Abuja, May 14, 2025 – The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has issued a public apology for technical glitches that disrupted the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Oloyede acknowledged that the errors, which he described as a "sabotage" of the examination process, significantly impacted candidates, particularly in the South-East and Lagos regions, affecting a total of 379,997 candidates.

Taking full responsibility for the disruptions, Prof. Oloyede assured affected candidates that JAMB would reschedule their examinations. Notifications for the rescheduled exams are set to begin on May 15, 2025. The registrar emphasized JAMB’s commitment to ensuring a fair and seamless examination process for all candidates.

Abuja, Nigeria – May 2, 2025 – In a transformative step for Nigeria’s education sector, the Federal Government has officially implemented the Dual Mandate Policy across all Federal Colleges of Education (FCOEs), enabling them to award both the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and Bachelor’s Degrees in Education. This development follows the passage of the Federal Colleges of Education Act, 2023, signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The policy, announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a strategic engagement in Abuja, marks a significant reform in teacher education. Starting from the September/October 2025 academic session, FCOEs will concurrently offer NCE and Bachelor’s Degree programs, aiming to enhance teacher training, increase enrollment, and elevate the prestige of these institutions.

Dr. Alausa described the initiative as a “revolution in teacher preparation,” emphasizing its potential to broaden access to quality education and improve classroom instruction nationwide. “This policy is not just a reform but a bold move to ensure our colleges produce highly qualified teachers to meet Nigeria’s educational needs,” he stated.

The Dual Mandate Policy addresses concerns about declining enrollment in FCOEs, with the Minister warning that institutions failing to adopt this approach risk extinction. The policy is also seen as a response to the evolving demands of Nigeria’s education system, where the NCE remains the minimum qualification for teaching at basic education levels, while Bachelor’s Degrees will equip educators for higher responsibilities.

Professor Suwaiba Said, Minister of State for Education, highlighted that awarding degrees directly, rather than through university affiliations, will enhance the credibility and autonomy of FCOEs. This move is expected to attract more students and reduce the stigma associated with the NCE qualification compared to university degrees.

The implementation has been widely praised by stakeholders. Dr. Smart Olugbeko, National President of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), commended the policy, urging the government to ensure its sustainability and resist political interference. He noted that the dual mandate aligns with the need to produce qualified teachers for Nigeria’s growing population.

The policy is part of broader efforts to address Nigeria’s learning crisis, with the country facing significant challenges in education quality and access. By empowering FCOEs to offer Bachelor’s Degrees, the government aims to strengthen the teacher education system, increase enrollment, and ensure the survival of these institutions as vital pillars of national development.

As the 2025 academic session approaches, FCOEs are preparing to roll out the new degree programs, with expectations high for a revitalized teacher education landscape in Nigeria.

Abuja, April 06, 2025 – In a bold move to promote accountability and align Nigeria’s higher education system with global best practices, the Federal Government has issued a new directive mandating all federal tertiary institutions to publish comprehensive institutional data on their official websites. The announcement, made by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, on Saturday, April 05, 2025, sets a compliance deadline of May 31, 2025.

The directive requires vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts of federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to disclose critical details, including annual budgetary allocations, expenditure breakdowns, research grant revenues, endowment fund values, and total student populations categorized by undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The breakdown of budgets must cover personnel costs, overhead costs, and capital expenditures, while endowment figures are to be updated quarterly to ensure ongoing transparency.

“This is a transformative step toward entrenching transparency, accountability, and good governance in our tertiary education sector,” Dr. Alausa stated in a press release from the Federal Ministry of Education. “By making this information accessible, we aim to strengthen public trust, enhance performance-based funding, and elevate Nigeria’s standing in global education indices.”

The Ministry has warned that periodic reviews of institutional websites will be conducted, with administrative actions promised against non-compliant institutions. The initiative is part of a broader reform agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address longstanding challenges in the education sector, including funding disparities and operational inefficiencies.

The directive has sparked mixed reactions. Academic leaders have welcomed the push for transparency but expressed concerns over the tight timeline and the capacity of some institutions to comply, given infrastructural and technological limitations. “It’s a commendable move, but many institutions lack the digital infrastructure to meet this deadline,” said Professor Aisha Ibrahim, a vice-chancellor at a federal university in the North-West. “We’ll need support to make this work.”

Students and civil society groups have hailed the policy as a victory for accountability. “For too long, we’ve been in the dark about how our schools are funded and managed,” said Chinedu Okeke, president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). “This will empower us to hold administrators accountable.”

The policy comes amid ongoing debates over the funding of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, which have faced criticism for inadequate resources despite government subsidies. With 264 universities, 104 polytechnics, and 82 colleges of education nationwide, the directive aims to provide a clearer picture of financial and operational realities across the sector.

Abuja, Nigeria – April 5, 2025 – In a significant policy proposal, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has called for the extension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme from its current one-year duration to two years. The announcement was made on Friday during a courtesy visit by the newly appointed NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, to the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja.

Dr. Alausa emphasized that the extension aims to enhance the NYSC’s impact on youth development and national growth. He advocated for an expanded focus on the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, which he believes could transform corps members into job creators rather than job seekers. “You have done so well as an organization,” the Minister remarked, addressing NYSC leadership. “Let NYSC give people more opportunity to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country.”

The Minister also praised the NYSC for its recent digital reforms, which have significantly reduced certificate racketeering, particularly among foreign-trained graduates in West Africa. He noted that the scheme’s digitalized mobilization process has bolstered the integrity of the certification system, a move he described as a critical step forward for Nigeria’s education sector.

In addition to the proposed extension, Dr. Alausa highlighted ongoing efforts within the Ministry to digitize the verification of foreign-trained graduates of Nigerian origin. He stressed that collaboration between the Ministry and NYSC would be strengthened to improve education and support national development goals. The Minister also called for the deployment of more graduate teachers to rural schools, aiming to address manpower shortages in underserved areas.

Speaking during the visit, Brigadier General Nafiu commended the Ministry’s strides in education and proposed the creation of a national database to track Nigerian students studying abroad. He argued that such a system would enhance record-keeping and curb the proliferation of fake graduates.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with NYSC to elevate educational standards across the country.