FG orders crackdown on illegal tertiary institutions

The federal government has ordered a crackdown on all illegal tertiary institutions in the country.

Adamu Adamu, minister of education, gave the order at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday.

He directed all regulatory agencies in the education sector to work with security agencies to apprehend and prosecute owners of the illegal institutions.

The minister lamented how unaccredited institutions churn out substandard graduates and default in taxes.

Adamu added that the ban placed on satellite campuses and study centres was still in force.

“It is crucial to state that while some of the illegal providers are operating illegal institutions based in Nigeria, some are online in unapproved linkages and affiliations with substandard foreign institutions that have no accreditation or recognition of regulatory bodies either in Nigeria or their home countries,” the minister said.

“The proliferation of these illegal institutions has made the job of regulatory agencies in the sector very difficult. Such institutions also default in taxes. They do not keep to the rules of the game.

“They have no admission quota, they run unaccredited courses with practically no standards, their products are half baked and unemployable.

“The federal government is determined to confront this menace frontally. The federal government will not sit back to allow lawless conduct to overwhelm the sector.”

Among these institutions are University of Accountancy and Management Studies; University of Industry, Yaba, Lagos; Blacksmith University, Awka; Atlanta University, Anyigba; UNESCO University, Ndoni, River state.

Others are Columbus University, UK, London external studies; Pebbies University, UK; Tiu International University, UK; Adonai Polytechnic, Benue; Al-Ameen College of Health Sciences and Technology, Kaduna state; Assam School of Basic Health Science and Technology, Kaduna; Bethel Polytechnic, Benue state and Grand Royal College of Health Technology, Ekiti state.