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Greater university autonomy, credible appointments to governing councils, integrity tests for prospective vice-chancellors, and a holistic overhaul to stem systemic decay topped the list of recommendations contained in a strongly-worded statement released at the close of the recent third biennial conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities. The meeting, held in Abuja, aimed to deliberate on the current difficulties confronting the universities and their role in a 21st century driven by knowledge and digitalised economies.

A number of students in a law school were caught cheating in exams; one student was found writing answers already copied in a smart watch. The student either programmed answer sheets or recorded course materials into the device. One practicing lawyer in Abuja said such attitude may have long-term effects on those involved; it had undermined the integrity and independence of the graduands and could possibly increase the likelihood of the abuse of the attorney-client privilege as well as create weak industry-wide anti-corruption standards.

The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has closed down the College of Education and Entrepreneurship Lakwanjang Kaltungo in Gombe State with over alleged illegal operation. This followed a press release from the NCCE Public Relations Officer stating, “The attention of the Commission had earlier been drawn to unconfirmed information that an institution existed in Kaltungo that was illegally running Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programme.”

Against the backdrop of the recent closure of Nodos International School, Ojo, by the Lagos State government over alleged involvement in examination malpractices during a national Examinations Council (NECO) Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations, the Principal of the school has been relieved of his job. Okafor also stated that all the teaching staff that were also found complicit in the examinations malpractices that led to the closure of the school have also been asked to resign their appointments.

The Kaduna State government has uncovered about 33 phony primary schools in some local government areas. The fake schools were detected during the first phase of biometric verification exercise of state employees ordered by the Governor. The government, which pays about N3 billion monthly as salaries and allowances to its employees, was said to have saved N120 million from fake employee disbursements in the first phase of the exercise.

Plagiarism is an issue of concern in institutions of learning across the world. There are several widely held ideas about plagiarism in Nigeria, but they have not been substantiated because of a lack of empirical findings. However, a recently completed doctoral research project on student plagiarism in Nigerian universities has thrown more light on the matter.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board or JAMB, the sole agency mandated to conduct entrance examinations for universities in Nigeria, has held its first computer-based tests for more than 1.4 million candidates at some 400 information and communications technology, or ICT, centres countrywide. “This system was thought out as the only way, for now, that can address the challenges of examination malpractices.”

The secretary-general of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) last week urged universities to be stricter on plagiarism, especially among postgraduate students, reports the Nigerian Bulletin.