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 Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes, the Obajana Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has distributed some educational materials to some pupils in Kogi State.
The items shared to the beneficiaries included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.
The General Manager for the Social Performance Department of Dangote Cement at Obajana Plant, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the materials were donated days after Dangote Cement distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.
He noted that, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, and it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.
He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and are implemented through sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials,” the cement firm said.
The Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Mr Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for the gesture.
The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.
The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.
