In response to recent controversies surrounding the appointment of heads in various public universities and other tertiary institutions across the country, Dr. Maruf Alausa, the Minister of Education, approved the implementation of a new policy on eligibility for the appointment of Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts. The policy, announced by Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education, aims to address concerns raised by the undue advantages held by officers serving in acting positions. These officers have been known to use their positions to influence appointment decisions, undermining the fairness and transparency of the selection process.
The new policy is designed to eliminate this practice and create a level playing field for all qualified candidates while enhancing institutional governance. The policy specifies that any officer acting as Vice Chancellor, Rector, or Provost will not be eligible to apply for the permanent position while still holding the acting role. However, in the interest of fairness, such officers may opt to step down from their acting roles before the end of their six-month tenure, which is non-renewable, thus making them eligible to apply for the substantive position.
“This policy is intended to complement the existing Federal Ministry of Education Guidelines for the Appointment of Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts (2013), along with other relevant regulations governing appointments in federal tertiary institutions,” the statement read.
The Ministry also called on Governing Councils, management teams, and other relevant stakeholders to strictly adhere to this new directive. For better understanding and ease of implementation, the policy document has been enclosed as Annex I, while the 2013 Guidelines are provided as Annex II.
The Ministry expressed gratitude for the continued cooperation of stakeholders in ensuring good governance and upholding the integrity of leadership appointment processes within the education sector. It believes that the policy will lead to significant reforms and bolster public confidence in the selection of principal officers in educational institutions.
Notably, institutions such as the University of Abuja, Admiralty University, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University had recently been embroiled in controversies regarding the appointment of their new heads.
