The Federal Government has constituted a committee to screen certificates obtained by Nigerian students, who studied abroad, says the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie.

Okojie made this known while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the presentation of licences to two new private universities on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Okojie, the committee comprises members from the NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education.

“When they come for NYSC, they are referred to the Ministry of Education to look at the quality of their certificates.

“Recently, the ministry decided to set up a joint committee of NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education to look at the quality of those certificates; the committee has been set up but it has not been inaugurated.

“In Ukraine, where we have many of our students for instance, it is not that all the universities are bad; some are really good but it depends on which one.

“Some of our students who attended universities in Ukraine pass through the UK and get a second degree; in some countries, you can buy a certificate in the airport,” he said.

Okojie added that mere knowing that a foreign university was approved was not enough as the programme pursued by a student might not be approved.

The NUC boss had earlier expressed concern over the quality of universities Nigerian students attend in the West African sub-region, especially in Ghana.

Meanwhile, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the universities that Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo, Delta State, and Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State have been given provisional licences to operate in Nigeria. (NAN)

•Photo shows Prof. Okojie.

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