President Tinubu vows to end ‘certificate mills’ as education agencies unite to safeguard academic integrity
The Federal Government has intensified its war against illegal institutions, shutting down 22 unaccredited Colleges of Education operating across the country.
The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) revealed the development in its latest report of achievements, stating that the closures followed a coordinated crackdown on mushroom colleges that were awarding fake certificates and operating outside the law.
In addition to the clampdown, the NCCE said it has carried out a comprehensive personnel audit and financial monitoring in all 21 federal colleges of education, aimed at enhancing transparency and ensuring that only properly accredited institutions remain in operation.
Speaking on the broader implications of the discovery, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described such illegal institutions as “certificate millers” undermining the credibility of Nigeria’s education sector. The President, who was represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Rakiya Ilyasu, at the 14th Convocation Ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, warned that the Federal Government would not tolerate institutions that compromise the integrity of the academic system.
“At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” Tinubu stated.
He further emphasized that agencies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the NCCE are working together to restore confidence in Nigeria’s education system. The goal, he said, is to ensure that forgery, fake admissions, and unrecognized institutions, both locally and abroad, have no place in the country’s academic ecosystem.
Education analysts say the move is a welcome step in tackling the proliferation of unapproved colleges and universities that prey on unsuspecting students and parents. Stakeholders are urging the Federal Government to extend the crackdown to illegal universities and polytechnics, stressing that sanitizing the education sector is vital for the nation’s future.
With the closure of 22 fake institutions, government authorities insist the era of unchecked “certificate factories” is coming to an end, promising stiffer penalties for operators of such schools and stronger collaboration across regulatory agencies.
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