By Modupe Gbadeyanka

An $8,000 scholarship has been launched by Prodigy Finance and the Esade Business School for women in graduate programs in a bid to promote leadership and empowerment.

The scholarship is open to women from Prodigy-supported regions, with applications accepted from March 14 to April 14, 2025.

The objective of the programme is to support the next generation of female leaders as part of the commitment of the parties to empower women, breaking down barriers, and leadership in their respective fields.

This scholarship is part of a wider initiative to increase diversity and inclusion in education and get more women into leadership positions across industries and communities.

It is for women starting their studies in the Fall of 2025, who must be from a Prodigy-supported region and attending a Prodigy-supported school.

After the closure of entries, a period of review will follow from April 15 to May 1, 2025, with the winner announced on May 2, 2025.

Applicants must complete the scholarship application within the specified timeframe and submit essay responses that assess their merit and need, the organisers said.

“At Prodigy Finance, we believe education can transform lives. This Women’s Day, we are pleased to be partnering with ESADE to support women from around the world.

“By backing their education, we are not only making learning more accessible but also enabling them to make a lasting impact in the business world,” the Global Chief Business Officer at Prodigy Finance, Ms Sonal Kapoor, said.

Prodigy Finance said it is dedicated to making quality education accessible. Known for its no-cosigner, collateral-free loans, the company offers student loan amounts up to the cost of attendance limits set by the schools.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

An educational grant programme will soon be launched by a fast-rising support group, the Young Professionals for Tinubu (YP4T).

The scheme is to support at least 100 Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) students across Nigeria with funds for their final certificate examinations.

This initiative seeks to remove financial barriers for promising students, ensuring they have the opportunity to complete their education and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s growth.

“Education is the foundation upon which strong nations are built. By supporting 100 young Nigerians in their final year of secondary school, we are not only investing in their future but in the future of the country itself.

“This grant represents an opportunity for these students to complete a critical stage of their education, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s progress.

“We believe that empowering young minds today will yield leaders who drive innovation, governance, and prosperity tomorrow,” the Regional Director for YP4T, Mr Alex Oware, stated.

Recently, in a continued effort to empower young Nigerians as active participants in the nation’s development, YP4T empowered about 1,200 young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to take on active roles in shaping Nigeria’s future.

The programme was held under the Civic Participation Workshop and featured dynamic and interactive sessions on policy making and advocacy, digital citizenship and social media activism, leadership and public speaking, and understanding government and the constitution.

Participants had the opportunity to engage with experienced facilitators, ask critical questions about how to better integrate into political and civic spaces at both local and national levels, and receive practical guidance on how to make meaningful contributions to Nigeria’s development.

A resounding theme that emerged throughout the event was the growing number of young Nigerians approaching voting age, with speakers and facilitators emphasizing the urgent need for them to ensure they are registered to vote.

The discussions reinforced the principle that active civic engagement begins with exercising the fundamental right to vote, ensuring that young voices are represented in shaping the country’s future.

Mr Oware engaged the Personal Assistant to the President on General Duties, Mr Wale Fadare, in a conversation about what true nation-building requires from young Nigerians.

“True transformation is a collective effort. Young Nigerians have the energy and vision to drive change, and it is vital that we all work together to build a stronger, more resilient nation.

“A crucial part of this is making sure that more young people take their civic responsibilities seriously, from understanding governance to ensuring they are registered to vote,” the President’s aide said.

The event marks a significant moment for YP4T, which recently surpassed 3,000 registered young professionals dedicated to supporting and advancing the policies of President Tinubu.

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.”