Education
Must Every State Own a University?
By Obike Ukoh
Rivers, Enugu, Imo and Edo states took the lead in the establishment of state universities.
The Rivers State University of Science and Technology was established in 1980, the same year the old Anambra State established Anambra State University of Science and Technology (now Enugu State University of Technology).
Imo State University, Okigwe (now Abia State University, Uturu) was established by the old Imo State in 1981, the same year old Bendel State established Bendel State University (now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma).
All the universities were established during the Second Republic. The pioneers in the establishment of state universities were states with high students’ enrolment, seeking admissions into higher institutions.
As a result of quota system, bright and qualified students from these states were denied admission, the raison d’être for the states to establish their own universities to accommodate qualified indigenes.
That was then. Many states it appears, now establish universities for sake of it, not out of necessity. There is now a rat race by states to establish own universities, even some states establishing two.
Not long ago, Adamawa State University, Mubi, complained of low patronage by indigenes.
Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, the Vice-Chancellor of the Adamawa State University, who spoke recently, expressed worry over the low number of indigenes applying for admission into the university.
“Children from our Local Government Areas (LGAs) do not apply to the state university even though they are indigenes of the state.
“It will be good to let our people know that every LGA has a certain number of slots for admission into the state university. This is because they are the major stakeholders.
“But in many occasions after admissions, we found out that so many LGAs did not fill their slots.
“They let go off their slots because they don’t have candidates to fill up the gaps,” she said.
According to her, the development is a source of concern to the management of the university.
Farauta said that it was imperative for the indigenes to recognise themselves as the university’s major stakeholders, and urged them to ensure that they fill their admission quotas.
She enjoined the state and local education authorities to begin to sensitise their students to always choose their state owned university when filling their Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms.
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)’s opposition to proliferation of state universities is predicated on poor funding, among others.
President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke said that some universities are established by states, based on political, rather than educational and logistical considerations.
Osodeke said that some state chief executives regard universities as, “constituency projects. ”
To check the arbitrary creation of universities, Osodeke suggested that the NUC should play a more visible role prior to the establishment of universities by state and federal governments.
“I should not be mistaken as saying that the NUC should only be more stringent in its accreditation of courses offered by these government-sponsored universities.
“Certainly, the NUC must have increased direct involvement before the establishment of new universities.
“Undoubtedly, the revival of the educational sector is paramount to the progress of this country.
“If, however, government accords more priority to the creation of more universities than the funding and maintenance of the existing ones, such will be counterproductive and inimical to the progression of our society,” he said.
Calabar Zone of ASUU, on its part, expressed disappointment at the way and manner some state governments establish state universities without backing same with necessary laws, and urged governors to stop playing politics with universities establishment.
The Zonal Chairman, Dr Aniekan Brown, said the development portend dangers as most governors use that to interfere with the autonomy of state universities.
“The non-demonetisation of the Act gives room for university administrators and governors to trample on the autonomy of the universities by usurping the powers of governing councils and senate.
“Evidence of this could be gleaned from the manipulation of the composition or non-constitution of governing councils.
Brown called on all concerned to immediately set in motion necessary steps for domestication of the Universities Miscellaneous Provision Amendment Act to allow for exercise of autonomy in the state universities in line with the national and global best standards.
He identified another area of concern to ASUU to include funding of state universities, adding that the union has observed that most state government now rely on TETFUND and sometimes divert such money to establish their universities.
“In some instances, state governments divert allocation meant for existing institutions from TETFUND to establish their politically motivated universities.
“The inadequacy or absence of funding for capital projects has overtly manifested in the dearth of well-equipped workshop, libraries, studios, classrooms, hostels, utilities and municipal services.
“ASUU is committed to working for industrial harmony in all universities including those owned by state governments.
“However, this commitment can only be sustained if the respective visitors and governing councils take urgent steps to address the nagging issues highlighted so far.
“Therefore, we call on all owners of state universities to as a matter of urgency, make adequate budgetary provision for both capital and recurrent expenditure for infrastructure, staff development and payment of staff emoluments,” Brown stressed.
Edo inherited the Bendel State University, built by old Bendel State Government. But in 2016, the then Edo governor, Adams Oshiomhole, built Edo State University, Uzairue, located in his country home.
The government also attempted to convert the state’s College of Education into a University of Education.
But his successor, Gov. Godwin Obaseki, said that the move by the previous administration to convert the old College of Education into a University of Education was not feasible due to budget constraints.
He added that the state was already blessed with two state-owned universities and seven private universities, saying that it would be imprudent to establish another state-owned university.
From Delta the story was different as the Delta Government recently inaugurated the governing councils of the three new universities at Government House, Asaba.
The three universities are: University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebey University, Asaba and the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, who inaugurated the councils described as false, ASUU allegations on the proliferation of universities in the state.
Okowa stressed that the universities were established to increase access to educational facilities for the teeming number of students from the state.
“Let me respectfully disagree with the position of ASUU that there is an unhealthy proliferation of state universities in the country.
“The establishment of universities is on the concurrent list and, as a state, we do so when the need arises.
“In our case, it is to fill the gap created by shortage of space and to increase access to university education for our qualified youths.”
The governor, who relied on statistics from the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2018 report, said that 80,131 or 4.85 per cent of the total number of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates for that year were from the state.
“Also, for the 2019/2020 academic session, 25,896 candidates from the state chose Delta State University (DELSU) as first choice. Out of this number, 22,358 qualified but only 4,854 candidates could be admitted.
“From the foregoing, you can see that even the state-owned DELSU has reached its full carrying capacity, hence, it is incumbent on us as an administration to broaden access to university education for our bright students especially in the fields of medicine, engineering, law, ICT and architecture.”
Okowa did not speak on constraints of funding, the bane of Nigerian universities.
Stakeholders, however insist that though access to university education is desirable, establishment of universities, especially by states should be driven by patriotic consideration not political expediency.
They also say that expanding of infrastructure, may be a better alternative to boost admissions openings.
Obike Ukoh is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
JAMB: YabaTech Backs Oloyede’s Leadership Style, Urges Others To Take Cue
The Yaba College of Technology (YabaTech) has declared its total support for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) leadership amidst the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) developments.
Dr Ibraheem Abdul, Rector of Yabatech, disclosed in a statement on Friday in Lagos.
Abdul said that Prof Oloyede’s heartfelt apology and assumption of full responsibility demonstrated commendable leadership and integrity.
“We stand in solidarity with Prof Oloyede, we are with him in the future he beholds for JAMB. We reaffirm our confidence in his visionary leadership and urge other leaders in the country to take a cue from his leadership style,” he stated.
According to him, YabaTech remains committed to supporting JAMB’s initiatives and reforms aimed at enhancing the integrity and efficiency of its examination processes.
The rector noted that the recent technical glitches that affected approximately 379,997 candidates across 157 centres, particularly in Lagos and the South-East states, had understandably caused distress among students and stakeholders.
“As the Rector, and a dedicated advocate for educational excellence in Nigeria, I extend my unwavering support to Prof Is-haq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, and his entire team during this challenging period following the uproar concerning 2025 UTME.
“His commitment to transparency and prompt corrective measures, including the rescheduling of examinations for affected candidates, underscores his dedication to upholding the credibility of our educational assessments.
“This incident serves as a catalyst for all educational stakeholders to collaborate more closely, ensuring robust systems that can withstand unforeseen challenges,” he added.
The rector noted that though the overall performance in the 2025 UTME had raised concerns, it was, however, imperative to recognize the complexities involved in administering large-scale examinations in a technologically evolving environment. (NAN)
From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) and its partners on Tuesday donated another four Ambulances Boat to the Bayelsa state government for easy access to healthcare in riverine communities.
Other items donated were one sound proof generator 30kva to the Primary Healthcare Board for smooth running of day to day activities of the board and to facilitate healthcare delivery.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony at the my government jetty Ministry of Transport, Chief of Field UNICEF Nigeria Office, Judith Leveillee said the boat means a lot more than just an ordinary boat, saying it is a means to save lives, to save God giving lives.
According to her, everyone must make sure the boats are used for the purpose of which it is intended and “I want to recognize the hard work of the health workers and the authorities. I believe the event of today coupled with the rain and lightning will inspire us to navigate the creek to take health care to the vulnerable and less privilege”.
“I was excited when I was told that I will be coming to Nigeria eight months ago because Nigeria is a hub and also giant of Africa because there are so many talented people in this country. For me the children of Nigeria deserve the best, Africa deserves the best. But in order to make this happen, we have to make sure they have access to quality health care, quality education, and quality protections. And this can only happen if the communities and the authorities work hands in hand.
“We want to thank our donors, the Global Alliance, for vaccine and Immunization, WHO and all the health workers, we want to thank the government of Bayelsa state, and the authority with which it is leadership. We have made tremendous progress”.
She said from a report available to her, that immunization from four years ago was so low. “But thanks to the engagement of everyone, we have been able to increase the immunization by 300 percent, it’s amazing. It shows that things can change, when we look back, immunization was just about 20 or 30 percent, we don’t want to go back to those days.
“Because we want to make sure if there is a future nobel prize winner from bayelsa, if there’s a future star in bayelsa they need to die because of preventable disease and we don’t want a mother to lose a child or mother to die because of complications. Is on all of us, we are all carrying a responsibility to make it happen “.
Speaking further said, it’s really great that the projects make a change but that the change needs to be sustained. Adding that it needs to be sustained by everyone’s hard work. “In the course of this project, about eight to nine hundred workers have been employed and I believe that the Bayelsa state government will be able to absolve the workforce to continue the achievements.
“It’s for the good of the children, mothers and parents in Bayelsa state. Long life for the project and all the communities and strive for prosperity. We are also handing over a generator to supply electricity to make sure that the boat house is operational. One important thing is to make sure the boats have fuel and are maintained and cared for so that they can last the longest in the future”.
“I want to thank everyone that is involved in these projects and I want to reiterate that UNICEF is committed to supporting the Bayelsa state government in all its efforts to improve the life of children and its citizens. Together we can work to better the health of our people especially in the south south, especially the population of the riverine communities, so that we ensure that no one is left behind”, she said.
Receiving the items on behalf of the state government, the Commissioner of Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe said, as a state they are extremely grateful and extremely appreciative of the partnership that is working.
Brisibe said the GAVE, UNICEF HSS MOU had made a lot of progress, saying the outcome is better because the MOU key into the state government vision of the ASSURED prosperity agenda which the “R” is basically stand for Robust Health care and the vision of the ministry is to see that they increase life expectancy of the citizens and to improve the quality of life.
According to the Health commissioner, he said it is when they work with the vision that will help increase life expectancy and to improve quality of life, saying that when you understand that no child needs to die. “Because if a child dies, it means we have not achieved any life expectancy, also a child must grow up in the best quality of health so that that child can live up to the expectations and aspirations of the parents, society and the community which the child leaves.
“For us in Bayelsa, we should be able to produce children, Men, women that are competitive in all aspects of life. Yes in most cases we have protein but that is not enough to curb malnutrition, we used to have stunted growth, big tummy with tiny legs or big head with tiny legs. You can just imagine it because these are the things that have happened to me before.
“So when we see these types of opportunities, let the child as is growing up even if not all at this point in time do not pass through the challenges that we pass through.That they only experience the opportunities to be stronger, brilliant and to grow up to be faster than we did. For us as a ministry it is an opportunity to express ourselves to get that done.
“For us as a state, we believe no mother or child should die of excessive complications. Public Health should not in any way cause any mortality in our society, that is the fundamental that we work with, and for me and the ministry we are working the talk in collaboration and in support with WHO, UNICEF and every other of our partners. Today marks another milestone because the boats will serve as an emergency to evacuate those children and mothers that needed medical help quickly”.
He thanked UNICEF,GAVI on behalf of the state government for keeping to their word, for improving our health outcomes across all indications, “is it immunization, stunted growth, child mortality, is it strengthening our ability to be resilient to see that we do not lose life to public health emergencies. This partnership has worked”.
He promised the partners that the boats given to the state government will be put to effective and efficient use to save lives, to prevent mortality of the children and mothers and the boats will shorten timeline in an emergency situation.
“I want to assure you that we will maintain it, so that it will be used for the good and prosperity of Bayelsa state “.
In his brief welcome remark, the executive secretary of Bayelsa Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Appah Williams said, six ambulances boats were initially given to the state some time ago by UNICEF,GAVI HSS MOU.
He said even though the MOU has closed, the state is still receiving more and more items from the partners. The HSS MOU has really strengthened the bulk of what the state is doing. “These boats will help us in immunization outreach and other activities. It’s to support healthcare in the state and they also donated to us a 30kva generator to power the primary healthcare board, thanks to UNICEF”.
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An Education expert, Mr Simon Fowowe, has commended the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on plans to review the just concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Fowowe, who is the National President of the Association of Nursery and Primary Education Instructors (ANPEIN), made the commendation in an interview on Wednesday in Lagos.
Fowowe described the plan as “timely and necessary” saying that there should be an immediate review of the marking, while calling for immediate investigation on the examination.
The education expert said that the proposed remedial reflected a critical juncture in Nigeria’s educational landscape.
“The recent discussions surrounding JAMB and its proposed remedial measures reflect a critical juncture in Nigeria’s educational landscape.
“While specific details about the remedial measures are yet to be fully disclosed, the context provided by recent events offers insight into the challenges and potential directions for reform,” he said.
He said a significant concern highlighted by JAMB was the prevalence of examination malpractice, particularly in the realm of Direct Entry admissions.
“The board has uncovered over 1,600 fake A’Level results, underscoring the need for stringent verification processes.
“JAMB has called for comprehensive legal reforms to combat this issue effectively, including amending outdated legislation and enhancing penalties for offenders.
“In early 2025, JAMB faced scrutiny from the National Assembly over alleged excessive expenditures, such as N1.1 billion on meals and N850 million on fumigation.
“However, upon review, the Joint Committee on Finance cleared JAMB of any financial impropriety, attributing the concerns to misunderstandings regarding budget proposals versus actual expenditures,” he said.
Fowowe added that JAMB had also identified inadequate broadband connectivity and limited technical expertise among staff as significant barriers to effective examination administration.
“The board has recommended establishing a national broadband funding scheme and offering career incentives for IT professionals to address these challenges .
“The case of Ejikeme Joy, who falsely claimed a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score of 362, highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of examination results.
“JAMB’s swift action in exposing the fraud has been commended by educational experts, emphasising the need for all institutions to adopt similar measures to uphold credibility,” he said.
He said the call for remedial measures by JAMB was timely and necessary.
“Addressing examination malpractice, enhancing financial transparency, upgrading technological infrastructure, and maintaining institutional integrity are pivotal steps toward strengthening Nigeria’s educational system.
“It is imperative that all stakeholders, including government agencies, educational institutions, and the public, collaborate to support these reforms and ensure a fair and credible examination process.
“There seems no unified grading system in the last JAMB exam. It looks like a political results.
“The brilliants failed this year and that calls for investigation and remedial measures,” he said. (NAN)
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