Focus on Academic Journals May Compromise Teaching Quality- Dr. Chidi Ugwu, UNN Lecturer
UNN Lecturer Dr. Chidi Ugwu warns that Nigerian universities jeopardize teaching quality by prioritizing academic journal publications.
Mary Nwaeze 
In a candid revelation, Dr. Chidi Ugwu, a respected lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has issued a stark warning about the perilous trade-off between teaching excellence and the relentless pursuit of academic journal publications in Nigerian universities.
Dr. Ugwu, an esteemed Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies at Harvard University, underscored the detrimental impact of this academic culture during an exclusive interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90 Minutes Africa. Expressing concern over the growing fixation on securing publications in esteemed international journals, he lamented that this obsession has come at the expense of nurturing effective teaching practices.
The lecturer of Anthropology at UNN highlighted a worrisome trend where educators, driven by the pressure to publish, prioritize research over classroom engagement, leading to a decline in the overall quality of education. Drawing from his extensive experience, Dr. Ugwu emphasized that the foundation of Nigerian universities, once built on the expertise of internationally trained educators, is now eroding as locally trained academics struggle to maintain the same standards.
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Furthermore, Dr. Ugwu offered a critical analysis of Nigeria's educational landscape, attributing the nation's failure to produce globally competitive universities to a systemic neglect of knowledge-driven initiatives. He cautioned that unless urgent measures are taken to recalibrate priorities and invest in teaching excellence, Nigerian universities risk further marginalization on the international stage.
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As Nigerian academia grapples with this pressing dilemma, Dr. Ugwu's impassioned plea serves as a clarion call for a paradigm shift in the education sector, one that prioritizes the holistic development of students and fosters a culture of academic excellence. It is imperative that stakeholders heed this warning and embark on comprehensive reforms to safeguard the future of higher education in Nigeria.
