Hussaini Umar
A deep-dive investigation by BusinessDay has uncovered a major regulatory scandal at the Federal School of Statistics (FSS), Ibadan. The institution is accused of collecting millions of Naira in tuition fees for programs that have no legal standing or accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
The Data of Deception
The investigation highlights a systemic failure where students, like 25-year-old Kunle Olayode, invested years of their lives and significant financial resources into Higher National Diploma (HND) programs in Business Administration and Management—only to discover the courses were not recognized.
Key Findings:
- Regulatory Violations: Multiple breaches of NBTE standards regarding admission quotas and course approvals.
- Financial Impact: Millions of Naira were generated from “unaccredited” streams, effectively turning education into an unauthorized revenue machine.
- Student Jeopardy: Graduates from these programs find themselves unable to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) or secure employment that requires a verified HND.
The NBTE Connection: A Failure of Oversight?
As a facilitator within the NBTE/TVET system, I see this as a critical data point for institutional reform. Accreditation is not a mere formality; it is the “data seal” that guarantees the quality and validity of a Nigerian graduate’s credentials. When a Federal institution bypasses these checks, it compromises the entire technical education ecosystem.
The Accountability Question
For our audience at Data Unveiled, this story raises urgent questions:
- Transparency: Where did the millions of Naira in unearned fees go?
- Audit Trail: Why did the internal auditing systems of a school dedicated to statistics fail to flag the discrepancy between accredited capacity and actual student intake?
- Restitution: What is the data-backed plan to compensate or integrate these “ghost students” into legitimate programs?
