The University of Abuja has set up a committee to look into the poor academic performance of its students over an eight-year period with a view to changing the disturbing trend.
Waziri Garba, Deputy Registrar of the institution, made this known in a press statement released after the 159th regular meeting of the University’s Senate.
Garba stated that the 13-man Committee headed by M.A. Maisamari, a professor and the Dean of the Faculty of Education, will “among other things look at the distribution of class of degrees of graduating students for each academic programme over the period, review the admission process and identify any lapses as well as evaluate campus life, students’ reading culture, personal study time, library usage, students involvement in distractive activities and the value systems.”
“The Committee is also to assess teaching at the institution including depth of coverage, understanding, attendance at lectures, lecture venues, quality of examination marking scheme, evaluate the state of facilities and infrastructure including physical and electronic, as well as assess the quality of the lectures bearing in mind subject mastery, specialization, workload on lecturers, adequacy of staff and environmental factors, among others,” the statement added.
The university has suffered in recent times as a result of staff and student unrest over non-accreditation of courses and non-payment of staff allowances.
But authorities at the university find new ways of making the institution a centre of academic excellence, a former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, has eulogized the university.
Babangida charged the Governing Council of the University not to relent on the path of making the University one of the greatest institutions in the world.
He gave the charge when members of the Council and Management of the University paid him a courtesy call at his residence in Minna to commemorate his 75th birthday.
Babangida said that he was impressed with the level of development at the University but he urged the management not to rest on their oars.
“It was our own creation. It is always of interest for me to know how the University is doing.
“I want to say that I am most impressed by the development that is currently going on in the University.
“I am glad that you are doing well, I am glad that it is one of the Universities that I was the Pioneer Visitor”, the former President said.
He added: “I want you to continue with the zeal and determination to make it one of the finest and best institutions, not only in Nigeria perhaps Africa and in the world.”
Mahe Dange, who led the delegation, said that the University of Abuja owed the former President a depth of gratitude as one of the architects of its existence.
He said that the visit was an opportunity to officially pay compliments to the former President for his immense contributions towards mentoring many people in public affairs and touching the lives of generations of Nigerians through some of his enduring policies.
He prayed to God to grant Babangida full recovery so that the nation can continue to benefit from his wise counsel and wisdom which he never shies away from offering.