Education
Kwara Trains Contractors Ahead of Massive Rehabilitation of Schools
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
In preparation of the massive infrastructural renewal of basic schools across the 16 local government areas, the Kwara State government has commenced the training of local contractors.
On Tuesday, the north-central state of the federation began a three-day capacity building workshop for the contractors who want to carry out the projects through the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KW-SUBEB).
Recently, the state received a N7.1 billion grant from the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) after being blacklisted for seven years.
This left most schools in the state in a dilapidated form, causing many indigenes of the state to worry about the poor state of education.
But with the funds released, the administration of Mr Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman is working hard to change the narratives for good.
At the workshop, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Ms Fatimah Ahmed, explained that the training was to enlighten local contractors on the requirements for the successful bidding process.
“The essence of the training is to enlighten our local contractors because in bidding for a contract, there are requirements that will be needed from the contractors which many of them might not be aware of,” she said.
“This training is coming up first to educate them on the procurement process and what the state will need from them before they can bid for any contract. We have over 1000 participants and the workshop is coming up in batches between Tuesday and Thursday,” she explained.
Ms Ahmed urged the prospective contractors to abide by relevant rules and requirements of the tender board to ensure a successful bidding process.
Procurement Consultant and Governance Reform Expert, Mr Omomofe Akintunde, further explained that the training was designed to equip prospective bidders and vendors in Kwara State on steps to follow for a successful bidding process in line with the Public Procurement Act 2007 and the Kwara State Public Procurement Law.
“Public procurement is for the public, and government needs to interact with bidders on the way to understand the technicalities and what must be put in place before participating in procurement activities and win,” he said.
“When you increase the chance of contractors in participation, it will also help the government in promoting the economy of the state. So, it is not just for the public procurement to be done under board but to follow the guidelines and procedures that are all encapsulated in the Public Procurement Act and the Kwara State Public Procurement Law,” he added.
Mr Akintunde commended the state government for deploying the use of public procurement as a public policy and hoped that it will translate to dividends of democracy and development which the people want and guarantee quality jobs expected from the contractors.
Two of the contractors Umar Farouq Sanni and Omotayo Oladele said the training was necessary to assist them on how to manage the contract and rewrite the story of Kwara State through efficient management of UBEC funds.
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.
