The pre-accreditation team of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) led by Prof. Mba O. Okoronkwo, OON, has visited the Kano Study Centre to ascertain the level of preparedness and ensure readiness for the forthcoming 2023 National Universities Commission’s (NUC) accreditation exercise.

The visit, which took place on October 10, 2023 had other members of the team as Prof. Olufemi Otubanju and Mr. Oladimeji Tiamiyu, who is the secretary, as Kano forms part of those centres lined up for the NUC accreditation exercise.

In his welcome address, the director of the centre, Mr. Muddasir Ahmad Ishaq, said ever since receiving the information on the exercise, the centred braced up, ensuring that everything was in order and in accordance to the expected rules and guidelines.

He expressed his happiness for the visit, stating that the team would direct and redirect the centre on what should be done to have a successful and a hitch-free exercise. 

The director, who introduced the members team to congregation of staffers, reminded that the upcoming accreditation is a serious assignment that led the Vice-Chancellor to set-up a strong committee with the mandate of appraising everything, including strengths and weaknesses ahead of the main visit of NUC.

Ishaq then assured that all the revealed weaknesses would be checkmated before the accreditation exercise since there is a check-list to pinpoint the areas of lack and inadequacies. 

The Co-Chair of the team, Prof. Olufemi Otubanju, while speaking, informed the centre on the critical importance of the accreditation, and maintained that it is very important to every university, hence the need to prepare fully for it, as a window dressing is not required.

Otubanju added that whatever is lacking or inadequate should immediately be replaced and provided before the exercise.

The team substantially discussed with all the stakeholders in the exercise to acquaint themselves with what is on ground as it affects them.

Shortly after the meeting with the management of the centre, they engaged on a facility tour to physically see the level of preparedness. 

Among the facilities inspected were Auditorium, E-examination Hall, Library, E-Library, Language Laboratory, Computer, Warehouse, newly-constructed Science Laboratory, newly-constructed 100-capacity Library and Resources Centre as well as staff offices. 

Having seen for themselves, the visiting team remarked that in all the places they visited Kano centre was actually on the right track to welcome the proper accreditation team.

They further levelled the centre as "Centre of Excellence,” which, according to Okoronkwo, Kano Study Centre facility could be matched with that of "Indira Gandhi Open University (IGN OU) and that of UNISA in South Africa.”

In his closing remarks, the secretary of the team commended the centre director and his team for a job well done, disclosing that members of the team were fully satisfied with the level of preparation they witnessed on ground.