Don Urges Self-evaluation in Tertiary Institutions for Effective Service Delivery

Uchechukwu Nnaike

A university don, Professor Adamu Kabir, has advised all higher institutions in the country to develop a system of self-evaluating their performance to enhance service delivery.

He said this in a paper, ‘Sustaining Quality Service Delivery in Higher Education and the Challenge of Dwindling Economy’, presented at the third quarter 2022 National Universities Commission Parastatal SERVICOM Committee (NUC PSC) meeting at the University of Lagos recently.

The meeting, hosted by UMILAG in commemoration of its 60th anniversary, also witnessed the inauguration of the student arm of SERVICOM Committee tagged ‘SERVICOM Vanguard’, as well as the launch of the UNILAG Service Charter and Quality Assurance Policy.

According to Kabir, all universities, departments, schools and faculties have vision and mission statements that could be used to self-evaluate their performance.

He said the performance could be assessed through feedback from students, staff and community members.
He also urged the SERVICOM and quality assurance units to monitor the promises made by vice-chancellors at the beginning of their tenures and let them know if they are doing well or not.
Kabir added that adequate funding of institutions play a critical role in quality service delivery, but regretted that public institutions are operating in precarious and turbulent financial environment, making it difficult for them to deliver on their mandates.
The Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, stated that customer satisfaction was one of the institution’s goals and core values, adding that students are considered the major and most important customers.
She also stressed the need to make the environment conducive for the staff to serve students better.
The Chairman of the NUC PSC, Mr Musa Ilyasu, said the quarterly meeting was organised to share best practices in quality service delivery.
He warned lecturers against victimising or extorting students.
The Director of Quality Assurance and SERVICOM Unit UNILAG, Prof Grace Otinwa, said the meeting was held to sensitise members on best practices and to evaluate their activities.