Education
Lagos Cruises Into Semis of Cowbellpedia Maths TV Quiz
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Lagos State stood out brilliantly, grabbing two more semi-final tickets at the on-going 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics Television Quiz Show sponsored by Cowbell, the flagship brand from Promasidor Nigeria Limited.
In the Group 7 preliminary contest last weekend, Fuad Alaka of Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba and Oluwatade Akinjide of the Learning Field Schools, Satellite Town moved the state ahead in the Junior and Senior categories respectively.
Earlier in the Group 4 preliminary round, Emmanuel Mebude of Ogunlade Secondary School, Surulere had secured the first semi-final slot for the state.
In a keenly contested session in the Junior category, Alaka and Ibrahim Jajere of Nigerian Tulip International College, Damaturu, Yobe State survived the stiff challenge from Ilerioluwakiiye Abolade of Skyward Mega High School, Ibadan, Oyo State; Oyintomiwa Oni of African International College, Abuja and Falmata Ibrahim of Elkanemi Schools, Maiduguri, Borno State.
Thirteen-year-old Alaka, who got a perfect score in the qualifying examination conducted in March 2017, was excited qualifying for the semi-final.
“It has been a good experience for me so far and I am very grateful to Cowbell and Promasidor for this huge opportunity.
“My expectation is to come out as the best, but I will accept whatever comes as the will of God,” he told newsmen outside the studio in Lagos last week.
In the senior category, Akinjide and Evans Owamoyoof Greater Tomorrow International College, Arigidi-Akoko, Ondo State scaled the hurdles into the semi-finals.
The duo outperformed Olalekan Abdullateef of Vanguard Academy, Abeokuta, Ogun Sate; Uchechukwu Ezedimora of Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Kadiri Eshiovaze of Gloryland Secondary School, Igarra, Edo State and Haruna Abba of Science Secondary School, Kafin Hausa, Bauchi State.
Akinjide, who is participating in the competition for the first time, described the experience as “nice and exciting.”
“My focus is on the final and the ultimate prize. This has been my dream and my expectation. If I win, I will give part of the money to the church and the rest to my parents,” he said
The 16-year-old Senior Secondary School student, who scored 95 per cent in the qualifying examination conducted in March 2017, aspires to become a Petroleum Engineer.
On his part, Owamoyo who got to the final in the junior category of the 2015 edition, hopes to win this year. Like Akinjide, he promised to give his prize money to his church and his parents. “I really thank God for surviving the initial nervousness to qualify for this stage.
The ultimate prize in the Senior and Junior categories is N1 million each and all-expense-paid educational excursion outside the country. The first and second runners-up for each category will go home with N750,000 and N500,000 respectively.
Each teacher of the 2017 champions will be awarded N400,000, while those of the first and second runners-up will receive N300,000 and N200,000 respectively. Also, the winning schools will be rewarded with mathematics textbooks, desktop computers and printers.
The 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematic TV Quiz continues this weekend. It will be aired to millions of viewers on DStv Africa Magic Family Channel, AIT Network and six other television stations across the country.
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.
