Education
UNIBEN’s Inordinate Circle of Fees and Harvests of Protest
By Jerome-Mario Utomi
Separate from the awareness that the euphoria which heralded the epoch appointments of Professor Lillian Imuetinyan Salami, a home economist/nutritionist and former Dean of the Faculty of Education, as the second female vice-chancellor after Grace Alele Williams, and the 10th substantive vice-chancellor of the University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, has faded and jeer overtaken the cheers of expectation while fears have displaced reason, resulting in an entirely separate set of consequences, irrational hatred and division, I must say that the recent news report that the students of UNIBEN, September 14, 2021, blocked the Lagos-Benin highway in protest over imposition of, but now reversed N20,000 late registration charges by the school management, did not come to be as a surprise.
Rather, like the generality of Nigerians who earlier believed that the appointment of a new VC, a few years ago will usher in fresh breathe too and save the students and their parents from financial emasculation, the recent protest convinced all that nothing has changed in the university’s love for visiting their students with unjust laws/policies.
As we know, a just law is ‘a man-made code that squares with moral laws or the laws and uplifts human personalities, while an unjust law on the other hand is a code that is out of harmony with moral laws.’
This assertion is predicated on two separate but similar realities. First was a similar protest by students of the school dated Friday, November 1, 2019, to register their grievances over the poor state of infrastructures and incessant fees charged by the school authorities.
The second reason enjoys a link with the first (the 2019 protest) but stemmed from the content of my earlier intervention/ reaction to the appointment of Professor Lillian Imuetinyan Salami as the school’s new VC; that was in 2019.
Aside from congratulating the new VC, the piece, which had as title; Tasks ahead of Professor Salami, the new VC of UNIBEN, highlighted how in recent time the institution has defined leaning too narrowly in a manner devoid of process and outcome fairness; got preoccupied with revenue generation without consideration to the students comfort or wellbeing; identify errors among students without beaming searchlight on internal occurrences.
It concluded by reminding the new VC that if she does nothing about this, it simply means our youths, and the nation by extension is faced with a bleak future.
Conversely, if she is able to correct the above challenges; it will be her most powerful accomplishment for earning new respect and emulation.
Presently, the impulse in the school particularly the recent protest and student’s description of the decision of the university management as harsh, as it did not take into consideration “the unfavourable economic situation in the country, explains that the institution is still characterized as a neck-deep in an inordinate circle of fees and should be ready to harvest from students baskets of protest.
More than anything else, the present happening stands as emblematic prove that the school management is still unmindful of the fact that ‘if learning must persist, teachers must also look inward, reflect critically on their own behaviour, and identify the ways they often advertently or inadvertently contribute to the institution’s problems and then change how they act, it more than anything else points to the fact that nothing has changed.
Admittedly, Nigerians and of course the global community particularly development professionals do not think that what the federal government is doing when it comes to perennial underfunding of public universities is the best way to encourage education in the country as such failures/failings and shortfalls daily impedes lecturers from carrying out scholarly researches, truncates academic calendar with strike actions, lace Nigerian universities with dilapidated and overstretched learning facilities with the universities producing graduates devoid of linkage with the manpower demand by the nation’s industrial sector. This partly explains the dilemma of public universities administrators.
But when one juxtaposes the above fact with the ongoing challenge particularly, the now reversed late registration charges; one will discover that if what happens in other universities is a challenge, that of UNIBEN is a crisis.
To support this claim, let’s listen to the UNIBEN VC as she talked about the reversal of the N20,000 late registration charges; “It is important to mention that this reversal in position will not break the University of Benin. I fundamentally believe that there are very few decisions that are irreversible and this is definitely not one of them. At this time, the N20,000 late fee is reversed and it is a closed case.
“UNIBEN is resilient and we will continue to move forward with a strong conviction to ensure that the university reaches its full potential as a premier academic institution,” she added.
The above comment naturally elicits the following posers; if the school leadership knows that reversing such a position will not break the University of Benin, why did they come up with it in the first instance? If they (as they claim) are aware that UNIBEN is resilient and will continue to move forward with a strong conviction to ensure that the university reaches its full potential as a premier academic institution, why are they overburdening students with a circle of fees?
Is the underfunding of tertiary institutions in Nigeria by the federal government UNIBEN-specific? If not, why are they in the habit of transferring such aggression to innocent students and their parents?
As the students noted, why is the school management not bringing into consideration “the unfavourable economic situation in the country before slamming N20,000 late registration charges on the students? Why can’t they (management) look for more civil/creative ways of generating income for the school without overburdening the students and their parents?
While answer(s) to the above is awaited from UNIBEN leadership, another argument by the VC that cannot hold water when faced with embarrassing fact is her statement that; “Early registration is critical for effective operations of the university; it provides insight into the students’ volume/demand and allows for smarter planning to ensure that we have enough staff, courses and funding supporting our students accordingly. It is important to note that in the past, other non-financial interventions in attempts to urge early registration have failed.”
If that is the true position, it may again necessitate the question as to the logic/reason behind outrageous and out of order acceptance fees charged by the UNIBEN management?
Take as another illustration, presently, new students pay about N63,000.00 for Education, Management and Engineering faculties, while Medical students are made to cough out about N75,000 as acceptance fees.
Comparatively, while UNIBEN charges the above, other federal universities such as; the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the Federal University of Petroleum and Resources (FUPRA), Warri, Delta State and the Federal University of Agriculture (FUUNAB), Abeokuta, Ogun State, receive amounts that are far low. These are verifiable facts.
By this analysis, the UNIBEN’s clumsy and discomforting attitude to the fresh students is led bare. Against this backdrop, the question that, begs for an answer(s) is; how did UNIBEN arrive at the above fees in the first instance?
I hold the opinion that the university needs a new vision and students-friendly reforms and policies that will re-engineer quality and affordable education.
Jerome-Mario Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via [email protected]/08032725374.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government announces the introduction of a National Textbook Ranking System for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools across the country as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen quality assurance and standardisation in Nigeria’s education sector.
The development was disclosed in a Monday statement signed by Mrs Folasade Boriowo, the Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, noting that the initiative is designed to address the growing proliferation of textbooks in schools and ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-compliant learning materials are approved for classroom use.
The Implementation of the National Textbook Ranking System will commence from the September 2026 academic session, following the establishment of the Standing Subject Committees and completion of the evaluation framework.
The statement disclosed that the Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suiwaba Sai’d Ahmad, stated that under the new system, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to exercise its statutory authority to approve textbooks for use in Nigerian schools.
The Ministry explained that the textbooks will now be ranked through a structured national evaluation process to determine the most suitable and highest-quality options for each subject and level of education.
The statement reads, “As part of the reform, NERDC will establish Standing Subject Committees comprising experts in relevant subject areas. These committees will conduct rigorous reviews of textbooks submitted by publishers and evaluate them based on clearly defined academic and pedagogical standards.
“Following this evaluation process, only a limited number of textbooks will be ranked and approved for use in schools for each subject, ensuring improved quality control and consistency in teaching and learning materials across the country.”
The Ministry explained that the introduction of the ranking system is expected to significantly reduce the excessive number of textbooks currently in circulation in many schools, which has often created confusion for teachers, students and parents.
The statement added, “The reform also aims to bring greater transparency, order and quality assurance into the textbook approval process while aligning Nigeria’s education system with international best practices in instructional material standardisation.
“Under the new policy, NERDC will continue its responsibility of licensing textbooks. However, any textbook that is not ranked under the new system will not be permitted for use in Nigerian schools, regardless of prior licensing status.”
The statement further revealed that the Education Ministry will communicate the new ranking policy to teachers and other key stakeholders in the education sector to ensure proper awareness and compliance with the new framework.
The federal government reaffirmed that the reform forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the quality of education delivery, enhance learning outcomes and ensure that Nigerian students are equipped with the best possible learning resources.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The winner of the 2026 African Spelling Bee Championship, Ms Adeolu Oreofe, has been congratulated by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President described the outstanding achievement of the 14-year-old student as the importance of sustained investment in education, literacy, and youth development.
The student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College in Ado Ekiti claimed the championship in the Junior Category in Harare, Zimbabwe recently.
She defeated contestants from over 20 African countries to claim the continental crown, which comes with a $5,000 educational scholarship.
She finished second at the 2023 MTN Spelling Bee and the 2024 Ekiti State Spelling Bee. She then placed fifth at the 2025 African Spelling Bee and second at the 2025 Nigeria Spelling Bee, before clinching the first prize this year in the continental championship.
Mr Tinubu applauded Oreofe’s dedication, as well as the unwavering support of parents, teachers, and mentors who contributed to this remarkable success, noting that she did not allow earlier disappointments to deter her from her determination to reach the top.
“I am convinced that this feat not only brings honour to Nigeria on the continental stage but also serves as an inspiration to millions of young Nigerians to pursue excellence in academics and personal development.
“As a government, we will continue to strengthen the education sector by creating opportunities that enable Nigerian youths to compete and excel globally. I wish Miss Oreofe continued success in her future endeavours,” the President further said in the statement by his chief spokesman.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has made new appointments in the country’s educational sector, covering the National Examination Council (NECO), the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE), the Federal Polytechnic in N’yak Shendam, Plateau State, and the National Library of Nigeria, all institutions under the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to a statement on Wednesday, President Tinubu appointed Professor Modupe Adeola Adelabu as Chairman of the Governing Board of NECO, and retained the current registrar, Professor Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi.
The President also appointed Dr Bongfa Binfa as Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, N’yak-Shendam, Plateau State, and renewed the tenure of Professor Chinwe Veronica Anunobi as chief executive of the National Library of Nigeria.
For the chairmanship of the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE), President Tinubu appointed Professor Babatunde Salako.
On April 10, President Tinubu reappointed the incumbent executive secretary, Professor Idris M Bugaje, for a second and final term of five years.
Professor Adelabu, who will chair NECO, is a retired Professor of educational administration who rose through the ranks to full professorship at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
She was a former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State (2013- 2014) and the Chairman of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) between 2018 and 2021.
Professor Babatunde Salako, the new chair of NBTE, is a globally respected researcher with decades of experience in higher education, institutional governance and national policy leadership.
He previously served as the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) from 2016 to 2024, a period during which the institute experienced significant revitalisation, enhanced research governance, expanded international collaborations, and improved infrastructure and research outputs.
Dr Binfa, from Plateau State, succeeds Dr Mukaila Zakari Ya’u, the pioneer Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, N’yak-Shendam, whose tenure expired on March 16, 2026.
President Tinubu approved the appointment of Dr Binfa for a single term of five years, following the conclusion of the process for appointing a new Rector through a public advertisement in national dailies in September 2025.
Dr Binfa holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mechanical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Before this appointment, Dr Binfa was Deputy Rector (Academic) at the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny. He was also a Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Federal Polytechnic, Idah.
President Tinubu approved the renewal of the tenure of Professor Chinwe Veronica Anunobi as CEO of the National Library of Nigeria for a final term of five years. She was first appointed on September, 2, 2021.
Since assuming office, she has led several institutional reforms aimed at repositioning the National Library as a modern technology-driven knowledge institution, including the development and operationalisation of the National Repository of Nigeria, the Newspaper and Magazine Locator, the Index and Abstract to Nigerian Newspapers, and the National Virtual Library of Nigeria.
She has also played a strategic role in advancing the long-awaited completion of the National Library Headquarters project and in initiating plans to migrate heritage collections from the 34 state branches to the new headquarters in Abuja.
According to the statement, the President expects that the renewal of her tenure would ensure continuity in the implementation of ongoing reforms, completion of the National Library Headquarters project, and execution of the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan of the institution.
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