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Stakeholders Hail Lowering UTME Cut-Off

Published

4 years ago

August 3, 2022

Stakeholders in the education sector in the North-East have said that continuous lowering of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) cut-off mark would encourage competition and educational development in the country.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), heads of tertiary institutions of learning, and other stakeholders on July 21, adopted 140 cut-off mark for admissions in the 2022/2023 academic session.
The Board adopted 140 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education, respectively.
Some of the stakehokders who spoke in Bauchi, Damaturu, Dutse, Gombe, Maiduguri and Yola, described the move as a welcome development, saying it would provide level playing ground for candidates seeking admission into universities and other institutions.
While others dismissed it as inimical to sustainable development of tertiary education in the country.
A Lecturer in the Department of Sociology Science, University of Maiduguri, Mr Mubarak Tanko, said the lowering of the cut-off mark would not affect the Post-UTME test prepared by the institutions.
He said the institutions were allowed to set their own cut-off mark, the least score which any candidate must obtain to enable him to qualify for the Post-UTME screening.
“Institutions are not allowed to set their admission cut-off mark lower than the JAMB 140 benchmark.
”This means that no public university is allowed to set its Post-UTME admission cut-off mark lower than 140 but they have the right to set it above 140. The same applies to polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
“Competitive schools will likely set their admission mark above the minimum 140 cut-off mark, especially those with high number of applicants, they might set their cut-off mark at 200 and above,” he said.
According to him, the 140 cut-off will avail candidates who score below 200 to get admission in less competitive universities across the country.
In the same vein, Shareef Bunu, an Official of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Borno, said the UTME score was not the sole determinant of the placement of candidates into tertiary institutions.
He that admission is based on other parameters such as Post-UTME, A’level qualifications, O’level grades and physical test.
“JAMB gave the institutions free hand to consider any score they deem fit for their candidates,” he said.
Bunu opined the action would give candidates with lower mark to compete favourably and eoacademic excellence.
Also, Mr Idriss Muhammad, a resident of Bauchi, commended JAMB for the gesture, saying it would enhance access to quality tertiary education in the country.
“The 100 cut-off mark for COEs is too low considering the fact that those that will be admitted were potential teachers.

“You are now sending those with very poor performance to colleges and you expect them to become teachers in the future”.

Also, Prof. Salisu Rakum, former Dean, Faculty of Education, Federal University of Kashere (FUK), said that lowering of the cut-off would have adverse effect on the education standard in the country.

He said the trend would make students less committed to their studies thereby affecting their academic performances.

“COEs as potential teacher training centres needed best and competent hands because, the future of every career is in their hands,” he said.

Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University Dutse chapter, who corroborated earlier opinion said the trend would further deteriorate tertiary education in the country.

According to him, the action would produce poor quality graduates who could not compete with their contemporaries across the globe.

Lecturers, he said would find it difficult to train such students since they lack prerequisite requirement and capapacity for advance education.

He said the trend if continued unchecked would made Nigeria to be perpetually dependent on expatriates, especially in medicine, engineering and other specialise fields.

The ASUU official further identified poverty, corruption and poor standard of living, lack of computer literacy or access to ICT as some of the obstacles towards achieving good performances in the UTME.

“Such graduates will find it difficult to secure job in future because they cannot compete with those abroad,” Yusuf said.

Bashir further stressed the need for collective approach to address the root cause for students’ poor performances in the UTME to enable them get the required mark for admission in tertiary institutions of Learning.

Similarly, a lecturer at the Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Dr Mahdi Abba, Yola in Adamawa, said candidates seeking admission into universities should be subjected to academic rigour and competitive entry examinations.

On her part, Mrs Fatima Abubakar, a Lecturer, Computer Department, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, attributed the low students’ performances in the UTME to the falling standard of basic and post-basic level of education.

She said the basic education level was comatose due to lack of qualified teachers to impart relevant knowledge and skills in their students.

She further blamed school authorities for not adhering to syllabus as well as interference of parents and guardians in ensuring prospering education and discipline of their wards.

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Fubara Dissolves Rivers Executive Council

Published

1 day ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

The governor announced the cabinet dissolution yesterday in a statement titled ‘Government Special Announcement’, signed by his new Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.

Governor Fubara directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

He thanked the outgoing members of the State Executive Council for their service and wished them the best in their future endeavours.

The three-paragraph special announcement read, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours.”

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INEC Proposes N873.78bn For 2027 Elections, N171bn For 2026 Operations

Published

1 day ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections, even as it seeks N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.

According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn election budget covers the full conduct of national polls in 2027.

An additional N171bn is needed to support INEC’s routine activities in 2026, including bye-elections and off-season elections, the commission stated.

The INEC boss said the proposed election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.

He explained that, although the details of specific line items were not exhaustively presented, the almost N1tn election budget is structured across five major components.

“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chief noted that the budget was prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.”

On the 2026 fiscal year, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of N140bn, stressing, however, that “INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.”

The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.

He argued that the envelope budgeting system is not suitable for the Commission’s operations, noting that INEC’s activities often require urgent and flexible funding.

Amupitan also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, adding that if the commission develops its own network infrastructure, Nigerians would be in a better position to hold it accountable for any technical glitches.

Speaking at the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate.

He advocated that the envelope budgeting model should be set aside.

He urged the National Assembly to work with INEC’s financial proposal to avoid future instances of possible underfunding.

In the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to enable the Commission to plan early enough for the 2027 general election.

The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.

The committee also said it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members to N125,000 each when engaged for election duties.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Along, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support, warning INEC to be careful about promises it might be unable to keep.

He recalled that during the 2023 general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.

“iREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.

The N873.78bn proposed by INEC for next year’s general election is a significant increase from the N313.4bn released to the Commission by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 general election.

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Tinubu Mourns Literary Icon, Biodun Jeyifo

Published

1 day ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu yesterday expressed grief over the death of a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and one of Africa’s foremost literary scholars, Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo.

Jeyifo passed away on Wednesday, drawing tributes from across Nigeria and the global academic community.

In a condolence message to the family, friends, and associates of the late scholar, Tinubu in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, described Jeyifo as a towering intellectual whose contributions to African literature, postcolonial studies, and cultural theory left an enduring legacy.

He noted that the late professor would be sorely missed for his incisive criticism and masterful interpretations of the works of Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The President also recalled Jeyifo’s leadership of ASUU, praising the temperance, foresight, and wisdom he brought to the union over the years.

Tinubu said Jeyifo played a key role in shaping negotiation frameworks with the government aimed at improving working conditions for university staff and enhancing the learning environment in Nigerian universities.

According to the President, Professor Jeyifo’s longstanding advocacy for academic freedom and social justice will continue to inspire generations.

He added that the late scholar’s influence extended beyond academia into political and cultural journalism, where he served as a mentor to numerous scholars, writers, and activists.

Tinubu condoled with ASUU, the Nigerian Academy of Letters, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Oberlin University, Cornell University, and Harvard University—institutions where Jeyifo studied, taught, or made significant scholarly contributions.

“Nigeria and the global academic community have lost a towering figure and outstanding global citizen,” the President said.

“Professor Biodun Jeyifo was an intellectual giant who dedicated his entire life to knowledge production and the promotion of human dignity. I share a strong personal relationship with him. His contributions to literary and cultural advancement and to society at large will be missed.”

Jeyifo was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential literary critics and public intellectuals. Among several honours, he received the prestigious W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2019.