Education
UNICEF commends Nigerian Govt. over increase in educational budget
UNICEF commends Nigerian Govt. over increase in educational budget
As Nigerian join the rest to commemorate the 2022 International Day of Education, the UN Children Fund (UNICEF) has commended the Federal Government’s declaration to increase annual domestic education expenditure.
The organisation also praised the government for increasing the education budget by 50 per cent over the next two years, and by 100 per cent by 2025.
In a message to commemorate the day, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, said in Nigeria’s N17 trillion 2022 budget signed into law, 7.2 per cent was allocated to the education sector.
Hawkins said that was a step in the right direction as the sector experienced an increase from 5.7 per cent allocated for 2021.
The official said that the country’s education system could be transformed through adequate funding to ensure schools are safe.
The country representative said there was also the need for the application of gender-responsive policies, including recruitment of female teachers and improved facilities for girls.
He said that there was still a long way to go to reach the internationally recommended benchmark that countries spend 15-20 per cent of their national budgets on education.
“The Nigerian Government has committed to increasing funding for education, which is a very important step, far too many Nigerian children today are not in the classroom.
“And for those who are, far too many are not getting a solid education that can translate into good prospects for their futures.
“At least 10.5 million children are out of school in Nigeria – the highest rate in the world. A full one-third of Nigerian children are not in school, and one in five out-of-school children in the world are Nigerian.
“While the education crisis in Nigeria is affecting children across the country, some children are more likely to be affected than others,’’ he said.
READ ALSO: 2022 UTME: JAMB Registration To Commence February 12
He said that girls, children with disabilities, children from the poorest households, in street situations, or affected by displacement or emergencies, and children in geographically distant areas are all disproportionately affected by the education.
“Millions of Nigerian children have never set foot in a classroom and this is a travesty.
“Perhaps equally tragic is the high number of children who make it into a classroom, but never make the transition from primary school to secondary school, thereby cutting off their chances for a secure future.
“It is estimated that 35 per cent of Nigerian children, who attend primary school, do not go on to attend secondary school. Half of all Nigerian children did not attend secondary school in 2021.
“As we celebrate today amid concerns in much of the world about the impact of COVID-19 on education, we must take a close look at what is happening to our children in Nigeria.
“We need to look towards community’s leaders, parents, teachers and caregivers and together, find the best strategies to get ensure that all children enroll into school,’’ he added.
He also said that there was need to ensure access to continuous learning and ensure they emerge with quality skills that could equip them for a prosperous future.
He said that the government must ensure that girls have access to learning so they can receive an education that would begin to address issues of gender inequality.
“ All girls have much to offer to find solutions to Nigeria’s challenges and we have to nurture their creativity and innovation.
“We also need to ensure that children are safe when they are in school.
“No child should be afraid to enter a classroom, afraid their school might be attacked or that they will be kidnapped. And no parent should fear sending their children to school,’’ he added.
He, therefore, said that all Nigerian children deserved a fighting chance no matter who they are or where they are, saying that this fighting chance must be education.
UNICEF commends Nigerian Govt. over increase in educational budget
Final year student dies during abortion in Lokoja
By: Zagazola Makama
A final year student of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has died during an abortion procedure in a private clinic.
Zagazola learnt incident occurred on Aug. 26 at Al-Hassan Clinic and Maternity, Sarkin Noma, Lokoja.
The deceased, identified as Omotosho Dorcas, 26, was six months pregnant and had gone to the clinic for termination of the pregnancy.
“In the process of the abortion, she bled to death,” said sources.
The sources said police detectives visited the scene, took photographs, and evacuated the corpse to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, for preservation.
The sources added that the suspect behind the procedure has been arrested, while the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
Final year student dies during abortion in Lokoja
Automatic Tuition Aid: Al-Ansar University Offers Scholarships to New Intakes
By Auwal Umar, Gombe
In a remarkable move to reduce the financial burden of higher education, Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, has announced an Automatic Scholarship Scheme for self-sponsored candidates seeking admission into the university for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The initiative, approved by the Founder and President of the Al-Ansar Foundation, Dr. Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, offers partial tuition fee scholarships to all qualified new students.
According to the university management, this initiative underscores the foundation’s long-standing commitment to educational access and youth empowerment.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Abubakar Musa made available to Newsmen on Wednesday.
He said that the scholarship is open to candidates applying through UTME, Direct Entry, or those transferring from recognized universities.
The university emphasized that this offer is specifically for fresh applicants, and excludes students applying for the MBBS programme.
To qualify, UTME applicants must have scored at least 150 in the 2025 examination, possess the correct subject combination for their chosen course, and have at least five credit passes at O’ Level, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Direct Entry candidates are expected to hold recognized qualifications such as NCE, ND, or IJMB, along with five O’ Level credits including English and Mathematics.
Transfer candidates must have secured original admission through JAMB from 2022 or later, and are required to confidentially submit their official academic transcript to Al-Ansar University. They must also meet the academic and departmental requirements of their chosen programme.
The scholarship applies to degree programmes in the College of Arts, Social and Management Sciences, the College of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, except for the MBBS programme which is not covered under this scheme.
Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the university’s official website at www.aum.edu.ng, where they can complete the online admission application form and upload all relevant documents.
The university also issued an important reminder about the admission process. All result uploads must be done through JAMB-approved CBT Centres, otherwise, the candidate may not appear on the JAMB CAPS portal for admission recommendation.
The Candidates are urged to check their JAMB CAPS profiles and respond to any offer of admission within four weeks, or risk automatic withdrawal of the offer. Furthermore, JAMB has set a final deadline for admission into private universities, which is the end of November 2025. Any delay beyond this will make it impossible for JAMB to approve such admissions.
Al-Ansar University is calling on all eligible candidates to take advantage of this unique opportunity to pursue their dreams without the full weight of tuition costs. The Automatic Scholarship Scheme is a bold step toward transforming lives through inclusive and quality education.
Automatic Tuition Aid: Al-Ansar University Offers Scholarships to New Intakes
DIGITAL RIGHTS: EU, ASF FRANCE SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST CYBERBULLING IN NIGERIA
By: Michael Mike
Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France with the support from the European Union (EU) in conjunction with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), through it e- RIGHTS Protect has called for more strength to fight against cyberbulling and digital rights violation in Nigeria.
This was made known at the grand finale of the national inter-school digital rights competition organized by ASF under it E-RIGHTS platform last Tuesday in Abuja.
After a thorough engagement by various schools across the country, four schools from different States and zone were qualified to the final, namely Kano State, Lagos, Imo and FCT.
In the keenly contested competition, the Sonmori Senior Comprehensive High School, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos State emerged as the winner, followed by FCT, Imo and Kano respectfully. The winner takes home the sum of one million Naira with support also from the eRights project to empower what they are doing in terms of digital literacy.
ASF France, Nigeria County Director, Angela Uwandu Uzoma, explained that, the competitions is more than celebration of talents, but celebration of courage, consciousness and commitment. She said, the occasion is not just to shaping conversation of the students, but to shaping their future.
She further said “The eRights project aims at promoting digital rights, not just for the adults, but also for the children, ensuring that the children are not left behind in this conversation. So children are themselves today participating in putting out empowering videos, messaging to discourage cyberbullying, to say no to cyberbullying because of the attendant effects and the harms that it can cause”
“The Cybercrimes Act, which was recently revised, amended particularly with Section 24, which was amended in 2024, to ensure that the government addresses some of these issues
“The government needs to do more. And we’re seeing that this Act, which ordinarily should protect citizens, to empower them to create a safe space for engagement, ensure that people are able to express themselves freely as guaranteed by the Constitution, including children” she added.
Also, the EU representative at the event, Program Manager, CSO, Human Rights and Youth, Mrs. Wynyfred Achu-Egbuson, believed that, the competition will bring to the understanding of Yong people that they have a responsibility towards not only protecting their rights but also protect the rights of other people who use the digital space.
She further said, the issues surrounding digital rights in Nigeria and other developed countries of the West is dynamic. Therefore, the issues of legislations and regulation towards digital rights is developing, the situation is dynamic and ever changing
DIGITAL RIGHTS: EU, ASF FRANCE SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST CYBERBULLING IN NIGERIA
Police repel bandit attack on DPO’s residence in Katsina
Warri Federal Constituency: Don Hails HURIWA’s Call On INEC To Obey S’Court Ruling
NGO Asked Nigerians to Confront Government on Bad Governance
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
Politics3 months ago2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift
