Education
Pacegate, Polaris Bank Uplift Girl-child through Education
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
To uplift the girl-child through education and made them better persons in society, Pacegate Limited, a leading manufacturer of UN Certified Steel Drums and distributor of Adipro Lubricant Additives, has collaborated with Polaris Bank.
It was gathered that the two organisations partnered to promote human capital development and combat climate change in Nigeria through the provision of essential school supplies such as; school bags, pens, books, sandals, and uniforms to over 1,400 schoolgirls in secondary schools in Kano, Lagos and Imo States.
This gesture, they believe, will boost inclusive quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all, as enshrined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.
One of the beneficiaries and a student of Opebi Junior Grammar School, Miss Nwagu Happiness, while expressing her appreciation, said that the provisions from Pacegate and Polaris Bank are well received.
“We are very grateful for these bags and other gifts. The items will be of immense value to us. We promise to put them to good use,” she said.
The Principal of the School, Mrs Omolara Awosan, who was represented by the Vice-Principal (Admin), Mrs Olutade Taiwo, while thanking the companies for the initiative, advised the beneficiaries “to take advantage of this kind gesture from Pacegate and Polaris Bank to become proud ambassadors of this school.”
She also said “the donations you receive today are complementing the efforts of your parents over your education and these investments should yield positive results from you.”
Speaking on the initiative, the Managing Director of Pacegate Limited, Mr Umesh Amarnani, thanked Polaris Bank for supporting the vision to help young schoolgirls across the country.
“As the world continues to deal with the effects of global warming, it is essential for us as an organisation to contribute our quota in moving the needle forward and this became vital for us to take a closer look at engaging the girl child as a pivotal part of tackling this issue,” he added.
Also, the Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank, Mr Innocent Ike, promised that the bank “will continue to increase her footprints across communities in Nigeria to ensure the promotion of inclusive quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all while creating an enabling environment for the growth of businesses. We welcome partnership opportunities with the core objective of delivering social value for the underserved in the country.”
Leading research for climate change solutions, Project Drawdown, revealed that the provision of education for the girl child is one of the solutions which has a positive, long-lasting impact in addressing the effects of global warming.
As knowledge broadens the horizon of the girl child, imparting the understanding of their boundless potential, extends beyond solely nurturing children.
Education provides the much-needed safety net and resilience for girls and women alike to navigate their role in the world and make better life choices, which will positively impact climate change.
Recall that earlier in the year, Polaris Bank took its Feminine Hygiene Campaign (an advocacy and capacity building initiative on menstrual hygiene for girls) to nine secondary schools in three states across North Central & North East geopolitical zones of the country respectively.
The feminine hygiene campaign was embarked on to address the knowledge gap, correct unhealthy hygiene practices among secondary school girls; as well as identify the environmental school challenges affecting the effective management of feminine hygiene promotion in schools to enable girl-child education.
Additionally, Polaris Bank’s CSR footprints and interventions for women-focused and other societal issues in the nation include the implementation of specifically tailored initiatives such as the provision of free breast cancer screening to over 20,000 women in partnerships with Care Organization Public Enlightenment (COPE), Nigeria’s leading breast cancer NGO.
Equally involved in this strategic partnership is PEARL, Pacegate Energy and Resources Limited, an indigenous local content company that provides fluids and chemical solutions to various sectors of the Nigerian economy.
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.
