Education
60,000 Children to Benefit from Oranto’s Support to Education in South Sudan
By Dipo Olowookere
As part of its commitment to the socio-economic development of South Sudan, Oranto Petroleum Limited will be financing an educational programme in conjunction with the Ministry of Petroleum, to provide training to 25 teachers in the most under-privileged parts of the country.
The support from Oranto Petroleum paves the way for 25 teachers to receive quality training that will benefit 60,000 children across 30 villages in Yirol, in South Sudan’s Eastern Lakes State.
The program will run for a 5-year period and is expected to have a considerable impact on communities in the State, which is amongst the poorest of the country.
It will be implemented by Action for Intervention and Management (AIM), a non-governmental organization that works to provide quality education to the most under-developed parts of South Sudan.
“At Oranto Petroleum, it is our firm belief that supporting teachers in their professional development leads to improved outcomes for learners. Good quality training is an essential part of a teacher’s professional life and it is going to help so many children,” said Prince Arthur Eze, Executive Chairman of Oranto Petroleum
“In South Sudan and across Africa, too many children have not had the utmost access to an excellent education. I am happy this program will start addressing this issue and closing the gap especially with young girls. Oranto will continue supporting what catalyzes leadership to make educational equity a reality,” added Prince Arthur Eze
Oranto’s support to the programme is in line with the company’s policy to significantly engage local capacities in all its activities in South Sudan and promote the development of social infrastructure. The company already awarded last year a contract for the construction of two primary schools in Yirol and Rumbek, at an estimated cost of over $800,000.
The construction of the schools is being executed by local construction company Dynamic Supplies and Construction Limited, in line with Oranto’s commitment to mobilise local human and material resources in all its activities in the Republic of South Sudan
“The South Sudanese oil industry can never be at its best without qualified citizens to take up roles across the full value chain. Earning a qualification is not enough for teachers to continue to grow, develop and evolve,” declared Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, Minister of Petroleum of the Republic of South Sudan.
“For South Sudan to reach its true place in Africa, we have to invest in education and great students are the result of great teachers and it is therefore essential to empower and support teaching professionals throughout this country and I am thankful to Oranto Petroleum and implore on other oil companies in the country to do the same,” added the Minister.
Oranto, and its sister company, Atlas Petroleum, comprise Africa’s largest privately held, Africa-focused exploration and production group, with 22 licenses in 11 jurisdictions, including producing assets in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. In late May, Oranto agreed to work with Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil producer, on the development of 21 oil assets in 17 African countries.
Oranto acquired Block B3 South Sudan in March 2017 and has since both engaged in unprecedented fast pace exploration activities on the Block and demonstrated significant interest in delivering oil and gas asset development in South Sudan ahead of schedule and in a most cost-effective manner. Oranto completed data acquisition on Block B3 in the second quarter of 2017 and is currently in the data interpretation stage.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
No fewer than 60 students from the host communities of Dangote Granite Mines in Ijebu-Igbo have received bursary awards in a bid to improve access to education in the area.
The beneficiaries were awarded the financial aid over the weekend by the company at a ceremony attended by monarchs, community leaders and others from the vicinity.
Dangote Granite Mines, a subsidiary of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), said it gave out the bursary to cement its commitment to educational advancement and sustainable community development.
The beneficiaries, comprising 40 tertiary institution students and 20 secondary school students, were selected from the four host communities of Ayebandele, Olorunmodu, Saliu Babarisi and Idi Omo under the company’s annual education support programme.
The General Manager of Community Relations at Dangote Granite Mines, Mr Joseph Alabi, described the bursary scheme as one of the organisation’s most impactful investments in the future of its host communities.
According to him, education remains a powerful catalyst for individual and societal advancement, making it imperative for corporate organisations to support young people in achieving their academic aspirations.
“Every year, we are delighted to support brilliant and deserving students from our host communities because we recognise that education is the foundation of sustainable development.
“These beneficiaries represent the next generation of leaders, professionals and change-makers who will contribute meaningfully to society,” Mr Alabi said.
He highlighted several interventions undertaken by the company over the years, including classroom rehabilitation, donation of school furniture, healthcare support initiatives and the provision of potable water through solar-powered boreholes.
“Our commitment extends beyond annual bursaries. We have consistently implemented projects that improve access to education, healthcare and other essential services. Our goal is to ensure that our operations create lasting value and tangible benefits for our host communities,” he stated.
Commending the initiative, the Sopinlukale of Oke-Sopin, Ijebu-Igbo, Mr Mufutau Adesesan Yusuf, lauded Dangote Granite Mines for its longstanding dedication to community development and educational empowerment.
“For more than a decade, Dangote Granite Mines has consistently fulfilled its commitments to our communities through meaningful and impactful interventions. The annual bursary programme has become a source of hope and encouragement for many families, enabling students to pursue their educational ambitions,” the monarch said.
Some of the student beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the firm for the annual gesture, promising not to disappoint the company but to continue to display academic excellence that earned them the awards.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The Federal Ministry of Education made the announcement on Monday in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Boriowo Folasade.
The ministry announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken.
The Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold, with the Ministry acknowledging the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public since the planned increase became known.
The Ministry said the proposed fee review was driven by rising operational costs that have accumulated over several years without a corresponding adjustment to examination registration fees.
It said the current fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in costs covering logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services required to maintain the integrity of public examinations.
“The proposed review was informed by the prevailing economic realities and the rising cost of conducting credible national examinations,” the statement said.
“The current examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in operational costs,” the Ministry added.
The ministry said the proposed fee hike will no longer take effect as earlier planned, while acknowledging that the concerns raised by Nigerians warranted a pause in the process.
“The proposed review of examination registration fees will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process,” the statement confirmed, adding that the June 18 letter conveying the proposed adjustment has been formally withdrawn.
“This decision underscores the Ministry’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families are carefully considered, socially responsive and reflect the collective interest of the nation,” it said.
The Ministry outlined a fresh stakeholder engagement process that must be concluded before any decision on examination fees is made, signalling that the review has been delayed rather than permanently shelved.
The Ministry said it will engage extensively with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders as part of the renewed consultation process.
It said the goal of the consultation is to ensure that any future decision is “fair, sustainable, transparent and responsive to prevailing realities while safeguarding access to education,” framing the suspension as a course correction rather than an outright reversal of policy intent.
“The Ministry acknowledges the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public and appreciates the keen interest shown by Nigerians in matters relating to access to quality education,” the statement read.
The Ministry assured Nigerians it would keep the public fully informed throughout the consultation process, saying the welfare of students and equitable access to quality education “remain at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the education sector.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The examination fees of Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) have been increased by the federal government by about 82 per cent to N50,000 from N27,500.
A circular signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Adeniji Ibrahim, disclosed that the new fees would become effective in 2027.
In the notice, it was disclosed that the government approved the upward review of the fees following a request by WAEC.
It was further disclosed that the decision to jack up the fees was reached after a March 31, 2026, meeting between the Minister of Education and examination bodies, where the need to review examination fees was discussed.
“You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the Minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE,” the statement read.
“Consequently, I am directed to convey the Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of N50,000 only, as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027,” it added.
