Education
JAMB endangering teenagers with ‘reckless’ UTME scheduling – Peter Obi
The Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections,Peter Obi, has faulted the scheduling of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
This was as he said the early start times are endangering the lives of young students.
Ekwutosblog reports that the 2025 UTME started on Thursday, April 24, 2025, and will end on Monday, May 5, 2025.
The former Anambra State governor, in a strongly worded statement on Sunday, expressed concern over reports that teenagers, many aged between 15 and 17, were being required to arrive at UTME centres as early as 6:30 am.
“These are teenagers forced to travel in the dark, often across dangerous and unfamiliar areas, just to exercise their right to education,” he said.
The philanthropist described the practice as reckless, citing reports of students being involved in road accidents, going missing, and suffering psychological trauma during the examination period.
“Who takes responsibility when a 15- or 16-year-old child disappears or is harmed while trying to access their right to education?” He queried.
He also argued that the issue reflects deeper, systemic problems within Nigeria’s education sector, particularly a lack of adequate infrastructure.
“Nigeria has just about 200 universities for a population of over 200 million people. That’s one university for every one million citizens, a staggering and deeply worrying ratio,” he added.
Obi compared Nigeria’s gross enrollment ratio of around 12 per cent with Indonesia’s 45 per cent, pointing out that the Southeast Asian country, with a population of 280 million, has over 4,000 tertiary institutions.
He, therefore, urged the federal government to significantly increase investment in education.
Obi suggested that even reaching half of Indonesia’s infrastructure, around 2,000 universities, would improve access and reduce the risk to students.
He urged a deliberate expansion of Nigeria’s education system to reflect the country’s growing population and protect the well-being of future generations.
Responding, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, attempted to distinguish between pre-test verification and actual UTME start times.
Earlier, a teenage girl was reported to have gone missing during her movement to a UTME centre in Ajah, Lagos.
Education
FG Bans Admission, Transfer Of SS3 Students
The Federal Government has announced a nationwide ban on the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private schools, beginning from the 2026/27 academic session.
The announcement, signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, said the directive was part of efforts to curb examination malpractice and restore credibility to Nigeria’s education system.
“The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has announced a nationwide prohibition on the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private secondary schools,” the statement read.
According to the ministry, the policy follows growing concerns over the increasing incidence of malpractice, including the use of so‑called special centres during external examinations.
It explained that admissions and transfers will now be restricted strictly to Senior Secondary School One (SS1) and Senior Secondary School Two (SS2). “Admission or transfer into SS3 will no longer be permitted under any circumstance,” the ministry stated.
Officials said the measure is aimed at discouraging last‑minute movement of students for examination‑related advantages, ensuring proper academic monitoring, and promoting continuity in teaching and learning.
School proprietors, principals, and administrators nationwide have been directed to comply fully with the policy.
The ministry warned that any violation would attract sanctions in line with existing education regulations and guidelines.
Reaffirming government’s commitment, the statement added: “The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to maintaining academic standards, promoting fairness, and restoring credibility to public examinations across the country.”
Education
How Fulani Militias Attacked Taraba Community, K!lled My Father, Four Relatives — Grieving NYSC Member Cries Out (Video)
Orkeghen Philip Aondofa, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has cried out for help, alleging that armed Fulani herders carried out a de@dly attack on his village — New-Gboko (Nyugoko) in the Peva–Chanchanji Ward of Takum Local Government Area, Taraba State.
They reportedly k!lled his father and four other members of his family.
Philip, who is currently serving in Enugu State, recounted the horror in an emotional interview with SaharaReporters, saying the Taraba State government has remained silent while k!llings continue across communities in Chanchanji ward.
According to him, the attackers, whom he repeatedly referred to as “herders ”, invaded the community on November 27, 2025, unleashing violence that forced all surviving residents to flee.
He said the assailants are still occupying the village, preventing him from retrieving his father’s corpse for burial.
“Right now, as I speak to you, the k!lling is all over Chanchanji ward in Takum LGA of Taraba State. The Taraba State Government is silent about it,” he said.
The corps member said one of the attackers used his late father’s phone to call him after the massacre — only to confess to k!lling him.
“After the attack, one of them took my father’s phone and called me. When I asked where the owner of the phone was, he told me, he k!lled my father directly. I broke down and ended the call,” he said.
Philip said the inability to recover his father’s remains has left him in deeper anguish.
“What pains me the most now is how I will get my father’s corpse to bury. Those herders are still there in the village. There is nobody left in my village.”
The corps member said he is nearing the end of his service year but now feels completely stranded and without hope.
“After my service, I don’t know where to go. I don’t know where to start. I am calling on the Federal Government and those concerned to come to my aid. I am broke, I am hopeless. I don’t have anywhere to go; everything is gone. I have lost hope.”
Education
TETFund Unveils Plan for Nationwide Security Overhaul in Tertiary Institutions
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a major initiative to strengthen security across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in Nigeria. As part of the new move, the Fund is developing a comprehensive security master plan aimed at addressing the growing threats facing campuses nationwide.
According to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the framework will serve as a unified guide for preventing, managing, and responding to security breaches within tertiary institutions. He noted that the rising cases of attacks, kidnappings, and other safety concerns have made it imperative to adopt a coordinated national approach to protect students, staff, and infrastructure.
The proposed security master plan is expected to involve collaboration with security agencies, education stakeholders, and institution managers to ensure effective implementation across the country.
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GOVERNOR FUBARA APPOINTS COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR KEN SARO-WIWA POLYTECHNIC BORI
