NINLAN to award degrees

THE Executive Director, National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN) Aba, Abia State, Prof. Ben Elugbe, said the institute would soon start awarding degrees in line with its mandate.
 
Elugbe who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, stated that NINLAN was established in 1993, as an apex institution for research, teaching and documentation, co-ordination of studies and production of graduate teachers in Nigerian languages.
 
The executive director said NINLAN was also mandated to award testimonials, certificates, diplomas and degrees to persons who complete their courses of study at the institute.
 
While informing that the institute would soon approach the National Universities Commission (NUC) to do the necessary verifications and accreditations, Elugbe added that, “before awarding degrees, you need to get NUC to look at your staff strength, facilities, academic staff, among other things.
 
“Consequently, we intend to approach NUC this year for accreditation to enable us start awarding degrees in Nigerian languages to second language speakers (L2). NINLAN will be offering B.A (ED) Linguistics, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, among others.

We are the only hope National Certificate of Education (NCE) holders have to get degrees,” he explained.
 
“NCE L2 graduates are not good enough to teach in secondary schools and they need a place, where they can raise their L2 qualifications to degree level to be qualified to teach at the secondary level. Only NINLAN offers this avenue.”

Elugbe added that it was the only institution under NUC’s supervision where the three major Nigerian languages were taught both as first and second languages (L1 and L2).
 
The executive director, who said NINLAN has a concentration of experts in its employ, informed that there were opportunities for NINLAN graduates in the teaching sector, journalism, pharmaceutical companies, aviation and any other sector that required translators.