The South-West zone of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Tinubu and the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) to extend the validity of the United Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result to three years.
Currently valid for one year, NANS argued that a longer validity period would alleviate the burden of annual exam fees for parents, reduce stress on JAMB, and benefit society as a whole. They also stated that a three-year validity aligns with global best practices.
Speaking at a press conference in Ibadan, the South-West zonal coordinator of NANS, Mr Alao John, commended Tinubu for enacting the Students Loan scheme into law.
However, he emphasized that proper funding of the education sector, amounting to 26 per cent of the national budget, is crucial for the effectiveness of the scheme. Alao also advocated for the inclusion of student leaders in the management committee for the Students Loan scheme.
Furthermore, NANS sought clarification on the loan conditions and repayment terms, expressing the students’ desire for more information in these areas.
Addressing the issue of security, the NANS coordinator expressed serious concern about the inadequate security measures both on and off campuses. He urged security agencies to prioritize creating safe and conducive learning environments in schools, citing incidents of attacks and killings of students.
Alao raised another issue regarding the suspension or expulsion of students without fair hearings for expressing discontent over certain events in their schools. He stated that NANS would take action against any institution that fails to reinstate its student union within the next month.
The NANS South-West also highlighted a lack of research and practical opportunities on campuses, noting that this hampers the progress of the nation’s education sector.
