• Directs varsities to adopt hybrid learning models

With about 75 per cent of potential students being denied entry into tertiary institutions in the country yearly, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has charged universities to tackle the significant shortfall in admissions.

He made the call on Friday in Abuja during a meeting with Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities.

The minister also instructed all institutions to adopt hybrid learning models by 2025 as part of ongoing reforms.

This mandate, he said, aims to encourage universities to focus on specialised education programmes to address the widening skills gap in the workforce.

He noted that by doing so, institutions can better equip students with the skills required to succeed in their chosen careers, ultimately benefiting the economy.

Alausa lamented that every year, around two million people apply to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for admission to universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, but only about 330,000 are admitted, resulting in an admission rate of 22-25 per cent.

He said this leaves a significant number of applicants, around 75 per cent, without access to higher education.

His words: “Every year, two million people apply to JAMB to either go to universities, polytechnics, or the colleges of education. Of those two million people, we have an admission rate of just about 330,000 people admitted.

“So that translates to an admission rate of just between 22 and 25 per cent. So what happens to those 75 per cent, year over year?

“We have invested a lot of money in building infrastructure, which are meant for the students. So, we shouldn’t be limiting the number of people we admit to our universities based on available accommodation.

“And if you want to provide accommodation for your students, you can negotiate with private builders out of the university within a certain mileage of the university. That’s one side of the pie.”

The minister stressed that universities must embrace modern technology, particularly hybrid learning, to address the challenges, stating that by the end of this year, all universities must implement Anthology Blackboard.

He added: “You need to embrace modern technology. I should not be telling you this. This is what you should be doing. Every one of you must start using Anthology Blackboard before the end of this year.

“That is one of the best technologies that we have now. That will help you with your hybrid classes. I know there might be some training involved.

“We will talk to TETFund to provide how you adopt it. You have to start adopting hybrid classes. More so, in the North we talk about security. Students can’t come to school. That should have been your solution to keep your students.

“I have directed TETFund to link your ICT intervention fund to your deploying Anthology Blackboard. Any of you that do not deploy Anthology Blackboard, your ICT intervention fund will not be paid. This is not a joking matter.” (The Guardian)