President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday, warned Universities in the country against indiscriminate award of honorary Doctorate Degrees.
According to him, it is a sabotage which undermines the very core values of academic integrity and must be discontinued.
Tinubu, represented by the Acting Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Jibreel-Maiyaki handed the warning at the combined convocation ceremonies for the 6th, 7th, and 8th graduates of the students of Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), in Lafia, the Nasarawa State.
He explained that degrees were being awarded for candidates found worthy in character and learning.
The honorary degrees, he noted, should be given to only deserving Nigerians who have contributed immensely to the growth of society.
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Academic competence and professional training represents just a fraction of the qualifications needed to build a strong and prosperous nation.
He said, “Moral training and ethical standards must be coupled with the best form of academic development for universities to fulfill its purpose.
“Therefore, universities management and the general environments of teaching and learning must model the highest standard of integrity, probity and moral discipline.
“In this connection, I must draw your attention to the tendency of some institutions to devalue the quality of their degrees by given out honorary Doctorate Degrees indiscriminately against the common universities community practice.”
