Education

NLC AND TUC to Protest Closure of Universities from Tuesday

Published

3 years ago

July 25, 2022

Barring any last minute intervention by the federal government, members of the organised labour under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress would go ahead with their two-day national protest beginning Tuesday.

THISDAY gathered from sources in the labour movement that they have issued mobilisation letters to all their affiliates and allies across the country to commence the protest at all the state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The Senior Staff Union of Nigerian, (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) have mobilised their members to team up with NLC and other allies to ensure the success of the nationwide protest.

Both unions at a joint press conference in Abuja at the weekend said their members would fully take part in the nationwide solidarity protest being organised by the NLC and the TUC in support of the university workers who have been on strike for over five months over the non-implementation of agreement with federal government.

The National President of SSANU, Mr. Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim who spoke at a media briefing held at the union’s new headquarter building in Abuja, said their members have been fully mobilised for the protest.
On the fear expressed by the government that the protest might be hijacked by politicians and hoodlums, he said, “for any government to imagine that a protest organised by university-based unions under the umbrella of the NLC will be hijacked by hoodlums or political parties is unbelievable.”
Ibrahim said the unions have decided to be on their uniforms during the protest to avoid possible infiltration by persons with negative plans.
He said all the government needs to do is to deploy security agents to protect the protesters and ensure that it maintains peace

“We are all affiliates to the NLC and all our members pay check-off dues, so we have every right to seek the support of the NLC and other affiliates to help achieve demand,” he added.
According to SSANU President, the unions sought the intervention of the NLC when the dispute was becoming intractable.
Similarly, another union, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has expressed its readiness to

participate in solidarity protest against the continued closure of Nation’s tertiary institutions scheduled for 26 and 27 July.
In a letter written to all its branches nationwide, signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero, the union urged the branches to mobilise members to join the national protest jointly led by NLC and TUC.
NLC had at its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja, on June 30, threatened to embark on a two-day nationwide protest to compel, “the federal government to conclude the ongoing negotiation with trade unions in Nigeria’s universities.”

In a mobilisation letter sent to all the state branches of NLC and the Federal Capital Territory FCT, the congress directed them to activate all the mechanisms to implement the decision of NEC to organise a national protest beginning from July 26 to July 27.
Among the resolutions reached at the NEC meeting were the condemnation of the alleged unserious attitude of government to negotiations as well the activation of, “no work–no pay,” policy on striking university workers.
The NEC described the stoppage of salaries of striking university workers as draconian.
The NEC went on to resolve to organise a one-day solidarity action in support of Congress affiliates in the education sector.

In a statement issued yesterday by NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, he said the decisions of the NEC have been activated accordingly with a circular to affiliates and state councils for compliance.
The NLC lamented the delay in resolving the dispute between the federal government and members of the ASUU and other non-teaching staff unions in universities despite the setting up high-powered negotiating team headed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari for that purpose.

It also recalled that a tripartite plus meeting was convened by the federal government on May 12, 2022 at the instance of the organised labour and well-meaning Nigerians to resolve the crises in our tertiary institutions.

According to the NLC, negotiations were held and the meeting was adjourned for three weeks to allow the Prof. Nimi-Briggs Committee to turn in their report and also to allow the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to subject all the proposed university payment platforms to integrity test including IPPIS.
On the other hand, the federal government has been making frantic efforts to stave off the planned protest by workers.

It has pleaded with the NLC to cancel the planned protest over the prolonged ASUU and other university-based unions’ strike. It also urged the organised labour not to mobilise support for Labour Party as it would amount to a violation of the Trade Union Act.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige had made the appeal last Thursday at a meeting with the leadership of NLC in his office.
The Minister said he incorporated NLC into the tripartite conciliation going on in his Ministry, adding that being very much aware of efforts of the government to resolve the impasse, they cannot embark on any rally or protest.

A statement issued by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, quoted Ngige as having told the labour leaders that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) mandated him to notify them of the serious security implications of the planned protest.
According to Ngige, a security report also sent to his office by the Department of State Services (DSS), strongly had warned against holding the protest.

The ministry had also said having rounded off its work, the Prof. Limi Briggs Commitee proposed 109 -185 percent increase in the university wage structure.

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Education

NUC grants ESUT full accreditation for Law, 7 other programmes

Published

2 weeks ago

May 21, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

The National Universities Commission, (NUC), has given full accreditation to the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), for her Law programme.

According to the Public Relations Officer of ESUT, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, this is contained in a letter addressed to the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aloysius Okolie, on Wednesday in Enugu by the NUC.

Ani said that in the letter, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu said the report was contained in the result of the October/November 2024 accreditation of academic programmes in Nigerian universities.

Ani disclosed that other programmes in the institution accredited by the NUC include Master of Science in Business Management; Education Computer Science; Education Physics and Agricultural Engineering.

Other accredited programmes he said were Quantity Surveying; Urban and Regional Planning; and Applied Microbiology.

He said that the letter quoted Section 10 (1) of the Education National Minimum Standard and Establishment of Institutions, Act CAP E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as empowering the NUC to lay down minimum academic standards for all academic programmes taught in Nigerian universities.

He said the session also empowers the NUC to accredit such programmes.

Africa

When the Gatekeeper Fumbles: JAMB’s Error and the Future of Our Youth

Published

3 weeks ago

May 16, 2025

AccessNewsNG

When the Gatekeeper Fumbles: JAMB’s Error and the Future of Our Youth

By Matthew Eloyi

It is not every day that a public official publicly sheds tears. And so, when the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, broke down while admitting to errors in the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), it was a deeply emotional moment. But make no mistake: while the tears may have reflected remorse, they cannot wash away the consequences of what is, quite frankly, a systemic failure.

Let us be clear — JAMB is not merely an examination body. It is a gatekeeper to higher education in Nigeria. It is the bridge between dreams and their realisation for millions of young Nigerians. To fumble that responsibility is not a technical error; it is a breach of trust with life-altering consequences.

With nearly 380,000 candidates now required to retake the exam due to technical glitches and irregularities, one cannot help but ask: How did we get here? And more importantly, why does this keep happening?

For years, JAMB has marketed its transition to computer-based testing as a step toward modernisation. Yet each year seems to expose new cracks in its implementation — from faulty computer systems and power outages to incomplete biometric verification and poorly configured questions. These are not unforeseeable anomalies. They are predictable outcomes of poor planning, lack of oversight, and inadequate investment in infrastructure.

Imagine the psychological toll on the students, many of whom studied day and night, only to be met with malfunctioning systems and flawed questions. Some walked out of examination halls in tears, their confidence shattered, their futures placed in limbo. For those in remote or under-resourced areas, the technical errors are compounded by infrastructural and economic disadvantages. What we are witnessing is not just an exam failure; it is an institutional failure that amplifies inequality.

JAMB’s decision to allow affected candidates a resit is necessary, but it is insufficient. What about those who may never realize they were victims of the glitch? What about those whose faith in the process has been irreparably broken?

Professor Oloyede’s tears may have been sincere, but what Nigerian students need now is not emotion — it is accountability. Heads must roll, systems must be overhauled, and the entire structure must be audited. We cannot allow a body that plays such a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s intellectual future to operate with such recklessness.

The UTME is a rite of passage for Nigerian students; it should not become a roulette of misfortune. Until JAMB can guarantee a glitch-free, fair, and standardised assessment, its credibility will remain on shaky ground.

In the end, our children deserve better. They deserve an education system that works; not one that breaks down and apologises after the damage is done.

Education

Petroleum institute matriculates 1,625 students

Published

2 months ago

March 28, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

Petroleum institute matriculates 1,625 students

The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Effurun, has matriculated a total of 1,625 students in her 2024/2025 academic session, with a charge to exhibit good character.

The ceremony, held on Friday in Effurun, Delta, was a combined matriculation of the Full time and School of Industrial Continuing Education Programme students.

Addressing the matriculants, Dr Samuel Onoji, the Principal and Chief Executive of the PTI urged the students to exhibit good character while in the institute.

Onoji, while congratulating the matriculants, warned that the institute had zero tolerance for social vices.

He mentioned some of the social vices to include: examination misconduct, physical and sexual assault, indecent dressing, prostitution, cultism, stealing, certificate forgery, bullying and harassment.

Onoji advised the students to be focused and determined, curious and innovative, respectful and responsible and be proactively engaged in extracurricular activities in the institute.

Onoji also encouraged the students to access the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) programme of the federal government to alleviate their financial needs.

He said that the institute received her first NELFUND disbursement on Feb. 11, 2025, adding that the beneficiaries had been paid.

The PTI boss said the institute was dedicated to training middle level manpower for the oil and gas industry.

“Today marks a significant milestone in your academic journey, and I am delighted to share this experience with you.

“PTI has established international collaborations and partnership that enhance our curriculum, facilities and research capabilities that are industry-focused and aligned with the industry to address identified skill gap in the oil sector.

“Our programmes are designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to excel in dynamic and highly technical fields,” he said.

Onoji urged the students to uphold the highest behavioral standard, respect, and integrity in line with the rules and regulations of the institute.

The PTI boss emphasised the importance of hard work and dedication, saying that the oil and gas industry was highly competitive and dynamic.

He said that the campus was a safe and inclusive environment that promoted learning, growth and personal development.

Onoji assured parents of the matriculants that the institute was committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment that would enhance academic excellence, personal growth and character development.

One of the matriculants, Mr Monday Ejiroghene, thanked his parents and the institute for the admission and promised to justify the confidence reposed on him by way of exhibiting good character.