Education News - Edupreneur Select

Zara Lianne28 May 2025

The U.S. government under former President Donald Trump has taken a significant step to tighten visa screening for international students. A recent directive from the State Department instructs U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide to temporarily halt the scheduling of new student visa interviews. The pause affects F, M, and J visa categories, which cover academic, vocational, and cultural exchange programs. While interviews already scheduled will still hold, no new appointments are being accepted until further notice. According to reports, the suspension is part of the administration’s plan to expand vetting procedures by closely examining the social media activity of student visa applicants. This means that students may soon be required to submit detailed records of their online presence as part of the visa application process. Supporters of the policy say it is aimed at strengthening national security. However, critics have raised concerns about its implications for international education, warning that such measures could discourage students from applying to U.S. institutions and create unnecessary delays. Many universities, especially those with a high population of international students, have expressed worry that this policy could affect admissions, campus diversity, and their overall global reputation. This development comes as part of a broader shift in U.S. immigration policy, including increased scrutiny of American universities and stricter control over foreign student programs. The State Department has yet to release a timeline for when the pause will be lifted or when the new social media vetting protocols will be fully implemented. Prospective students and educational institutions are advised to stay updated through official channels as the situation evolves.

Zara Lianne28 May 2025

In a decisive step to restore integrity to Nigeria’s examination system, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has issued a strong directive to all major examination bodies in the country—JAMB, WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB. The directive mandates immediate action against Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and candidates involved in any form of exam malpractice. According to the directive, any CBT centre or school found guilty of aiding or facilitating examination fraud will be blacklisted and barred from conducting future exams. This penalty is to be enforced simultaneously across all exam bodies to prevent repeat violations and maintain a consistent standard nationwide. Candidates caught engaging in malpractice are not spared either. They will face a minimum of three years suspension from taking any external examinations under these bodies. Their National Identification Numbers (NINs) will be used to track and enforce the ban, making it nearly impossible for offenders to re-register under different identities. This clampdown follows reports of widespread cheating during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). JAMB revealed that over 3,000 candidates were implicated in various irregularities, including impersonation, biometric fraud, and attempts to hack the testing system. Many of these infractions were traced to so-called “miracle centres” that promise students unearned results. Dr. Alausa emphasized that this new policy is backed by Section 16(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act, which allows examination bodies to share offender data and impose joint penalties. He noted that while the government remains committed to inclusive and equitable education, it cannot condone dishonest practices that undermine national development. “The future of our education system depends on fairness, merit, and discipline. We must send a strong message to institutions and individuals that malpractice is a serious offense with serious consequences,” the Minister said. The Federal Ministry of Education has urged all stakeholders: including school proprietors, teachers, and parents to support this new drive to sanitize the examination process. By promoting honesty and accountability, the government hopes to build a more credible and reliable assessment system that benefits all students.

Zara Lianne27 May 2025

he UK’s Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has confirmed that the government is actively reviewing the controversial two-child benefit cap; a policy that currently restricts child-related welfare support to the first two children in most low-income families. Speaking recently, Phillipson acknowledged that lifting the cap could significantly help struggling families but warned that the move would come with a hefty price tag, estimated at around £3.5 billion per year. The cap, introduced in 2017, has faced widespread criticism for pushing more children into poverty. Critics argue that it hasn’t achieved its intended goal of encouraging smaller families but has instead deepened hardship for many households. Phillipson revealed that the issue is being examined by the Child Poverty Taskforce, which she co-chairs with Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall. Their findings will feed into a broader child poverty strategy expected this autumn. Pressure is also mounting politically, with Reform UK—led by Nigel Farage—vowing to abolish the policy. This, alongside growing internal support within Labour, adds urgency to the ongoing review. While no final decision has been made, the government’s willingness to reconsider the cap signals a potential shift in welfare policy aimed at tackling child poverty across the UK. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Zara Lianne8 May 2025

New York police have arrested over 80 pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia University after protesters occupied the historic Butler Library on campus. The protest, led by the student group Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), was staged to demand that the university cut financial ties to organizations they say support Israeli military operations. The group renamed the library space the “Basel Al-Araj Popular University”, in tribute to a Palestinian writer killed by Israeli forces in 2017. Wearing masks and keffiyehs, the protesters were eventually removed by the NYPD after refusing to vacate the premises. Columbia’s interim president, Claire Shipman, stated that law enforcement was called in when protesters ignored multiple warnings and two campus safety officers were injured. Those arrested face charges including trespassing and failure to disperse. The incident is part of a wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations on U.S. campuses in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The protests have sparked national debate, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling for a review of the visa status of foreign students involved in the occupation, labeling them “pro-Hamas thugs.” Tensions remain high on campuses across the country as students continue to demand institutional divestment and solidarity with Palestinians.

Zara Lianne8 May 2025

Atiku Abubakar Isah, a factional president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has withdrawn earlier allegations he made against Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu. In a public statement, Isah admitted the claims were false and tendered an apology to Seyi Tinubu, the President, and other parties affected. Previously, Isah had alleged that Seyi Tinubu and Youth Minister Ayodele Olawande invited him to Lagos and offered him ₦100 million to pledge support for the President, an offer he claimed to have rejected, leading to his alleged abduction in April 2025. However, he now says those statements were based on misinformation allegedly provided by a rival NANS faction leader, Ladoja Olusola, who Isah accused of using him to advance a personal political agenda within the student body. Isah also retracted his claim that Seyi Tinubu was physically present at his inauguration with thugs, clarifying that Seyi was never at the event. The retraction has stirred controversy, with reports suggesting that Isah may have been detained and pressured by security operatives to withdraw his allegations: a claim yet to be independently verified. As divisions deepen within NANS, questions are being raised about the authenticity of the apology and the internal power struggle rocking the students’ union.

Zara Lianne30 April 2025

Harvard University President Alan Garber has issued a public apology following the release of two internal reports uncovering widespread antisemitic and anti-Muslim sentiments within the university community. The reports, prepared by two university-appointed task forces, highlighted deep divisions and rising intolerance on campus, especially after the October 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict. Students from Jewish, Israeli, Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim backgrounds reportedly faced discrimination, isolation, and fear. In response, President Garber acknowledged the university’s failure to adequately support affected students and pledged concrete reforms. These include expanding academic programs in Jewish, Islamic, Arab, and Middle Eastern studies, introducing antisemitism awareness training, and enforcing stricter academic neutrality standards among faculty. The findings come as Harvard faces external pressure from the U.S. government, including a freeze on $2.2 billion in federal funding and ongoing legal action against new regulations tied to campus activism and diversity policies. President Garber stressed that Harvard must rebuild trust and foster a campus where all students feel respected and safe. “We must do more to heal and unify our community,” he said.

Zara Lianne29 April 2025

The U.S. government under President Donald Trump has launched a formal investigation into Harvard University and the Harvard Law Review over claims of racial bias in their editorial and membership selection processes. The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services are examining whether the Law Review’s practices may violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in institutions that receive federal funding. Reports suggest that the journal may have favored article submissions from minority scholars, raising concerns about fairness and merit-based evaluation. According to officials, the probe aims to determine if race was used as a deciding factor in the Law Review’s operations. “No institution should be picking winners and losers based on race,” a federal official stated. This investigation is part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in elite universities. Harvard is already facing a freeze on over $2 billion in federal funding, and it has taken legal action to challenge the administration’s demands, citing violations of academic freedom and constitutional rights. A court hearing on Harvard’s lawsuit is scheduled for July 21. Meanwhile, the university faces additional threats, including potential loss of its tax-exempt status and restrictions on admitting foreign students. The case has sparked debate over federal oversight in higher education and the future of affirmative action and DEI initiatives in American universities.

Edupreneur Editorial Team15 April 2025

The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has called on the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Olushola Ladoja, to publicly oppose any move to convert polytechnics across Nigeria into universities. Speaking on behalf of the association, NAPS President Eshiofune Oghayan warned that converting polytechnics would undermine their core purpose, delivering hands-on, technical, and industrial training essential for national development. He emphasized that turning these institutions into universities would shift their focus to theoretical education, weakening Nigeria’s capacity to produce skilled, job-ready graduates. Instead of conversions, NAPS is advocating for the full implementation of the Higher National Diploma (HND) to Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) upgrade, which would grant polytechnic graduates globally recognized degrees while preserving the practical approach of polytechnic education. The association also proposed upgrading the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) into a Polytechnic Education Commission to better oversee policy, funding, and graduate progression. NAPS has vowed to resist any policy threatening the relevance and future of Nigeria’s polytechnic system.

Edupreneur Editorial Team15 April 2025

In a bold move, Harvard University is now facing a $2.2 billion federal funding freeze after rejecting a list of demands from the Trump administration. The university reportedly declined to dismantle its diversity and inclusion programs, shift to strictly merit-based admissions, restrict protest activities like face coverings, and collaborate more with immigration authorities. Harvard President Alan M. Garber responded by reaffirming the university’s autonomy, stating that such decisions should remain internal and not dictated by political pressure. As a result of the freeze, Harvard has announced a hiring freeze and is reviewing all non-essential spending to cushion the impact on research and student aid. This development is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to reshape university policies nationwide. Other elite institutions, including Columbia, have faced similar ultimatums. The move has sparked legal challenges, with civil liberties groups and education advocates calling it a direct threat to academic freedom. More updates to follow as the situation unfolds.

Tag: Education News

Trump Administration Pauses Student Visa Appointments, Plans Stricter Social Media Checks

FG Cracks Down on Exam Malpractice: Centres and Candidates to Face Sanctions

UK Government Considers Scrapping Two-Child Benefit Cap Amid Cost Concerns

Columbia University: Dozens Arrested After Pro-Palestinian Protesters Occupy Library

Factional NANS President Retracts Allegations Against Seyi Tinubu

Harvard President Apologises After Reports Reveal Campus Bias

Trump Administration Investigates Harvard Over Alleged Race-Based Discrimination

Polytechnic Students Warn Against Plans to Convert Institutions Into Universities

Harvard Faces $2.2 Billion Funding Freeze Over Refusal to Meet Federal Demands

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