Diverse reactions trail abolition of pass degree

Confirming the abolition, the NUC Deputy Director, Public Relations, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Yakasai, said the motive behind the new policy is to improve the quality of graduates produced by Nigerian universities.Yakasai explained that pass degree has no value in all ramifications, not even to the students who cannot go for further studies with it and […]

Confirming the abolition, the NUC Deputy Director, Public Relations, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Yakasai, said the motive behind the new policy is to improve the quality of graduates produced by Nigerian universities.
Yakasai explained that pass degree has no value in all ramifications, not even to the students who cannot go for further studies with it and can hardly secure employment with it after graduation.
The deputy director explained: “By the time a student graduated with a pass degree it means he/she has only one or below one of the CGPA. Hence, such a student is just nowhere. So what is the essence of getting a degree that cannot help you in any way?”
Asked whether the new policy can lead to compromising of standard by the lecturers, Yakasai argued that with other classes of degrees including first, second and third class, the policy cannot lead to any compromise in standard.
He said: “The universities have a privilege now to advise students who cannot perform in a particular course to change to another where they can perform better instead of insisting that they can do what they cannot.”
However, the new policy has attracted diverse reactions from the stakeholders in the education sector, Daily Trust has gathered.
Professor of Arabic Studies, University of Ilorin and former Vice-Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Professor Abdulrazaq Deremi Abubakre, has described the move by the NUC to abolish the pass degree as a welcome development since pass degree has never been an honours degree.
But he advised that in doing that, the commission would have to expand the scope of third class from the present 45-49.9 to 40-49.9.
He said presently, pass degree in Nigerian universities is within the stretch of 40-44.5 while third class is fixed at 45-49.9 per cent, noting that the adjustment would be necessary to ensure that more people do not fail in the university. Such a step would further make the degree more profitable and useful for the holders, he added.
“I am thinking from the side of students but I am not opposing the thinking of NUC. The commission may expand the scope of third class to 40-49 just as second class lower is 50-59.9, second class upper is 60-69.9 and first class is 70 and above.
“If that is what they are thinking, I am for it. If they want to abolish the pass degree, they should begin to count Third Class from 40 per cent to 49 per cent. It is only in the third class and pass degree that you have a narrow stretch of pass, from 45-49, then 40-44 where as in the other classes, the stretch is 50-59; 60-69 and 70 and above.
“So if they abolish pass degree and they still count 40-49 as third class, it means everybody would have honours degree, it means it is more useful, more profitable, more progressive and better for the future career of our graduates.
“But if they are saying that 40-44.9 will not have a certificate because that would be considered as failure, it means that we are raising the pass mark and they cannot just raise it in the final degree, they should raise it in all the examinations.”
Also, the Vice-Chancellor University of Abuja, Professor Michael U. Adikwu, said abolishing pass degree in the universities is not in any way going to strengthen the education system in the country.
He said when people are not allowed to graduate with a pass degree, they will be left with the option of third class degree and people concerned will have to adjust and mark in such a way that the weak student will fall under the third class categories.
He explained that where there are weak people, the new rule will not strengthen them in anyway.  
For Dr. Muhammed Yelwa of the Department of Economics, University of Abuja, it will be a welcome development for the education sector in the country.
He said in developed countries, a student either graduates with a first class or second class upper or lower because third class graduates are not fit to work or compete in any sector.
Yelwa noted that even in Nigeria with pass degree, one cannot get a job as an academic staff in the university and that if anyone makes it with a third class, it must have been through “God fatherism,” adding: “In polytechnics, if anyone graduates with pass he has to go for post graduate studies to make up for it.”
He advised students to work hard and come out with a befitting result that can make them compete with their counterparts.
Dr. Nuhu Gapsiso of Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri, said the abolition of pass degree is in the interest of the students because it will make them to work harder with the consciousness of the fact that they need to excel.
“The students will need to take the new system as a challenge to work harder than they were used to and score higher marks,” he said.
According to him, the abolishment will help in raising academic standard which seems to be at its lowest ebb in recent time, commending the NUC for taking the bold step.
Gapsiso disagrees that the action will lead to compromising standards in the system, saying that can happen only with some corrupt lecturers.
“But for the ones with principles, I guess it will enhance
their commitment to zero-tolerance for ineptitude,” he said.
Malama Ruqayyah Aliyu Yusuf, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano, is of the opinion that though the policy may lead to compromising the standard, universities have no choice than to comply with the directive.
“There is no way as a lecturer you can change the status of a student and I think this development may lead to compromising the standard,” she opined.
A pass degree holder, who doesn’t want his name mentioned, said abolishing of pass degree by NUC is a right step in the right direction even though it is going to affect so many students who are struggling to pass through the system.
“I went to obtain the degree just to get promotion and my entitlements in office considering that I was not privileged to go to the university at a younger age but I am glad to have made it in my life time,” he said.
He said: “There are courses you won’t be able to do well and you will strive so hard to get at least 40 per cent and yet, sometimes you still fail, so some people will still have problem getting 45 per cent.”
He said this will give opportunity to corrupt lecturers to make money from students who are not intelligent enough to get the required marks.
Moshood Isah, a graduate of Mass Communication, said unless if some adjustments are made, the policy would downplay the second class upper and third class degree categories.
Isah, who kicked against the policy, said at least, the pass certificate will give its holders an opportunity of getting university certificate after spending years in the tertiary institution.
But for Muzzamil Muhammad, a student, the development will encourage students to work harder, saying that a pass certificate would no longer be an option for the lazy students.  
A parent, Mrs. Esther Onome, said it is a good thing to abolish pass degree because most private universities have already abolished it.