Victor Ezeja
The University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) has announced its decision to disengage postgraduate students running PhD, Masters and Diploma programmes who have Overstayed without successful completion.
This was disclosed in a memo dated 19 January 2024, signed by the Acting Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies, UNN, Prof. Obioma U. Njoku.
The provost directed all heads of departments, directors of centres/institutes to ensure that the disengagement process is concluded before 31 March 2024.
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He observed that over time, “a substantial number of our postgraduate students are not showing progress in their academic pursuits, thereby running unending academic programmes and allowing such programmes elapse with time,” he stated.
“The University in its wisdom anticipated that some students, might not be able to complete their programmes as scheduled, and therefore, approved durations to academic programmes, setting maximum period for each programme in order to weed off non performing students from its system.”
It noted that many factors are contributing to the anomaly, “but these students cannot be allowed to remain in the university forever.”
He said that “based on the foregoing, all postgraduate students who registered and are still running PhD or Masters or Diploma programmes from 2016/2017, 2017/2018 sessions or beyond are to be allowed a window to disengage from the University or be asked to withdraw in accordance witlh postpraduate extant Regulations 2018, on lapsing of programme (see no 9 vi ).”
He called on Heads of departments and Directors of centres/institutes of postgraduate programmes to initiate actions and show processes of disengaging the affected students from the university.
“The process should begin with the supervisors, the departmental Board and approval of synopsis, especially, for PhD students,” the acting Provost directed.
He enjoined heads of departments and directors of institutes/centres to ensure that “the affected students are duly communicated explaining the urgency the process demands, and ensuring too that the process is concluded before 31st March 2024.”
He further explained that the processes of disengaging these students have been explained carefully to all Faculty Postgraduate Representatives and Departmental/ Centre/Institute PG Coordinators.
“The Acting Provost College of Postgraduate studies is to be communicated accordingly on the process of disengagement adopted by each department/centre/institute, and all stakeholders are expected to comply fully with the above directive.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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