Admission Debate as Distraction: The minister’s misplaced focus amid ASUU strike, by Dr Tukur Madu Yemi
While the nation is still grappling with the realities of a collapsing education system, it is unfortunate that the Minister of Education is busy discussing university admission requirements, a clear attempt to divert public attention from the ongoing ASUU strike and the deeper crises facing Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
At a time when university gates remain shut, academic calendars are disrupted, and thousands of students’ futures hang in uncertainty, the Minister’s public statements betray a troubling disconnect from the realities in our classrooms and campuses. The real question is not about who should gain admission into universities, but whether the universities themselves are functional, adequately funded, and capable of delivering quality education in 21st-century Nigeria.
It is important to draw the attention of the Honourable Minister of Education to the fact that his recent statements and body language do not reflect a deep understanding of the true condition of education in Nigeria. The challenges confronting the system go far beyond admission policies; they stem from years of neglect, underfunding, and policy inconsistency that have eroded the quality and credibility of our institutions.
The Minister should tell the world how such a crucial issue like the ASUU strike could be allowed to fester, even after the union sent several warning letters drawing the government’s attention to its grievances; letters which ultimately led to the constitution of the Yayà Committee in early 2024. What became of that committee’s report? Why has it not been implemented? How can a nation claim to value education while treating the legitimate concerns of its university lecturers with indifference? These are the questions Nigerians expect the Minister to address, not diversionary debates on admission requirements.
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What the nation urgently needs is not another superficial discussion on admission criteria but a comprehensive reform agenda that tackles the real problems:
– The endless ASUU strikes are caused by government insensitivity and broken promises.
– The decaying infrastructure across our universities and secondary schools.
– Poor remuneration and welfare of lecturers leading to mass brain drain.
– Rampant examination malpractice that undermines academic integrity.
– The growing commercialisation of education at the expense of quality, equity, and access.
Today, over two million Nigerian youths remain trapped between interrupted studies and uncertain futures due to strikes and poor policy direction. Many are migrating abroad in search of stable and credible education systems. This brain drain, both of lecturers and students—is a silent national emergency that the Ministry of Education seems unwilling or unable to confront.
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Nigeria’s education sector is bleeding. The Minister must rise above rhetoric and demonstrate genuine leadership and commitment to rebuilding the system. Until the government confronts the root causes, corruption, underfunding, and misplaced priorities, no admission reform will make any meaningful difference.
What the sector needs is not distraction, but direction, dedication, and decisive action. The time has come for the Ministry of Education to stop talking about admissions and start talking about solutions.
Dr Tukur Madu Yemi writes from the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe.
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