Education
Strike: Federal Govt, ASUU Meet In Aso Villa Today

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) today met with top federal government representatives with a view to end the lingering industrial dispute.
According to information made available to journalists yesterday by head, press and public relations, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, the tripartite meeting is expected to hold by 4pm at presidential villa.
The chief of staff to the president, Prof Agboola Gambari, chaired the meeting.
Other federal government representatives are minister for labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, who hosted the meeting between officers of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other registered Trade Unions in Nigerian universities, as well as identified interest groups and civil societies.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has said it will commence a two-week warning strike from May 16, 2022.
ASUP, in a statement released yesterday, said it took the decision after an emergency National Executive Council (NEC).
The statement was signed by its national president, Anderson Ezeibe, and titled, “Status Update of the ASUP/Federal Government of Nigeria Engagement; and Resolutions of the Emergency National Executive Council Meeting of ASUP.”
The union stated that it suspended its industrial action declared on the 6th of April 2021 on the 10th of June, 2021, following the signing of a Memorandum of Action (MoA) with the government for a period of three months to enable the government conclude processes already initiated in the direction of fulfilment of the items in the MoA which are process led.
However, it alleged that after nine months of suspending its strike, it met to evaluate the government’s response to the MoA, where it gave the federal government a one-month ultimatum, the federal government did not honour its agreement with the union.
“Nine months after the suspension of the industrial action and six months after the expiration of the three-month period of suspension, our Union’s NEC met in its meeting in Federal Polytechnic Mubi and after reviewing the report of the implementation of the MoA, resolved to issue a 1 month ultimatum to the government effective 4th April, 2022 to address the outstanding items in the MoA and other emergent issues or face the reality of another trade dispute with our Union.
“Our Union’s ultimatum expired on the 4th of May, 2022 and as is the norm, the Union’s NEC reconvened today, 11th of May, 2022 to review the response of the government to the ultimatum, particularly as it affects relevant agencies/functionaries of government,” the statement reads in part.
The union also said that the government did not make attempts at conciliation despite the ultimatum given. It also stated that it stayed away from a May 9 meeting called by the Minister of Education, noting that the meeting failed to meet basic requirements for collective bargaining.
“Within the period of the ultimatum, the Union met with the National Board for Technical Education to review the grievances with a view to resolution. Another meeting fixed at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Education (after the 2 expiration of the ultimatum) failed to meet basic requirements for collective bargaining.
“Our Union stayed away from the meeting as it was not structured to address the issues in dispute. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment only acknowledged receipt of the union’s ultimatum and made no attempts at conciliation,” the statement 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.