Prof. Qaasim Badmaasi Seeks Urgent Review of Admission Requirements for Arabic Language 

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Noah Yusuf, Inaugural lecturer, Prof Qaasim Badmaasi, and the founder, Alhaji (Dr) Abdulraheem Oladimeji 

 

A Professor of Arabic Language at Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Qaasim Badmaasi has called for urgent review of the admission requirements into Arabic Studies and language departments in nation’s tertiary institutions.

The don made this call while presenting the 5th inaugural lecture of the institution on the topic: “Travails of Arabic Syntax in the Nigerian Context” at the University main auditorium in Ilorin.

He said that the review became necessary because proficiency in Arabic writing and expression must be a key requirement for a candidate to get admission.

According to him, strict compliance with admission requirements for a direct entry candidate, which must include passing
Arabic at least at merit level, and one of the advanced level subjects should be Islamic Studies.

“Otherwise, the candidate will be given admission to 100-level. Candidates must pass both written and oral post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Examinations in Arabic.

“The candidate must be requested to read not less than half a page of Arabic text
to discover the level of his linguistic proficiency, and to speak Arabic for not less than three minutes.

“The candidate must score nothing less than 50 in the written examination.

“Arabic lecturers should teach all courses in classical Arabic, and students should be required to speak in only Arabic in class. All research projects should also be written in classical Arabic,”

Professor of Arabic Language noted that balance should be maintained between Arabic language courses and Arabic literature courses especially at
postgraduate level, to preserve the essential components of each field. There should be no dominance of language
at the expense of literature, and vice versa.

“It is necessary to integrate some Islamic Studies courses with Arabic language, particularly at the undergraduate
level, as it is practiced in some Nigerian universities.

There must be clear distinction between the two at the postgraduate level as this is the basis for specialisation.

“The Science of Syntactic Principles (IlmUsul an-Nahwi) should be introduced as a course to the Arabic language curriculum, especially for undergraduate and
postgraduate students if not for senior secondary students.

“Finally, the practice in our universities is that students are taught Research Methods at 300-level in order to prepare
them to write undergraduate research projects,” the don added.

Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor,  Prof Noah Yusuf thanked the inaugural lecturer for the lecture and also recognised dignitaries present at the occasion.

Among the dignitaries were the founder and chairman of the Al-Hikmah University Council, Alhaji (Dr) Abdulraheem Oladimeji,  the deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulganiy Akashoro, the registrar,  Dr Kazeem Oladimeji, former Vice-Chancellors among others.

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