Debate over unclaimed higher school certs starts anew

Students are supposed to be presented with their certificates after graduation from educational institutions, however, many higher education schools are said to have a very large number of unclaimed certificates, which increase yearly, because the certificates are hardly available at the time students graduate. Most institutions keep certificates for a long period of time before […]

Students are supposed to be presented with their certificates after graduation from educational institutions, however, many higher education schools are said to have a very large number of unclaimed certificates, which increase yearly, because the certificates are hardly available at the time students graduate.

Most institutions keep certificates for a long period of time before disposing of those left uncollected. Thereafter graduates are charged for replacement certificates, in some cases.

Provost of the Niger State College of Education (COE), Minna, Professor Yakubu Auna, penultimate Thursday said over 9,000 certificates of graduates from the institution are yet to be claimed by their owners. This revelation has heated up the debate about the delay by tertiary institutions in issuing certificates to graduating students.

The provost told newsmen during an interactive session in Minna that the certificates covered between 1995 and 2019, adding that some of the unclaimed certificates were for as far back as 20 years ago.

The provost’s disclosure has understandably elicited mixed feelings among the populace with some describing the development as unacceptable while others, especially within the academia, view it as a normal trend.

Many of the respondents blamed the trend on the ‘needless’ delay by the institutions to prepare and issue certificates on time.

However, there are few higher institutions that present certificates to their graduates on the day of their graduation ceremony or mail them soon thereafter.

“It is true that Nigerian universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions graduate thousands of students every year, but the problem remains that these graduates are not able to obtain their original certificates from their alma mater years after concluding their courses,” a retired lecturer, Professor Mukhtar Matane, said.

He pointed out that certificates are supposed to guide the graduates in their choices, adding however that, “Unfortunately, many graduates have been denied the opportunity of taking the appropriate steps because of the delay in obtaining the originals of their certificates.”

He said the students have to rely on statements of results for applications to further their studies and employment because of tough requirements of having to be physically present before obtaining the certificates.

“This also creates problem for the institutions which are now saddled with the responsibility of managing piles of papers and this, no doubt, is a tough task considering the challenges associated with physical record keeping,” he also noted.

He also blamed the students for not taking interest in collecting the certificates they spent a lot of resources and time in pursuing, saying “even if such are not relevant to their career progression, certificates are precious possessions the owners must strive to protect.”

Also, Dr Abdullahi Bala Isa, a stakeholder, agreed with what has become the popular notion that the major cause of the delay in collecting certificates is the delay in their issuance by most of tertiary institutions.

“However, in recent times, quite a number of institutions have begun to speed up the process of processing the certificates,” he said.

According to him, another reason may be as a result of the saturated labour market with the consequent low invitation for job interviews.

“Another reason for the delay may not be unconnected to the high rate of unemployment in the country. Low rate of invitations to interviews and job opportunities could be a basis for higher or lower demand for certificates.

“Even when the institutions issue a one-year tenable statement of results, the graduates rarely turn up for renewal after expiration,” he further explained.

But the provost attributed the reason why certificates are left to pile up uncollected to lack of sensitisation regarding their timely availability.

“It is lack of information that makes graduates not to pick the certificates. It is not as if they don’t want to. They have stayed long without certificates and need to get the information it is ready,” he explained.

Implications

Observers said the failure to collect certificates long after graduation has many implications, especially for the students. Malama Hadiza Kolo, Administrative Secretary of the College of Education, Minna said, “Certificates are the most accepted and fast growing credentials. Refusal to collect certificates can cause serious problems with employers, especially after graduating for a long time.”

According to her, lack of certificate could also lead to promotion denials at places of work and job denials during interviews.

In the same vein, Mr Mathias Baba Jiya of the Department  of

English in the college said the implications are felt more in military or para-military institutions where admissions, progressions are attainable with original certificates.

Graduates react

Some graduates contacted spoke with mixed feelings on the matter. Malam Mohammed Adamu graduated from University of Maiduguri, Borno State in 2009 but couldn’t go back for his certificate until the private firm he was working released a memo for promotion interview in 2017.

“The memo said we must attend the interview with original copies of all credentials. I was aghast especially with the insecurity in the North-east and being a middle cadre staff; I can’t go by air. My parents, particularly my mother was disturbed by the development but at the end of the day I had to go,” he explained.

He said two of his colleagues who had to travel to Kano at the same time for the same reason died in a car crash while returning to Minna.

Nuruddeen Usman, on the other hand said he has not received his certificate from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto six years after he left the school.

“Even with the statement of result, I haven’t secured a job,” he said, adding, “I will surely go back for it whenever I have saved enough money from my ‘okada’ (motorcycle taxi) business to enable me enroll for master’s degree.”

The way out

Our correspondent recalls that the federal government in 2013 vowed that it would ensure that universities across the country issued certificates to their graduates on their convocation day.

“Many Nigerian universities only issue certificates to their graduates after five years of leaving school, with many only providing temporary testimonials and statements of results. We no longer graduate students without issuance of certificates on the day of graduation,” the then minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, had said during the second convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria in Lagos. However, years after, observers said the trend has continued following the failure of government to enforce compliance with the directive.

Dr Abdullahi Bala Isa said ensuring that certificates are available for collection on the day of convocation could serve as permanent remedy but “for now the best approach and solution is to speed up the production of certificates and discourage the issuance of statement of results.”

The provost, on the other hand, called on employers of labour to make sure every graduate shows his/her certificate so as to encourage collection of same.