Education
UNIBEN shuts down indefinitely due to student protest on power outages

The authorities of the University of Benin on Thursday shut down academic activities in the institution indefinitely.
The university in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Dr Benedicta Ehanire, attributed the decision to the refusal of the students to shift grounds on their demands.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the students on Wednesday took to the streets, blocking the ever-busy Benin-Ore Highway to protest weeks of power outages on campus.
The students, who had two weeks until their first-semester examination, said the situation was severely affecting their preparation. The students also called for a downward review of transport fares by the UNIBEN shuttle service, which was increased with effect from July 1.
NAN reports that the university was thrown into a blackout by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) following the inability to reach an agreement over contentious electricity billings.
The monthly bill was said to have jumped from about ₦80 million to between ₦200 and ₦280 million, forcing the university to resort to power generators as well as rationalisation of power on the two campuses and hostels.
When a NAN correspondent spoke with the protesting students amidst heavy rainfall, they were hellbent on continuing the rampage unless their demands were met. But in the notice of closure made available to NAN, Ehanire described the students’ demand for a 24-hour supply of electricity as unrealistic.
“Following the insistence of students of the University of Benin to shift grounds on their demands for twenty-four hours supply of electricity and more, considered unrealistic by the University’s Senate, the University has shut down academic activities indefinitely.
“Students are to vacate the hostels immediately while all the relevant units of the University are to take note and comply.
“However, non teaching staff and staff on essential duties are not affected by the shut down,” said the university’s spokesperson.
Education
FG imposes 1-year moratorium on registration of new polytechnics, monotechnics

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has approved a one-year moratorium on new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics.
He however exempted health institutions due to low enrollment challenges.
This is contained in a statement by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje on Thursday in Kaduna.
Bugaje said the moratorium which takes immediate effect means that all new applications for polytechnics and monotechnics are put on hold for 12 months.
He, however, said institutions currently being assessed will be required to pay specific fees to continue the registration process.
“Polytechnics awaiting ministerial approval will be required to pay an application fee of N4 million and a processing fee of N2 million per programme of study.
“Monotechnics, on the other hand, will pay an application fee of N2 million and a processing fee of N1 million per programme of study.
“Applicants have 30 days to pay these fees, failure to which will result in the termination of the registration process.
“New health institutions, which are exempted from the moratorium, will pay the same fees as Monotechnics for registration,” he said.
According to the NBTE executive secretary, the objective of the move is to ensure that tertiary Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions are properly populated within their approved carrying capacities.
Education
NECO blacklists 14 centres for exam malpractice

The National Examinations Council has blacklisted 14 examination centres for their involvement in examination malpractice across nine subjects.
The 14 centres were identified in two South-West states, Ogun and Oyo. Ten centres were blacklisted in Ogun State, while four were blacklisted in Oyo State.
NECO Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this on Friday at the Council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State, during a media briefing where he announced the release of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (External) results, held on Friday February 14, 2025.
The registrar stated that the names of the blacklisted centres and supervisors would be forwarded to other examination bodies for further sanctions.
“The number of candidates booked for various forms of malpractice is 6,169, compared to 8,518 in 2023, representing a 27.7 per cent decrease.
“Seven supervisors—two each from Oyo and Ogun, and one each from Lagos, Cross River, and Ebonyi—were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, lateness, and aiding and abetting malpractice during the examination.
“Fourteen centres — 10 in Ogun and four in Oyo — were blacklisted for whole-centre malpractice across nine subjects.
“The Federal Ministry of Education has mandated that the names of these centres and supervisors involved in malpractice be sent to sister examination bodies, including JAMB and WAEC,” Wushishi said.
The registrar further announced that a total of 86,067 candidates, comprising 44,988 males and 41,079 females, registered for the examination.
Of this number, 84,799 candidates sat for the exam, including 44,277 males and 40,522 females.
“62,929 candidates, representing 75.62 per cent, sat for English Language and scored credit and above, while 77,988 candidates, representing 93.94 per cent, obtained five credits and above in Mathematics.
“The number of candidates who secured five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, is 57,114, representing 63.35 per cent.
“Meanwhile, 70,711 candidates, representing 83.39 per cent, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics,” Wushishi added.
Education
Tinubu approves conversion of YABATECH to university

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, on Friday, said President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of the Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, to a university.
He disclosed the news to the management, staff, and students of the college during a working visit to the institution.
“The rector said some minutes ago that the staff, students, and management of the college have been praying and fasting that it be converted to a university. Somehow, you have kind of ambushed me, but I must let you know that when I discussed the issue with President Bola Tinubu, he did not waste time in approving. I am just waiting for the memo and other necessary protocols from the appropriate quarters.
“This school is a legacy, and with over 200 staff members holding doctorate degrees in various fields, it is more than ready and fit to become a university. All the credit about this should go to the president, who loves education and is concerned about giving the best to the youths who are our future leaders,” he stated.
Alausa, who went around the college to inaugurate and inspect some projects, expressed satisfaction with the maintenance culture of the management that has kept most of the facilities in good shape despite their age.
“I commend you for pursuing excellence, and we need innovation and investments in technology for development, and I can assure you that the federal government would back you up,” he added.
He stressed further that one of the reasons the Tinubu administration is focusing on technical and vocational education and adding entrepreneurship to it is to stem the Japa Syndrome.
“We are not taking the issue of artificial intelligence, robotics, coding, and others with levity. We know that if our youths are good at those things, they can be in Nigeria and be working for firms in many parts of the world, and they will be earning foreign exchange. That will help stem this Japa of a thing, where people would travel abroad to do menial jobs,” he stated.
“In Europe and other places, the focus has been on incorporating TVET to become a core aspect of their education system, and that is what we are doing now. We need education that would aid manufacturing and technological innovations and that would also lead to a robust private sector, which will drive societal growth and development,” he opined.
Earlier, the rector, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, said with over 200 PhD holders in its services, YABATECH was more than qualified to become a university.
“While we are praying that we become a university, we don’t want to become just one of those universities. We want to be a university of technical and vocational education that would bring innovation and also solve societal problems and challenges and contribute greatly to the advancement of our dear country. We have the manpower, and we just need the support of the government in this regard,” he stated.
Abdul reeled out the various achievements of his administration and said the management would not relent in raising the stakes higher.
The Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Funso Afolabi, thanked the minister for the visit and solicited his support in getting their demands met.
The bill that would state the change in status of the college and the new name it would bear is expected to the sent to the National Assembly for passage and presidential assent.
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