The Federal Government has directed outgoing Vice-Chancellors in federal universities to hand over to their deputies to serve in acting capacities as their tenures elapse.

Chris Maiyaki, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), said, in a letter to the outgoing Vice-Chancellors, that the move was prompted by a directive from the Federal Ministry of Education, which duly notified the Commission on the end of the tenures of some VCs.

According to the letter, the appointment of the temporary acting vice-chancellors should be done through the recommendations of the universities’ senates.

The soon-to-be inaugurated governing councils of the universities will appoint acting Vice-Chancellors who will be in charge for a period not less than six months, during which the process of appointing substantive vice-chancellors will commence, the letter said.

A copy of the letter obtained by newsmen in Abuja reads in full: “I write, further to previous communication Ref. No. NUC/ES/138/Vol. 65/88 and dated 27 May 2024, to convey the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education, vide its letter Ref. No. FME/TE/CỰ/130/T6/458 and dated 28 May 2024 (copy attached), to the effect that Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities, who are rounding up their tenures, are to nominate, through the recommendation of their Senates, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor that will oversee the office of the Vice-Chancellor in a temporary capacity.

The Governing Councils, after their inauguration, will appoint Acting Vice-Chancellors for a period not less than 6 months, during which they will commence the process of appointing substantive Vice-Chancellors.

This circular takes pre-eminence over our earlier communication on the same subject.

Please accept the assurances of my highest considerations, always.”