Education
Oyo Pledges Continuous Reward for Hard Work in Education
By Dipo Olowookere
The Oyo State Governor, Mr Abiola Ajimobi, says his administration will continue to reward excellence in academic activities, as it sets out to revamp the academic standard of the state for greatness with appropriate policies.
He made this commitment at the recent inauguration of Oyo State Schools’ Governing Board; a new initiative to coordinate the administration of secondary schools in the state.
The event also witnessed the recognition of the best overall student in the 2015 WAEC who is an indigene of Oyo state.
The awardee, Mr David Babalola, a 200 level Medicine student of the University of Ibadan with CGPA of 7.0, flanked by his parents Prof. and Mrs Babalola stood tall as Governor Abiola Ajimobi presented him with cash award and scholarship at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
Mr Babalola, an indigene of Saki from Oke Ogun axis of the state was described by Governor Ajimobi as one of Oyo State’s brightest minds as he came out in flying colours in the 2015 WAEC examination, scoring A1 in eight subjects including English Language and Mathematics with a total of 673.7626.
At the event, a Development Expert, Mr Michael Ale who was also made the Chairman of Jericho High School told Mr Babalola “We are very proud of you, David. To show how delighted we are with your performance, to encourage our other children to do the same, and to demonstrate our government’s commitment to excellence, I hereby announce the award of a full scholarship to you till you complete your current course of medical studies at the University of Ibadan.
“In addition, the sum of N250,000 is to be given to David in recognition of his outstanding achievement, and for bringing glory to himself, his family and the good people of Oyo State”.
Mr Ale, who gave David N100,000, pledged to do more, “I was impressed with the CV of the best student in WAEC 2015, his impressive achievement, I think the more you encourage, the more he grows in knowledge.
“I donated N100,000 to support his scholarship that was given to him by Oyo State Government and also a means of assisting the state government”.
“We shall look beyond now, in five years to see that we bring value that is necessary, the value that we expected in a public school that will look more like a private setting, especially Jericho High School brought me up to this level, it invested in me and has done a lot for me in the area of education, social interaction, ethics and moral value.
“Within the next two years the school will experience great transformation especially in the performance of the students and I can say very clearly that students can’t perform without teachers, so we are going to start our repositioning from the teachers.
“We are not going to work on Jericho High School alone, we are going to collaborate with other schools and learn from their own way, we are going to copy and imitate good things from those schools,” Mr Ale added.
It would be recalled that the Oyo State Government also recently rewarded 26 pupils from various schools who have represented the state in various National competitions for being good ambassadors.
Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi, who presented the gifts to the 26 pupils for their excellent performances in Mathematical Association of Nigeria (MAN), Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), competitions in Ibadan stated that there is no amount of time, energy and money that can be regarded as too much on Education.
According to the commissioner, “Education as we all know is a veritable tool and instrument to alleviate and subsequently banish ignorance and poverty, whatever is devoted to education therefore multiplies in turn.”
Professor Olowofela reiterated the government’s policies such as stoppage of mass promotion of students, promotion based on 80 percent class attendance and above average performance, inauguration of Schools’ Governing Boards (SGB) for effective control and teaching, massive renovation of schools and supply of science equipment would help to save education from its present position.
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.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has inaugurated a Curriculum Review Committee aimed at strengthening taxation education in Nigerian academic institutions and improving the country’s tax administration system.
According to a statement, the committee was inaugurated on February 24, at the NRS Academy in Durumi as part of the agency’s broader efforts to modernise tax education and align academic training with the evolving demands of contemporary tax administration.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Director of the NRS Academy, Mr Adeolu Akinyemi, said the review exercise would involve collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) to develop a more structured and relevant curriculum for the academy.
He emphasised that the initiative seeks to ensure that taxation programmes taught in Nigerian institutions reflect current developments in tax policy and practice, while also equipping students with the practical knowledge required in today’s tax administration environment.
The committee has been tasked with examining existing taxation curricula across Nigerian institutions and proposing updates that incorporate modern tax policies, recent legislative changes, and emerging areas such as digital taxation and global tax practices.
Officials say the review is also designed to close the gap between theoretical classroom instruction and the practical realities of tax administration.
By strengthening the link between academic learning and professional practice, the revised curriculum is expected to better prepare graduates for careers in the tax sector.
The effort is further expected to enhance tax awareness among citizens, encourage voluntary tax compliance, and support the development of skilled tax professionals who can contribute to national revenue generation and economic growth.
The committee is chaired by Mrs Aisha Hamman Mahmoud, Special Adviser to the Executive Chairman of the NRS on Research and Statistics. Its membership includes representatives from the service as well as academic experts in taxation and fiscal policy, alongside professionals with experience in tax administration, policy formulation, and tax education.
The committee will work with relevant educational regulatory agencies and professional bodies to ensure that the proposed curriculum aligns with national academic standards while addressing the practical needs of Nigeria’s tax system.
The NRS stated that the initiative forms part of its ongoing commitment to expanding tax knowledge, strengthening professional capacity, and promoting responsible tax practices across the country.
The curriculum review exercise is expected to be completed within 60 days, after which the Service plans to provide further updates on the implementation of the revised programme.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The first batch of Nigerian undergraduates to enjoy fully paid scholarships for studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses across the continent has been chosen by Airtel Africa Foundation.
Business Post gathered that 70 students from universities across Nigeria were selected from thousands of applicants through an independently managed process, which took nearly six months.
It was learned that most of the undergraduates were from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), the University of Ilorin, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU Zaria), and the University of Nigeria (UNN).
The scholarship covers tuition, laptop computers, living expenses, and essential learning resources, a statement from Airtel Africa Foundation disclosed.
The chairman of the foundation, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, speaking at the presentation of the scholarships to the beneficiaries at the Lagos headquarters of Airtel Nigeria, emphasised the need for initiatives such as the Airtel Africa Foundation’s undergraduate tech scholarship for the future of the continent.
“True legacy is not measured by the awards we win or the volume of SIM cards we sell; it is measured by the lives we save, the people we feed, and the students we support when the line between success and failure is at its thinnest.
“At the Airtel Africa Foundation, we believe that lifting people out of poverty is the ultimate benchmark of a great company. Today, we are writing that legacy by tilting the balance in favour of the brilliant but underserved, ensuring that the fourth industrial revolution, driven by AI and Data Science, is built by African talent for the African continent,” he stated.
Mr Ogunsanya further revealed that this fellowship, executed through Airtel Nigeria, is designed to bridge the gap where funding, skills, and opportunity often fail to meet.
In addition to the N500,000 yearly budget for the fellows’ four-year or five-year courses, each fellow would be integrated into a structured support system for academic guidance and career mentorship, intended to ultimately transition students from the classroom to the global tech workforce.
Addressing the students, the chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, stressed that youth development is a strategic imperative for Airtel.
“At Airtel Nigeria, we view youth development as essential nation-building. When young people succeed, innovation accelerates, and social stability improves.
“By connecting these brilliant scholars to knowledge, skills, and confidence, we are fulfilling our core mission to connect people to opportunity. To our recipients: you earned your place here through merit and discipline. You are now ambassadors of excellence, and we expect your leadership to be defined by your conduct as you help shape a more inclusive digital future for Nigeria,” the Airtel Nigeria chief said.
The Nigerian cohort joins a prestigious network of Airtel Africa Foundation fellows currently studying in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and India.
The initiative underscores a broader commitment to technology education, youth development, and Nigeria’s digital economy.
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