The Vice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Prof. Christian Anieke, has said that speaking and writing English is a major challenge to many Nigerian graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anieke spoke when officials of the National Universities Commission visited the university on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NUC officials were in the institution to assess its postgraduate programmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anieke said the GOUNI had identified the use of English as the major weakness of many graduates from other institutions, stressing that some first-class graduates found it difficult to write or speak correct English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The VC noted that the face of every university was its postgraduate school and as such showed the university\u2019s research strength as some postgraduates reflect the quality of research of the institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is why we introduced a course called \u201cCommunication in English\u201c and the students\u2019 inability to use the English language correctly could be due to their background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the PG School, we ensure that when you write your thesis, it will be strong enough to be published in a journal and if not publishable, then you have not written a good thesis,\u201d Anieke said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He explained that the university was doing many things to ensure that graduates of the institution\u2019s PG School were strong, stressing that the policy was now yielding fruit in the school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou may not have a lot of students here because a lot of Nigerian students want it easy, but the quality is very important to me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He made it clear that the NUC visit was not a witch-hunt but \u201ca peer review that makes a university more transparent and effective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNUC is championing national integration by sending those in charge of academics of the universities to institutions outside their regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI see this as very important for the growth of our universities,\u201d the vice chancellor stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anieke, however, urged the officials to see the assignment as a sacrifice for the development of Nigeria adding that the GOUNI had never done anything without involving NUC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Responding, Prof. Kabiru Dandago, who spoke on behalf of the team, gave the assurance that there would be nothing like a witch-hunt during the team\u2019s visit to universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dandago said they would maintain a high level of objectivity in the discharge of their duties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n