The Deputy National Secretary of the National Association of University Students (NAUS), Tosin Joshua, has labelled the recent JAMB UTME examination debacle—which left more than 300,000 candidates stranded—as “proof of the systematic annihilation” of Nigeria’s education system.
In a scathing statement, Joshua blamed technical failures and “administrative ineptitude” for plunging countless young Nigerians into uncertainty and frustration. “We stand today not only as student leaders but as citizens witnessing the systematic collapse of our collective future,” he declared, describing exam centres overwhelmed by glitches as “resembling humanitarian crisis zones.”
Joshua also condemned the education sector’s funding levels, noting that the 2023 budget allocation of just 8.8 percent of the national budget was “marginally higher yet insulting” to students who endure overcrowded lecture halls, unpaid lecturers, and prohibitive tuition fees that place quality learning out of reach for many.
Calling for urgent accountability, NAUS has demanded that the Federal Government and the National Assembly launch a full investigation into the JAMB technical breakdown, sanction those at fault and provide redress for affected candidates. The association further called for a national memorial to honour Opesusi Faith Timilehin and other victims of the crisis, asserting: “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.”
