The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Category: Education

  • UK Universities Withdraw Admission Offers to Nigerian Students

    Some United Kingdom universities have withdrawn the admissions of Nigerian students due to an ongoing visa crackdown by the British government impacting international applicants.

    The universities revoked admissions given mostly to Nigerian and Pakistani applicants in the first half of 2026, driven by tightening rules from the Home Office regarding visas for international students.

    According to a Financial Times report on Saturday, a study showed that 10.5 per cent of study visa applications to the UK ended up being withdrawn, up from 2.3 per cent in the same period last year and 0.4 per cent in 2023.

    “Universities are revoking offers en masse made to international applicants from countries including Nigeria and Pakistan as they fear the UK government’s visa crackdown will result in a ban on their recruiting international students,” the report stated.

    The Financial Times noted that the institutions clarified they revoked admissions in reaction to a doubling in the number of study visas refused by the Home Office during the first six months of 2026.

    The report stated that 22.7 per cent of study visa applications from Nigeria were withdrawn in the first half of this year, compared to 4.5 per cent in the first half of 2025.

    Related News

    “While visa applications can be withdrawn for other reasons, universities said the main driver had been an increase in their revoking offers,” it added.

    The British publication further stated that the surge in Home Office study visa rejections has been driven by a higher increase in refusals from applicants suspected by the UK government of using the route to make asylum claims.

    Data from visa processing application firm Enroly indicates that nearly half of universities have refusal rates above the five per cent threshold, which could lead to a ban on recruiting international students.

    Speaking on the repercussions of the visa revocations, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sunderland, Sir David Bell, said, “This has involved pulling back from international markets where a tougher approach is being taken to visa applications”.

    Vanessa Wilson, chief executive of University Alliance, a group of 20 professional and technical universities, warned, “This is going to result in restructures, which inevitably result in job losses, course closures, campus closures”. Punch

  • Soludo Approves FG-ASUU Agreement For Ojukwu Varsity From 2027

    Soludo Approves FG-ASUU Agreement For Ojukwu Varsity From 2027

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has approved the implementation of the 2025 renegotiated agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities for staff of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, beginning in January 2027.

    The university’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Harrison Madubueze, announced the approval in a statement issued on Friday.

    According to Madubueze, the decision was communicated to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Omenugha, through the Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Peter Onwualu.

    Omenugha expressed appreciation to the governor on behalf of the university management, Senate, staff and students, while also commending the leadership of the institution’s labour unions.

    She described the approval as the fulfilment of assurances previously given by the state government concerning the implementation of the agreement.

    The statement said the implementation had remained elusive under previous administrations, which it accused of failing to fulfil commitments to university staff.

    It added that the decision aligned with Soludo’s education agenda, which seeks to restore teaching as a respected profession by ensuring that educators receive appropriate motivation and rewards.

    The university management said the implementation formed part of broader efforts to improve the institution’s standards and position it as a university of global standing.

    The Federal Government and ASUU reached a renegotiated agreement in 2025 following prolonged disagreements over university funding, lecturers’ welfare and working conditions.

    Although the Federal Government oversees federal universities, state governments are responsible for decisions concerning the implementation of such agreements in their state-owned institutions, including Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.

  • NLC Begins Indefinite Strike in FCT Over Teachers’ Promotion, Welfare

    NLC Begins Indefinite Strike in FCT Over Teachers’ Promotion, Welfare

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, Federal Capital Territory Council, has commenced an indefinite strike across the FCT over unresolved concerns surrounding the promotion and welfare of teachers.

    The industrial action began on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, following a decision reached at the council’s State Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday at Labour House, Abuja.

    In a statement signed by the FCT NLC Chairman, Knabayi S. Adalo, the union directed workers in both the public and private sectors to withdraw their services and remain at home until further notice.

    The decision followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Minister over demands relating to the conditions of teachers in the territory.

    Among the union’s demands is the removal of the vacancy requirement for the promotion of FCT teachers. The NLC is also seeking an opportunity for eligible teachers due for promotion in 2025 to sit for their promotion examinations.

    The union further demanded the withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to directors who benefited from the Harmonised Teachers Retirement Age Act, 2022.

    The NLC said the response from the FCT Administration failed to resolve the issues raised in its ultimatum, describing it as vague and inadequate.

    The council argued that teachers should not be subjected to a vacancy-based promotion system applicable to pool officers, stressing that they were employed specifically for teaching duties and should be promoted when due.

    The union accused the FCT Administration of seeking industrial peace without addressing what it described as injustice against teachers.

    It consequently directed all workers in the territory, including those in the private sector, to stay away from their duty posts from October 7 until further notice.

    The NLC appealed to residents, particularly parents, to bear with workers during the strike and urged civil society organisations and other stakeholders to intervene in the dispute.

    The council warned that the action was not a warning strike, insisting that it would remain in force indefinitely until its demands were addressed.

    The FCT Administration had not publicly responded to the strike declaration as of the time of filing this report.

  • Gov Mbah Seeks National Emergency in Education, Launches Enugu Education Policy

    Gov Mbah Seeks National Emergency in Education, Launches Enugu Education Policy

    …As UNICEF, UNESCO, others, hail Mbah’s giant strides in education

    Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called for a quantum leap and the declaration of a national emergency in Nigeria’s education sector to guarantee the nation’s development and future prosperity.

    Mbah argued that the audacity needed to fund a quantum leap in the nation’s education sector would flow from an appreciation of its necessity.

    This was even as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), British Council, and other global and national education stakeholders have hailed the governor for making education the centerpiece of his administration’s development agenda.

    The governor made the call in his keynote address at the 2026 Enugu Education Summit and the unveiling of the Enugu Education Policy at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Wednesday.

    Speaking at the summit, themed, “Transforming Education for the Future: Leadership, Innovation, Partnership, Financing and Sustainable Reform,” he said Nigeria had reached the point where education must be treated as a national emergency.

    “I believe Nigeria has reached the point where we must treat education as a national emergency.

    “Not rhetorically, but in our budgets, our teacher development, our infrastructure, the standards we demand, and the partnerships we build between the Federal Government, states, development agencies, communities and the private sector.

    “Our future prosperity depends upon the knowledge and capabilities of our people, after all. And that means every Nigerian child, wherever they are born, must have access to an education capable of preparing them for the world they are entering.

    “Whatever education costs us today, ignorance will cost us far more tomorrow.

    “Once we understand that, the question changes. It is no longer: Can we afford to make or fund this quantum leap? It becomes: What will happen to us if we do not?” he stated.

    He further argued that no nation could truly eradicate poverty or achieve sustainable development without addressing the root causes of poverty, including lack of knowledge, know-how and the capabilities through which people create wealth, find employment, build enterprises, participate intelligently in society and determine the direction of their own lives.

    “If we fix the road today but fail to educate the child who will maintain it tomorrow, how sustainable was our investment in the road?

    “If we build factories but lack the skilled people capable of running increasingly sophisticated production systems, where is our own Industrial Revolution going to come from?

    “And if millions of young people reach adulthood without the knowledge and capabilities to participate meaningfully in the economy, what exactly do we imagine the social cost of that will be?

    “So, if Nigeria is to become a creation economy rather than a consumption economy, then we must equip our young people not simply to use what the world creates, but to research, design, engineer and create what the world needs.

    “The point here is straightforward: transformation cannot survive on aspiration alone. Eventually, somebody has to pay for it,” he stated.

    Mbah cited his administration’s decision to invest 33 per cent of the state’s annual budget in education for three consecutive years, building, among other facilities, 268 Smart Green Schools and more than 7,000 classrooms equipped with 21st-century learning tools.

    “If Enugu’s experience offers one lesson, it is that when the scale of the challenge demands a quantum leap, audacity is not a luxury. It is a necessity.

    “When we came into government, we had to look at that reality very closely. We could have repaired the existing system. We could have renovated some classrooms, supplied some desks, put computers into a few schools and called it reform.

    “But we had to ask ourselves a more difficult question: would it be enough? Would an education system essentially designed for the world of 40 years ago prepare an Enugu child for the world of 20 years from now? Our answer was ‘No’.

    “What we have attempted in Enugu is, therefore, not a collection of education projects. It is a change in the entire development model – a quantum leap,” he explained.

    Unveiling the Enugu State Education Policy, Mbah explained that his administration was already implementing the policy, saying it would serve as the benchmark for the state’s education sector over the next six to 10 years.

    “This is also a strong indication that nothing in our entire policy is knee-jerk – everything is a product of careful thought,” he concluded.

    Meanwhile, represented by the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chilewe, the agency’s Country Representative to Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed, said Enugu State had demonstrated a strong commitment to UNICEF’s vision of education transformation through investments in Smart Green Schools, teachers, foundational learning, digital literacy and experiential learning.

    She said UNICEF was proud to have supported the development of the Enugu State Education Sector Plan 2026–2035.

    In its remarks, UNESCO commended the governor for investing heavily in education, citing the 268 Smart Green Schools, the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI), and the plan to recruit more than 6,000 teachers.

    Represented by the Officer-in-Charge of the Education Sector, Mr Adeyemi Oladeji, the UNESCO Representative to Nigeria, Dr Isaias Barreto da Rosa, said, “I congratulate Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for his leadership and for making education the centerpiece of Enugu’s development agenda.

    “The establishment of 268 Smart Green Schools is a landmark achievement that shows schools can be digitally enabled and environmentally responsible at the same time, preparing learners for a changing world while advancing the climate-conscious education that UNESCO promotes globally,” he stated.

    Also, the British Council, represented by its Director on English and School Education, Nigeria, Fwanshihsak Daniel, expressed pride in the Mbah Administration’s achievements in the education sector, saying it would continue to partner with the government to ensure that the good policies yield better outcomes in classrooms.

    “We commend Enugu State’s bold ambitions of an education system in which every learner develops strong foundations, creativity and the necessary skills to the society and the economy,” Daniel added.

    The Commissioner for Education, Enugu State, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, while thanking the Governor and stakeholders for their support, assured that Enugu had begun a journey of irreversible educational progress.

    The high point of the event was the official unveiling of the Enugu State Education Policy and a tour of the exhibition of the Smart Green School Innovation Studio, set up by students of the state’s Smart Green Schools.

  • Teachers Demand Better Welfare As FG, States Pledge More Support

    Teachers Demand Better Welfare As FG, States Pledge More Support

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    Nigerian teachers have called for improved welfare, better working conditions, career advancement, increased recruitment, safer schools and greater investment in education as the country marked the 2026 World Teachers’ Day.

    The demands came as the Federal Government and several state governments announced measures aimed at improving the teaching profession, including recruitment, training, salary adjustments, infrastructure development and welfare packages.

    The 2026 celebration was held under the theme, “Protecting and Advancing the Status of the Teaching Profession in a Rapidly Changing World.”

    Speaking at the national celebration and President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the profession.

    Alausa said teachers deserved professional respect, opportunities for career development, adequate teaching resources, fair recognition and working conditions that would enable them to perform effectively.

    He also urged teachers to embrace emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, while maintaining professional standards and the human connection necessary for effective teaching.

    The minister said the government would continue working with state governments, professional bodies, labour unions, school administrators, development partners, communities and parents to improve teacher preparation, professional development and recognition.

    He added that ongoing education reforms were focused on improving learning environments, strengthening institutions, developing skills for a changing economy and generating reliable data for policy decisions.

    Teachers Highlight Challenges

    In several states, teachers’ unions used the occasion to draw attention to challenges affecting educators and the education system.

    In Oyo State, the Nigeria Union of Teachers demanded full implementation of the Safe School Programme, the integration of 135 teachers into the Teaching Service Commission, approval of inter-local government transfers and improved opportunities for conversion and career progression.

    The union also called for the release of grants to school heads and payment of outstanding 2025 leave allowances.

    The Oyo NUT Chairman, Hassan Fatai, said the celebration was dedicated to teachers and pupils abducted during an attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026.

    The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Nureni Adeniran, said improving education was impossible without adequately supporting teachers through professional development, good working conditions, career progression and continuous training.

    In Delta State, the NUT raised concerns over teacher shortages, insecurity, inadequate instructional materials and other challenges affecting educators.

    The state chairman, Dickson Poubeni, welcomed the approval of Grade Level 17 career progression for eligible graduate teachers in public primary schools but said more needed to be done.

    He called for improved security in schools, additional recruitment, better funding for school heads and the inclusion of the NUT in governing councils of state-owned educational institutions.

    Responding, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said his administration was committed to improving teachers’ welfare, training and working conditions.

    He said the state had approved Grade Level 17 progression for qualified graduate teachers in public primary schools and introduced a 13th-month salary for public servants, including teachers.

    Abia Orders Payment Of Outstanding Benefits

    In Abia State, Governor Alex Otti directed officials to address several outstanding welfare and employment issues raised by the NUT.

    Otti ordered the re-engagement of teachers who had been retired or disengaged at age 60 but were below the new retirement age of 65.

    He also directed the payment of outstanding check-off dues within seven days and ordered that salaries delayed because of verification issues be paid by the end of October.

    The governor further directed the payment of salary arrears owed to 4,075 newly recruited teachers and ordered officials to complete the harmonisation of outstanding 2021 and 2022 promotions.

    Otti said his administration was also developing smart schools as part of efforts to modernise education.

    The state NUT chairman commended the governor for recruiting more than 9,000 teachers, settling inherited salary arrears and allocating 20 per cent of the annual budget to education.

    Ekiti Announces N70.5m Rewards

    In Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji announced N70.5m in cash rewards for outstanding teachers across the state’s 16 local government areas.

    The governor also assured teachers that outstanding emoluments, including leave bonuses, would be addressed.

    Oyebanji announced plans to construct a new state library in 2027 and said the government had recruited 5,530 teachers over four years to address personnel shortages.

    He also cited regular salaries, car and housing loan schemes and other welfare measures as part of the government’s support for teachers.

     Ogun Absorbs 1,500 Interns

    In Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun announced the absorption of more than 1,500 OgunTEACh interns into the mainstream civil service.

    The state government also announced more than N51m in rewards for outstanding teachers, administrators and schools.

    Abiodun said more than 7,000 teachers had been employed since his administration came into office, while N24bn had been earmarked through the State Universal Basic Education Board for critical education infrastructure.

    The Ogun NUT commended the government for teacher recruitment and the implementation of promotions dating from 2016 to 2024.

    The union also welcomed the removal of the ceiling that previously prevented primary school teachers from progressing beyond Grade Level 16.

    Ondo Focuses On Digital Education

    In Ondo State, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa called for increased investment in teachers, saying educators needed adequate tools, dignity and a conducive environment to perform effectively.

    Aiyedatiwa said more than 2,100 teachers were recruited into public primary and secondary schools in 2025, while the government had invested in professional training and school infrastructure.

    He said 43 new classroom blocks were constructed and 75 schools completely renovated in 2025, alongside the provision of furniture and learning materials.

    The governor also highlighted the state’s move towards digital education, including the introduction of artificial intelligence-powered learning tools, smartphones and digital literacy programmes.

    He said teachers were being equipped with laptops as the state prepared students for emerging fields such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

    Edo Recruits 6,000 Teachers

    In Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo said his administration would continue to prioritise teachers’ welfare and education development.

    The governor said 5,000 contract teachers had been absorbed into the state civil service, while 6,000 teachers had been recruited to address staffing shortages in public schools.

    Okpebholo said the government would continue working to ensure that schools, including those in rural communities, had access to qualified teachers.

    Sokoto Raises Salary Concerns

    In Sokoto State, African Democratic Congress governorship candidate Manir Dan’iya called for urgent action over reported concerns about teachers’ salaries, employment security and welfare.

    He urged the state government to clarify reports concerning delays in the payment of September salaries and the removal of some teachers from the payroll.

    Dan’iya also called for regular professional training, adequate teaching materials, improved working environments and clear career progression for educators.

    Kebbi NUT Defends Government

    Meanwhile, the Kebbi State NUT rejected allegations circulating on social media that teachers were being poorly treated by the state government.

    The union chairman, Zaki Sarki SK, described the video containing the allegations as old, edited and misleading.

    He cited the reported increase in teachers’ salaries to N75,000, recruitment of more than 2,000 teachers, construction of classrooms and provision of teaching materials as evidence of government intervention in the sector.

    Atiku Calls For Better Teacher Welfare

    Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, also used the occasion to call for improved welfare for teachers.

    Atiku criticised governments that celebrate teachers annually without providing adequate conditions for them to live and work with dignity.

    He said teachers deserved policies that addressed the cost of living, decent employment and improved working conditions.

    Atiku recalled the role his early teachers played in his life and said the profession should receive sustained government support rather than symbolic recognition on World Teachers’ Day.

    Across the country, the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebrations therefore focused on the need to move beyond appreciation of teachers to concrete measures that improve their welfare, professional status, working environment and capacity to prepare students for a rapidly changing world.

  • FG Approves Textbook List, Introduces QR Tracking Codes

    FG Approves Textbook List, Introduces QR Tracking Codes

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Federal Ministry of Education has released the final list of textbooks approved for use in Nigerian schools between 2026 and 2028.

    The ministry announced the release on Monday in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, following the completion of the first phase of the national textbook ranking exercise.

    The approved textbooks cover Primary 1, Primary 4, Junior Secondary School 1 and Senior Secondary School 1.

    According to the ministry, each approved textbook has been assigned a unique Ranking/QR Tracking Code containing information such as the title, author, publisher and year of publication.

    The new identification system, it said, was introduced to strengthen the monitoring of approved instructional materials and improve transparency in their selection, procurement and use.

    The ministry explained that the process of generating and assigning individual tracking codes contributed to the time required to validate and finalise the approved list.

    The exercise was conducted under the supervision of the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, with the final list approved by Alausa.

    The ministry said the national textbook ranking exercise would be conducted in phases, with the second phase expected to cover Primary 2, Primary 5, JSS 2 and SS 2.

    It added that the same tracking system would be applied to textbooks approved under subsequent phases.

    The Federal Ministry of Education urged publishers, schools, education authorities, procurement agencies and other stakeholders to consult the approved list before selecting or purchasing textbooks for the affected classes.

    It said the exercise was part of efforts by the Federal Government to ensure that teachers and pupils have access to relevant, quality and curriculum-aligned instructional materials.

    The ministry also emphasised the need for stakeholders to comply with the approved list in the provision and use of textbooks for the specified classes.

    The complete 2026–2028 list, including the Ranking/QR Tracking Code assigned to each approved textbook, has been made available by the ministry through its designated platform.

  • JAMB Restores CAPS, Sets Admission Deadlines For 2026/2027 Session

    JAMB Restores CAPS, Sets Admission Deadlines For 2026/2027 Session

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has restored its Central Admissions Processing System following a temporary disruption, urging tertiary institutions to accelerate their admission processes.

    JAMB announced the development in a statement on Monday, saying CAPS was “fully restored and is now operational.”

    The board called on institutions to make up for the time lost during the disruption and ensure that admissions are concluded within the approved timelines.

    “With CAPS back online, institutions are urged to accelerate their admission processes to recover lost time and meet the agreed admission deadlines,” JAMB stated.

    The board also advised candidates who receive admission offers to accept them promptly to facilitate the completion of the admission process.

    According to JAMB, public universities are expected to conclude their 2026/2027 admission exercise by October 31, 2026.

    Private universities have until November 30, 2026, while other tertiary institutions have been given December 31, 2026, as the deadline.

    Candidates Asked To Update Results

    JAMB also urged candidates who previously indicated that they were awaiting their examination results to upload or verify their credentials following the release of the 2026 National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination results.

    The board said updating the results would ensure that candidates’ credentials were available for consideration as institutions intensified their admission activities.

    “Following the release of the 2026 NECO SSCE results, candidates who previously awaited their results are advised to upload and/or verify them promptly to ensure their credentials are available for consideration as institutions intensify their admission processes,” the board said.

    JAMB apologised for the inconvenience caused by the temporary CAPS disruption and thanked candidates, institutions and other stakeholders for their patience.

    The board urged all parties involved in the admission process to make use of the restored platform and complete the necessary procedures before the respective deadlines.

  • JAMB Allows One-Time SIM Swap, Email Change for Candidates

    JAMB Allows One-Time SIM Swap, Email Change for Candidates

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has lifted its restriction on changing candidates’ registered telephone numbers and email addresses, providing a new option for those who have lost access to their original credentials.

    The revised policy takes effect from Monday, September 21, 2026, according to a statement by JAMB’s Acting Director of Public Affairs and Protocols, Dr Fabian Benjamin.

    Under the new arrangement, candidates who have lost their registered SIM cards or can no longer access their registered email accounts may apply to update the details through a verification process.

    JAMB explained that the earlier ban was introduced because of security concerns surrounding changes to candidates’ registered contact information.

    The board, however, said improvements in identity authentication and biometric verification have strengthened its ability to process such requests while protecting candidates’ profiles from fraud and unauthorised access.

    It said the policy review was necessary to prevent genuine candidates from being disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control, particularly when they need to access their profiles for subsequent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination processes.

    Despite the relaxation, JAMB said the service would be subject to strict authentication requirements.

    The board also stressed that each candidate would be permitted to use the SIM swap and/or email change service **only once**.

    The service will be available exclusively at designated JAMB Computer-Based Test centres, including state offices where applicable.

    Candidates seeking the service must provide their new GSM number and/or email address, as well as a duly executed court affidavit that has been scanned and is ready for upload.

    ### How to change the registered details

    Candidates are required to log into their JAMB e-Facility profiles using their existing credentials, including their email address, registration number or profile code.

    They should then select **“SIM Swap/eMail Change Payment”** from the menu and pay the prescribed fee.

    After payment, the candidate is expected to visit a designated JAMB CBT centre and access the **SIM Swap/eMail Change Quicklink**.

    The candidate will enter the profile code or existing GSM number and select **“Fetch Details”**.

    Biometric verification will then be conducted before the candidate selects the service required, whether GSM number only, email address only, or both.

    The new telephone number and/or email address will subsequently be entered, while the scanned court affidavit will be uploaded before the candidate clicks **“Update”**.

    A confirmation message will be displayed if the change is successfully completed.

    JAMB advised candidates to use the facility only for genuine cases and warned against patronising unauthorised agents or outlets.

    The board said the revised policy was aimed at maintaining the security of candidates’ records while making its services more accessible to genuine candidates facing difficulties with their registered contact details.

  • JAMB Adjusts 2027 UTME Arrival, Exam Time Over Safety Concerns

    JAMB Adjusts 2027 UTME Arrival, Exam Time Over Safety Concerns

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has revised the arrival and examination times for candidates taking part in the first session of the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

    Under the new arrangement, candidates are expected to arrive at their designated Computer-Based Test centres by 7:30 a.m., instead of the earlier 6:30 a.m. schedule.

    The examination will now begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 a.m.

    JAMB announced the adjustment in its weekly bulletin released in Abuja, explaining that the decision was prompted by safety and logistical concerns associated with candidates travelling to examination centres in the early hours of the morning.

    The board said the concern was particularly significant for candidates who live far from their assigned centres and may be required to leave their homes before dawn to meet the previous arrival time.

    According to JAMB, the decision followed deliberations at its 2026 Management and IT Retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, from September 6 to 11.

    The retreat considered concerns raised by members of the public about the challenges candidates could face while travelling in the early hours, particularly those coming from distant locations.

    JAMB said the later arrival time was expected to improve the safety and convenience of candidates and potentially reduce absenteeism linked to difficulties with early-morning travel.

    The board, however, said other examination sessions would continue to operate under the established scheduling arrangements.

    The retreat brought together JAMB management, state coordinators, heads of outstation offices and other relevant stakeholders to consider measures for improving the efficiency, safety and credibility of the UTME.

    The participants also reviewed ways to enhance the overall examination experience as the board prepares for the growing scale and logistical demands of the exercise.

    Although the 2027 UTME is still months away, JAMB said preparations had commenced, with the board working to implement lessons from previous examinations and decisions reached during the retreat.

    It said the objective was to provide a more efficient, seamless and candidate-friendly examination.

    JAMB urged candidates and members of the public to take note of the adjustment and await further official communication on the full 2027 UTME timetable and other examination arrangements.

  • FG Assures Parents as Federal Unity Colleges Resume Monday

    FG Assures Parents as Federal Unity Colleges Resume Monday

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Federal Government has assured parents, guardians and students of adequate security arrangements as all Federal Unity Colleges across the country prepare to resume academic activities on Monday, September 14, 2026.

    The Federal Ministry of Education said relevant security agencies had been notified of the resumption plans and were maintaining heightened vigilance around the schools and their surrounding communities.

    The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the safety and wellbeing of students and staff remained a priority as the government works to provide a secure environment for learning.

    In a statement issued on Friday by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the government confirmed that the colleges would resume as scheduled.

    The ministry said coordinated efforts with security agencies were being implemented to protect students, staff and members of the school communities as academic activities resume nationwide.

    Alausa urged parents and guardians to remain calm, rely on information from official sources and proceed with preparations for their children and wards to return to their respective colleges.

    He also directed school authorities to maintain close communication with security agencies and other relevant authorities to ensure a safe and orderly resumption.

    The minister called on students, parents, teachers, administrators and other stakeholders to contribute to maintaining a peaceful and secure school environment.

    Alausa said the ministry would continue to monitor developments and work with relevant authorities to respond to emerging security concerns and ensure the smooth continuation of academic activities in the colleges.

    The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to improving the education system and providing Nigerian children with access to quality education in a safe and conducive learning environment.

  • FG Returns 1m Out-of-School Children to Classrooms in 20 Months

    FG Returns 1m Out-of-School Children to Classrooms in 20 Months

    … UNESCO representative to Nigeria, Prof. Da Rosa pledged UNESCO’s unwavering support for Nigeria’s educational

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Federal Government has successfully returned more than one million out-of-school children to classrooms over the last 20 months as part of its ongoing strategies to tackle Nigeria’s educational crisis, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has revealed.

    The Minister also disclosed that nearly 6.7 million girls have benefited from various government interventions specifically designed to expand access to learning and keep children enrolled in schools.

    Dr. Alausa shared these details in Abuja during a courtesy visit from the newly appointed United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Country Representative to Nigeria, Prof. Isaiah Barreto Da Rosa.

    He noted that these metrics reflect the government’s relentless drive to overhaul the education sector by widening access, lifting learning outcomes, and removing the chronic barriers keeping millions of Nigerian children out of the formal school system.

    However, the Minister cautioned against tilting intervention frameworks heavily toward a single gender, explaining that while progress in girl-child education must be aggressively sustained, rising attention must also be paid to boys who face a high risk of dropping out or being entirely excluded from formal education.

    “We must sustain the gains we have made with the girl-child, but we also need to pay attention to the boy-child,” Dr. Alausa stated.

    He maintained that Nigeria’s human capital development goals can only be fully realised when every child, regardless of gender or socio-economic background, has access to quality schooling and opportunities to acquire relevant skills.

    He identified six core priority pillars driving the ministry’s current structural reforms: Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); the reintegration of out-of-school children; data and digitalisation; girl-child education; and rigorous quality assurance.

    The Minister added that the government is heavily investing in practical skills development, modern technology, and comprehensive teacher training to produce graduates who can successfully compete in a rapidly transforming economy.

    He explained that enhanced, high-fidelity education data is increasingly being utilized to map out areas of high need, target state interventions, and accurately measure long-term impacts, rather than relying on estimates that could severely distort policy planning.

    On the critical front of teacher development, Dr. Alausa welcomed UNESCO’s technical support for the ministry’s Accelerated Teacher Professional Programme (ATPP), which targets the upskilling of one million in-service teachers.

    He also formally acknowledged the agency’s assistance in TVET assessment, digital transformation, education for peace, and media and information literacy.

    The Minister actively called for a deeper operational alliance with UNESCO, pushing the body to align its external interventions directly with the Federal Government’s education reform blueprint to completely avoid a duplication of efforts and guarantee measurable results.

    “We want partnerships that complement what Nigeria is already doing and help us deliver faster and better results,” the Minister emphasized.

    Dr. Alausa assured the visiting delegation that the government will continue to combine its domestic resources with strategic international partnerships to expand schooling access, raise education quality, and equip young Nigerians with the exact skills required for national development.

    Earlier in the meeting, Prof. Da Rosa pledged UNESCO’s unwavering support for Nigeria’s educational transformation agenda, describing the organization as a dedicated technical partner fully prepared to deploy its global expertise to areas where the country requires urgent help. He recalled UNESCO’s deep, long-standing engagement with Nigeria dating back to the 1960s, spanning the critical sectors of education, science, culture, communication, and information.

    Prof. Da Rosa highly commended the Ministry of Education’s progress in digitising education data, stressing that reliable, verified statistics are entirely indispensable to effective planning, policy formulation, and successful execution. He reaffirmed that UNESCO stands ready to deepen its collaboration with Nigeria in TVET, teacher development, and specialised programmes aimed at returning out-of-school children to the classroom.

    According to the Country Representative, UNESCO-supported programmes have already trained more than 28,000 teachers across various states and successfully reached over 1.7 million students.

    Prof. Da Rosa concluded by noting that the organization’s highly specialized institutes remain fully available to provide any further technical expertise necessary to back Nigeria’s education reforms.

  • NECO Questions Sold for N3,000 Before Exams, Eduction Minister Reveals

    NECO Questions Sold for N3,000 Before Exams, Eduction Minister Reveals

    The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has revealed how examination questions were allegedly obtained for N3,000 before the conduct of the National Examinations Council examinations, describing the level of examination malpractice in the country as “mind-boggling.”

    Alausa made the revelation on Thursday at a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other stakeholders in the education sector, where he warned parents, teachers, proprietors, principals, invigilators and students against practices capable of undermining the integrity of public examinations.

    The minister said examination malpractice had, for years, been tolerated in Nigeria, creating an unfair system in which students who prepared genuinely for examinations were disadvantaged by those who gained access to leaked questions.

    According to him, the situation was particularly dangerous because it could push honest students into malpractice as they sought to compete with candidates who had access to examination materials before the tests.

    Alausa said, “It’s sad. Before she (Minister of State for Education) and I came, the acceptance of examination malpractice, cheating and examination leakages in this country was mind-boggling, and the country accepted it. It was a nightmare,” adding that the “danger was that the good students would also become bad.”

    The minister, while recounting his experience in the fight against examination malpractice, alleged that examination questions had previously been made available for sale before candidates sat for the examinations.

    He said, “The Registrar of NECO at the time had a name. His name was (Ibrahim) Wushishi. You would go to Wushishi… I didn’t know that Wushishi meant going to the dark website.

    “They bought his question for N3,000. That was it. Before the examination. They called him Wushishi and bought the questions for N3,000 before the examination.”

    Alausa also recalled his experience during the 2025 examination period, saying he was regularly sent examination questions allegedly obtained before candidates sat for the papers.

    He said the development forced officials to verify the questions with examination authorities, sometimes confirming that the questions being circulated were actually the ones scheduled for the day.

    He said, “During that examination period, during the hardest time of my life, I was always worried, waking up. I would wake up to her text. She would send questions to me… She would say, ‘I just got this question.’

    “It could be English or Chemistry. I was always waking up with trepidation every morning, doing work. I would send it to the HNO and ask, ‘HNO, is this correct?’ And the answer I got was, ‘Unfortunately, that’s the question we’re doing today.’

    “So, that was a more aggressive intervention because we were seeing the question and confirming from the other side.”

    The minister said the revelations demonstrated that examination malpractice was not simply a student problem, insisting that the wider education ecosystem must take responsibility for curbing the practice.

    He noted that parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals all had roles to play in preventing candidates from gaining unfair access to examination materials.

    Alausa said, “You might be in that isolated school, but the school system is also involved. In fact, I don’t blame the students that much. Any child can be bad.

    “But when we have an ecosystem where parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals are in full connivance, the students are the smallest players. The people who should put the deterrents in place are the ones involved.”

    He warned that the Federal Government would strengthen measures to protect the integrity of public examinations and ensure that academic qualifications reflected genuine learning and merit.

    The minister said the reforms were part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader efforts to restore standards and reposition Nigeria’s education system.

    He said, “This is a country with the rule of law. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is transforming this country in a way that’s never been transformed before. This is Nigeria’s renaissance that we’re building to be sustainable into the future.”

    He added that the country had for too long tolerated practices that undermined its education system, but said the Tinubu administration was determined to reverse the trend.

    The Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, also called on private school proprietors and other stakeholders to support the reforms, noting that stronger examination controls could initially expose weaknesses in students’ actual preparation.

    Ahmad explained that some students who appeared to perform exceptionally well in internal examinations might have become accustomed to accessing leaked questions ahead of external examinations.

    She said the introduction of serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to rely on leaked materials, while encouraging genuine preparation.

    The minister urged schools to complete their curricula on schedule and promote consistent study among students, assuring private education stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to engage them during the implementation of the reforms.

    The latest warning comes amid longstanding concerns over examination malpractice in Nigeria, including question-paper leakages, impersonation, collusion and unauthorised assistance to candidates.

    The Federal Government’s renewed emphasis on examination integrity is aimed at ensuring that results from public examinations provide a credible assessment of students’ knowledge and abilities, while protecting candidates who prepare and compete fairly. Punch