Togo degree-awarding institutions: Expert faults FG’s claims
Following announcement by the Federal Government that Togo has only three recognised degree-awarding institutions, and about 1,105 students with fake certificates, the president of Centre de Perfectionnement aux Techniques Economiques et Commercial, CPTEC, Prof. Tunde Adeyemi, has said such information was false.
Recall that the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during the commemoration of one year in office, announced the findings of a committee set up to look into certificate racketeering in Benin Republic.
The minister had said: ”One of the things we did in the year was, remember when information broke out about some of our students going to neighbouring countries, some not even going at all, to obtain certificates, the ministry set up a committee to look into that.
”The committee came up with a detailed review sent to the federal executive council, FEC, which approved some of the recommendations from the ministry.
“In the case of Togo, we have three universities that are officially approved and licensed to offer degrees, and in Benin, there are about five of them. So, anyone who didn’t attend these universities is parading a fake certificate.”
However, Adeyemi, in the company of some members of CPTEC governing council at a briefing yesterday, explained that contrary to the circulated information, Togo had over 40 accredited degree-awarding institutions.
According to him, the Federal Government misinterpreted the information it got from the Togolese government that noted that the Togo education system was structured into three categories: Universities that consist of faculties/colleges, Institutes/ Centres; and Higher colleges.
“We are aware that the above statements are coming in the aftermath of the Nigerian government’s decision to suspend the accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates of Nigerian students who studied in the Republic of Togo; following an incident that happened in Benin Republic and not the Republic of Togo.
“To the surprise of everyone, the Nigerian government, through its Ministry of Education, failed to give the details of its findings and recommendations to enable stakeholders identify the indicted institutions and the officials in the ministry that are involved.
“The minister of education in Nigeria emphatically stated that only three institutions/ universities are accredited to award degrees in the Republic of Togo. Unfortunately, this statement has been debunked by the Ministry of Higher Learning in Togo and the logical explanation for this is that the committee from the Nigerian Ministry of Education misinterpreted the information from the ministry in Togo.
”They were informed of the structure of academics in Togo, which is also being employed in other French-speaking countries, developed countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
“They were informed about the French education ranking of higher learning institutions that awarded degrees, which are universities that consist of faculties/colleges, institutes/centres; and higher colleges;
“Note that all the above categories are degree-awarding institutions. Also, aside from the three universities mentioned by the Nigerian minister of education, there are over 40 degree-awarding institutions in the Republic of Togo, and the lists were made available to the committee through the official diplomatic channels for further clarification and information.”
