Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has expressed alarm over the recently released results of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), describing them as a clear indicator of the decline in Nigeria’s educational system.
Sharing his reaction after reviewing the official figures, Obi noted that out of the 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the exam, only about 420,000 scored above 200, while more than 1.5 million fell below the 200 mark.
“This means that over 78 percent of the total candidates failed to meet the 200 mark threshold, a reflection of the deep rooted challenges in our educational system,” he said.
He blamed the situation on years of neglect and underinvestment in the education sector. “The latest JAMB results once again highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education, a sector that should be central to our national development strategy,” he said.
Comparing Nigeria’s education metrics to those of other countries, Obi stated, “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 percent of Nigeria’s population. One university in Bangladesh surpasses the entire university enrollment in Nigeria.”
He continued by noting how Bangladesh, once lagging behind Nigeria, now outperforms it in key development indicators. “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.”
He also pointed to Turkey as another example, saying, “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.”
Obi reiterated his longstanding view on the role of education in nation building. “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.”
He called on Nigerian leaders to urgently prioritize education. “We must now invest aggressively in education at all levels if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria.”
