The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has revealed that a substantial number of students, totaling 21,600, possess counterfeit certificates from degree mill institutions located in Benin Republic, Togo, and other countries.
Prof. Mamman made this disclosure during a ministerial press briefing on the accomplishments of the ministry over the past year in Abuja.
He stated that 1,105 students have fraudulent certificates from Togo alone. In response to these findings, the federal government established an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling in March, to investigate the activities of certificate fraud.
This decision was prompted by an investigative report by Daily Nigerian, which exposed the operations of fake degree mills in the Benin Republic.
The minister emphasized the government's commitment to eliminating counterfeit degrees from both Nigerian and foreign universities. As a result, the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has been instructed to issue a circular to identify and expel individuals holding fake certificates from these institutions.
Prof. Mamman highlighted that there are three officially approved and licensed universities offering degree programs in Togo, and five similar institutions in Benin Republic.
In addressing the challenges faced by tertiary institutions due to high electricity tariffs, the minister reported that President Bola Tinubu has approved a long-term power solution for these institutions through Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Additionally, over the past year, the ministry has successfully reintegrated approximately four million out-of-school children into the education system through the efforts of its affiliated agencies.
Prof. Mamman also stated that the newly established Almajiri Commission has made significant strides in facilitating the return of out-of-school children to the system. Notably, about 20,000 students in the Federal Capital Territory have been registered to resume school in the upcoming academic session. Moreover, the ministry has initiated a collaborative effort with UNESCO and the World Bank to review the existing policies for teachers' support, welfare, and development using international best practices. These policies, once implemented over the next three years, are expected to transform the education system significantly.
Having acknowledged the recent school collapse in Jos, Prof. Mamman pledged to collaborate with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering (COREN) to assess school facilities nationwide, thereby curbing malpractices by construction contractors.
The minister assured that measures are being taken to address the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and prevent their intended strike actions.
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