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Oando Foundation Pilots Language-Based Literacy Initiative in Ebonyi, Others

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Oando Foundation

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

To improve foundational literacy and numeracy in Nigeria, Oando Foundation has introduced an initiative called Foundational Learning Improvement Programme (LEARNOVATE – FLIP).

About 80 public primary schools across four of the 36 states of the federation, namely Ebonyi, Plateau, Sokoto, and Adamawa, would be used for the pilot of the programme by the organisation.

The aim is to support the government to achieve its Universal Basic Education goal by leveraging evidence-based methods to address the learning crisis in Nigeria and build.

Oando Foundation is going on this journey by partnering with other organisations like the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa, the Quality Education Development Associates (QEDA), and the Hilltrust Top Foundation.

This scheme integrates two methodologies by taking a targeted approach to enhance inclusive and equitable quality education.

The first is the Early Grade Reading (EGR), which is co-implemented by QEDA and Hilltrust Top Foundation, and focuses on foundational literacy for primary 1–3 pupils in Ebonyi, Plateau, and Sokoto States.

By employing mother tongue and English materials, the initiative ensures pupils build strong reading and comprehension skills.

The second method used TaRL to provide remedial literacy and numeracy support for primary 4–6 pupils in Adamawa State, particularly those with interrupted schooling.

The initiative builds on Oando Foundation’s current LEARNOVATE strategy centred around improving foundational learning through innovative approaches and promoting sustainability within educational systems.

“We are excited to introduce the Foundational Learning Improvement Programme as part of our LEARNOVATE strategy, in line with our ongoing commitment to ensuring that every child, especially in underserved communities, has access to quality education.

“By incorporating evidence-based methodologies and focusing on lesson instructions and assessments in mother-tongue, we aim to address the existing learning gaps among young learners and create a deeper understanding of how to improve educational outcomes for Nigerian students.

“The impact of this pilot will not only inform future educational practices but will also support the achievement of the United Nations’ SDG 4, which advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Ultimately, our goal is to empower children with the foundational skills they need to succeed, contributing to the sustainable growth and development of their communities and Nigeria as a whole,” the Head of Oando Foundation, Tonia Uduimoh, commented.

Also, the chairman of the Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Patience Ogodo, commended Oando Foundation for its unwavering commitment to transforming education in Nigeria.

“By integrating evidence-based methodologies and prioritizing inclusive approaches such as mother-tongue assessments, this program not only improves learning outcomes but also empowers students to realize their full potential.”

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

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Education

UniJos Suspends Exams Over Deadly Jos Attack

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Unijos

By Adedapo Adesanya

The University of Jos has suspended all examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday following growing tension in Jos, after a deadly attack in Anguwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The management of the institution also advised students and staff to remain indoors and stay vigilant.

According to reports, the attackers, who rode on motorcycles, stormed the community at about 7:30 pm while residents were going about their normal activities, firing indiscriminately and causing panic.

Many people were killed, while several others sustained injuries in the attack.

“The attackers just rode past and started shooting sporadically. People were running in different directions,” a source told Channels Television.

The broadcaster also reported that in the aftermath of the attack, angry youths reportedly blocked major roads within the community, raising fears of escalating tension.

UniJos, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Mr Emmanuel Madugu, said the incident had heightened tension, necessitating the decision.

“In view of the late evening fatal attacks by unknown gunmen on residents of Angwan Rukuba (an area that hosts many staff and students of the University), and the consequential tensions it has generated in and around the area and environs.

“The Vice Chancellor has directed that all examinations scheduled to hold on Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March 31, 2026, are postponed, and will be rescheduled accordingly. That members of the University community be advised to be very vigilant and extra careful with their movements (On and off Campus) with IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

“For emphasis, members are strongly advised to AVOID COMING OUT VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, and should REPORT IMMEDIATELY any sign or shadow of breach of the public peace to the University Security Division on 08035895323.

“University Management is actively liaising with the relevant Security agencies and monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the lives of members of the University community. Further relevant updates will be communicated in due course,” the deputy registrar added.

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8 Best Editing and Proofreading Services in 2026 for Academic Researchers

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Editage Proofreading Services

The top editing services for academic researchers in 2026 include Editage, Wiley Editing Services, Taylor & Francis Editing Services, Sage Author Services, and Scribbr. In this article, we’ll look at the key features of each of these, and some others, to help you choose the best proofreading service for your own research paper. We’ll also share the 4 key aspects you must consider when choosing a proofreading service.

Top 8 Editing & Proofreading Services for Academic Researchers

1. Editage

With over 23 years of experience in academic publishing, Editage has edited over 2 million research papers and is trusted by 40+ publishers, 500+ universities, and 1000+ research societies. Editage employs over 3,000 subject matter experts as editors. It offers comprehensive publication support, including services such as journal selection, statistical review, and figure preparation. Most service packages include free journal formatting. Editage also provides a specialized service designed to help prevent the desk rejection of your paper.

2. Wiley Editing Services

Wiley Editing Services has edited over 25,000 manuscripts in the past 3 years, with an acceptance rate of 62% (the acceptance rate of Wiley journals in general is around 28%). Wiley Editing Services offers authors slab-based pricing with clear turnaround times. Another feature of their editing service is free word count reduction by 10-20% depending on service package. It has a specialized academic translation team and offers authors design support in creating graphical abstracts and infographics.

3. Taylor & Francis Editing Services

Designed to support Taylor & Francis authors, Taylor & Francis Editing Services has a no-questions-asked quality guarantee and commits to re-working your manuscript until you are satisfied. Clients can choose from three levels of English language editing, and the company also offers you a free language scorer tool to help you choose the right level of editing for your manuscript. After your paper is accepted for publication, you can also avail of services to help you create lay summaries, video abstracts, etc. to promote it. Taylor & Francis also offers a range of live webinars for researchers to acquire new skills.

4. Sage Author Services

Realizing that 76% of authors find writing a paper for publication most difficult of all the research stages, Sage Author Services offers clients a range of editing services with easy tools to compare them and select the one suited for your paper.  There is also a combination translation + editing service geared towards ESL authors, and a plagiarism check support service. You can get unlimited Q&A with your editor after your paper is edited. Their website also has an easy-to-use calculator for you to choose pricing and delivery speed.

5. Cambridge University Press Author Services

Cambridge University Press, a part of Cambridge University, has a long-standing commitment to advancing research and human knowledge. Their author services offers 24/7 support and a certificate guaranteeing the quality of English in the edited manuscript. Besides offering three levels of editing service, Cambridge University Press also has translation support available for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. There is a separate manuscript formatting service and a specialized “video shorts” service to make your published paper easy to share on social media.

6. Scribbr

Scribbr, a trusted brand in edtech, has a network of over 700 editors and writing coaches for students. All editors have passed through an in-house training program called Scribbr Academy. Scribbr offers clients access to free AI-powered tools and an extensive Knowledge Base for university students (especially undergraduates). Scribber also has a rapid turnaround time of just 5 minutes for AI-powered proofreading. The company offers specialized proofreading services for capstone projects and essays.

7. Scribendi

Established in 1997, Scribendi has processed over 800,000 manuscripts and has a team of over 400 native English-speaking freelance editors. The company is highly rated on Google Reviews and offers specialized services for ESL students, including dissertation proofreading with a 10% student discount. Another specialty of Scribbr is field-aware editing for humanities and social sciences researchers.

8. PaperTrue

PaperTrue works with students, authors, and businesses around the world to create error-free documents. New customers get a free 300-word sample. The company follows a rigorous 3-step checking process for every assignment. PaperTrue is rated 4.6 on Reviews.io and offers specialized editing services for college assignments, admissions essays, and personal statements. The company also has a large bouquet of solutions for book authors: typesetting, cover page design, etc.

How to Choose a Proofreading Service for Your Research Paper

Here are 4 things that you need to consider when you are choosing a proofreading service:

Quality:

Everyone will claim to be the best. How can you tell which proofreading services are really good? Look for services that have many subject matter experts, those backed by scholarly publishers, and those that transparently disclose whether their services are powered by AI or not.

Turnaround time:

A rapid-fire editing service isn’t always better. You need to budget time even after your paper is edited to check the editor’s changes and respond to any queries. Look for a service provider with a reasonable turnaround time, and one that is flexible with turnaround time if you have budget constraints.

Price:

Instead of thinking that cheap equals good, look for proofreading services that have transparent pricing that is easy to follow. Check what is included in your service package, especially re-editing support and manuscript formatting.

Additional support:

Look for a provider who can assist you at every stage of your publication journey and even with post-publication promotion. Such providers will care more deeply about your article and your publication success. Also, such providers will likely have editors who are experienced in academic research and who understand the challenges authors face during the publication process.

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Education

Again, NELFUND Extends Deadline for 2025/26 Session Loan Applications

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nelfund

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has granted another extension for its Student Loan Application Portal to accommodate institutions that requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to the statement signed by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Ms Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Thursday, the extension applies only to institutions that submitted formal requests, allowing eligible students extra time to complete their applications.

“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has approved an extension of its Student Loan Application Portal for institutions that have formally requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session,” the statement read.

Business Post reports that at the beginning of March, NELFUND announced an extension to the deadline by a week for its student loan application portal following a notable rise in nationwide interest driven by ongoing awareness campaigns.

Speaking on the development, NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, reiterated the Fund’s commitment to ensuring that eligible students at participating institutions can access the student loan programme.

“NELFUND remains committed to ensuring that eligible students across participating institutions have the opportunity to access the student loan programme,” he said.

The Fund urges students in affected institutions to take advantage of the extension and submit their applications through the official portal.

It also emphasised its dedication to transparency, accountability, and providing sustainable financing solutions to remove financial barriers to higher education in Nigeria.

Established to administer the Nigeria Student Loan Scheme, NELFUND was enacted into law by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024.

The initiative provides interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition and living expenses.

Beneficiaries are required to repay the loans after completing their education and securing employment, aiming to increase access to higher education for students from low-income backgrounds.

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