The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin), Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, has urged Nigerian varsities to evolve internal mechanisms for disciplining erring academic staff members.
Prof. Abdulkareem gave the advice on Tuesday during the inauguration of a committee to monitor the academic staff of the university.
“This will avoid a situation where we will leave it for external bodies to do us,’’ the Vice-Chancellor said.
Abdulkareem, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Technology and Innovation), Prof. Mikhail Buhari, said the committee was not set up to witch-hunt any lecturer.
According to him, the initiative is to ensure that the university does not suffer as a result of negligence of responsibilities.
Abdulkareem said that the university had recognised the issue as a problem, which, if not addressed, could get out of hand.
He decried the incessant cases of members of academic staff appearing before the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee on account of dereliction of duty.
The said that the feedbacks on the performances of some lecturers from the students had not been encouraging.
The V-C cited absence from work, lateness to work and outright negligence of responsibility as some of the challenges that characterised the university system.
He said that such a committee was not in place in the past as lecturers then had exhibited an incontrovertible sense of duty.
“We are all primarily here because of the students and we must have time for them.
“The monitoring committee must help to make the university better by ensuring that everyone is at their duty posts, doing what is expected of them at the right time,” he said.
Prof. Abdulkareem congratulated members of the committee and enjoined them to justify the confidence reposed in them.
He also admonished them to replace any member that was found wanting, while praying to God to give the committee members the wisdom to do the job.
He said that they should not to be afraid to step on toes in the course of performing their duties.
The Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Abayomi Sofoluwe, said that the committee was constituted by the Vice-Chancellor after observing laxity in the performance of the primary duty of some lecturers, which is teaching.
He said that members of the committee include some of the most reputable, innovative and respected members of the university academic community and, the academia.
Sofoluwe said that the terms of reference of the committee would include ensuring that lecturers were at their duty posts punctually.
He added that it would also include the performance of academic staff as it related to lecture delivery and make suggestions on improving lecture delivery and attendance.
The chairman said that his committee was also to report any consistent absence from duty of any lecturer.
It would also prepare a report at the end of every semester to be submitted to the Vice-Chancellor, among other duties.
“It is clear that our instructions are to focus on improving academic standards using the two-pronged approach of punctuality and performance,” he said.
