The adequacy of the various inputs in the university

The adequacy of the various inputs in the university system, in terms of quality and quantity,
exercises tremendous influence on quality assurance in the University system. Quality assurance
is seen as a key component for successful internationalization. It is a key to mechanism for
building institutional reputation in a competitive local and global arena and also a necessary
foundation for consumer protection. (NUC 2007).

145
The National Universities Commission (NUC) as a Quality Assurance Agency
The National Universities Commission was established in 1962 based on the
recommendation of the Ashby Commission report of 1959. The NUC is to function in advisory
capacity on how to fund the universities. Thus, the Ashby Commission Report (1961) stipulated
that the NUC will play a vital role in securing funds for the universities and in distributing them,
coordinating (without interfering with) their activities and in providing cohesion for the whole
system of higher education in the country. Basically, the role of NUC as quality assurance
agency consists of setting Minimum Academic Standard (MAS) for all programmes taught in
Nigerian universities and the accreditation of such programmes.
The NUC has put in place various measures to ensure quality assurance in Nigerian
universities, prominent among them is: Nigerian universities management information system,
library automation project, establishment of the central research fund team. (Okebukola, 2006).
However, one of the area of criticisms against the NUC according to (Aminu, 1986), is that NUC
as a body has turned itself to a clearing house and inspector for the universities. He further
asserted that NUC should have better positioned itself as a support system rather than a
watchdog to the university system. However, the NUC has played vital role as a supervisory
agency for Nigerian universities.
The State of Quality Assurance in Nigerian Universities.
Recent development in the Nigerian university system seems to indicate that all is not
well as expected with the quality assurance in Nigerian universities system. The scenario appears
worrisome when viewed against the background that Nigeria once served as the hub of university
education in the West-African sub-region. This development revolves around a lot of factors
ranging from the collapse of essential infrastructure to explosion in students enrolment without
corresponding increase in funding. As a matter of facts, nothing seems to be working anymore in
the Nigerian universities.
Nigerian universities cannot meet their expectations especially in terms of the quality of
teaching and research. Lack of adequate funding has clearly impaired the performance and
standard of Nigerian universities as the vicious circle of inadequate funds, helplessness,
frustration, and recriminations is continually fed in a mutually reinforcing manner. (Kayode,
2002).

146
This position of Kayode was corroborated by (Babalola, 2001) when he reported that
universities in Nigeria are currently in crisis. According to him, there is less money to spend on