By Henry Obetta

The Deputy National Secretary of the National Association of University Students (NAUS) has described the recently concluded JAMB UTME examination, which left over 300,000 candidates stranded, as clear evidence of the systematic collapse of Nigeria’s education sector.

In a statement by its Deputy Speaker, Tosin Joshua, NAUS condemned the situation, emphasizing that it mirrors the broader decay of the nation’s educational infrastructure.

“We stand today not only as student leaders but as citizens witnessing the systematic annihilation of our collective future. The recent JAMB UTME scandal, which left over 300,000 candidates stranded in a quagmire of technical failures and administrative ineptitude, is a disgrace that mirrors the broader decay of Nigeria’s education sector,” he stated.

Joshua further criticized the 2023 education budget allocation of 8.8%, describing it as marginally higher yet insulting to students who continue to suffer in overcrowded lecture halls, with unpaid lecturers and examination centers resembling humanitarian crisis zones.

He lamented the high cost of tuition fees nationwide, noting that it renders a substandard educational system largely inaccessible to many impoverished citizens.

NAUS also called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to urgently investigate the JAMB UTME technical failures and sanction negligent officials responsible for the ordeal.

The association further demanded a national memorial for Opesusi Faith Timilehin and other victims of the JAMB scandal, adding:

“Your legacy is etched in the ruins of our universities and the graves of students like Timilehin. We reject your hollow promises. The time for half-measures is over.”