Pecohub Federal Government has upgraded the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Aba, Abia State, to a degree- awarding institute.
The outgoing Executive Director of the Institute, Prof Obiajulu Emejulu, who disclosed this, added that the National Universities Commission (NUC), in letter dated May 20, and signed by its Director of Academic Planning, had given approval for the Institute to run full -time degree programmes.
According to Prof Emejulu, the courses in which the Institute will be awarding degrees include, B. Ed. Early Education; B. Ed. Business Education; B. Library and Information Science ( B.LIS); B. A. Igbo and Community Studies; B.A. Ed. Igbo Language; B.A. Linguistics, and- B. Sc. Mass Communication.
He disclosed that the Institute got approval to run the degree courses in affiliation with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, with effect from the 2024/2025 academic session.
“I am glad that I am exiting as the Executive Director of NINLAN leaving the Institute as a degree – awarding Institution, something that had eluded it for more than three decades, in spite of many efforts.
“I urge both the National Universities Commission and the National Assembly to speed up the review and amendment of NINLAN Act to enable the Institute to award its degrees as stipulated in its Act, without affiliating with any University,” he said.
He further called on the Federal Government to amend the Act regulating Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to make its coverage include the four Inter-University Centres in the country. The centres are NINLAN; the Nigerian French Language Village, Badagry; National Mathematical Centre, Abuja, and Arab Village, Ngala.
He equally urged the Federal Ministry of Education to give NINLAN its due place and regard in the implementation of the recently approved Nigerian Language Policy to realize the aims of the Policy.
