Accreditation outcomes, quality of and access to university education in Nigeria
| Pages | 301-312 |
| Published date | 11 July 2008 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880810886295 |
| Date | 11 July 2008 |
| Author | R.A. Alani,Gboyega Ilusanya |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Accreditation outcomes, quality
of and access to university
education in Nigeria
R.A. Alani
University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, and
Gboyega Ilusanya
National Institute for Educational Planning & Administration, Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose – In response to the challenges of enhancing quality, the agency of government which is
responsible for coordinating university education in Nigeria, the National Universities Commission,
evolved a system of academic programme accreditation in 1991 to ensure conformity with minimum
standards and to promote quality. The purpose of this paper is to examine the outcomes of some of
those accreditation exercises and how they have influenced the quality of and access to university
education.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses secondary source data from accreditation
reportsof 1999, mop up exercises and accreditationre-visitation of 2000-2005and that of November 2005.
Findings – The mean percentage of programmes with full accreditation status was found to have
increased from 12.6 in 1999 to 48.5 in 2005, that of programmes which got interim accreditation
decreased from 72.66 in 1999 to 48.30 in 2005, while the one for programmes which were denied
accreditation decreased from 17.9 in 1999 to 9.5 in 2005. Federal universities had more programmes
with full accreditation and less programmes with denied accreditation status. State universities had
less number of programmes with full accreditation and higher number with denied accreditation
status. Generally, the results showed that accreditation status of most academic programmes
improved in subsequent accreditation exercises, meaning that the deficiencies noticed were remedied.
The programmes that were denied accreditation caused a reduction in the number of vacancies for
student admission.
Research limitations/implications – The paper focuses on federal and state universities only.
Private universities are excluded.
Practical implications – The paper suggests that the universities in Nigeria should be closely
monitored for their academic programmes to scale the accreditation hurdle.
Originality/value – The paper shows that accreditation of academic programmes helps to improve
the quality of university education.
Keywords Accreditationof prior learning, Quality, Education,Universities, Nigeria
Paper type General review
Introduction and background
University education started in Nigeria with the establishment of the University
College Ibadan in 1948, as an affiliate of the University of London. The Ashby
Commission, set up in 1959 to “conduct an investigation into Nigeria’s needs in the field
of Post-Secondary School Certificate and Higher Education over the next twenty years
(1960-80)” (Fafunwa, 1974, p. 152), contributed to the growth of university education in
the country. The Commission submitted its report in 1960 and recommended, among
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
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University
education
in Nigeria
301
Received August 2007
Revised December 2007
Accepted March 2008
Quality Assurance in Education
Vol. 16 No. 3, 2008
pp. 301-312
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/09684880810886295
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