Minister for Education, Maruf Alausa has approved a guiding policy on eligibility for the appointments of Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts. The implementation comes following the recent crisis that trailed the appointment of institutional heads in tertiary institutions nationwide.
The Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, announced the policy this morning in Abuja. According to him, fairness and transparency have been compromised in appointing institutional heads in nationwide institutions.
The Director expressed that over the years, there has been a pattern of undue advantage in appointment selection. Boriowo disclosed that officers serving in acting positions leverage their capacity to influence appointment outcomes.
To stop this, the ministry has approved a policy that will eliminate the patterns and ensure fair competition for all candidates. The policy stipulates that officers in acting positions will not be eligible to apply for the position while in office.
Boriowo added that acting officers can only be eligible if they step down from their position before the end of their tenure. He continued that this will ensure fairness, and transparency, and also strengthen institutional governance in tertiary institutions nationwide.
Also, the policy will complement other present regulations governing appointment in federal tertiary Institutions across the country. Similarly, governing councils, management, and relevant stakeholders are urged to ensure strict compliance with the new directive.
Boriowo further expressed that the ministry appreciates the stakeholders in maintaining the integrity of leadership in the appointment process. According to him, the cooperation and continued dedication of the stakeholders have helped in uploading good governance within the education sector.
