Education

Looming strike: ASUU asks NASS, others to intervene

Published

6 months ago

August 27, 2025

Looming strike: ASUU asks NASS, others to intervene

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has called on stakeholders, including the National Assembly, religious leaders, traditional rulers and students, to caution the Federal Government against pushing university teachers to embark on a nationwide strike.

The call came on the heels of protests by members of the union across the country, especially in Federal Government-owned universities.

This is just as the union described the decision of the government to offer its members loans as a Greek gift which, according to it, is unnecessary if the government paid their dues and entitlements.

We won’t allow matters to degenerate —FG

But the government in its immediate response, yesterday, expressed optimism that it would not be allowed to degenerate to a full blown industrial action.

Director of Public Affairs, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Folasade Boriowo, who stated this yesterday, said: “A delegation of the Federal Ministry of Education, to be led by the Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, will be meeting with the leaders of the union on Thursday (tomorrow) and I am confident that things would be sorted out. Nothing will be allowed to get out of hand.’’

However, leading his members on a protest around the campus, University of Lagos, UNILAG, branch chairman, Prof. Idou Keinde, said: “The loans are to be guaranteed by our union. This is not necessary, the governing council of each university can give loans to our members based on our condition of service.

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Our patience being exhausted —Akure Zone

The Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Akure Zone, Professor Adeola Egbedokun, expressed deep concern over the alleged failure of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to attend to the various demands of the union since his assumption of office two years ago.

Egbedokun, who spoke at a briefing at Federal University, Oye Ekiti, yesterday, said the Federal Government’s failure to heed ASUU’s several calls and agitations had pushed the lecturers to the edge, adding that their patience had been stretched to its breaking point.

The ASUU leader said: “We will fight back and the consequences would be damning, except the government takes a decisive step to attend to all our requests urgently.

“While we take note of the government’s planned meeting of August 28, 2025, let it be clear that the clock is ticking, and time is no longer on the government’s side. Our patience has been stretched to its breaking point.

ASUU shuts UNIUYO, suspends exams

At the University of Uyo, UNIUYO, the protesting lecturers, led by Prof. Opeyemi Olajide, the chairperson, ASUU UNIUYO, said: “Today (yesterday), university lecturers are staging a protest to let the world know how Federal Government is treating us with disdain.

‘’The government has decided to destroy public university system as it did to public primary and secondary schools.”

He ordered all students, who came for their Computer-Based Test, CBT, exams to go home as no examination would be administered, threatening that the union might embark on indefinite strike if nothing was done to address their concerns.

Renew our hope now, says UNIJOS ASUU

Similarly, lecturers at the University of Jos, led by the branch chairperson, Comrade Jurbe Molwus, called on President Tinubu to renew their hope.

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According to him, the hope of members in the FG doing the needful is fading away.

“Time is running out. Considering the fact that we have been on this renegotiation for over eight years, trust has been destroyed by government,” he cautioned.

Meet our demands or …—MOUAU ASUU

ASUU members at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, accused the government of insensitivity over their plight.

Speaking during the protest, chairman of ASUU, MOUAU chapter, Professor Chike Ugwuene, said the current economic realities had made the 2009 renegotiated agreement, which recommended less than N500,000 as take-home for a professor, a mockery, arguing that the recommendation was far less than the African average of N1.5 million.

ASUU also demanded the release of N150 billion revalidation fund to universities as captured in the 2025 budget.

UNIABUJA joins

ASUU members at the University of Abuja, also joined the nationwide protest.

Addressing the protesters, Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, chairman of ASUU, UNIABUJA chapter, said the action was aimed at drawing the attention of the federal government and the public to the worsening hardship confronting academic staff.

He revealed that the government currently owed lecturers three and a half months’ salaries, a full year arrears of the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards, as well as over five years of unpaid promotion arrears.

Ebonyi varsity ASUU too

The protest paralysed academic activities at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, as the lecturers marched along the major roads within and outside the school.

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The chairperson of ASUU AE-FUNAI, Comrade Louis Omenyi, while briefing newsmen after the protest, accused the Federal Government of paying lecturers obsolete and expired salaries structure, describing it as unacceptable.

We’ll shut down universities indefinitely if …—UI ASUU

Lecturers at the University of Ibadan, UI, and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, also staged a peaceful protest yesterday, warning President Tinubu to sign the renegotiated agreement with the union by August 28 or risk a full-scale strike across Nigeria’s public universities.

The lecturers, joined by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, said they had been “pushed to the wall” by the federal government’s prolonged delay in honouring agreements dating back as far as 2009.

At UI, ASUU chairman, Dr. Adefemi Afolabi, led the protest, alongside Oyo State NLC chairman, Mr Kayode Martins.

Unilorin ASUU stages protest

The chairman of the union at University of Ilorin, Dr. Alex Akanmu, said: “University workers are not slaves, increase budgetary allocation for education. As peace loving as we are, we can no longer allow the welfare of our members to be subjected to the delay tactics of this government.

UNIMAID ASUU protests

Speaking on behalf of the protesters at the University of Maiduguri, the ASUU chairman, Dr. Abubakar Mshelia, said treating intellectuals with such disregard cannot result to meaningful progress in Nigeria.

He said: “Professors who have dedicated over four decades to educating generations retire on a meagre N150,000 under the contributory pension scheme, while inflation exceeds 21 per cent.

‘’This is not just a labour issue, it is a national disgrace. A country that treats its intellectuals with such disregard cannot expect meaningful progress.”

Looming strike: ASUU asks NASS, others to intervene

Vanguard

Education

Supreme Court Affirms Muslim Students’ Right to Worship at Rivers State University

Published

5 hours ago

February 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Supreme Court Affirms Muslim Students’ Right to Worship at Rivers State University

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has ruled in favor of Muslim students at Rivers State University (RSU), affirming their constitutional right to practice Islam and perform religious activities on campus. The landmark judgment, delivered on February 10, 2026, closes a legal battle that has lasted for over a decade.

The ruling reinforces Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion for all Nigerians.

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Rivers State Area Unit, hailed the judgment as a historic affirmation of constitutional rights and the rule of law.

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The case traces back to 2012, when a mosque on the university campus was demolished, leaving Muslim students without a dedicated place of worship. The matter passed through the Federal High Court in 2013 and the Court of Appeal in 2017, before finally reaching the Supreme Court.

In a statement, the MSSN emphasized that the ruling is not a victory for one religion over another but a triumph for constitutionalism, equity, and justice. The society commended Muslim students for their discipline, resilience, and peaceful conduct throughout the legal process and acknowledged the efforts of its legal team and community leaders.

The MSSN called on Rivers State University management and relevant authorities to implement the ruling promptly by providing a dedicated and befitting place of worship for Muslim students on campus. The organization also urged students to respond with gratitude and maturity, emphasizing peaceful coexistence and mutual respect within the university community.

Experts believe this decision will have far-reaching implications for religious accommodation and inclusivity in public tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

Supreme Court Affirms Muslim Students’ Right to Worship at Rivers State University

Education

UI Don Develops KoEDE App to Revive Yoruba Language Learning Among Children

Published

8 hours ago

February 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Computer scientist at the University of Ibadan (UI), Dr. Ronke Sakpere

UI Don Develops KoEDE App to Revive Yoruba Language Learning Among Children

A computer scientist at the University of Ibadan (UI), Dr. Ronke Sakpere, has developed a mobile application, KoEDE, aimed at strengthening Yoruba language learning among children through gamified digital tools and innovative pedagogy.

Sakpere disclosed this in Ibadan while speaking on the motivation behind the project, noting that the initiative responds to growing concerns about the decline in fluency in indigenous languages among Nigerian children, especially in urban areas where English dominates communication at home and in schools.

Addressing Declining Indigenous Language Fluency

Nigeria is home to over 500 indigenous languages, yet experts have continued to warn about weakening intergenerational transmission, as many children increasingly struggle to speak their mother tongues fluently.

Although the National Policy on Education recommends the use of mother tongue instruction in the early years of schooling, implementation has remained inconsistent due to structural, curriculum, and resource challenges.

Dr. Sakpere explained that the idea for KoEDE was conceived in 2022 during her participation in the Empowering The Teacher (ETT) Fellowship Programme at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States.

“I enrolled in a technology design course at the MIT Media Lab, which required us to develop a project. After reflection, I realised that many children back home do not speak their native languages fluently,” she said.

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She added that a pilot study she conducted confirmed the urgency of the problem, prompting her to design a technology-driven intervention to support African children in learning their indigenous languages.

Gamification and Constructivist Learning Approach

According to Sakpere, KoEDE was built using gamification principles and constructivist pedagogy, making language learning interactive, engaging, and learner-centred.

The app features:

Puzzles and word games
Sentence formation exercises
Touch-and-drag interactive tasks
Structured learning across beginner, intermediate, and expert levels
Audio pronunciation guides and visual illustrations

She explained that the app includes a reward-based system, where learners earn points for correct answers. Unlike traditional rigid assessment models, it does not heavily penalise wrong responses, encouraging sustained participation and confidence-building.

“It also allows learners to study at their own pace, supported with visuals and audio to strengthen pronunciation and comprehension,” she noted.

Collaboration and Funding Support

The final phase of the four-year development project was executed in collaboration with the Yoruba Centre, University of Ibadan, an institution renowned for teaching Yoruba both locally and internationally.

Sakpere revealed that the project initially faced funding constraints until 2024, when it received a grant from AlumNode, under the auspices of the Klaus Tschira Stiftung, a German foundation. She described the funding as critical in enhancing the app’s technical infrastructure and covering human resource costs.

Public Launch and Future Expansion

The KoEDE app has been uploaded to the Google Play Store and has undergone internal testing by more than 20 students ahead of its official public launch scheduled for February 23.

Currently focused on Yoruba language education, Sakpere disclosed plans to expand the platform to other major Nigerian languages, including Igbo and Hausa, in subsequent versions.

“In the next version, we hope to introduce synchronous learning features that will allow learners to interact in real time. We also intend to integrate relevant Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to personalise learning,” she said.

Strengthening Indigenous Languages Through EdTech

Education stakeholders say initiatives like KoEDE highlight the growing role of Educational Technology (EdTech) in preserving indigenous languages and promoting cultural identity in a rapidly digitising world.

By combining technology, pedagogy, and cultural heritage, KoEDE represents a significant step toward ensuring that the Yoruba language remains vibrant and accessible to younger generations.

UI Don Develops KoEDE App to Revive Yoruba Language Learning Among Children

Education

NABTEB Releases 2025 Nov/Dec NBC, NTC Results Nationwide

Published

3 days ago

February 9, 2026

Trends Admin

NABTEB Releases 2025 Nov/Dec NBC, NTC Results Nationwide

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has officially released the 2025 November/December NBC and NTC examination results, giving thousands of candidates nationwide access to their performance in the just-concluded exams.

Announcing the release at the board’s headquarters in Benin City, NABTEB Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Mohammed, said the results were made public 64 days after the last paper, underscoring the board’s commitment to efficiency and transparency.

According to NABTEB, a total of 61,591 candidates sat for the NBC, NTC, ANBC, and ANTC examinations across the country. Of this number, over 34,000 candidates recorded five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, a key benchmark for employment, technical training, and further education.

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The board also reported a notable decline in examination malpractice, attributing the improvement to tighter supervision, enhanced monitoring, and increased use of technology during the examination process.

Dr. Mohammed said the outcome reflects NABTEB’s growing role in strengthening technical and vocational education in Nigeria, adding that the board remains focused on producing skilled manpower capable of driving national development.

Candidates have been advised to check their results on the official NABTEB results portal, while institutions and employers were urged to continue recognising NBC and NTC certificates as credible qualifications for skills-based careers.

The release of the results has been welcomed by stakeholders, who say the improved performance and reduced malpractice signal renewed confidence in the NABTEB examination system.