Education
Tinubu Directs Student Loan Expansion To Skill Dev’t
President Bola Tinubu has directed the management of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to expand its focus area by extending interest-free loans to students interested in skill-development programmes.
The President issued this directive on Monday after a briefing from Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, Executive Secretary of NELFUND, on the build-up to the launch of the programme later in the month.
The President said it was important for the scheme to accommodate those who may not want to pursue university education, noting that skill acquisition is as important as obtaining academic qualifications.
“This is not an exclusive programme. It is catering to all of our young people. Young Nigerians are gifted in different areas. This is not only for those who want to be doctors, lawyers, and accountants.
“It is also for those who aspire to use their skilled and trained hands to build our nation. In accordance with this, I have instructed NELFUND to explore all opportunities to inculcate skill-development programmes because not everybody wants to go through a full university education,” he said.
Tinubu emphasised the need for equity and inclusivity in the management of the programme, saying all economically challenged students must not be denied education at any level.
“No matter how economically challenged you are, accredited and qualified students will and must have access to this loan to advance their education in higher institutions. There is no compromise in our commitment to the disadvantaged citizens of this nation.”
In his presentation to the President, Sawyerr said the loan application process would be technology-driven, limiting human interface and “eliminating any possibility of maladministration in the programme.
“By design, this is a perpetual programme and will not terminate. The funds, earmarked for bona-fide Nigerian students, will be disbursed directly to the institutions in the initial phase through electronic transfer.
“Our students will be catered to in a way that bypasses human interference through the full utilization of available technological platforms,” he said.
Sawyerr also said that NELFUND has developed a robust risk-mitigation mechanism to address potential risks that may arise from the programme.
Speaking on the funding of the programme, Dr Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), said sources have been made available to ensure the smooth take-off and sustenance of the programme.
“By the directive of the President, the Education Tax Fund is being reviewed to additionally cater to the needs of our university students across all local government areas in the country as they seek to access vocational and traditional university education.
“Funding for the programme will be adequately covered,” he said.
The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said its 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will begin on April 24 and not April 25 as earlier announced.
JAMB spokesman, Dr Fabian Benjamin, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.
Benjamin said that adjustment had been made to accommodate essential commitments by the board and its partner agencies.
He said that prospective candidates could now print their notification slips, which contain vital information regarding their exam details.
He added that the notification slip indicates the examination date, venue (centre), time and other essential details necessary for success of the examination
“Candidates are encouraged to print their notification slips beginning from today, April 19.
“This will provide ample time for logistics arrangements to access their assigned centres within the chosen examination towns.
“To print the notification slip, candidates should visit www.jamb.gov.ng, click on “2025 UTME Slip Printing”, enter registration number and click on “Print Examination Slip”, he said.
The spokesman advised candidates to familiarise themselves with their examination centres after printing their slips, at least one or two days before the examination date.
According to him, this preparation will help ensure a smooth experience on the examination day.
Benjamin further said that candidates would be assigned to centres within their chosen examination towns as no candidate would be placed in a centre outside their selected town. (NAN)
The Federal Government has mandated all tertiary institutions that have received waivers for staff recruitment to publicly announce their job vacancies.
In a statement released on Thursday, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa emphasized the importance of transparency in the hiring process. The statement was issued by Folasade Boriowo, the Director of Press in the Ministry.
Dr. Alausa encouraged these institutions to advertise positions in at least one national daily newspaper, on their official websites, and in pertinent academic and professional journals.
This directive is intended to foster an open and competitive recruitment environment, ensuring equal opportunities for all eligible Nigerians.
“This initiative follows the waivers granted to federal tertiary institutions based on their submissions regarding manpower needs,” he explained. “It reflects the ministry’s commitment to strengthening the capabilities of our higher education institutions.”
He reminded all federal tertiary institutions to submit their recruitment requirements to the ministry for evaluation by the Committee on Waiver and Recruitment.
“The ministry has established effective mechanisms to ensure compliance and will not hesitate to impose penalties on any institution that fails to follow this directive,” he stated. “The Federal Ministry of Education is steadfast in its commitment to upholding integrity and fairness within the Nigerian higher education system.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it has uncovered at least 585 forged A-Level certificates so far in 2025.
Is-haq Oloyede, the registrar, was at a virtual meeting with JAMB staff on April 2.
The meeting was to discuss operational procedures ahead of the 2025 mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the main UTME.
Oloyede said JAMB discovered 585 forged A-Level certificates, 13 of which originated from the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB).
He said the professional registration centres (PRCs) that uploaded the results are now under investigation.
Of those 13 cases, Oloyede said four suspects have so far been arrested.
He said the forgeries were among the reasons for the creation of the Nigeria Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (NIPED).
NIPED is a platform designed to collect and manage data related to post-secondary education in Nigeria.
Oloyede alleged that some institutions may have internal collaborators aiding the syndicates behind the forgeries.
He said the board is working closely with police and other authorities to apprehend the ringleaders.
In 2023, JAMB also uncovered 1,665 fake A-level results during a DE registration season.
The board said its NIPEDS lagged multiple cases of forgery, with 13 additional A-level certificates recently identified as fake.
JAMB said some institutions had already processed admissions for candidates using these forged documents before they were detected.
It urged its staff to remain committed to their duties and to avoid any actions that could compromise the integrity of the board.