The Nation Newspaper

Category: Education

  • Polytechnic association lauds Fed Govt’s HND reform plan

    Polytechnic association lauds Fed Govt’s HND reform plan

    The Association of Private Polytechnics in Nigeria (APPN) has commended the Federal Government’s plan to abolish the Higher National Diploma (HND) dichotomy, calling it a landmark policy of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    APPN President, Dr. Benjamin Achiatar, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that the reform would boost Nigeria’s technological manpower and drive the economy.

    He said: “I am delighted that the President, through the Minister of Education, has factored this into his Renewed Hope Agenda. This reform is going to elevate technical education as well as preserve it”.

    Achiatar expressed optimism that the policy would motivate more students to pursue courses in polytechnics.

    READ ALSO: Fed Govt set to reclaim ungoverned spaces with re-engagement of military retirees

    Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, had recently announced that polytechnics would be empowered to award degrees following the abolition of the HND dichotomy.

    “Most of the middle-level manpower are produced in the polytechnics. Abolishing the dichotomy and converting HND to Bachelor of Technology (BTech) honours would enhance the stature of polytechnics and the lecturers who teach there”.

    On regulatory concerns, Achiatar said, “Without prejudice to the NUC status, [NBTE] can exclusively regulate accreditation of polytechnics and still allow them to issue degrees once it becomes a Commission.

    “That way, it would have the capability of regulating polytechnics and doing accreditation for award of degrees.

    “There would be nothing lost at all in what we have been seeing; but they really have to reform the NBTE into a commission, that is basic”.

    He explained that the reform comes in two parts, “One, allowing polytechnics to award BTech honours; and two, reforming the NBTE into a commission”.

    He disclosed that both have scaled the second reading in the National Assembly.

  • MAAUN leads as AD scientific index ranks private university In Niger

    MAAUN leads as AD scientific index ranks private university In Niger

    The AD Scientific Index has ranked Maryam Abacha American University of Niger (MAAUN) as the number one university in the Niger Republic.

    This remarkable achievement is contained in the latest 2026 ranking published on the AD Scientific Index website under the title “Niger: 8 All Universities Rankings 2026.”

    According to the ranking, Maryam Abacha American University of Niger emerged in first place, followed by Université Dan Dicko Dankoulodo de Maradi in second position, while Université André Salifou de Zinder ranked third.

    Other institutions listed in the ranking include Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey, Université Boubacar Ba de Tillabéri, Université de Diffa, and Université d’Agadez—all public universities.

    Maryam Abacha American University of Niger is the first English-language university in the Niger Republic and currently hosts thousands of students from across the world.

    READ ALSO: SL Akintola: Time is a healer

    Founded in 2013 by renowned philanthropist Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, MAAUN has, since its establishment, produced over 20,000 graduates who are excelling in various professions globally.

    The AD Scientific Index is a unique global ranking system that evaluates 24,672 institutions using near real-time data. The system also covers universities, research institutions, companies, and hospitals worldwide.

    The Association of African Private Universities congratulated MAAUN on the achievement. The congratulatory message was delivered through its Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Salisou Mamoudou.

    Dr. Mamoudou commended MAAUN for setting a strong development pathway for higher education in the Niger Republic and urged other public and private institutions to emulate its standards and achievements.

  • Sardauna College of Health Sciences honours philanthropist Umar

    Sardauna College of Health Sciences honours philanthropist Umar

    Kano State’s leading health college, Sardauna College of Health Sciences and Technology (SCOHST), has decided to name its administrative building after Dr. Faruk Umar, a prominent investor, philanthropist and social leader.

    In the official announcement, the college stated that the decision to name its most iconic building as “Dr. Umar Faruk Administrative Block” was due to Umar’s renowned commitment to education, community development and access to quality healthcare.

    Provost, Sardauna College of Health Sciences and Technology Kano, Najaatu Abdullahi, said the honour illustrated the college’s belief in Umar’s vision of empowering young minds to make a lasting impact on society.

    She said the college, which has been at the forefront of health sciences education in Kano State, would formally confer the honour on Umar and unveils the building at the college’s convocation ceremony, scheduled for Saturday.

    SCOHST provides programmes in Community Health Extension Work (CHEW), Medical Laboratory Sciences, Public Health, Dispensing Opticianry, and Health Information Management.

    “This act, unanimously endorsed by our Governing Council, immortalises a life of monumental service—a life dedicated to the elevation of knowledge, the integrity of governance, and the relentless pursuit of community and national advancement,” the official notice stated.

    The college noted that Umar’s high scholarly profile including as Harvard Business School Certified Corporate Director, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Directors and a Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, USA, stood him out for such honour.

     Umar had also attended executive programmes at some of world’s foremost institutions, including INSEAD, Stanford, and the London Business School.

    Read Also: Nigeria–Türkiye agreements to unlock trade, investment opportunities — Business Council member

    “His career is a tapestry of transformative roles: from shaping young minds as a lecturer in Kano, to steering state policy as a Permanent Secretary, to governing the nation’s corporate landscape as a boardroom stalwart for institutions like the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and Ashaka Cement Plc. Beyond corporate boardrooms, he has helped shape the nation’s very architecture, contributing to seminal reviews of key legislation like the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

    “While Dr Umar’s accolades span sectors, it is his core ethos that resonates most powerfully with our College’s purpose. He is, at heart, an educator and an institution-builder. His lifelong advocacy for quality education, ethical professional development, and robust systemic frameworks directly underpins the advancement of all fields, including the vital science of healthcare. He has, in essence, cultivated the fertile ground in which institutions like ours grow and thrive.

    “To name a building is to inscribe values in stone and glass. The “Dr. Umar Faruk Administrative Block” will stand not just as a facility, but as a permanent testament to a legacy defined by intellect, integrity, and indelible contribution. It will serve as a daily inspiration to every student who walks our halls and a guiding standard for every member of our faculty and staff,” the college stated.

  • Tantita, Manroy lift Delta pupils with educational materials

    Tantita, Manroy lift Delta pupils with educational materials

    Hundreds of learners across four primary and secondary schools in Olomu Kingdom, Ughelli South councim area of Delta State have received educational materials from private security firm, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, in partnership Manroy Global Services.

    The outreach, aimed at easing the financial burden on families and boosting learning, saw the distribution of over 1,000 school bags, thousands of exercise books, writing materials and other learning aids to pupils and teachers.

    Beneficiary schools included Odje Primary School, Akperhe; Akperhe Secondary School; Adaka Primary School, Okpavuerhe; and Olomu Secondary School, Otorere.

    Speaking at the event, representatives of Manroy Global Services, Michael Taniohwo and Chief Idama Amurun, said the initiative was part of the firm’s corporate social responsibility, stressing that education remained a critical pillar for sustainable community development, especially in rural areas.

    Read Also: Nigeria, Türkiye to fast-track trade, energy, defence ties — Tinubu

    Also speaking, Daisy Jaja, Administrative Secretary of Tantita, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting host communities through initiatives that promote education, social welfare and youth development.

    President General of Akperhe Olomu, Olorogun Christopher Otobrise, described the gesture as timely and impactful, noting that it would motivate students and improve learning outcomes.

    The Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom, HRM Albert Akpomudje SAN, Eyavwie-Alaka I, and other community leaders lauded the firms and urged more corporate organisations to support rural education.

    The event ended with prayers and appreciation from school authorities, who pledged to ensure effective use of the donated materials.

  • The extinction of male teachers

    The extinction of male teachers

    The sustained and aggressive campaigns against child molestation, abuse, and gender-based violence have unintended consequences. ESTHER PIUS EKONG writes they have created an environment where the mere presence of a man in a classroom is viewed with suspicion and anticipated assault. The writer warns that if we want men back in classrooms, we must restore dignity to the profession, protect teachers legally and institutionally, rebuild trust between parents and educators, recognising the need for balance not exclusion.

    There was a time when the classroom was a balanced ecosystem. In my formative years, most of the subjects that shaped my intellect and discpline were taught by the male gender – mathematics, social studies, government, physical and health education, introductory technology, integrated science, computer science, fine art, Christian Religious Studies, Literature-in-English, Economics, Music, and Agricultural Science – these were domains occupied largely by male teachers.

    One of them, the music teacher, who composed the school anthem, was so passionately invested in his craft that he would climb tables mid-way, not for theatrics, but to drive home the sacred precision of musical keys and rhythm. Another, the agricultural science teacher, was the only one at that time, who authored a textbook dedicated to the subject. These men were not merely teachers; they were custodians of discipline, models of authority, and quiet architects of our future. They co-existed with the female teachers excellently.

    Beyond the classroom, leadership roles followed the same pattern. The principal, administrative officer, bursar, guidance counsellor, and librarian were all male staff. Unsurprisingly, the security personnel and school drivers were also men. Authority, structure, and responsibility were clearly defined. That was then. Today, the reverse is not only the case, it has become the norm.

    The reality check

     I recently visited my alma mater. After exchanging pleasantries with my former English teacher, now the school principal, I casually asked how many male teachers are currently on the staff list. She responded thus: “Men don’t want to be teachers anymore.” Her face clouded with concern. Then counting aloud. “One … two … three”. After a brief silence, she added, “With the gateman and the driver that makes five”. Five male figures in the entire school. This is not the statistics to be glossed over. It is a dangerous signal. A system once sustained by balance has tipped dangerously to one side. Is this not a threat to the very survival of male representation in education?

    Classroom fears

    At a recent stakeholders’ meeting attended by ministry officials, non-governmental organisations, lawyers, teachers, and education personnel, a teacher stood up and spoke with visible exhaustion: “Teachers are afraid to discipline students. We are scared of being beaten or worse, killed. Parents now come to school to threaten or physically assault teachers. Many of us have lost interest. Some have resigned. Others simply look away from bad behaviour. Schools are no longer allowed to flog or punish students”.

    This is not an exaggeration. Just this year, reports have emerged of male teachers being murdered by their students. Female teachers, on the other hand, face a different, but equally horrifying reality such as rape and sexual violence. And yet, society continues to chant the mantra: “There is decadence in the education system”. What is your contribution to the rot that has produced maggots? How do we expect improvement while systematically-dismantling the very people, who are also entrusted with discipline, guidance and moral instruction?

    The questions

    ‘‘Before I proceed further, I implore you to spare 10 minutes and visit schools around your environment, public or private, urban or rural. You will find institutions with no male teachers at all, not even as support staff. Here are the questions: Is the salary too inadequate for a man expected to provide for a family? Is the social ridicule too heavy? Is the campaign against sexual abuse amongst school children affecting the employment of male teachers? Is the fear of false accusations too real? Is the anxiety around physical interaction with children too paralysing? These are not rhetorical questions. They are genuine concerns that demand collective answers. Teaching was once a noble profession. Today, it has been reduced by parents, students, and society to a position of ridicule and suspicion. Yet, teaching remains the profession that moulds every other profession. The contradiction is staggering.

    Unintended consequences of campaigns against abuse

    The sustained and aggressive campaigns against child molestation, abuse, and gender-based violence have unintended consequences. They have created an environment where the mere presence of a man in a classroom is viewed with suspicion and anticipated assault. Female children, no doubt, who are mostly primary victims of sexual abuse in schools, are now heavily protected and rightly so. But in a disturbing twist, male children are increasingly becoming victims of sexual abuse, sodomy, and exploitation. This reality is often ignored, buried beneath selective outrage. Better still, by the notion that a male child cannot be abused. Recently, an image circulated of a 16-year-old boy involved in a sexual relationship with his 33-year-old female teacher. The society laughed, memes were made and afterwards the outrage muted. However, it is a conversation for another day.

    The broken chain: Home to school

    School is not an isolated institution. It is a continuation of the home. Philosophers were right when they said that, “The home is the first school of every child”. Yet economic pressure has forced many mothers to resume to work weeks, sometimes days after childbirth. The biological bond is being outsourced. The child wakes up and instead of the mother’s warmth, they are met with cold glass and extracted milk delivered by a stranger to their mouth. By the time these children reach the age of teenager, parents are shocked by their rebellion.

    Read Also: Nigeria, Türkiye to fast-track trade, energy, defence ties — Tinubu

    Why should the child listen to a parent’s voice? That voice was absent during the “golden hours or age” of development. A stranger stole it or was graciously dashed to a stranger. The child grows without parental authority, emotional security and balance is fractured, frustrated and fluctuated. When the final blow lands, the child is sent to boarding school. Years later, the parents complain: “This child is delinquent. He does not listen. But why would he when the authority, love, voice, and care that should have been firmly planted during his formative years were outsourced and lost?

     Why the men left the classroom

    Financial pressure, social expectations, and political agitation for equality have reshaped the labour market. But one fear stands above all others: the fear of accusation. Many schools quietly avoid employing male teachers to escape potential allegations of molestation or defilement. Parents deliberately withdraw their children from schools with male teachers. Proprietors, driven by survival, dismiss the few men they employed. Ironically, this occurs in a world still largely governed by men.

    A man, by both societal and divine design, is a symbol of authority. Authority, however, must be taught, guided, and responsibly-exercised. When young boys are denied mentorship, structure, discipline and guidance, both at home and in school, it becomes destructive to their growth and development. The female child is often coached on navigating life’s challenges. The male child is left to “figure it out”. When authority is not trained, it mutates into aggression, rebellion and abuse. What we are witnessing is not mere coincidence, but consequence.

    A silent gender war

    Across sectors, the pattern repeats. In some government parastatals, male presence is almost non-existent, except as gatemen or messengers. In banks, men stand at entrances distributing forms or withdrawal slips. In the legal profession, the imbalance is growing. Our former male teachers are now commercial cyclists, tricycle drivers, bus drivers, security guards and in more tragic cases, inmates of correctional centres. These centres are filled predominantly with the male gender. Survival when options are stripped away is not rebellion, but desperation.

    The social aftershock

    As male absence grows in both home and school, other social vices and new patterns intensify. Homosexuality, lesbianism and bisexual are increasing, not merely as identity expressions, but as consequences of prolonged gender isolation and non-coexistence. My friend and I saw a young man, who had waist beads on, with tattoos on most parts of his body, walking seductively to a car. It was so irritating, nauseating and sickening. My friend exclaimed, “It is finished, they have started competing with us”. Very funny, right? But that is the reality. A female only school staffed exclusively by women becomes fertile ground for unchecked same-sex experimentation. The same applies to male only institutions. When balance is removed, extremes flourish. So, we must ask: How do we manage this? There is no male authority at home, none in school. Where is the balance? Under no circumstance should the importance of men in education be underestimated. Yet, they already are. So, I ask you directly and deliberately: What is the solution?

     An appeal

    If we want men back in classrooms, we must restore dignity to the profession, protect teachers legally and institutionally, rebuild trust between parents and educators, recognising the need for balance not exclusion. Treat male teachers with fairness and respect, and provide incentives to augment their salaries. Only then can education begin to thrive again. Let there be peaceful coexistence amongst male and female teachers. That is the way to go.

    •Ekong, a legal practitioner, can be reached via, idangbenedicta@gmail.com

  • How Fed Govt is deepening education access, stability

    How Fed Govt is deepening education access, stability

    Following the settlement of the knotty 2009 Agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government is not ready to rest on its oars, neither will it soft-pedal in its drive to take the education sector to the promised land. With a steely resolve, the government continues to demonstrate the willpower to create a new and refreshing narrative for the sector. This is evident in the launch on Monday of the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP), which is pivoted on not only strengthening the higher education ecosystem, but designed to accelerate innovation, capacity building, and sustainable development across the nation’s universities. The development further underlines the fact that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is desirous of improving academic outcomes, strengthening the global competitiveness of Nigerian universities, and fostering best practices in governance, research advancement, resource mobilisation, and industry-aligned learning. DAMOLA KOLA-DARE reports.

    Within a space of three weeks, the Federal Government demonstrated the willpower and strong commitment to rewrite the narrative of higher education in the country. It was as frantic as it came at a breathless pace: first, it was the signing of a fresh agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a move that signalled the swansong to a 17-year crisis that almost endlessly rocked the university system, leaving multitudes of students groping in the dark. Then, on Monday, the government partnered the Nigerian Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) to strengthen advancement offices in federal tertiary institutions as part of efforts to diversify university funding sources and improve the quality of education. This culminated in the launch of the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP).

    To the legion of observers in the education space, these are not mere coincidences, but carefully thought-out, well-planned moves, recipes for the enhancement of higher education.

    The morning after, the advent of NUAP

    Stakeholders reckon that while universities open their doors to more students yearly, expectations continue to shoot high as per quality, relevance and impact. Nevertheless, it is not out of place to say institutions are operating in an inclement economic ambience, necessitating the imperative of long-term planning, execution and sustainability.

    Thus, the focus of the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP) is to institutionalise professional advancement practices, equip universities with modern fundraising and alumni engagement skills, and lay the foundation for long-term financial resilience and strategic growth across the nation’s public universities.

    At the launch of the NUAP in Lagos, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, noted that the aim of the collaboration with NHEF is to equip federal and state universities with the capacity, expertise and global best practices required to generate funds beyond government subventions.

    According to him, public funding was no longer sustainable for the growing needs of tertiary education. He noted that the initiative focuses on building effective advancement offices within universities, enabling them to engage alumni, attract philanthropic support, and sustainably manage endowment funds.

    Alausa said: “As government funding for tertiary education continues to decline globally, universities must begin to explore additional ways of mobilising resources. This programme is about guiding institutions on how to build capacity, develop technical expertise, and adopt global standards in fundraising and endowment management.”

    The minister stated that it will serve as an opportunity to provide universities with practical toolkits and technical assistance, including guidance on setting up boards of trustees, investment teams, governance frameworks, and reporting structures to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of endowment funds.

    He added that many universities already have advancement offices, but are yet to optimise their potential, stressing that the current initiative is intended to help them quickly adopt effective fundraising models that complement budgetary allocations from government, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and other avenues.

    Chairman of NHEF, Mr. Wale Adeosun, said sustainable university financing is crucial to restoring the nation’s universities to a globally competitive position.

    He explained that the programme is aimed at strengthening institutional advancement structures within universities, enabling them to mobilise private-sector support, alumni contributions and philanthropic funding to complement government resources.

    He said NHEF was created over 20 years ago following a collaboration among leading global foundations, including the MacArthur, Rockefeller, Ford and Packard foundations, to support higher education development in Africa, especially.

    He noted that at inception, the goal of NHEF was to help Nigerian universities become self-sustaining, adding that the MacArthur Foundation initially selected four Nigerian universities to participate in the initiative before additional institutions, including the University of Nigeria and the University of Lagos, were incorporated.

    As of now, he said the NHEF works with a growing network of universities across the country, focusing on strengthening governance, faculty development, student success, and institutional advancement.

    READ ALSO: SL Akintola: Time is a healer

    Adeosun noted the foundation’s work is structured around three core pillars: improving university administration and governance, strengthening faculty capacity through exchange programmes with universities in the United States, and supporting students through leadership and scholarship initiatives.

    While stressing the significance of partnerships, he thanked the Ministry of Education, vice chancellors, governing councils, and international partners for their unwavering support for the foundation.

    He expressed confidence that the programme would help universities develop long-term fundraising strategies, build strong alumni relations, and attract sustainable funding for teaching, research and infrastructure development.

    The imperative of a new elixir

    Alausa said: “Across the federation, our higher education system continues to grapple with multiple pressures, limited public resources, expanding enrolments, ageing infrastructure, and the urgent need to strengthen research, innovation, and global competitiveness.”

    According to him, these realities have led the government to acting differently.

    “They demand that we complement government funding with new, sustainable mechanisms that mobilise private capital, alumni support, philanthropy endowments, and transparent advancement systems anchored on trust.

    “It is in this context that the partnership between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation is both timely and strategic. Together, we are laying the foundation for a nationally coordinated University Advancement Framework that will serve all federal universities, regardless of age, size, or geographic location and provide a structured pathway for institutional financial resilience.

    “Our objective is clear and deliberate. To institutionalise professionally run advancement offices across federal universities, to build leadership and technical capacity for alumni relations fundraising, donor stewardship, and endowment management and to establish enduring financial structures that can sustainably support scholarships, research excellence, innovation, and infrastructure development,” the minister said.

    He said the initiative is in tandem   with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which places emphasis on system reform, efficiency, sustainability, and partnership-driven development.

    Renewed assurance; renewed hope

    As president-elect in 2023, Tinubu had promised students of a stable academic calendar, among other promises. And true to his pledge, he has sounded the death knell on disruptions in the nation’s universities particularly, the threats of unions on campus.

    “I will pay attention-undivided attention to your education. We will be creative. Credit will be available. Education loans will be available. Four years course will be four years course. No more strike,” said the president-elect.

    Nonetheless, the president again reassured Nigerians that there will be no strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) or any other workers’ unions in the nation’s public tertiary institutions.

    He maintained his administration is fully committed to this goal and will ensure it becomes a permanent feature of Nigeria’s education space.

    Tinubu gave the assurance in Lagos at the 56th convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in Akoka.

    Represented by Alausa, the president referred to some of the reforms and interventions his administration has introduced to drive meaningful development in tertiary education. These include the Nigerian Education Loans Fund (NELFUND) for students, the Institutional Staff Support Fund for tertiary school workers, and several other initiatives.

    On ASUU, he said: “Since the inception of my administration, we have witnessed two uninterrupted academic sessions across our tertiary institutions, and this is no accident. It is the result of firm political will, sustained dialogue, and responsible leadership.

    “For example, acting under my direct mandate, we have been able to sign a new agreement with ASUU that decisively resolves a crisis that has persisted for years and undermined confidence in our university system.

    “This landmark achievement marks a turning point in the history of our tertiary education, guaranteeing industrial harmony and a predictable academic calendar. It will restore the dignity of learning and clearly end the era of perennial strikes in our universities.

    “My administration will continue to pursue far-reaching reforms across the education sector for a technology-driven future, including curriculum restructuring, quality assurance, promotion of skill-based learning and literacy, and fostering data-competence-based, innovation-led problem-solving.”

    The president emphasised the importance of universities producing well-rounded and grounded graduates who will be job-ready, become job creators and innovators and be globally relevant.

    Stakeholder stance

    Vice Chancellor, African School of Economics (The Pan-African University of Excellence), Abuja, Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, in a chat with The Nation said: “I  believe this is an indication that we have thinking leaders. I think that any innovation, development, policy, programme or project that seeks to inject more vim, add more value and build more capacity within the system is welcome, laudable and commendable.

    “Our universities had suffered from considerable neglect. Now, that neglect is being transformed into attention and the university subsystem now occupies the front burner of our leaders’ attention, with significant developments in January, 2026 alone. I can only wish that the Federal Government sustain the tempo because higher education is not only a foundry for the refinement of individuals’ souls, it is also a launchpad for national development.”

  • JAMB refutes reports barring undergraduates from UTME

    JAMB refutes reports barring undergraduates from UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has dismissed claims that candidates already in universities were barred from registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).

    The board dismissed the claims in a statement by its spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, in Abuja yesterday.

    Benjamin said the claims were a distortion of its guidelines by self-styled education advocates seeking attention and traffic on social media platforms.

    He said the 2026 UTME/DE advertisement clearly directed candidates to disclose their matriculation status during registration, in line with its mandate to prevent multiple admissions.

    He explained that it was not an offence for a candidate already enrolled in an institution to register for the UTME or Direct Entry examinations.

    The JAMB spokesperson said that failure to disclose an existing matriculation status constituted an offence under the law governing admissions.

    Benjamin added that disclosure meant that once a candidate secured a fresh admission, any previous admission automatically ceases to exist.

    READ ALSO: Fed Govt set to reclaim ungoverned spaces with re-engagement of military retirees

    He said that no candidate was legally permitted to hold two admissions concurrently under Nigeria’s admission regulations.

    He said that mandatory disclosure has helped to curb the activities of matriculated students engaging as professional examination takers.

    The spokesperson warned that candidates who failed to disclose prior to matriculation, risk forfeiting both admissions, if detected by its system.

    He, however, urged the public to rely on official guidelines and avoid misleading interpretations circulated for selfish interests.

  • Oyebanji chairs OAU Arts Faculty’s alumni lecture today

    Oyebanji chairs OAU Arts Faculty’s alumni lecture today

    Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji will today chair the second Faculty of Arts distinguished alumni lecture for 2025/2026 academic sessions of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    The lecture, with the theme: How To Make A Democrat, will be delivered by the Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Mr. Sam Oritsetimenyin Omatseye, at the Oduduwa Hall of the university at 11 a.m.

    READ ALSO: Fed Govt set to reclaim ungoverned spaces with re-engagement of military retirees

    The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. Gbenga Fasiku, is the host.

    The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adebayo Bamiro, is the chief host.

  • FUNAAB produces 104 First Class, 4,141 graduates

    FUNAAB produces 104 First Class, 4,141 graduates

    • …says N840m paid to students by NELFUND

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has graduated 4,141 students in the 2024/2025 academic session, with 104 of them earning First Class honours.

    A student of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Osiama Joy Chinyere, emerged as the overall best graduating student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.85.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Kehinde, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing at the Senate Building ahead of the institution’s 33rd convocation ceremony scheduled for January 31, 2026.

    According to him, 1,771 graduates earned Second Class Upper Division degrees, 1,896 finished with Second Class Lower Division, 285 obtained Third Class degrees, two graduated with Pass, while 41 earned degrees in Veterinary Medicine.

    Read Also: Tears as slain FUNAAB student is buried in Lagos

    Prof. Kehinde said the university is releasing a new generation of innovative entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, visionary leaders and change-makers into society, adding that FUNAAB remains committed to academic excellence, moral discipline and institutional growth.

    He noted that the institution continues to produce competent and well-rounded graduates who are excelling across various sectors within Nigeria and internationally.

    The Vice-Chancellor also announced that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the reinstatement of previously suspended Management Science programmes, including Accounting, Banking and Finance, Business Administration and Economics.

    He further commended the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) initiative, revealing that FUNAAB students have so far received a total of N840 million under the scheme.

  • Mass poverty endangering survival of Nigeria’s Democracy — OAU Professor

    Mass poverty endangering survival of Nigeria’s Democracy — OAU Professor

    A professor of the Faculty of Education at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor Tajudeen Adewumi Adebisi, has warned that Nigeria’s deepening mass poverty poses a grave threat to the survival of the country’s democratic system.

    The don delivering inaugural lecture titled “Learning from Cradle to Grave: Knowledge and Skills Empowerment for Lifelong Employability and Productivity” at the Oduduwa Hall of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-ife, contended that widespread economic hardship is eroding citizens’ trust in governance, weakening civic participation and creating fertile ground for instability and authoritarian tendencies.

    He said, “Poverty is not merely an economic condition; it is a threat to the very soul of democracy. When able-bodied citizens cannot meet basic needs, democracy becomes vulnerable to corruption, insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and deep-seated inequality.”

    He traced Nigeria’s present crisis to rapid global changes that have rendered many traditional job pathways obsolete, lamenting the decline of indigenous vocational trades in South-western Nigeria, such as blacksmithing, weaving and carpentry, which were once passed down through generations and sustained local economies.

    Prof. Adebisi observed that the growing preference for white-collar jobs has led to the abandonment of productive crafts, leaving many young people unemployed and exposed to poverty.

    He argued that these vocations could regain relevance and profitability through modernization, digital marketing and integration into formal education curricula.

    He highlighted the dramatic transformation of the workplace, noting the shift from newspaper job advertisements to online recruitment platforms, and from physical shops to virtual markets operating without time limits.

    He stressed the importance of universal work skills, including communication, teamwork, critical thinking, leadership, adaptability, time management and digital literacy.

    He cited the 2003 framework by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory and the Metiri Group, which identifies four key clusters of 21st-century skills: digital-age literacies, inventive thinking, effective communication and high productivity.

    He also urged employers to embrace lifelong learning policies rather than resorting to layoffs when workers’ skills become outdated, noting that lack of digital competence often leads to subtle exclusion in the modern workplace.

    Prof. Adebisi argued that ending the cycle of poverty requires equitable distribution of resources, inclusive adult education, strong community participation and a national commitment to learning throughout life.