Ten days after DAILY POST exposed an Ogun State-based polytechnic, where law, nursing, pharmacy among other university exclusive courses are offered, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has threatened to forcefully shut the institution if the Federal Government continues to keep mum on the matter.
Anxiety has since gripped students of the institution since the DAILY POST report was published on the academic anormalies perpetrated by its owners.
The name of the institution is Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies. It is situated in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.
The apex students body described the existence of such a school as an insult to millions of Nigerian students paying their dues in different institutions across the country.
In a statement signed by the students organisation’s Deputy Senate President, Elvis Ekundayo, NANS said shutting the school will kick-start its special action against ‘fake schools’ playing with the future of admission seekers.
Context
DAILY POST report showed that the school, in an online advert, claimed that it awards National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates.
But the same college also claimed in the same advert that it runs B.Sc conversion programmes for HND holders, creating confusion as to whether or not the school now has the approval of the National University Commission (NUC) to award degrees or whether it was accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Thorough checks on the NUC and NBTE websites show that the school was yet to be accredited either as a polytechnic or a university.
But in a 2021 directory of the NBTE, Harvarde College was seen among the list of specialised institutions offering accredited programmes.
The college got the permission of the NBTE to offer four courses which include; Accountancy, Business Administration, Mass Communication and Computer Science all for National Diploma (ND) only. But the school currently offers over 30 courses.
According to the NBTE the accreditation for the National Diploma in the four courses ought to expire in October 2022.
NANS threatens showdown
The NANS statement reads, “We have read about the polytechnic in Ogun state where law, nursing, pharmacy among others are offered, I cannot imagine that!
“Media report published by DAILY POST has reached the national headquarters of NANS. I am glad to announce that in 7-days from now, if the federal government refuses to clear the air of this ill fated school, we shall move the headquarters of NANS to Ogun State.
“Despite the harsh economy, people still fall victim to fraud and the Ogun state government is watching those unscrupulous elements use their land in swindling people.
“Woe betide evil doers and 419s, they shall have us to contend with.”
NANS called on the Federal Government to commence investigation into the activities of the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other agencies allegedly involved in the fraudulent activity of obtaining degree certificates from foreign universities.
“While we commend the Federal government for its quick decision to suspend the accreditation of degree certificates obtained from institutions in Benin Republic and Togo, it is however important for the government to take further steps into investigating the activities of relevant agencies fingered in the fraudulent activities.
“This is the only way the Federal government can save its face and restore the battered image of the country,” the statement added.
