NUC Plans First Nigerian Universities Ranking In 14 Years

The National Universities Commission 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’’.

Abubakar Rashid, its Executive Secretary, in an address at the
3rd Combined Convocation of the Bingham University, Karu in
Nasarawa 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,’’ Mr Rashid
said.

Mr 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, 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.

Mr 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)