Former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has raised alarm over the state of Nigeria’s education system following the release of the recent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
In a post on X, Obi expressed deep concern over the abysmal performance of candidates in the exam in which over 1.5 million candidates scored below 200. Obi described the figures as a grim reflection of decades of neglect in the education sector.
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“I just came across the official results from JAMB showing the recent exam figures. According to the data shared, a total of 1,955,069 candidates sat for the exam. Shockingly, out of this number, only about 420,000 candidates scored above 200, while over 1.5 million scored below 200,” Obi noted.
“This means that over 78% of the total candidates failed to meet the 200-mark threshold — a reflection of the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system,” he added.
Obi, a long-standing advocate for education reform, drew comparisons between Nigeria and other countries that have made significant progress through educational investments.
He pointed out that the country’s total university enrollment currently stands at about 2 million students — a number dwarfed by the student population in a single university in Bangladesh.
“Currently, Nigeria’s total university enrollment stands at approximately 2 million students. By comparison, the National University of Bangladesh — a single university — has over 3.4 million students enrolled, despite the country having only about 75% of Nigeria’s population. One university in Bangladesh surpasses the entire university enrollment in Nigeria,” he stated.
Highlighting the country’s decline in global educational and developmental rankings, Obi remarked: “Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI).”
Obi also referenced Turkey, another nation with fewer natural resources than Nigeria, but with a more robust educational infrastructure: “Similarly, Turkey, with a population of about 87.7 million people, has over 7 million university students — more than three times Nigeria’s total university enrollment.”
He reaffirmed his long-held belief that education is the foundation for national development and economic advancement.
“I have consistently said it: education is not just a social service; it is a strategic investment. It is the most critical driver of national development and the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty,” Obi emphasized.
Calling for urgent and comprehensive action, Obi concluded, “We must now invest aggressively in education — at all levels — if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria.”
, Peter Obi, has raised alarm over the state of Nigeria’s education system following the release of the recent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).){kind=link}