The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has called on Nigerian universities to avoid causing unnecessary delays and frustrations for both undergraduate and postgraduate students in completing their research work, including projects, theses, and dissertations.
The committee’s chairman, Abubakar Hassan Fulata, issued the warning after hearing reports about a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria who allegedly died from depression linked to his prolonged inability to complete his PhD program. The lecturer, Muazu Muhammed Ahmad, had been enrolled in the program in 2011 but was reportedly unable to finish it even after 13 years.
Following the incident, Fulata visited ABU Zaria this week, as part of a series of visits to federal universities over the past three months. He urged ABU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, to ensure that supervisors treat students fairly and do not hinder their academic progress through harassment or intimidation.
Fulata also called on other universities to ensure students graduate on time and that their academic work is not unnecessarily delayed. He stressed the importance of adhering to the federal character principle in recruitment, pointing out that several federal universities the committee had visited failed to comply with this principle.
The committee’s recent visits included the Federal University of Health Sciences Azare in Bauchi State and the Federal University Dutsin-ma in Katsina State, both of which were urged to follow the federal character guidelines in their hiring practices.
Peoplesmind
