Education
Finalists Share Experiences at InterswitchSPAK Masterclass
By Dipo Olowookere
The InterswitchSPAK Masterclass 1.0 might have come and gone but the experience will linger on in the minds of the 81 finalists who participated in the project.
The Masterclass, which was held on Monday, August 27, 2018, comprised three 45-minute sessions where top-notch speakers engaged the students in lectures on various subjects.
Students were intellectually motivated by high-profile speakers led by Mr Mitchell Elegbe, GMD, Interswitch Group who discussed: ‘Emotional Intelligence and the Leadership Responsibility of Youths’; Mr Yinka Sanni, CEO, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Ltd, focused on ‘Social Innovation – The Power of Transformative Ideas’ and Eloho Omame, MD, Endeavour Nigeria, on the topic ‘Entrepreneurship – A Tool to Creating Impact in Our Society’.
The students certainly had very rewarding experiences from the Interswitch Masterclass 1.0. Some of them were willing to share;
‘I have decided to study Medicine to stop politicians from travelling abroad for medical treatment’ – Rasheed Yekini, from Demonstration Standard College, Okene, Kogi State.
The word ‘medical tourism’ has become commonplace in Nigeria, no thanks to government officials and their likes travelling abroad for every little health challenge. This is the reason why Rasheed Yekini of Demonstration Standard College, Okene intends to study Medicine and Surgery.
“The other day, a former Minister fell sick and was flown abroad for treatment. Recently, the governor in my state had an accident and travelled abroad for medical attention. From the Masterclass, I learnt that I can achieve anything I want by putting my mind to it. I also learnt that people from poor homes have a better chance to see opportunities and find solutions to them,” he said.
‘The Masterclass has helped change my mind about running away from Nigeria,’ Glory Okoli, from Ambassador School, Ota, Ogun State.
Although she also dreamt of relocating abroad for greener pastures, Glory Okoli has had a shift in mindset, thanks to the inspiring sessions at the Masterclass 1.0.
“When I saw people like Mitchell Elegbe and Yinka Sanni who against all odds, schooled and made it here in Nigeria, I changed my mind about ‘running away”, she said. An aspiring paediatrician, Glory wishes to study at the John Hopkins University, USA, but promises she would return home as a qualified paediatrician to help save the lives of Nigerian children who are most susceptible to diseases.
‘The Masterclass made me understand that by inventing new things, I can solve existing problems,’ Uchenna Okoro, from Incubators Academy, Kaduna.
Uchenna Okoro has always had the desire to create new things. He said: “The Masterclass made me understand that by inventing new things, I can solve existing problems and make the world a better place to live”. On why he entered for the InterswitchSPAK science competition, the aspiring Genetic Engineer sees the platform as one that will fully groom his potentials.
‘It is more beneficial when one person grows a business to employ thousands of people; than many small businesses of two, three people,’ Kosiso Ugorji, from Lagoon Secondary School, Lekki, Lagos.
The aspiring biomedical engineer has big dreams of inventing something that will revolutionize the entire medical system, beginning from her state (Imo State).
However, she learnt the importance of not just starting small, but steadily growing a business to become large-scale. She said: “I really gained a lot from the session by Ms Eloho Omame where she talked about scaling I learnt that it is important and more beneficial to the society when one person grows a business to become an employer of hundreds and thousands of people; instead of many small businesses of two, three people”.
‘My takeaway from the sessions is the need to imbibe principles, values, skills, wisdom and knowledge for a successful life,’ Asusu Cookey-Gam, from Jephthah Comprehensive Secondary School, Rivers State.
For Asusu Cookey-Gam of Jephthah Comprehensive Secondary School, Rivers State, coming to the competition was scary but the Masterclass was interesting and impactful. He said: “I learnt how to use technology to solve societal problems.
‘I plan to create a software which will help Nigerians become more tech-savvy,’ Feyisayo Adeaga, from the Ambassador School, Ota, Ogun State.
Feyisayo Adeaga, a student of The Ambassador School, Ota, was enlightened about the need to create a solution to a societal problem during the Masterclass.
Speaking on his experience, Feyisayo stated that he was ready to accept Mr. Sanni’s challenge of helping the country solve real problems to improve the lives of fellow Nigerians.
“I plan to become a Software/ Computer Engineer because I realize that many people in Nigeria are technologically illiterate,” he said.
‘Life goes beyond Physics, Chemistry and Biology; a good attitude is important,’ Oreofe Daniel, from Ambassador School, Ota, Ogun State.
For Oreofe Daniel, the Masterclass was super fun and interesting. The 15-year-old, who incidentally scored the highest marks in the InterswitchSPAK national qualifying examinations, also learnt that beyond knowing and passing Physics, Chemistry and Biology, it was important to apply the knowledge acquired to real-life situations and to develop a good attitude to life in general.
‘I want to impact my love of Math’s on the younger generation,’ Anuoluwa Aruleba, from Ambassador School, Ota, Ogun State.
Worried about the dearth of trained teachers in Nigeria and the resultant brain drain of Nigeria’s best educators, Anuoluwa Aruleba of The Ambassador School, Ota, wants to become a Mathematics teacher.
“Mathematics is my favourite subject and I want to impart my love and knowledge of Math’s on the younger generation”, she said. Her key takeaway from Mitchell Elegbe’s session of the Masterclass was that people will have expectations and perceptions about you and things around.
She said, “Expectations cannot be controlled but can be managed, so try to change people’s perception instead of lowering their expectations.”
‘Creating a positive impact is more important than making money,’ Gift Ukpoweh, from ECWA Model College, Oyo.
Ukpoweh Gift is a 14-year-old student of ECWA Model College, Oyo State. Probably one of the youngest finalists, Gift’s vision in life is to become a frontline architect due to her love for drawing and a desire to improve the field of architecture.
Her participation in the Masterclass further enhanced this vision as she learnt that impact should be the major reason for any venture.
She said, “I learnt that in everything we want to do in life, we should have a vision. I also learnt that in any field we want to go into, we must not go there only because of profit. Creating a positive impact is more important and should be our number one goal in life. That is what I intend to do when I become an architect”.
Commendably, Interswitch has sparked off a huge ripple from this 135 minutes of mentoring at the InterswitchSPAK Masterclass. There is no doubt that the forum has changed the mindsets of the students that participated, rekindling their interest in STEM and helping them to refocus their purpose and career paths.
Indeed, the InterswitchSPAK project has all the trappings of a revolution that will hopefully change the face of STEM education in Nigeria, leading into the future.
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.
**Modibbo Adama University Emerges Grand Prize Winner, Secures N50m
A leading integrated independent exploration and production company with full-cycle upstream delivery capability, FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P), has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s next generation of engineers.
This commitment was highlighted during the grand finale of the maiden edition of the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event recognised outstanding student innovators whose engineering solutions addressed real-world challenges, marking the culmination of months of regional qualifiers, prototype development, mentorship and boot camp sessions that equipped students from universities and polytechnics across Nigeria with practical skills in engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Olympiad attracted 984 participants across 375 teams from more than 80 tertiary institutions representing all six geopolitical zones of the country.
Delivering the sponsor’s address, the General Manager, Engineering and Capital Projects, FIRST E&P, John Alamu, emphasised that the competition reflects the company’s commitment to equipping students with the practical knowledge and innovative mindset required to excel in engineering and strengthen Nigeria’s future workforce.
Alamu, noting that initiatives such as the Engineering Olympiad provide a structured platform for young talent to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions that contribute to the country’s technological and industrial advancement, stated that, “FIRST E&P believes that developing STEM capacity is an investment in this country’s ability to solve its own problems. The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad has taken young engineers and taught them to think beyond the drawing board, and FIRST E&P is proud to have been a funding partner for this initiative. I commend NCDMB for championing the Olympiad and Enactus Nigeria for successfully delivering a platform that is helping shape the next generation of Nigerian engineers and innovators.”
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Acting Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Silas Ajimijaye, expressed appreciation to FIRST E&P for their unwavering support in successfully delivering the Olympiad.
Ajimijaye added that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, which aims to build indigenous engineering capacity and equip young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to drive industrial competitiveness, technological advancement, and sustainable national development.
The competition concluded in the awarding of prizes, with Team Mavericks of the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Adamawa State, winning the grand prize of N50 million and a Centre of Excellence building for its Faculty of Engineering.
The team’s winning innovation, Ubuntu Sapphire, is a community-powered rapid alert system that uses affordable devices to instantly notify neighbouring households and emergency responders during emergencies, offering a practical solution aimed at strengthening community security and emergency response infrastructure.
Speaking after receiving the award, Team Lead, Dr David Patrick, expressed gratitude to the organisers and sponsors for providing a platform that fostered innovation and practical learning.
The University of Ibadan emerged as the first runner-up, receiving N30 million and N75 million worth of engineering equipment for its Faculty of Engineering. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, secured third place and was awarded N20 million and N50 million worth of engineering equipment. The University of Jos finished fourth, receiving N10 million.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, UBA Foundation, has collaborated with Slum2School Africa to deliver a hands-on financial literacy workshop for underserved children.
At the event designed to equip participants with essential money management skills from an early age, an engaging learning companion, the UBA Money Explorers Book, was presented.
The book introduces the children to the fundamentals of financial literacy through interactive stories, practical money ledgers, games and activities.
The pupils were also introduced to the UBA Red Vault, a savings product created to encourage healthy financial habits from childhood.
This is part of UBA Foundation’s broader financial inclusion and social impact agenda, which promotes education, youth empowerment and community development through innovative learning programmes and grassroots outreach across the group’s 20 African countries of operation.
The Managing Director of UBA Foundation, Ms Bola Atta, underscored the importance of introducing children to financial education early, noting that such interventions help build lifelong habits that foster confidence, responsibility and economic independence.
“Every child deserves the tools to dream bigger and plan better, regardless of where they come from. When we teach a child to understand money, we are giving them confidence, choice and a clearer sense of what is possible.
“Our partnership with Slum2School Africa enables us to reach children who stand to benefit the most, and seeing their enthusiasm as they learn reminds us why this work is so important,” she stated.
Also commenting, UBA’s Segment Executive for Children and Youth Banking, Ozioma Obi, said, “We are creating products and experiences that make banking simple, relatable and enjoyable for children from their very first lesson.
“The Money Explorers Book and the UBA Red Vault are designed to make saving exciting rather than a task. When children begin this journey early, they develop habits that will serve them throughout their lives. That is how we nurture informed, empowered and financially responsible future generations.”
On his part, the Senior Programmes Manager for Slum2School Africa, Mr Adekunle Idowu, said, “Financial literacy is a life skill that every child deserves, regardless of their background.
“Through this partnership with UBA Foundation, we are helping children develop the confidence, knowledge and discipline to make informed financial decisions from an early age. When we empower children with these skills today, we are investing in a more financially responsible and economically resilient future.”
