Nigeria, May 21 -- At the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy meeting last week, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa said Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education are admitting thousands of students without checking whether they have anywhere to sleep.

He gave an example of a polytechnic with a population of over 36,000 students and just about a 1,000-bed hostel accommodation. He therefore warned higher institutions to go by JAMB's criteria, as set out in CAPS (Central Admissions Processing System), and not admit more than their quotas, in order to "protect the integrity of the system."

Though that disturbing revelation should shake our confidence in our university education, and enrage us, w...