FG Announces Plan to Halt Funding for Some Federal Institutions, Gives Reasons
- Federal Government plans to halt TETFund allocations to tertiary institutions with under 1,000 students
- Ministry of Education report shows 20 federal schools record poor 2024/2025 admissions
- Education experts blame low enrollment on preference for older, established universities
CHECK OUT: How to Start Earning with Copywriting in Just 7 Days – Even if You’re a Complete Beginner
Federal Government officials are considering cutting Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) allocations to federal universities and colleges that continue to record poor student enrollment figures.
This follows a new admission report showing that at least 20 federal tertiary institutions admitted fewer than 1,000 students each during the 2024/2025 academic session despite the millions of candidates who sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination every year.
Source: Twitter
Poor Admission Numbers Raise Concern
Punch reported that the data released by the Federal Ministry of Education revealed that some institutions barely recorded new entrants. The Federal University of Agriculture, Mubi, admitted only 184 students, while the Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo, enrolled 65.
Other low-performing institutions included the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, with 568 students; Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, 942; and the Federal Polytechnic, N’yak Shendam, 89.
The report listed several others, such as the Federal College of Education (Technical), ISU, which admitted just 38 candidates. Several polytechnics and colleges, including those in Mongunu, Iwo, and Odugbo, also recorded less than 600 students each.
Education experts have described the figures as worrying for a country with 278 universities and millions of admission seekers.
According to JAMB data, more than six million candidates who sat for the UTME between 2020 and 2024 failed to gain admission into any tertiary institution.
FG Plans to Link Funding to Enrollment
The Federal Government said it will stop allocating TETFund resources to institutions that do not meet a minimum enrollment benchmark. The policy, expected to take effect from 2026, is designed to ensure equitable resource distribution and improve efficiency within the tertiary education sector.
Source: Facebook
Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, disclosed this during the 2025 Policy Meeting on tertiary education in Abuja. She questioned why institutions with fewer than 1,000 students should receive the same level of financial support as universities with tens of thousands of enrollees.
She urged the affected schools to improve their enrollment levels to continue benefiting from TETFund grants. The Ministry also confirmed that the establishment of new universities had been suspended until existing ones reach sustainable capacity.
Analysts Blame Preference for Older Institutions
An education analyst, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said many candidates and parents avoid new institutions because they prefer established universities with stronger reputations.
He said:
“I think one of the issues is that most candidates and parents prefer the old institutions to the new ones that are just coming up. It’s like a candidate having a choice between the University of Ibadan and one new school just coming up. They don’t even care if UI will deny them admission; they’ll rather go for UI because of the name.”
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had earlier described the push by lawmakers to create more universities as unrealistic, warning that some existing ones lack sufficient students to justify their operation.
The ministry insists that rationalizing funding will not only improve efficiency but also encourage institutions to compete for quality and relevance in the nation’s education system.
FUOYE VC mentions 10 major achievements
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the vice chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, had highlighted the institution’s remarkable achievements over the past four years, emphasizing academic excellence and stability as key milestones.
Fasina made these remarks during FUOYE’s ninth convocation ceremony held over the weekend.
Source: Legit.ng
