NUC Lifts Ban On Admission Into The Programmes Of UniAbuja

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has lifted the ban on admission into the programmes of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education (CDL&CE).

The university’s distance learning programme failed a revalidation assessment by the NUC in 2012, resulting in the ban on admission into its courses for nearly two years.

The lifting of the ban was in line with remarkable progress by the centre in addressing shortcomings that necessitated the ban. The Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, in a letter to the Vice- Chancellor of the University, Professor Michael Adikwu, dated October 12, said that the moratorium placed on admission into the university’s centre had been lifted.

The development, Okojie explained, was following a recommendation by a panel constituted by the commission for an on-site assessment, which concluded the exercise between September 2 and 5, 2015.

A statement yesterday by the university’s Deputy Registrar (Information and Publications), Waziri Garba, said that the commission approved that: “the moratorium on admission of students into the five (5) approved programmes be lifted and academic work may commence for 2015/2016 academic session.”

The five programmes approved to commence academic activities include B.Sc. Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Business Administration and Public Administration. The NUC boss advised the university to address other deficiencies pointed out in the technical report comprehensively before the expiration of the session. This, he said, will boost the Centre’s bid to secure full re-validation status for all the courses.

He added that a desk officer had been appointed by the NUC to follow up on the revalidation of outstanding deficiencies to ensure success. Commenting on the development, the Vice Chancellor UniAbuja, Professor Michael Adikwu, and the Director of the university’s Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education, Professor Peter Siyan, said plans were underway to reinvigorate the distance learning component of the institution with a view to regaining the confidence of critical stakeholders.