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A representative from the National Board of Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) asserts that the board's certification holds the same value as the West African Certificate Examination (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) certifications.
In an interview on Monday in Osogbo, Ustaz Abdul-Lateef Adekilekun, the special assistant to the registrar of NBAIS, highlighted that despite the board's longstanding history and federal government recognition, numerous tertiary institutions in Nigeria are not recognizing its certification for admission purposes.
He emphasized the need for institutions nationwide to better understand the credibility and acceptance of the NBAIS certificate.
Established in 1960 primarily for Northern Nigeria as the Board of Arabic and Islamic Studies, the board was moved to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in 1967 following the creation of new states.
After 40 years under ABU, it was recognized as a national examination board by the Federal Ministry of Education in 2011, equating it to WAEC and NECO, with its headquarters situated in Kaduna.
In 2017, the board gained autonomy, similar to WAEC and NECO, and its certificate achieved international recognition. While many universities in the North and some in the South now accept the NBAIS certificate due to directives from the Federal Government and the National University Commission (NUC), its acceptance remains below expectations despite governmental approval.
Adekilekun pointed out that the board aims to harmonize Arabic education with Western education, reporting that 26 states partake in the NBAIS examination, encompassing 1,200 affiliated schools nationwide. Students of both Christian and Muslim backgrounds study Islamic and Arabic subjects alongside other conventional subjects like Mathematics and English.
He urged the federal government to establish an advocacy mobilization committee consisting of reliable individuals to conduct a nationwide campaign across tertiary institutions.
