No more ‘pass’ grade in Nigerian Universities

National Universities Commission’s decision to abolish ‘pass’ in the grading system of universities raises questions over the agency’s powers.

When the National Universities Commission gave the hint last academic session that the ‘pass’ degree would no longer be acceptable in the grading system in the nation’s universities, not many students and other stakeholders took the agency seriously.

Indeed, many felt that the universities’ ombudsman had other bigger responsibilities to cater to as a way of bringing sanity into the system.

Issues bordering on proper funding of universities, accommodating hundreds of students who annually fail to secure admissions and ensuring a better ranking of the nation’s universities, among others, were considered as paramount to occupy the time of the commission instead of just rolling out a fresh grading procedure.

But with the beginning of the 2014/2015 academic session and the accompanying matriculation ceremonies, fresh students are now inundated with advice from vice-chancellors that they need to work harder if truly they want to graduate in flying colours.

In fact, the remarks by the Vice Chancellor of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Prof. AbdullahiZuru, during the 2014/2015 matriculation of 4,133 students of the institution, has brought the NUC’s decision to abolish the pass grade in the nation’s university system to the front burner again.

According to Zuru, there is no going back on the E- grading system in the university and so every student should work harder to earn a good grade.

Zuru added, “This has far-reaching implications on the grading system of l students in universities. This means
that the minimum pass mark for courses in the universities will now be 45 per cent, that is, D-grade, instead of the previous 40 per cent, which was E-grade.

It also means that the minimum class of degree to be earned by students will now be third class.”

Besides pass and third class, the other grades in the system are second class lower division, second class upper division and the first class – regarded as the apogee in the ranking.

But as Zuru and his colleagues are urging students to endeavour to live up to expectations, some concerned stakeholders are also faulting the fresh procedure.

The latter school of thought holds the view that upping the grading system is not an elixir to improving on the quality of education in the country. In their thinking,
there is more to be done than merely adjusting the grading system.

According to a Lagos-based education consultant, Mr. Victor Jegede, the NUC’s decision is akin to putting the cart before the horse.

For him, the commission should first consider the quality of teachers and calibre of infrastructure in schools, among many other factors, before “throwing the baby and the bath water away.”

Jegede says, “Abolishing a pass degree will not end the decay in universities. Many of the schools do not have the facilities that will enhance teaching and learning.

Rating of the universities by the international agencies has nothing to do with the grading system. It has more to do with availability of competent lecturers and modern facilities. I tell you, if these basic things are available, more and more students will excel.

“For our students to be competitive like their peers from across the globe, there is the need to expose them to creative researches and modern teaching facilities.

Above all, the government needs to fund the sector well.” Another consultant, Bola Kolawole, argues that grading is a mere graduation of scores, noting that the development will only further breed corruption in the system.

Examination malpractice, sorting (bribing of lecturers to gain some good grades), sales of handouts, cultism, prostitution among undergraduates as well as other
social vices, Kolawole says, are serious areas of concern that need the urgent attention of the commission.

The emphasis, he says, should not be on grading system but on imparting quality knowledge to the students.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Ibadan chapter Chairman, Prof. Segun Ajiboye, sees the matter from another perspective. The idea, Ajiboye
posits, limits the significance of the university autonomy and portrays once more the overbearing influence of the NUC.

Courtesy: www.punchng.com

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