News

OAU STUDENTS AID A NEW INNOVATION The Department of Chemistry at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has launched the Smart Chemistry Project, an initiative aimed at revolutionizing science education and research while addressing real-world challenges. The project was officially introduced during the department’s first-ever alumni meeting and fundraising event, which gathered notable alumni, respected guests, and faculty members. Designed with advanced technology, the Smart Chemistry Project aspires to transform the department into a leading centre for scientific teaching, research, and innovation. In his welcome remarks, Professor Adeyinka Adesina, Dean of the Faculty of Science, emphasised the project’s significance. He highlighted that modern scientific education requires more than ever before—demanding advanced tools, interactive learning experiences, and instruction aligned with contemporary scientific and technological needs. “The Smart Chemistry Project is a response to these evolving demands,” he stated, “focusing on infrastructure development and empowering students to learn, innovate, and lead.”He stated that the project sought to empower students to address real-world challenges and drive national development through science and innovation by equipping laboratories with cutting-edge instruments, offering hands-on training, and promoting a culture of critical thinking and creativity. “For decades, the Department of Chemistry has been instrumental in training skilled scientists who have made significant contributions across academia, industry, government, and public service.”The Smart Chemistry Project represents an investment not just in infrastructure, but in enhancing students’ ability to learn, innovate, and lead. Through this initiative, the goal is to upgrade laboratories with advanced equipment, provide practical training for every student, and cultivate an academic environment where critical thinking and creativity thrive. “To truly foster innovation, students must receive training that sparks curiosity, deepens comprehension, and encourages effective problem-solving. A well-equipped laboratory is not a luxury — it’s essential. It serves as the proving ground where theories are tested, ideas take shape, and scientific discoveries emerge. “We firmly believe this initiative will not exist in isolation. As the Chemistry Department embraces this bold transformation, we hope the Smart Chemistry Project will inspire similar advancements in other departments and institutions across the country, generating a wave of educational renewal and scientific advancement,” he said.He highlighted that the project’s impact is expected to go beyond the Department of Chemistry, serving as a catalyst for similar transformations across other departments and institutions nationwide. He emphasized that the initiative has the potential to spark a ripple effect of educational reform and scientific advancement, ultimately contributing to a more innovative and self-sufficient Nigeria. Former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Professor Oladapo Afolabi, underscored the significance of the project, describing it as a groundbreaking initiative designed to transform the Chemistry Department into a center of excellence for advanced scientific teaching, research, and innovation. OAU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Bamire, praised the project, calling it both timely and aligned with the university’s mission to uphold academic and research excellence. “We take great pride in our alumni,” he stated. “Their unwavering passion and commitment have provided support beyond what government alone can offer.” The launch of the Smart Chemistry Project signals a new chapter in scientific education and research at OAU. As the Department of Chemistry embraces this progressive move, it stands ready to shape the next generation of scientists and innovators, guided by a collective vision of innovation, growth, and excellence credit: MIKE-MEDIA

OVER 300,000 CANDIDATES AFFECTED AS JAMB ADMITS ERROR IN 2025 UTME The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has admitted to errors in the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), sending shockwaves across the country and triggering a storm of reactions on social media. Despite assuring the public of thorough preparation ahead of the examination, the Board has now acknowledged that technical glitches still managed to affect the process in several centres.“We set all the machinery in order, regardless, there were still errors,” an undisclosed senior JAMB official stated, confirming growing fears among stakeholders. Over 300,000 candidates were affected in the five southeast states and Lagos state. They will have a resit.” Following the release of the 2025 UTME results, candidates and parents have flooded social media platforms with complaints and expressions of disappointment over what many have described as a “mass failure.” Alarmingly, even top-performing students—often referred to as “scholars” in their schools and communities—were not spared, prompting widespread outrage and calls for answers from JAMB. Many parents and education advocates have questioned the integrity of the examination process, citing irregularities such as sudden system failures, abrupt logouts, and questionable scoring patterns. In response to the public outcry, JAMB has announced that it will begin a formal review of the complaints on Thursday, May 15, 2025. A panel has been set up to evaluate the conduct of the 2025 UTME, identify any operational challenges, and recommend corrective measures to ensure improved standards in future exams. According to JAMB, the goal of the review is to uphold transparency, restore public confidence, and protect the interests of candidates who may have been unfairly affected. Stakeholders across the education sector are closely watching developments, as students and their families await clarity and possible redress following what has become one of the most controversial UTME cycles in recent years. More updates to follow as the panel begins its review. credit: MIKE-MEDIA

2025 UTME: JAMB WITHHOLDS 39,834 RESULTS OVER EXAM MALPRACTICES 41,027 underage candidates registered, 467 passed, 50 caught cheating The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has withheld the results of 39,834 candidates over alleged involvement in examination malpractices in the just concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made this during the official release of the 2025 UTME results in Abuja on Friday. He also revealed that 80 individuals were currently under investigation for examination-related offences, with Anambra State recording the highest number of suspects with 14 in total.The Registrar noted that 467 underage candidates scored above the minimum benchmark, while 50 others were found to be involved in examination fraud. A total of 2,030,862 candidates registered for the 2025 UTME, which was conducted across 882 CBT centres, each of which was generally monitored by 10 invigilators of different categories. “A total of 39,834 results remain unreleased. Of these, 1,426 results are under scrutiny and processing,” Oloyede said. According to the JAMB boss, out of the figure, 96 candidates’ results were withheld over exam malpractices, a decrease from 123 in the previous year. Oloyede said the Board remained resolute in its commitment to eliminating any form of examination malpractice, adding that 1,957,000 candidates were verified to sit for the exam, while 71,705 were absent. According to him, 2,157 candidates experienced fingerprint rejections due to suspected registration infractions, a figure, he said, was far above acceptable margins and currently under investigation. “The 2025 UTME showed the prevalence of some particular types of infractions, which suggests systemic vulnerabilities or gaps in registration and examination administration and/or monitoring. “The new trends observed were in the Registration and Examination processes, and they were mainly in the following categories: Identity Fraud, and Biometric Fraud of Combined Thumbprint of Candidate,” he said. Other infractions, he said, were impersonation at the point of registration with the active involvement of a few CBT Centres, double registration, and attempted substitution of self by candidates. Oloyede added that 244 candidates were caught engaging in “WhatsApp runs,” subscribing to rogue groups promising leaked questions. He said their results had also been withheld to set a stern example. In some cases, he said, the entire syndicate colluded with CBT centres to register using multiple fingerprints. According to him, as a result of this, 3,656 candidates with “extraneous fingerprints” have had their results withheld, and some CBT centres implicated will face sanctions. He identified the centres as Tigh Technologies Limited, Sascon International School, Maitama, Abuja, and Wudil Computer Information Technology. Wudil, Kano State and Penta M &Amp; Centre 2, Tambuwal LGA, Sokoto, Sokoto State. Oloyede added that 80 suspects were being interrogated by the police for their involvement in the examination malpractices, and most of them would be prosecuted. “The Board has identified the presence of extraneous fingers in the registration details of some of these candidates. This raises concerns regarding potential strategies for impersonation. A total of 3,656 candidates fall within this category. Consequently, the results of the candidates have been withheld. Speaking on underage candidates, Oloyede noted that, as earlier approved by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the opportunity was provided for underage candidates (16 years and below) to showcase their academic abilities. He also recalled that at the last Policy Meeting of the admission policy of the Board, stakeholders resolved to implement the prescribed 16-year minimum age for entry into tertiary institutions, and to raise it to 18 years from 2025, but the Minister on resumption of office upheld the 16-year minimum entry age but halted the implementation of the proposal to raise it to 18 years from 2025. “Even then, provision was made as obtainable in other climes for proven and exceptionally brilliant candidates. “Unfortunately, some vested interests created a wrong impression that the Minister of Education has reduced the prescribed 16-year minimum age for tertiary education. “But in compliance with regulations regarding the stipulated minimum admissible age, the Board restricted registration to candidates who meet the stipulated criteria.“However, it provided an opportunity for acclaimed exceptionally gifted candidates to demonstrate their abilities as long as their performance in UTME, SSCE, P-UTME and Gifted Candidate Test attests to their being exceptionally gifted. “While we recognise that maturity is often correlated with biological age, we also acknowledge that there are exceptional cases. “A total of 41,027 candidates registered for the UTME under this underage category, with assurance that they would face the consequences if they do not meet the prescribed score. “At the end, only 467 candidates attained the minimum UTME score for exceptional candidates, and they are being processed for the remaining 3 stages of assessment. “Successful candidates have been notified of their achievement, while those who do not meet the threshold have also been notified of their inability to meet the prescribed minimum score.” JAMB Registrar also stated that 50 of the underage candidates were implicated in a cheating syndicate scandal. The results for underage candidates as released by JAMB indicated that 467 candidates (1.16%) scored 320 and above; 667 candidates (1.66%) scored 300 to 319; 4, 665 candidates (11.59%) scored 250 to 299; 12, 357 (30.69%) scored 200 to 249; 15, 978 candidates (39.69%) scored 160 to 199; 5,528 candidates (13.73%) scored 140 to 159; 5,541 candidates (1.38%) scored 120 to 139; 30 candidates (0.07%) scored 100 to 119; 15 candidates (0.04%) scored below 100. He said that the Board remained committed to providing the necessary support for persons with disabilities aspiring to pursue tertiary education. He said that for the 2025 UTME, a total of 501 candidates were successfully examined by JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) across 11 centres nationwide. According to Oloyede, the results are also being released, but sadly, one of them was also involved in impersonation. The registrar also said that due to substandard performance, four centres had been delisted and blacklisted for technical deficiencies He therefore said that a list of those blacklisted for fraudulent practices would soon be made public with details of

2025 UTME RESULTS: JAMB OPENS COMPLAINT PORTAL Dear Parents/Guardians, We wish to inform you that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has opened a dedicated portal to address any complaints or issues arising from the recently concluded UTME examination. If your child participated in the exam and is experiencing any concerns, kindly follow the message from JAMB and take the necessary steps using the link provided below: Did you prepare well and still receive a surprisingly low JAMB score? Kindly submit a ticket now. The JAMB technical team is currently reviewing issues, and no further complaints will be entertained after today (Monday). Submit here: https://support.jamb.gov.ng/?k=BWTPZAQRUXTHWANK Thank you for your continued cooperation. Your Faithfully credit: MIKE-MEDIA

NELFUND Pushes for Inclusive Student Loan Access in South-South and South-East Nigerian Educational Loan fund (NELFUND) has called on South-South and South-East institutions to increase student loan awareness and participation, stating the need for regional inclusivity and digital reforms to make sure there is fair and efficient access to higher education funding across Nigeria. The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) made this announcement following a noticeable shortfall in application rates from these areas compared to other geopolitical zones. This call to action was made during a comprehensive, multi-day stakeholders’ engagement and technical workshop, op which was held in Abuja, which brought together representatives from universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education to deliberate on streamlining the student loan process. The session emphasised key themes such as system automation, enhancing transparency, and addressing bottlenecks affecting institutional compliance and student accessibility. NELFUND’s Managing Director and CEO, Akintunde Sawyerr, reiterated the agency’s mission to establish a fully digitized, student-focused, and equitable financial aid ecosystem capable of delivering timely and accountable educational support nationwide. Other notable contributors, including lawmakers and education sector leaders, underscored the vital role of technology integration, stakeholder collaboration, policy reforms, and inclusive practices in ensuring that all students, regardless of region, can benefit from government-backed financial assistance to pursue their academic goals and contribute meaningfully to national development. credit: MIKE-MEDIA

NO GOING BACK ON CBT FOR WAEC, NECO — EDUCATION MINISTER SAYS The Federal Government has insisted that it would go ahead with the transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) by 2026. The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while appearing on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, May 6.His comments came amid growing concerns about the integrity of public examinations, especially following the release of statistics from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which revealed that over 1.5 million of the 1.95 million candidates scored below 200 out of 400. Responding to questions about the poor UTME results and what they indicate about learning outcomes at the senior secondary school level, Alausa said, “That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way. Responding to questions about the poor UTME results and what they indicate about learning outcomes at the senior secondary school level, Alausa said, “That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way. JAMB conducts its exam using a computer-based testing system. They’ve implemented strong security measures, and as a result, fraud or cheating has been nearly eliminated. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for WAEC and NECO.” The minister revealed that the government had conducted a comprehensive review of the country’s examination systems shortly after he assumed office. We carried out a diagnostic review of how exams are conducted nationwide. I set up a committee to investigate this, and I expect to receive their report in the coming days,” he said. “JAMB is now almost 100 per cent fraud-free, but WAEC and NECO still have major lapses. Our youths are intelligent, capable, and energetic. It’s the environment that corrupts them, and we’re determined to fix that.” The minister confirmed that extensive consultations had already been held with the leadership of WAEC, NECO, the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS). “By November this year, WAEC and NECO will begin CBT exams. There’s no going back on that,” he said.In April, the Federal Government formally directed WAEC and NECO to fully adopt CBT for all examinations by 2026.The Ministry of Education specified that objective sections must transition by November 2025, with full integration of both objective and essay components by the 2026 examination cycle. WAEC had already piloted a computer-based format for its private candidates in 2023, with over 8,000 candidates participating in the inaugural edition. credit: MIKE-MEDIA

Court Sentences Portable to Three Months Imprisonment An Ogun State Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Ifo Local Government Area, has sentenced controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola aka Portable, to three months in prison, with an option of a N30,000 fine. Portable was found guilty of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. The musician was arrested in March 2023 after physically attacking a police inspector and obstructing officers who were attempting to serve him an arrest warrant. The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Olumide Awoleke, had earlier informed the court that Habeeb Okikiola committed the offense on 18 November 2022 at approximately 11:00 am in Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District. The charge sheet read “That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, and others now at large, on the 18th day of November 2022 at 11:00 hrs, in Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit: assault, and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State 2006. That you, Habeeb Okikiola Olalomi, on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned district, did unlawfully assault one Osimosu Emmanuel Oluwafemi (male) by beating him all over his body, thereby committing an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 351 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006. That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, on various occasions in the year 2022, at Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District, did steal some musical equipment, including a Yamaha H55 studio monitor, a complete Studio 2 interface connection cable, and an AKG P420 condenser, thereby committing an offense contrary to Sections 384 and 383 and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2006.” In his judgment, Chief Magistrate Babajide Ilo ruled that the singer was guilty of Counts 1 and 2. He sentenced the defendant to one month’s imprisonment with an option of a N10,000 fine for Count 1 and two months’ imprisonment with an option of a N20,000 fine for Count 2. credit: MIKE-MEDIA

OVER 41,000 UNDER 16 CANDIDATES SIT FOR 2025 UTME A total of 41,027 underage candidates were among the 2.03 million who registered for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. This was according to real-time data obtained from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board registration dashboard on Tuesday. According to data available on the Board’s official website as of Monday, 62 cases of examination malpractice have been recorded so far. Recall that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently reinstated the acceptable age for admission into tertiary institutions as 16 years. He emphasised that candidates below this age would not be eligible for admission, although exceptions would be made for academically gifted students. JAMB has also clarified that underage candidates—those below 16—may be considered for admission if they demonstrate academic excellence by scoring 80 per cent or more in the UTME. Given that the examination is scored out of 400 marks, this translates to a minimum of 320.This position by JAMB followed the reversal of the mandatory 18-year age benchmark previously introduced by former Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman. The return to the 16-year benchmark has been widely supported by stakeholders across the education sector. Speaking at a recent meeting with key stakeholders—including Chief External Examiners, Chief Technical Advisors, and members of the Equal Opportunity Group—JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, reiterated that while the 16-year age requirement remains the standard, candidates under that age may be granted admission only under strict, exceptional conditions. Meanwhile, the Minister of Education has directed that by November 2025, both the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council must begin administering their objective tests via Computer-Based Testing. According to Alausa, by the May/June 2026 examination season, both the objective and essay components of WAEC and NECO exams are expected to be fully transitioned to CBT—a move aimed at further curbing examination malpractice. credit: MIKE-MEDIA