Education
TETFund, FIRS Hold Interactive Session on Education Tax

From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has held an interactive session towards an enhanced Education Tax drive in the year 2022.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund Professor Suleman Elias Bogoro represented by the Director Strategic Planning and Development of the Fund, Erivwo Irene said the interactive forum created opportunity for TETFund and FIRS to map out strategies in the collection of Education Tax in the country.
Bogoro stated this yesterday during the joint interactive forum with the theme: “Improving EDT Collection in the Post Pandemic” held at Crispan Hotel in Jos the Plateau State capital.
He pointed out that the Fund in 2021 received the sum of N189 billion as Education Tax (EDT) considered to be lower than previous years collection due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“It has therefore become necessary for TETFund and the FIRS to increase its drive in Education Tax collection to enable the Fund meet up with the challenges and its commitment to the development of our Tertiary Education systems.
“In the years 2021, the Fund received EDT collection of N189 billion naira,which was considerably lower than the previous year collection. We are aware that economic activities were seriously slowed down and in some cases halted from March 2020 when lockdown was imposed and movement within the country was restricted.”
The Executive Secretary however maintained that the engagement will enable the Fund discharge it’s mandate in the provision of essential “Infrastructure, Equipment and instructional materials as well as academic staff training and development programme, research and funding all other critical activities as directed by the Federal Government.”
He disclosed that the Fund has witnessed an increased in the number of institutions in recent times, established by states or Federal Government which they are saddled with the responsibility of providing intervention to such up coming Institutions across the country.
The TETFund boss further stated that the repeated increased in the National Research Fund intervention from N5 billion to 7.5 in 2020 to 8.5 billion in year 2021 is a case in point,” and the funding and establishment of 12 Centres of Excellence in selected beneficiaries’ Institutions each in 2020 and 2021 is another notable achievements of the Fund in the country.
The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Muhammed Nami represented by the Coordinating Director Compliance Support Group of the Agency Dr. Dick Irri said the partnership has yielded positive results stressing that the Agency remains one of it’s key partner in revenue collection in the country especially in the area of Education Tax (EDT).
He said the Revenue Agency will be deploying technology in the year 2022 henceforth for the collection of the Education Tax in the country.
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.