Education - Abia ThinkTank News

May

2026

Don’t Rely On Certificates; Acquire Digital Skills To Excel, Otti Tasks Youths

Don’t Rely On Certificates; Acquire Digital Skills To Excel, Otti Tasks Youths Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti has charged youths participating in the advanced digital skills programme of the state government not to only rely on their certificates but also strive to acquire digital skills to enable them to excel in the 21st-century economy. The Governor gave the charge while flagging off the Techrise Cohort 3, a 3-month programme dedicated to empowering 850 youths of the state with advanced digital skills. Otti, who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzo Nwachukwu, tasked them…

May

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

We’re Yet To Activate 2026 UTME Results Slip Printing Portal – JAMB

News Flash, Education

We’re Yet To Activate 2026 UTME Result Slip Printing Portal – JAMB The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it has not yet activated the portal for printing the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Original Result Slip. JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, made this known in a statement shared on his official X handle, where he appealed to candidates to remain patient while the board concludes ongoing examinations. According to him, the board recently completed the foreign UTME examinations and is also preparing for the mop-up examination for candidates who missed the main exercise through no fault…

May

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

NYSC Begins Enforcement Of NERD Certificate Verification For Mobilisation

Education, FGN, News Flash

NYSC Begins Enforcement Of NERD Certificate Verification For Mobilisation The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says prospective corps members will now present compliance certificates from the Nigeria Educational Repository and Databank (NERD) before mobilisation. The Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu stated this on Monday in Abuja during the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Mobilisation Workshop focused on strengthening accountability and compliance within the mobilisation process nationwide. The NERD is a federal government initiative aimed at improving verification and documentation of academic records while curbing certificate fraud across educational institutions nationwide. Mr Nafiu said implementation of the compliance requirement would commence from…

May

2026

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155 Days Of Motion: How Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi Is Rebranding The University Of Abuja – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abuja, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Education

155 Days of Motion: How Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi Is Rebranding the University of Abuja There are leaders who enter office with noise. There are leaders who enter with ceremony. And there are leaders who enter with work.Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, now Yakubu Gowon University, belongs to the third class. In only 155 completed days in office, counting from 11 December 2025 to 15 May 2026, he has begun to write a fresh administrative signature across the institution: a signature of stability, infrastructure, partnership, research, welfare, security, and institutional dignity. For a university that…

May

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

FGN Approves 5-Year Degree Programme For Colleges Of Education

Education, FGN, News Flash

FG Approves 5-Year Degree Programme For Colleges Of Education The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has confirmed receipt of ‘Ministarial Directives’ on the Dual Mandate and the Continuous Five (5)-Year NCE Degree Programme Colleges of Education. This will provide for transition from the existing 3-year NCE and 4-year degree structure to a 3-year NCE plus 2-year degree pathway. According to the directives issued on 5 May 2026, all Colleges of Education operating the Dual Mandate 4-year degree programme are to discontinue admissions into the programme. The colleges are to commence full implementation of the new structure from the…

Apr

2026

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UTME 2026: JAMB Shifts First Session Arrival Time After Backlash

Education, News Flash

UTME 2026: JAMB Shifts First Session Arrival Time After Backlash The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced an adjustment to the arrival time for candidates sitting the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), particularly those scheduled for the first session. The board also released a detailed timetable for candidates participating in its Computer-Based Tests (CBT), outlining arrival and examination times from Monday through Friday. In a notice posted on its X handle on Monday, JAMB stated that candidates for the first session are now expected to arrive at their examination centres by 7:00 a.m., instead of the earlier scheduled…

Apr

2026

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Federal Education Ministry Okays Ohafia For CBT Centres

Abia North, Education, FGN, News Flash, Ohafia LGA

Federal Education Ministry Okays Ohafia for CBT Centres The Federal Ministry of Education has okayed five facilities to serve as computer-based test centres for national examinations at Ohafia, following an inspection of the sites by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, under the auspices of the Ohafia Improvement Union (OIU). The endorsement is subsequent to recommendations by the inspection team of the Teachers Council. The team had last month inspected Collins Memorial College, Akanu Civic Centre, Amangwu Civic Hall, Amamgwu Ohafia US Library Centre, National Open University, Asaga and Asaga Civic Centre to determine their suitability for the establishment of…

Mar

2026

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Abia’s School Enrolment Debate: Data, Context, And The Reform Push Under Otti- By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Education

Abia’s School Enrolment Debate: Data, Context, and the Reform Push Under Otti The argument over Abia’s education sector has become one of the loudest political conversations in the state. Social-media posts often present photographs of deteriorated school buildings and conclude that nothing has changed. Yet a closer look at enrolment statistics, policy reforms, and independent reporting suggests a more complex reality—one that reflects both years of accumulated neglect and a new push to rebuild confidence in public education. The Baseline Otti InheritedTo understand the current debate, it is necessary to begin with the baseline. Before the present administration came into…

Mar

2026

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President Tinubu Approves Additional 50,000 For NYSC Mobilization In 2026

Education, News Flash, Presidency

Tinubu Approves Additional 50,000 For NYSC Mobilisation In 2026 The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, says President Bola Tinubu has approved an additional 50,000 eligible graduates for mobilisation in 2026. Nafiu disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during the commissioning of a remodelled clinic at the NYSC headquarters to mark his one year in office. He said the approval was part of efforts to address delays in mobilisation and improve opportunities for graduates awaiting national service. “Government listens and acts when people bring up issues that are in their name. “In response to this…

Mar

2026

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Demystifying The “N97bn Schools/57% Enrolment” Debate: Understanding The Abia Education Reform Conversation – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Education

Demystifying the “₦97bn Schools / 57% Enrolment” Debate: Understanding the Abia Education Reform Conversation The current debate about Abia’s education sector has become a clash between dramatic photographs and fiscal interpretation. On one side are circulating images of dilapidated schools used to argue that nothing has changed. On the other side are government statements about increased enrolment and ongoing school rehabilitation. The responsible position lies somewhere between these extremes: separating verifiable records from exaggerated claims. The ₦97 Billion Claim: A Question of ClassificationOne of the loudest accusations is that ₦97 billion has been spent on building or rehabilitating schools in…