The Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI), Enugu has raised the minimum qualification for its lecturers to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the 2025-2026 academic session.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Christian Anieke, announced on Friday while addressing academic and senior administrative staff of the university during a “Spiritual Retreat” organised for the workers.
Anieke directed those with lower degrees to upgrade their qualification or be ready to drop their tools.
He explained that the directive complied with the National Universities Commission guidelines.
According to him, graduate assistants would not be allowed to teach alone in the class, unless the required lecturers were available.
While enjoining the workers to take mentorship seriously, the vice chancellor warned the officials against abuse of the mentorship programme.
He announced that henceforth, it management of the university would not tolerate missing lectures by lecturers.
In a remark, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. MarySylvia Nwachukwu, decried the low attendance to lectures by teachers during the first week of resumption of academic activities.
Nwachukwu said the academic monitorship committee of the university would intensify the supervision of lectures and fish out those who absent themselves from duties for necessary actions.
Earlier in a spiritual reflection during the retreat, the Guest Speaker, Rev. Fr. Liberatus Isife, reminded Nigerians that the success of any institution of learning depends on knowledge impacted on the students.
Isife, who is at the Department of Philosophy and Religion in the university, stressed the need for the participants to pulse, understand the past and work for a positive change.
The clergyman identified failure to develop oneself and update lecture notes as some of the obstacles to productivity.
According to him, the challenges would only be resolved through various ways including greater commitment to duties.
The spiritual retreat was attended by the principal officers, professors, Heads of Departments, and Directors in the university and its group of institutions.