For Abuja, FG bans Dr title honorary degree Nigeria don become official policy as Federal Government announce say anybody wey get honorary doctorate no go again use “Dr” before im name, warning say misuse go now count as academic fraud.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announce dis decision for Presidential Villa, say na part of new guideline wey Federal Executive Council approve to clean up how honorary degrees dey used for Nigeria.
According to am, plenty abuse don happen over the years, as some universities dey give honorary degrees for political favour and money, while recipients dey present dem like real academic qualifications.
“Recipients no go put ‘Dr’ for front of dia name again. Instead, dem go write the full honorary title for back, like D.Lit (Honoris Causa),” Alausa explain.
He add say anybody wey misrepresent honorary degree as earned PhD go face legal and reputational consequences, as government now dey treat am as academic fraud.
Under the new policy, only four types of honorary degrees go dey allowed: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Lit), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts).
Government also ban universities wey no get active PhD programmes from awarding honorary degrees at all, to stop newer institutions from abusing the system.
Alausa talk say the move go help restore integrity and public trust in Nigeria academic system, while National Universities Commission go enforce the policy across universities.
He also reveal say government go begin publish official list of genuine honorary degree recipients every year and monitor convocation ceremonies to ensure compliance.
The policy don receive legal backing from FEC, after earlier efforts by universities no succeed due to lack of enforcement power.
