ARCON to sanction unaccredited architecture schools

The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has called on all higher institutions of learning in the country running architecture programmes without accreditation to desist from such practice.

The President of ARCON, Mr Dipo Ajayi, who gave the warning on the 13th colloquium of the council in Lagos described the actions of such schools as illegal.

Mr Ajayi said, “On this note it would be imperative that I mention that the council requires that universities and polytechnics graduating students in architecture ensure that their programmes are duly accredited by the council.

“This cannot be taken for granted as there is no place for graduates of unaccredited programmes within the profession to practice.

“The council will not hesitate to wield the big stick within the ambit of the law on such institutions; going forward.”

He noted that despite the challenges of

COVID-19, the council had not failed in carrying out due accreditation of schools across the country, but lamented that some persons were still circumventing the process of validation for their programmes on architecture.

He further said irrespective of other validations obtained by such schools from other agencies of government, no programme on architecture should be run without ARCON’s approval and accreditation.

He explained the council derived the power to register and control the practice of architecture in Nigeria and therefore maintained a register of architects and architectural firms in line with the enabling act.

He said the call became necessary as it had been discovered that some unsuspecting members of the public had been patronising some of the unregistered schools, saying anyone who failed to do due diligence on school of architecture before enlisting did so at their peril.