Education
NERDC To Introduce Financial Education In Schools
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigeria Education Research and Development Council (NERDC) has disclosed that it would soon introduce financial education into basic and senior secondary education curricula in Nigeria.
This, it explained, would be done in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other agencies having links with the financial sector.
NERDC explained further that some of the key areas of focus for inclusion are money, savings, credit, insurance, deposit insurance, capital market, pension, planning and budgeting, financial landscape and entrepreneurship.
Addressing a press conference on the sideline of a workshop, Executive Secretary of NERDC, Professor Ismail Junaidu, disclosed that the idea was motivated by the need to address consumers’ lack of knowledge and skills that would enable them understand financial concepts and manage their personal financial matters to enhance their economic wellbeing.
He said the curriculum, which is very innovative, “comprises different themes namely: Money, savings, credit, insurance, deposit insurance, capital market, pension, planning and budgeting, financial landscape and entrepreneurship.”
Each of the themes, the NERDC boss said, “contains different concepts, contents, activities, learning resources and evaluation guides that are sequenced and graduated for effective implementation and learning outcomes in the different lessons, classrooms and schools.”
Director at NERDC, Professor Kate Nwofo, also said at the occasion that this project is going to be very beneficial.
“You know before now we have curriculum in Business, Accounting, Commerce etc, but we needed to improve on what we already have so that the students will have better access to information.
“For instance, inside the Business Studies, we have found some deficiencies. As an entrepreneur, you need to know how to get access to credit and loans because your savings alone cannot meet all your needs, so we have developed that and we are infusing those aspects into the curriculum to make sure that an entrepreneur has enough information to be able to prepare a budget, create a business plan, source for funding and be able to manage a business without much challenges,” Prof Nwofo stated.
The CBN, on its part, noted that the financial education initiative is being executed through a multi stakeholder approach as the project is taking place under the auspices of the financial systems regulators such as the CBN, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Securities and Exchange Commission, National Pension Commission, National Insurance Commission, etc.
Also addressing newsmen at the briefing, Head of the Consumer Protection Department of the CBN, Mrs Umma Dutse, stressed that, “Financial education is not what one individual or organisation can do.”
She added that, “The framework has taken a multi-stakeholder approach, so all hands must be on deck for us to achieve all our goals and objectives. I am happy to say that with all the commitments we have seen from all stakeholders, the NGOs, and development partners, I am very sure that at the end of the day, Nigeria is going to be a reference point once this curriculum is developed.”
This project, Mrs Dutse said, is funded by the participating stakeholders and there is fund set aside for this project until its logical conclusion.
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.
