The journey to excellence is filled with challenges and triumphs, and for the Department of Chemistry at the University of Jos, it has been a testament to their commitment to academic excellence. The recent accreditation exercise by the National Universities Commission (NUC) served as a validation of the department’s dedication to providing quality education and preparing students for the workforce. The accreditation exercise, which took place at the Chemistry department facilities on the Bauchi Road campus, was a rigorous process that involved evaluating the programs, faculty, facilities, and overall educational environment. The team of assessors from the NUC left no stone unturned as they meticulously scrutinized every aspect of the department to ensure that it met the required standards.
The recent accreditation exercise began with a formal introduction of the accreditation team from the NUC. The NUC representatives first inspected the departments facilities from Block A1 which they observed that it didn’t have a PA system, the Head of Department, Prof. Mrs. Antonia Esesie made it known that PA systems were available just that it wasn’t installed yet; the accreditation team then moved to MPA which were the areas used for lectures, then they moved to the laboratories which were under construction, then to the equipment room and finally to the library in which they reviewed the staffs and their records, students past projects, thesis and other academic documents.
An interview was done for students where they discussed their experiences, strengths and challenges which they ended by highlighting on where to improve and concluded the exercise with paper works.
One of the key highlights of the accreditation exercise was the dedication and hard work put in by the faculty and staff of the Chemistry department. Professor Mrs. Antonia E. Esesie, the Head of Department, expressed her pride in the department’s efforts to ensure the success of the accreditation exercise. Despite facing challenges such as limited equipment and the need for additional funding, the department remained resilient in their pursuit of excellence.
According to Professor Mrs. Antonia E. Eseyin, HOD of the Department of Chemistry, a lot was put in place to see to the success of the accreditation exercise. She said that the accreditation exercise was a testament to the department’s commitment to academic excellence.
In her words, “As a department, we did our best to make sure everything is in place but there are so many things that are beyond us; such as employment which has not been done for a while now due to Integrated Personnel and Payroll System (IPPS) restrictions policy and this has left the industrial chemistry program in a quagmire and also to purchase equipment’s has been an issue due to its expensive nature and as such we have limited equipment’s in the department although a set of equipment’s was just received from PZ.”
Professor Antonia also stated her displeasure of having 400-level students going out of the school to pay for practical analysis research which should be handled by the Department. She added that materials and equipment needed by the department have been itemized and forwarded to the office of the VC so that modalities can be put in place.
Furthermore, Prof. Mrs. Eseyin revealed that the department services about 25 other departments in the university and as such its efficiency cannot be underestimated and so she’s calling on the authorities to intervene and ensure proper funding and employment to the department. She promised that they will continue to give in their best and that the standards are maintained.
Richard Emmanuel, President of the Student Chemical Society of Nigeria UNIJOS chapter, stated that the accreditation came handy and was a rigorous exercise. According to Mr. Richard “Moments like this come with tension, but seeing the efforts our lecturers put in place for this exercise, we the students were morally encouraged to be calm as the accreditation was going to be a success.”
The president said that he believes that the accreditation process is an important part of the University’s system as it keeps the department on its toes, not allowing them to be substandard in their teaching methods thereby making sure that the learning environment is conducive for both the lecturers and in turn causing students of the chemistry department to also give in their best in their academic performances. The student union leader ended by calling on the school authorities to ensure that the resources needed to run the department’s program should be adequately provided to ensure effective development.
Patience Sandy, a 400-level student who also witnessed the accreditation stated that this was a new experience for her and that the NUC were quite rigid during the accreditation exercise.
She also said “this accreditation serves as a source of encouragement to students and lecturers of the department of Chemistry to keep up with the expected standards of performance, not to slack, providing of equipment’s and conducive environment for learning and this has therefore paved a gateway for improvement of the departments human resource and capacity.” She ended by applauding the department for their commitment to excellence despite the challenges and setbacks it has been facing.
McChrist Okonkwo, an eye witness and student representative during the accreditation exercise stated that the Department had already been making efforts to maintain standards all thanks to the HOD who has been proactive and hardworking to seeing improvement and ensuring that their laboratories are functioning well, lectures are on track and students also giving in their best. However, he emphasized that the accreditation served as a reminder and motivation to sustain and improve existing work thereby highlighting the importance of consistently maintaining excellence to ensure that the department meets the NUC standards.
Okonkwo further said that “accreditation is a welcomed idea as it serves as a driving force for improvement within the department. It pushes for better facilities, enhance teaching methods, facilitate modern updated curriculum for teaching which directly benefits both students and lecturers. For students, accreditation increases the credibility of their degrees and for lecturers, it enhances professional growth and improvement in teaching methods.”
He ended by saying that accreditation boosts the department’s reputation therefore attracting more resources and opportunities for the department’s programs. He ended by calling all stakeholders involved to adhere to the recommendations of the NUC thereby ensuring that the necessary standards in terms of infrastructure, curriculum, teaching methods, utilisation of laboratories are all in place to boost academic performances by students thereby making them more competitive even in the global space.
Gift Rimamsikwe, a chemistry student who participated in the accreditation appreciated the transparency and inclusivity of the accreditation process. She said “it was amazing to see our department’s hard work and dedication. The recognition of our department’s research opportunities and career building mechanism is well deserved.”
She also stated that accreditation is essential in universities to ensure quality education for all students and improvement in the quality of staff and lecturers within the department.
Chisom ended by lauding the department’s lecturers for a job well-done thus far and also emphasized that governments funding and backing is very sacrosanct for the smooth running of all universities across the country so accreditation serves as a watchdog to ensure accountability and credibility within the University’s academic performances.
Overall, accreditation exercises by the NUC are essential for maintaining and improving the quality of education in Nigerian universities like the University of Jos. These exercises help ensure that universities are providing students with the best possible education and preparing them for successful careers in their chosen fields.
The successful accreditation exercise was a significant milestone for the Department of Chemistry at the University of Jos. It solidified their reputation as a hub for academic excellence and innovation, showcasing their dedication to providing quality education and preparing students for successful careers. Congratulations to the department on this remarkable achievement, and may they continue to uphold the standards of excellence in the years to come.
Pictorial Excerpts
Reports and Photos by Dalla Cyrus Magaji (Chemistry Correspondent) (5/5)
Edited by Isama Anyaole Peace
