Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI) in Enugu has upped the minimum qualification for its lecturers to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) beginning with the 2025-2026 academic session.
Prof. Christian Anieke, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, made the announcement on Friday during a “Spiritual Retreat” for academic and senior administrative staff.
Anieke instructed people with lower degrees to upgrade their qualifications or prepare to drop their tools.
He explained that the decision followed the National Universities Commission guidelines.
According to him, graduate assistants would not be permitted to teach alone in the class unless the needed lecturers were present.
While encouraging employees to take mentorship seriously, the vice chancellor cautioned officials against abusing the mentorship programme.
He announced that the university’s management would no longer tolerate lecturers missing classes.
Prof. MarySylvia Nwachukwu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, expressed concern about teachers’ low attendance at lectures in the first week of resumption.
Nwachukwu stated that the university’s academic monitorship committee would strengthen lecture supervision and identify individuals who are missing from duties for necessary actions.
During the retreat, Guest Speaker Rev. Fr. Liberatus Isife emphasised the need of knowledge for the success of any educational institution.
Isife, who works in the university’s Department of Philosophy and Religion, emphasised the need of participants to pause, understand the past, and work for positive change.
The clergyman identified failure to develop oneself and update lecture notes as some of the obstacles to productivity.
According to him, the obstacles could only be overcome by a variety of means, including increased commitment to duties.
The principal officers, professors, department heads, and directors from the university and its affiliated institutions attended the spiritual retreat.