The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has tasked the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) on delivering quality education to Nigerians.

Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary UBEC, made this call at a meeting with UBEC and SUBEBs quality assurance officers.

“As professionals, you need no convincing that quality assurance is an important component of the teaching and learning process. It ensures that school services consistently meet set standards; that content aligns with established educational standards and that the materials are relevant, appropriate, supportive and effective for the learners.

South Africa has for many years been a strong player in several areas of world-class research. Some of the country’s researchers have made major contributions in areas like the biomedical sciences, palaeontology and astronomy

Good research matters. It can have broad, positive consequences. On paper South Africa’s government recognises this. The 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation points out how knowledge from many disciplines interacts to deepen awareness of South Africa’s serious and long-standing challenges, like energy, food security and inequality.

More importantly, this knowledge can be used to tackle these problems. To this end, the Department of Higher Education and Training and statutory bodies like the National Research Foundation actively encourage research production.

Every few years, an emerging technology shows up at the doorstep of schools and universities promising to transform education. The most recent? Technologies and apps that include or are powered by generative artificial intelligence, also known as GenAI.

These technologies are sold on the potential they hold for education. For example, Khan Academy’s founder opened his 2023 Ted Talk by arguing that “we’re at the cusp of using AI for probably the biggest positive transformation that education has ever seen.”

As optimistic as these visions of the future may be, the realities of educational technology over the past few decades have not lived up to their promises. Rigorous investigations of technology after technology – from mechanical machines to computers, from mobile devices to massive open online courses, or MOOCs – have identified the ongoing failures of technology to transform education.

Corona School has emphasised the integration of leadership, entrepreneurial skills, and robotics into the academic curriculum. It said it would equip students with the essential edge to remain competitive and prepare them to become future change-makers.

Speaking during the launch of its new three-story block for its secondary school in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, recently, Adeyoyin Adesina, CEO of Corona Schools’ Trust Council, said they were also leveraging technological advancements such as robotics, as it has become obvious that they need to prepare their students for future career opportunities.

Adesina further explained that education has assumed a new dimension as students are now eager to explore new career paths, hence the need to imbibe a method of teaching that opens their minds beyond any measurable reach; motivates them to take ownership and craft their vision even at this tender age.

The International Monetary Fund has called on Nigerian and other sub-Saharan African countries to increase investment in their young citizens’ education to boost economic growth.

In a piece on its website on Thursday, the IMF said demographic transition may be the biggest single opportunity for the economies of sub-Saharan Africa, but countries would only be able to enjoy the dividends if they made sufficient investments in education.

The region’s population is poised to double to two billion by 2050, according to the United Nations. The fund said that while sub-Saharan Africa had made notable progress in expanding access to schools in recent decades, its outcomes still trailed those in other emerging markets and developing economies.

The Chairman of the Governing Council Board of Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Prince Diran Odeyemi, has called on the government to focus more attention on polytechnic education, which, he said, will make the country self-reliant in technological innovations.

Prince Odeyemi made the call while featuring on the news and current affairs program organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State chapter in Osogbo on Wednesday.

He added that the federal government should take a critical look at how the nation can be developed technologically by giving premium support to polytechnic education. According to him, polytechnics are not receiving the required attention, and this has crippled some innovations.

Education and the provision of potable water are two critical needs for many Nigerian children in various homes across the country, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election has said.

Obi said that while these are critical needs in millions of homes across the country and the challenge of bridging the gap by government alone was impossible within a short time, he asked wealthy Nigerians, including himself, to step in and reduce the challenge for humanity, particularly the Nigerian family.

He said that out of the population of about 200 million people, which has been projected for the Nigerian population, 1% of the population that falls under the category of those who control the wealth in the country should add to their social responsibilities and interventions in these two key areas.

The integrated payment and digital commerce company, Interswitch Group, has reaffirmed its commitment to continue promoting and supporting the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related subjects among secondary school students in Africa.

To this end, the company has announced not only the commencement of its National Science Competition for this year but also raised the prize money pool to be won this year from N14 million to N30 million.

Cherry Eromosele, the Executive Vice President of Group Marketing and Corporate Communications of the company, made the announcement in a statement available to newsmen in Lagos.

Odufeso Tajudeen, a teacher with Isara Secondary School, Remo-Ogun State, has been announced the regional winner of the 2024 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards in Nigeria by the International Education group at Cambridge University Press and Assessment.

Odufeso emerged as the regional winner in Sub-Saharan Africa for his dedication to equity and inclusivity and his advocacy for sustainable education and empowerment.

Rod Smith, managing director of International Education speaking on the award said, “We need 44 million teachers worldwide by 2030 if the world is to meet the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 of inclusive and equitable quality education.

THE Alternative Bank Limited (AltBank) has announced a strategic collaboration with FoodBank and Sterling One Foundation to raise approximately N20 million in support of hunger alleviation and educational initiatives.

This initiative aligns with the theme of the African Union Summit 2024, “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century.” Hassan Yusuf, the Managing Director of The Alternative Bank, unveiled this plan in a press release, highlighting the forthcoming AltWalk event as a pivotal fundraising platform.

The fundraising campaign aims to secure N20 million, with the proceeds serving dual purposes: providing meals for underserved communities and orphanages through the Lagos FoodBank initiative and delivering quality educational support via Sterling One Foundation.

At least 12 African Ministers of Education are expected to gather in Nairobi for the 6th Forum of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET).

Set for April 23-25, the forum aims to unite academia, industry, and governments to shape the continent’s skills, education, and entrepreneurship landscape.

Under the theme “Leveraging Technical, Vocational, and Technical Training (TVET) in the knowledge and skills ecosystem for Africa’s industrialization,” the conference will delve into Africa’s transition to a green economy and the future of work.

Seventy senior high schools (SHSs) from all 16 regions of the country are expected to compete for the ultimate prize in this year’s National Cybersecurity Challenge (NCC).

The participants would be exhibiting their skills and knowledge on how to stay safe online and to avoid conflicting with the law and online protection provisions in the Cybersecurity Act, (Act 1038), 2020, among other cybersecurity issues.

The third edition of the competition, which was launched in Accra last Wednesday, is on the theme: “Empowering young minds, creating opportunities, promoting a safer digital Ghana”.