Education
25m Children out of School in Nigeria, Syria, 20 Others
By Dipo Olowookere
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that more than 25 million children between 6 and 15 years old, or 22 percent of children in that age group, are missing out on school in conflict zones across 22 countries, including Nigeria.
In a report released on Monday, the agency’s Chief of Education, Josephine Bourne, stated that, “At no time is education more important than in times of war,” asking, “Without education, how will children reach their full potential and contribute to the future and stability of their families, communities and economies?”
The report noted that at the primary school level, South Sudan has the highest rate of out-of-school children with close to 72 percent of children missing out on education.
It is followed by Chad (50 percent) and Afghanistan (46 percent).
The three countries also have the highest rate of girls who are out of school, at 76 percent for South Sudan, 55 percent for Afghanistan, and 53 percent for Chad.
At the lower-secondary school level, the highest rates of out-of-school children are found in Niger (68 percent), South Sudan (60 percent) and the Central African Republic (55 percent).
Out-of-school rates for girls spike for this age group, with nearly three quarters of girls in Niger and two in three in both Afghanistan and the Central African Republic not in school.
To help drive an increased understanding of the challenges children affected and uprooted by conflict face in accessing school, 19-year-old Syrian refugee and education activist Muzoon Almellehan, dubbed ‘the Malala of Syria’, travelled to Chad, a country where nearly three times as many girls as boys of primary-age in conflict areas are missing out on education.
Muzoon met a 16-year-old girl who was abducted by Boko Haram outside her school in Nigeria at the age of 13 and was drugged, exploited and abused for three years before fleeing to Chad. Muzoon also met children who are able to get an education for the first time, and community members who, like her once, are risking it all to get children into school.
“Conflict can take away your friends, your family, your livelihood, your home. It can try to strip you of your dignity, identity, pride and hope. But it can never take away your knowledge,” said Muzoon. “Meeting children in Chad who had fled Boko Haram reminded me of my own experiences in Syria. Education gave me the strength to carry on. I wouldn’t be here without it.”
When Muzoon was forced to flee unspeakable violence in Syria four years ago, her school books were the only belongings she took with her.
She spent nearly three years in Jordan, including 18 months in Za’atari refugee camp, where she made it her personal mission to get more girls into education.
She went from tent to tent talking to parents to encourage them to get their children into school and learning. She’s now resettled in the UK.
Like Muzoon, who fled violence in Syria to Jordan, 4,400 children have fled Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria to Chad.
Unlike her, many of them remain out of school – and therefore risk abuse, exploitation and recruitment by armed forces and groups.
Around 90 percent of children arriving into Chad from Nigeria have never been to school.
UNICEF works in conflict-affected countries to get children back to learning, by providing catch-up education and informal learning opportunities, training teachers, rehabilitating schools and distributing school furniture and supplies.
In response to the education crisis in Chad, UNICEF has so far this year provided school supplies to more than 58,000 students, distributed teaching materials to more than 760 teachers, and built 151 classrooms, 101 temporary learning spaces, 52 latrines and 7 sports fields. UNICEF Chad also supported the salaries of 327 teachers for the 2016-2017 school year.
A $10 million allocation from Education Cannot Wait, a fund launched during the World Humanitarian Summit held in May 2016, will provide quality education for children who have been displaced and those living in host communities in Chad.
Despite these efforts, funding shortfalls are affecting children’s access to school in the conflict-affected areas of Chad. Currently, 40 percent of UNICEF’s 2017 education funding needs in the country have been met.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A conference with the theme Flourish and Thrive: Investing in Boys for Stronger Families and Communities will take place at the Local Government Training School, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
The programme, in its second edition, is part of activities lined up to mark the 2026 International Boys’ Day Conference. It is being put in place by Boys Aid Network to confront a question many institutions have quietly ignored: Who is intentionally preparing the next generation of boys for the realities of leadership, responsibility, and manhood?
Expected to grace the occasion are educators, mentors, advocates, parents, and students.
The speakers include Jesudamilare Adesegun-David, Co-founder of Enovate Lab; Samson Folarin, Editor of Punch Newspaper Weekend Titles; Oluseye Joseph, Founder of EnterpriseCEO; Barrister Dotun Akinsanmi, Managing Partner at Dotun Akinsanmi LP; and media personality, Folakemi Arowolo, popularly known as Folakemi Mighty.
The convener, Barrister Olufunke Oyinlola, described the initiative as a deliberate effort to create safe and transformational spaces for boys to learn, reflect, and engage in meaningful conversations about their future.
“Too many boys are growing up without guidance, without safe spaces to express themselves, and without people intentionally helping them navigate the realities of life. This conference is our response to that challenge. We want boys to know that they are seen, valued, and capable of becoming responsible men who positively influence their families and communities,” she stated.
She added that the conference is ultimately about helping boys see possibilities differently and exposing them to conversations that can shape their confidence, choices, and sense of purpose.
More than 300 secondary school boys from across Oyo State are expected to participate in the event, which is organised in partnership with the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The programme will combine keynote sessions, mentorship conversations, interactive learning, and a spelling bee competition aimed at boosting confidence and intellectual engagement.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A popular Nigerian actor, Alex Ekubo, has reportedly passed away after a protracted illness.
According to reports, the movie star died after a battle with cancer, which kept him away from public glare and social media.
Last year, some of his fans expressed concerns over his sudden absence from social media, asking about his whereabouts.
On Tuesday evening, news about his demise flooded the blogosphere.
One of the sympathisers, Peter Okoye of the P-Square fame, wrote a Rest in Peace on the Nollywood star’s picture on X, formerly known as Twitter, confirming his death.
Several personalities and others have also expressed shock over the passing of the 40-year-old entertainer, who dazzled many with his acting skills.
During his lifetime, Alex Ekubo, who was said to have died of cancer, won several awards.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The secondary school category of the 2026 Ecobank National Schools Team Chess Championship has been won by Platform School, Baruwa, Ipaja, after defeating Dayspring School.
The competition was sponsored by Ecobank Nigeria, in partnership with SchoolMate, Newcross, Exploration & Production Limited, GZI Limited, Frutta and the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF).
The contest attracted over a thousand students from schools across the country to the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) in Lagos.
Platform School clinched the first spot after six rounds with 16 match points, edging Dayspring School, which also finished unbeaten but settled for second place on tiebreaks. King’s College Lagos claimed third position after an impressive campaign.
The result further strengthened the growing rivalry between Platform School and Dayspring School. Platform School won the maiden edition of the Ecobank-sponsored championship before Dayspring School emerged as champions in the second edition. Platform School, however, bounced back strongly by reclaiming the title in the third edition and has now secured back-to-back titles after winning the fourth edition. Meanwhile, Dayspring School have now recorded consecutive second-place finishes following their triumph in the second edition.
In the primary category, Chess in Slums Africa delivered a dominant performance, winning all six matches to finish with a perfect score of 18 match points. First Baptist Group of Schools also finished with a perfect win record but settled for second place on tiebreaks, while Jareb Private School, Ogun, finished third. The event witnessed remarkable performances from young players, further highlighting the rapid growth of grassroots chess development in Nigeria.
The Primary Category title was especially significant for Chess in Slums Africa, as the team received celebrations and support on-site from Tunde Onakoya, whose presence added excitement and inspiration to the young players during the close of the championship and the closing ceremony.
Speaking about the event, the Head of Educational and Social Services at Ecobank, Mr Kunle Adewoyi, urged the students to strive hard to become Grand Masters in the near future.
“There are Grand Masters in Kenya, Rwanda and some other African countries, but, sadly, we don’t have any in Nigeria at the moment. It is our prayer that some of these students will become one in the near future,” he stated.
Mr Adewoyi said that Ecobank was particular about chess sponsorship because it helps in the development of the kids.
The Vice President of the Nigerian Chess Federation, Mr Adeyinka Adewale, was full of praise for Ecobank and other partners for sponsoring the tournament, just as he promised that next year’s edition will be bigger and better.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn