PETER OBI SLAMS FAILING EDUCATION SYSTEM AS 78% OF UTME CANDIDATES SCORE BELOW 200
Former presidential candidate and education advocate Peter Obi has issued a scathing critique of Nigeria’s deteriorating education sector, following the dismal performance revealed in the 2025 UTME results.
Reacting to JAMB’s disclosure that only about 420,000 out of nearly 2 million candidates scored above the 200-mark threshold, Obi described the outcome as an indictment of decades-long neglect. “This shocking statistic reflects the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system and highlights the consequences of systemic underinvestment,” he wrote on his official X account.
Obi emphasized that education must no longer be viewed merely as a public service but as a strategic national investment. He drew global comparisons, pointing out that Nigeria’s university enrolment figure of about 2 million is dwarfed by Bangladesh’s 3.4 million students in a single open university, and Turkey’s total university enrolment of over 7 million. “Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every development index, now surpasses us in the Human Development Index,” Obi warned.
He called for urgent, sweeping reforms and a comprehensive rethink of national priorities. “Education is the most critical driver of national development. If we are serious about building a secure, prosperous, and equitable country, we must now invest aggressively—at all levels,” he said, urging federal and state governments to double budgetary allocations and make long-term plans for infrastructure, curriculum improvement, and teacher training.
