The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has called for the introduction of standardized examinations across Nigerian universities and a complete overhaul of outdated curricula to align with global realities and industry demands.
Speaking at the convocation lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Abbas decried the inconsistencies in academic standards across universities, which, he said, have undermined the credibility of Nigerian degrees in the global job market.
‘The time has come for all universities to have common examinations, at least at the graduating level; let there be one common examination for the various courses being offered. That is how we can determine whether the grades awarded by some universities are truly reflective of students’ capabilities and whether they can stand the test of time’, he stated.
He further argued that the absence of standardized testing has contributed to disparities in academic rigour, making it difficult to assess graduates’ competence fairly.
‘A 2:1 in one university can be equivalent to a third-class degree in another because grading systems differ significantly. We need a common examination, at least at the graduating level, to ensure fairness and transparency in academic assessment’, he added.
