English a major challenge for most Nigerian graduates, GOUNI VC claims

Christian Anieke, the vice-chancellor (VC) of Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI) in Enugu, has claimed that speaking and writing English is a major challenge for many Nigerian graduates.

Anieke spoke when officials of the National Universities Commission (NUC) visited the university on Friday.

NAN reports that NUC officials were in the institution to assess its postgraduate programmes.

Anieke said the GOUNI identified the use of English as the major weakness of many graduates from other institutions.

He argued that some first-class graduates found it difficult to write or speak correct English.

The VC noted that the face of every university was its postgraduate school.

He said such showed the research strength of the university as some postgraduates reflect the quality of research of the institution.

“This is why we introduced a course we called ‘Communication in English’. The students’ inability to use the English language correctly could be due to their background,” the VC added.

“In the PG School, we ensure that when you write your thesis, it will be strong enough to be published in a journal and if not publishable, then you have not written a good thesis.”

According to Anieke, GOUI is working to ensure that graduates of the institution’s PG School were competitive.

Editor’s note: The featured image, taken at GOUNI’s 12th matriculation, is for illustrative purposes only.