Education
Slum2School Africa Founder Shares Experience With CNN
The founder of Slum2School Africa, Mr Orondaam Otto, has had a day with CNN International for his dedication to ensuring underprivileged children in Nigeria can go to school.
In July, Mr Otto launched Nigeria’s first virtual learning classroom to help underprivileged communities across Nigeria access education during COVID-19 lockdown. So far, his initiative has reached around 1,000 children and the goal is to reach 10,000.
In a chat, he told CNN, “We believe that every Nigerian child deserves the best. This is what inspires us to do what we do…I work with volunteers across the world to provide access to quality education for children across underserved communities.”
Mr Otto has been devising innovative ways to engage students since visiting slum communities around Lagos in 2012, explaining that, “I came to realise that there were a huge number of children in these slums who weren’t going to school or who didn’t have access to education. I asked myself back then what would really give me fulfilment after completing my national youth service.”
In the interview, he explained how he was able to quickly organise and raise money, stating that, “I want people to understand that everybody can make a difference if you only believe in yourself.
“You have all the resources that you need right where you are. In about three months, I was able to get my friends together. We raised funds, and we were able to get 114 children into school for the first time.”
Buoyed by this early success, Mr Otto founded Slum2School, a social initiative that provides education and health services to disadvantaged children.
The first project was in the Makoko community in Lagos where Mr Otto focused on developing the infrastructure; fully equipping the classrooms and building an innovation lab where kids are learning computer programming and robotics.
“Our plan is to primarily ensure that every public primary school across the country has beautiful facilities like this and this is a home economics lab which is also an enterprising development centre where children can learn all kinds of skills from catering, to fashion to bead making and we’re currently working on this and building this in schools across the state,” he informed CNN.
The Makoko project is still ongoing and once complete it will become a model which can be replicated nationwide. In order to do this, Slum2School works with the government, big corporations and private donors in order to keep the organization sustainable.
An annual fundraising campaign involves over 3,000 volunteers in more than 30 different activities including walking across Lekki-Ikoyi bridge in Lagos.
CNN met Omolola Oyewloe, a lawyer who volunteered two years ago and spoke about the importance of raising funds, saying, “The first time I listened to the founder Otto on Instagram, I fell in love with the way he projected the mission of the organization.
“Growing up I had friends who could not afford school tuition and they had to go to government schools which weren’t well equipped and so bringing this initiative in and making sure every child gets the quality education they deserve is something I could easily relate with because of my friends dropping out of school growing up.”
Chairperson of Slum2School Africa, Ms Alero Ayida-Otobo, praised Mr Otto for his vision and achievements in creating change.
“Otto, in summary, has the ability to inspire. He has the ability to get you to do a lot more. He has the ability to execute and is a great strategic thinker and I actually think Slum2School is poised to change the narrative of volunteerism not just in Nigeria but in the continent of Africa,” she said.
New headquarters in Leikki will include a factory to supply uniforms, bags and equipment to local schools.
According to Mr Otto, “It’s an exciting space that’s going to really facilitate innovation, creativity, learning, in all ways. We have various amazing spaces from the innovation lab we have there, to the arts and crafts centre, where kids are going to be learning how to paint and draw and build.”
In addition to the schools Mr Otto and his team recognised that children often miss school due to illness and so they’re supporting those who require medical assistance, he said: “There’s also a huge medical program that’s been put in place to ensure that every child is not just learning but they are learning in a healthy condition. We have lots of children who need urgent medical attention to surgical interventions.”
Speaking about the impact of Slum2School Africa, Mr Otto noted that: “We’ve seen lots of our young learners and teenagers who are in secondary school or university, who started community projects, who have come together to enrol more children in their community.
“It’s inspiring seeing that ripple effect that we are creating as a community. And I think it’s fulfilling. It’s extremely fulfilling. And if I were to choose to do something again, I think I would choose this, and I think literally everyone is born to be a change maker.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The Federal Ministry of Education made the announcement on Monday in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Boriowo Folasade.
The ministry announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken.
The Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold, with the Ministry acknowledging the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public since the planned increase became known.
The Ministry said the proposed fee review was driven by rising operational costs that have accumulated over several years without a corresponding adjustment to examination registration fees.
It said the current fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in costs covering logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services required to maintain the integrity of public examinations.
“The proposed review was informed by the prevailing economic realities and the rising cost of conducting credible national examinations,” the statement said.
“The current examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in operational costs,” the Ministry added.
The ministry said the proposed fee hike will no longer take effect as earlier planned, while acknowledging that the concerns raised by Nigerians warranted a pause in the process.
“The proposed review of examination registration fees will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process,” the statement confirmed, adding that the June 18 letter conveying the proposed adjustment has been formally withdrawn.
“This decision underscores the Ministry’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families are carefully considered, socially responsive and reflect the collective interest of the nation,” it said.
The Ministry outlined a fresh stakeholder engagement process that must be concluded before any decision on examination fees is made, signalling that the review has been delayed rather than permanently shelved.
The Ministry said it will engage extensively with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders as part of the renewed consultation process.
It said the goal of the consultation is to ensure that any future decision is “fair, sustainable, transparent and responsive to prevailing realities while safeguarding access to education,” framing the suspension as a course correction rather than an outright reversal of policy intent.
“The Ministry acknowledges the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public and appreciates the keen interest shown by Nigerians in matters relating to access to quality education,” the statement read.
The Ministry assured Nigerians it would keep the public fully informed throughout the consultation process, saying the welfare of students and equitable access to quality education “remain at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the education sector.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The examination fees of Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) have been increased by the federal government by about 82 per cent to N50,000 from N27,500.
A circular signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Adeniji Ibrahim, disclosed that the new fees would become effective in 2027.
In the notice, it was disclosed that the government approved the upward review of the fees following a request by WAEC.
It was further disclosed that the decision to jack up the fees was reached after a March 31, 2026, meeting between the Minister of Education and examination bodies, where the need to review examination fees was discussed.
“You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the Minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE,” the statement read.
“Consequently, I am directed to convey the Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of N50,000 only, as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027,” it added.
**Modibbo Adama University Emerges Grand Prize Winner, Secures N50m
A leading integrated independent exploration and production company with full-cycle upstream delivery capability, FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P), has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s next generation of engineers.
This commitment was highlighted during the grand finale of the maiden edition of the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event recognised outstanding student innovators whose engineering solutions addressed real-world challenges, marking the culmination of months of regional qualifiers, prototype development, mentorship and boot camp sessions that equipped students from universities and polytechnics across Nigeria with practical skills in engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Olympiad attracted 984 participants across 375 teams from more than 80 tertiary institutions representing all six geopolitical zones of the country.
Delivering the sponsor’s address, the General Manager, Engineering and Capital Projects, FIRST E&P, John Alamu, emphasised that the competition reflects the company’s commitment to equipping students with the practical knowledge and innovative mindset required to excel in engineering and strengthen Nigeria’s future workforce.
Alamu, noting that initiatives such as the Engineering Olympiad provide a structured platform for young talent to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions that contribute to the country’s technological and industrial advancement, stated that, “FIRST E&P believes that developing STEM capacity is an investment in this country’s ability to solve its own problems. The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad has taken young engineers and taught them to think beyond the drawing board, and FIRST E&P is proud to have been a funding partner for this initiative. I commend NCDMB for championing the Olympiad and Enactus Nigeria for successfully delivering a platform that is helping shape the next generation of Nigerian engineers and innovators.”
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Acting Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Silas Ajimijaye, expressed appreciation to FIRST E&P for their unwavering support in successfully delivering the Olympiad.
Ajimijaye added that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, which aims to build indigenous engineering capacity and equip young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to drive industrial competitiveness, technological advancement, and sustainable national development.
The competition concluded in the awarding of prizes, with Team Mavericks of the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Adamawa State, winning the grand prize of N50 million and a Centre of Excellence building for its Faculty of Engineering.
The team’s winning innovation, Ubuntu Sapphire, is a community-powered rapid alert system that uses affordable devices to instantly notify neighbouring households and emergency responders during emergencies, offering a practical solution aimed at strengthening community security and emergency response infrastructure.
Speaking after receiving the award, Team Lead, Dr David Patrick, expressed gratitude to the organisers and sponsors for providing a platform that fostered innovation and practical learning.
The University of Ibadan emerged as the first runner-up, receiving N30 million and N75 million worth of engineering equipment for its Faculty of Engineering. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, secured third place and was awarded N20 million and N50 million worth of engineering equipment. The University of Jos finished fourth, receiving N10 million.
