The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Professor Bilkis Lafiaji-Okuneye, has announced that all 4,500 prospective students seeking admission for the 2024/25 academic session will undergo compulsory drug testing before being admitted into the university.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Professor Lafiaji-Okuneye said the initiative became necessary following a recent incident involving a drug-addicted student who caused panic on campus. She noted that the university has partnered with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to carry out the screenings, which will form a critical part of the admission process.
She made it clear that no candidate, regardless of their performance in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) or the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), would be admitted without passing the drug test. While acknowledging the financial burden of conducting the tests, she described the move as essential to ensuring a mentally stable and morally upright student body.
As a teacher training institution, LASUED, according to the VC, holds a special responsibility to instill discipline and integrity in future educators. She emphasized that the university is committed to grooming students who will not only succeed academically but also serve as positive role models in society.
Professor Lafiaji-Okuneye also expressed concern over the increasing number of socially unprepared students gaining access to higher education. She urged parents to play a more active role in shaping their children’s values, discouraging shortcuts to success such as the use of miracle centres to obtain examination results.
She warned against promoting students to higher classes prematurely and advised that children be allowed to progress based on their academic readiness. She blamed a recent wave of student withdrawals on the admission of candidates with questionable qualifications, who found it difficult to meet the demands of university education.
The VC praised JAMB for implementing security features that have significantly reduced examination malpractice and encouraged NECO and WAEC to adopt similar measures to enhance the credibility of their assessments.
