APC chieftain Mumuni declares UTME performance a “National Emergency,” calls for education overhaul

Ambassador Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has described the recent wave of poor performance in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as a “national emergency,” attributing it to deep-rooted issues within Nigeria’s education system.

In a statement released through his media aide, Rasheed Abubakar, Mumuni asserted that the declining academic performance of students reflects a crisis that can no longer be ignored. He identified several systemic failings as major causes of the problem.

“The declining academic performance of students reflects a crisis that can no longer be ignored.”

Reacting to the controversies surrounding the just-concluded UTME, the APC chieftain noted that the consistent drop in examination scores has raised serious concerns about the quality and effectiveness of Nigeria’s educational framework.

He listed these systemic failings as inadequate infrastructure, outdated curricula, untrained educators, socioeconomic inequality, and limited access to educational resources.

Mumuni called on parents, educators, and government officials to unite in reversing this decline. He emphasized that the educational crisis not only jeopardizes the future of individual students but also poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s overall development and global competitiveness.

He proposed a comprehensive approach to address the crisis, urging:

• A complete overhaul of the national curriculum to align with current realities and future demands.
• Intensive training and support for teachers, equipping them with modern teaching techniques and ongoing professional development.
• Massive investment in educational infrastructure, including classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and digital tools.
• Expanded access to learning materials, especially for underprivileged students, including free or subsidized textbooks and online resources.

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• Parental involvement and community support, including mentorship programs and school-community partnerships.
• Regular student assessments to identify learning gaps early and intervene effectively.
• Mental health and well-being support within schools to help students cope with academic and personal pressures.
• Transparent governance and accountability in education policy, with data-driven decisions and consistent stakeholder engagement.

“The future of our children—and by extension, our nation—depends on what we do now,” Mumuni concluded. “We must act with urgency, responsibility, and unity.”

The APC chieftain’s call for action comes as education experts and the public continue to question the country’s preparedness to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed in today’s rapidly evolving world.