Education
NUC Approves Take-off of Two New Lagos Universities

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
In order to increase access to education in Nigeria, National Universities Commission (NUC) on Tuesday, gave letters of recognition to Lagos State Government for the establishment of two new specialised universities as approved by the state House of Assembly.
The universities are: Lagos State University of Science and Technology and University of Education, Lagos.
They were established through the upgrade of two existing institutions, Lagos State Polytechnic and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Lagos respectively.Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, while presenting the approval letters to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu who was accompanied by some top functionaries in the State to the Commission in Abuja, dismissed worries on proliferation of universities in Nigeria, insisting that Nigeria with over 200 million population requires more universities to cater for the tertiary educational needs of the citizens.
He noted that Nigeria currently has enrolment of two million students in the existing 200 universities, saying this was quite low when compared to the number of candidates who seek for admissions into universities annually.
The NUC boss who noted that the Commission did not hesitate to approve the request of Governor Sanwo-Olu, for the establishment of the two universities, because of his demonstrable commitment to the funding of the existing Lagos State University, which was established about 39 years ago.
According to Rasheed, “Sanwo-Olu has been a reference point for support to State universities in Nigeria. We have visited LASU several times, and we saw that the governor has ensured that LASU takes its proper position in the university system in Nigeria”.
He, however, advised the governor and indeed other proprietors of universities in Nigeria to look at new courses, which are relevant to the needs of the various states and the nation at large.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, said the upgrade of the State Polytechnic and College of Education to universities was borne out of desire to address the yawning gap in providing proper university education to people of Lagos State and Nigeria in general.
He said: “Lagos has the largest economy in the whole of Africa. But unfortunately Lagos today has only one state university that was given to us about 39 years ago. So, we are happy to come to NUC today to pick two brand new universities approvals for the people of Lagos state”.
He noted that his administration had invested extensively in the existing institutions that have been upgraded with one of them having over 60 Ph.D lecturers while their infrastructures are being developed aggressively.
“We believe that the approval to have Lagos State Polytecnic turned to University of Science and Technology, will bring about innovations in engineering, science, inventions and things that would bring development to our country and state,” he said.
Education
UNICAL VC Promises to Resolve Dentistry Students’ Crisis

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi has promised that she would do everything humanly possible to ensure that the ongoing crisis in the institution’s Department of Dentistry, is resolved.
Prof.
Obi made the promise in Calabar during a press briefing, stressing that she will resolve the crisis before leaving office.She explained that the problem predates her administration, and pledged to intensify efforts to rectify the crisis.
She added that the crisis was as a result of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN)’s refusal to induct 2016 Dentistry students of the institution.She also debunked claims circulating on social media that the institution’s Dentistry programme has lost its accreditation, describing the reports as “misinformation and distortion of facts,” clarifying that the programme remains fully accredited and no students have been directed to transfer to other universities.
“At no point did the University ask Dentistry students to seek transfers to other institutions, nor were they advised to ‘go and learn a trade’ as falsely alleged online,” the VC stated.
“I will feel very bad if I leave without solving this problem and the students are left hanging without knowing their fate. I won’t be fulfilled,” she said.
She reaffirmed the University’s commitment to ensuring all Dentistry students graduate and are duly licensed as dental surgeons.
She noted that the Dentistry programme commenced in the 2013/2014 academic session, and in November 2019, the University secured pre-clinical accreditation from the MDCN and full clinical accreditation was subsequently granted in December 2022.
The VC added that the university’s synergy and partnership with the Minister of Education and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to upgrade its facilities.
“All we asked for is time to engage with other institutions, update the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), and follow through on due processes,” she noted.
Speaking further, Obi said that some of the affected students demanded to be transferred to the Department of Medicine and Surgery but said it was not the solution as the department was already saturated.
She urged the affected students to remain calm, noting that the university was doing everything possible to resolve the issues before the end of her tenure.
Education
NUT Reaffirms Commitment to Teachers’ Professional Development in Kwara

From Abdullahi Abubakar, Ilorin
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kwara State Wing has restated its commitment to strengthening the professional growth of teachers across the State, to enhance the quality of education delivered in public schools. Speaking at the opening of a three-day capacity-building workshop in Ilorin, the State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Yusuf Wahab Agboola, noted that continuous training of teachers remains a vital component of educational reform and improved classroom delivery.
The training, organised in collaboration with the NUT National Secretariat, is targeted at selected teachers and focuses on the “Study Circle Conveners’ Model”—a grassroots strategy for enhancing peer-to-peer learning and participatory leadership within the education sector.
Comrade Agboola explained that the workshop aims to equip teachers with practical skills in collaborative learning, peer engagement, and innovative teaching practices. He expressed optimism that the training would promote professional bonding among teachers and foster collective solutions to challenges facing the education sector.Also speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of the NUT Study Circle Project, Comrade Solomon Igbelowowa, traced the initiative’s roots to 1985 when it was introduced in Nigeria by the Swedish Teachers Association, having recorded success in Sweden and other parts of the world. He commended the Nigerian Union of Teachers for sustaining the project over the years and urged participants to engage fully and make the most of the training opportunity.
The workshop was officially declared open by the National President of the NUT, Audu Amba, who was represented by the 3rd National Vice President, Bashir Oyewo.
He encouraged teachers to approach the sessions with dedication and punctuality.
Education
JAMB Sets 150 Cut-off Mark for University Admissions

By Tony Obiechina Abuja
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The decision was reached on Tuesday during the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, with stakeholders from various tertiary institutions in attendance.
According to JAMB, 140 was approved as the minimum score for colleges of nursing sciences, while polytechnics, colleges of education, and colleges of agriculture will admit candidates with a minimum score of 100.
“The minimum admissible scores for admissions for the next academic session have been fixed at 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics, 100 for colleges of education, and 140 for colleges of nursing sciences by the stakeholders (Heads of Tertiary Institutions),” JAMB announced via its official X account.