The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, on Tuesday, expressed concern about the academic calendar for award of doctoral degrees in the nation’s universities saying years scholars spent pursuing the degree was too long.
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Rasheed made his position known while addressing participants at a workshop organised by the commission on proposed higher education reform and impact of African Centers of Excellence.
The commission’s boss blamed the universities for the current situation, which he described as worrisome, saying they delayed scholars for as long as fifteen years.
In the light of this, he hinted that plans were being made by the commission to review the duration of PhD programmes and abridge the years.
He said the planned review, was part of the recommendation made by the National Higher Education Reform Committee.
Rasheed added that the educational sector required huge investments to tackle the challenge of Nigeria’s growing population, which he said by 30 years’ time will hit 400 million.
He said: “We have been motivated with general trend of knowledge ,NUC is working with other stakeholders to ensure that investment in education is investment for all. We therefore intend to help fast track Nigeria Nation from becoming oil resource based nation to knowledge based country.”
