Education
Investment in Education: Ogun Urges Firms to Emulate Promasidor
By Dipo Olowookere
The management of Promasidor Nigeria Limited has been applauded by the Ogun State government for initiating a career guidance workshop for secondary school students, describing it as a laudable effort towards the development of education and youth empowerment in the country.
Speaking at the second edition of Promasidor Harness Your Dream programme organised by the makers of Cowbell, Milk, Loya Milk, Onga, Top Tea and other quality brands, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Modupe Mujota, called on other corporate organisations to emulate Promasidor since education and youth development are collective responsibilities of the government and the populace in line with public and private partnership policy.
The Commissioner, who was represented at the event, held at African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta, on Wednesday by the Ministry’s Director of Education Support Services, Mr Martins Akinsolu, remarked that most adolescents are ignorant of career choices.
“It would not be an overstatement to state that the most bugging problem facing the adolescents of this country is the problem of unemployment and the major cause of this problem is wrong choice of career,” she lamented.
In a separate interview, Akinsolu described Promasidor Harness Your Dream as “the first of its kind in Ogun State”, adding that the Ministry would seek further support from the company to enable the over 450 secondary schools in the state benefit from the initiative.
Principal of African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta, Mr Akinjide Johnson, was particularly delighted that Promasidor Nigeria Limited had chosen to support the future of Nigerian youths rather than devote resources to sponsor programmes he described as “promoting frivolities.”
In his opening remarks, the Managing Director, Priomasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr Anders Einarsson, admonished the students to take full advantage of the workshop in order to achieve their dream goals.
Mr Einarsson, who was represented by the company’s Head of Legal/PR, Mr Andrew Enahoro, described success as not just what is hoped and prayed for.
He then explained: “You choose to be successful and work hard towards achieving it. That you are here today means you have chosen to be successful in your future endeavours. What remains is for you to continue to study and work hard to achieve the desired results.
Paying attention to the presentations that will be made this afternoon, for me, is what you must do if you are really determined to be successful. Beyond today, however, I implore you to embrace learning as a lifelong process. This is one decision you will never regret taking.”
Mr Einarsson said that Promasidor remained committed to education and youth development through such initiatives as Promasidor Harness Your Dream and the Cowbellpedia Mathematics TV Quiz Show, through which the company has promoted interest in Mathematics in the last 20 years.
He recalled that Promasidor doubled the cash prizes for winners and runners of the popular TV Quiz programme from this year’s edition, while sustaining the overseas education excursion for the two category winners. “The competition perfectly demonstrates how far we are ready to go in supporting you to harness and achieve your dreams,” Mr Einarsson further said.
The focus areas of this edition were “Personnel Management/Emerging Entrepreneurial Opportunities”, “Accounting and Business Management, “Digital Media” and “Information and Communication Technology.”
Students of Gateway Secondary School, Abeokuta were also in attendance to benefit from the programme.
A Corporate Social Responsibility of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the primary objective of ‘Promasidor Harness Your Dreams, is to help public school students understand varieties of career options and guide them along their career paths with PNG staff members serving as resource persons.
It is to be held across the country with one edition per school term.
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.
