By Emeka Samuel, Uyo
A Civil Society Group in Akwa Ibom, Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network(CHRAN), has blamed the state government over the non recognition of the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit, by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The University, formerly Akwa Ibom State College of Education was upgraded by the state government in December 2025 to run as a full fledged university.
However, JAMB has failed to recognize it for the 2026/2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) exercise.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Wednesday, the Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Franklyn Isong who was assessing the state of tertiary education in Akwa Ibom under the administration of pastor Umo Eno observed that the 2026 Appropriation Law of the State captured College of Education instead of the University of Education thereby heightening the uncertainty of the actual status of the institution.
It further observed that the institution has no Vice Chancellor and other principal officers to reflect its current upgraded status, adding that the institution has no Governing Council, no Masterplan, no Academic Brief and the law establishing it, is still wrapped in secrecy.
The group also faulted the running of the institution with an “acting Provost and Chief Administrator” positions, saying that such positions are alien to university structure as universities are run by Vice Chancellors.
It, warned that if the anomalies are not urgently corrected, it would further undermine the recognition of the institution by JAMB, National Universities Commission, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and other federal regulatory agencies.
The rights group also cautioned unions’ leaders of the institution particularly, the leadership of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, for engaging in actions capable of further eroding the institution and reducing it to a laughing stock urging them to work in harmony with the administration of governor Umo Eno.
