Education
Registration for Second InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition Begins
By Dipo Olowookere
Following the success of the first edition of InterswitchSPAK National Science competition, organisers of the educational programme have announced registration for the second edition.
At a press briefing held on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 in Lagos, Interswitch, the lead sponsor of the competition, said it is only open to Senior Secondary 2 students across the country aged between 14 and 17 years, while intending participants have been told to register for the contest on www.interswitchspak.com .
The InterswitchSPAK National Science competition focuses on driving increased interest in the study of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects among students.
It will kick off with a national qualifying examination from which 81 finalists will emerge to compete at the InterswitchSPAK TV quiz competition.
The InterswitchSPAK programme includes a Masterclass, an Innovation Challenge and a TV quiz competition around STEM subjects.
The aim of InterswitchSPAK is to encourage and guide the students along career paths that will help them achieve full optimization of their potentials and dreams to become inventors or entrepreneurs.
Group Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Interswitch, Ms Cherry Eromosele, encouraged all eligible students to participate and register in this second edition.
She noted that the importance of STEM education cannot be over-emphasized in our society; especially considering our current societal challenges.
“At Interswitch, we understand that technology is key to solving most of our challenges in Africa. Promoting and rewarding excellence in STEM subjects among secondary school students is our way of preparing the younger generation to take up this challenge,” she said.
Speaking on the registration process, Group Head, Brands, at Interswitch Group, Ms Enyioma Anaba, explained that the competition was open to girls and boys in public and private secondary schools in Nigeria, aged between 14 and 17 years.
She further explained that new schools are required to first register on the InterswitchSPAK platform before registering their students, while returning schools can directly register their students. Each such school is expected to register six students each, at least two of which must be girls.
The overall winner will be awarded a five-year scholarship in any tertiary institution, a laptop, a gold trophy and monthly stipends throughout the duration of the scholarship, all totalling N7.5million.
The second-place winner will be awarded a three-year scholarship, a laptop, a silver trophy and monthly stipends for the three years totalling N4 million; while the third place winner will receive a year-long scholarship worth N1 million, a laptop, and a bronze trophy.
Business Post reports that the InterswitchSPAK National Science competition is a CSR initiative of the leading Nigerian Pan-African digital payment and commerce solutions company.
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.
