The National Association of University Students (NAUS) has described the recent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) crisis, which left over 300,000 candidates stranded due to technical failures, as a stark indicator of the deepening collapse of Nigeria’s education sector.
In a statement issued by NAUS Deputy Speaker, Tosin Joshua, the association condemned the conduct of the 2024 UTME organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), citing widespread administrative lapses and persistent technical breakdowns.
“We stand today not only as student leaders but as citizens witnessing the systematic annihilation of our collective future,” Joshua declared.
“The recent JAMB UTME scandal, which left hundreds of thousands of candidates stranded in a quagmire of technical failures and administrative ineptitude, is a disgrace that reflects the broader decay of Nigeria’s educational system.”
Joshua further criticized the 2023 national budget allocation to education, pegged at 8.8%, calling it a marginal improvement that remains grossly insufficient.
He highlighted the dire conditions in public universities, where students endure overcrowded classrooms, poorly equipped facilities, and an academic environment frequently disrupted by unpaid staff.
The NAUS statement also addressed the growing inaccessibility of higher education due to rising tuition fees, which it says are increasingly unaffordable for millions of underprivileged Nigerians. Joshua warned that such financial barriers are entrenching inequality and undermining the future of the nation’s youth.
In light of the UTME failures, NAUS called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to launch an immediate and transparent investigation into the events, urging that all officials found culpable be sanctioned accordingly.
The association also demanded a national memorial in honor of Opesusi Faith Timilehin and other students adversely affected by the UTME debacle.
“Your legacy is etched in the ruins of our universities and the graves of students like Timilehin,” the statement concluded. “We reject your hollow promises. The time for half-measures is over.”
NAUS reiterated its commitment to continue advocating for quality, accessible, and accountable education in Nigeria.
