equipment, and facilities to clear accreditation hurdles.

The National President of the union, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, noted that the integrity of the accreditation process is fundamental to the credibility of Nigeria’s university system.

He argued that accreditation must reflect an institution’s actual, sustainable, and verifiable capacity to deliver programmes, not what it can temporarily assemble for a visiting evaluation team.

The union urged the government to explicitly define sanctions for errant institutions, including the potential suspension, withdrawal, or review of their accreditation.

Sunmonu emphasised that these standards must apply equally to both public and private institutions.

Besides, the union called for appropriate legal and regulatory sanctions against academics who knowingly lend their professional credentials to help other institutions fake their capacity.

It noted that legitimate academic collaborations, such as visiting appointments, adjunct engagements, joint programmes, and shared research, must be clearly distinguished from the deliberate fabrication of accreditation capacity through objective verification.

While demanding accountability from university administrations, the union stressed that the government must match its high expectations with adequate funding.

The group urged the federal government to evaluate whether current funding levels allow universities to sustainably maintain the academic staff, laboratories, libraries, and facilities required by regulatory standards.

“Universities must be accountable for the resources entrusted to them and must not resort to unwholesome practices to create artificial capacity,” the statement read.

“Equally, government must fulfil its responsibility by providing adequate, predictable, and timely funding. Quality assurance cannot be divorced from quality funding.”

The union stressed the need for the new policy to be reinforced with clear implementation guidelines, defined sanctions, transparent verification mechanisms, and a credible funding framework.

It pointed out that the true test of accreditation rests on whether or not an institution has the resources to provide the education it claims to offer, and whether the government has adequately funded the institution to sustain those capacities