The stakeholders made the call at the Special Educational Needs and Therapy Empowerment (SENTE) 2025 conference and trade fair, with the theme: “Practical Tips and Resources to Care for Children with Special Needs: Empowering Caregivers and Families” held recently in Lagos.

Many of the stakeholders who spoke at the conference emphasised that most parents struggle with the financial burden of catering to their special needs children, especially with the cost of therapy and assistive resources for their education.

Mudi Nwachukwu, chairperson of SENTE and chief executive officer at Rhimamory Resources, explained that the inspiration for the initiative came from a conversation with a mother at a previous special needs gathering. Responding to a woman who once expressed frustration despite available resources, Nwachukwu said. “It became clear that beyond awareness, parents need practical solutions to their daily struggles.”

Nigeria has made a significant shift in its education sector by adopting the K-12 education model, aligning with global standards, particularly the U.S. system. This transition presents an opportunity to reflect on its intellectual and pedagogical implications, including curriculum design, teacher training, technological integration, and learning outcomes.

Ayomide Arowolo-Ayodeji, a recognized EdTech educator and instructional designer, has been honored by the Nigerian government through the Secondary Education Board for two consecutive years for her contributions to integrating technology into traditional education.

With firsthand experience in both Nigerian and U.S. education ecosystems, Arowolo-Ayodeji has played a pivotal role in introducing tech-based curricula and ensuring that trained educators effectively implement them in classroom settings. Her expertise and impact were further recognized in 2023 when she became the first Nigerian international member of the prestigious Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) organization, a network of distinguished women educators established in 1929.

The NEPL/Seplat Energy JV on Friday hosted the 2025 Seplat Education Summit, which brought together key stakeholders to explore sustainable solutions for Nigeria’s education sector.

The summit, with the theme “Transforming the Education Workforce: A Critical Success for Nation Building,” was a major highlight of the graduation of 327 teachers and 15 Chief Inspectors of Education from the 2024 Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP).

In her address, Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, stressed the importance of capacity building for teachers and education leaders. He said, “We recognise that teachers are the cornerstone of a thriving education system. Through initiatives like STEP, we are equipping educators with the necessary tools, skills, and innovative teaching methodologies to foster a more engaging and impactful learning environment.

The national president, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Olushola Oladoja has vowed to resist all forms arbitrary tuition hike by tertiary institutions across the country. Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Oladoja pledged to pursue improved welfare of students.

Oladoja, who was joined by the newly elected executive officers of the association, reaffirmed his commitment to build on the legacies of the immediate past President of NANS, Comrade Lucky Emonefe. The postgraduate student of the University of Jos emerged winner after polling 300 votes in a keenly contested convention held at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja.

He defeated Salauhudeen Suleiman, a student of Yakubu Gowon University (University of Abuja) and Gambo Abubakar from Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State. He said his leadership marks the dawn of a new era that would consolidate on past achievements while introducing a pragmatic approach to improving students’ welfare and the education system in Nigeria.

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Kingsley Moghalu, has emphasised that education is the key to transforming governance in Africa. Speaking at an information session in Lagos on Tuesday, Moghalu, who serves as the inaugural president of the African School of Governance, Kigali, Rwanda, underscored the critical role of education in shaping both leadership and followership across the continent.

He noted that poor governance in Africa stems from a lack of structured leadership education, highlighting ASG’s commitment to addressing this gap through leadership training focused on corporate governance, gender equity, and public-private collaboration.

“The biggest challenge facing governance in Africa is not just leadership but also followership. Educating both leaders and the governed is essential for creating accountable and effective systems,” he stated.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on Thursday, tasked teachers on continuous investment in developing their capacity. This, he said, is crucial for national progress. The minister made this call in Benin at the NEPL/Seplat Energy JV 2025 Seplat education summit, themed “Transforming the Education Workforce: A Critical Success for Nation Building.”

The minister was represented at the event by the Director of Basic and Secondary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Agatha Ogefere. He said, “Teachers are the foundation of any education system, and their continuous development is essential for national progress. The STEP program has demonstrated its impact by equipping educators with modern teaching techniques that align with global best practices.

“I commend Seplat JV for its visionary leadership in education reform and congratulate the latest cohort of trained teachers who are now better equipped to implement Nigeria’s evolving curriculum.” In her address, Director, External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, stated the importance of capacity building for teachers and educators.

The disruption of higher education and research funding programmes in Africa brought about by the suspension of foreign aid by the United States government provides an opportunity for the African Union (AU) to take charge mobilising resources for their financing.

It presents an opportunity for African countries, under the direction of the AU, to build more resilient higher education research ecosystems, well-funded and structured to survive similar future funding shocks in the future.

Furthermore, it’s a wake-up call for the continental body to forge new alliances and partnerships with other countries and regions around the world, to ensure that the two remain adequately funded, and at the centre of the continent’s development agenda, said Dr James Jowi, the head of the East African Kiswahili Commission, and board member of the African Network for Internationalisation of Education, or ANIE.

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) has approved a grant of USD 2.23 million to support the education sector in the country. The three-year Systems Capacity Grant (SCG), with UNICEF Ghana as the grant agent, took effect in January 2025 and is expected to end in December 2027.

The initiative aims to strengthen the education sector by enhancing systemic capacity, improving policy planning and fostering sustainable educational reforms. A statement issued by the Communications unit of UNICEF Ghana said as the designated grant agent, UNICEF Ghana would oversee the implementation of key initiatives in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

The statement said the SCG would support, among others, strengthening boys’ and girls’ education programming at national and decentralised levels, reviewing and updating the Education Sector Medium-Term Development Plan to align with national priorities.

Five young Ghanaians have taken a life-changing leap toward their dreams, securing full scholarships through the ALX Pathway program to study technology and business at the prestigious African Leadership College of Higher Education (ALCHE) in Mauritius.

The ALX Pathway program connects Senior High School (SHS) graduates with top universities by providing scholarships and helping them develop the skills needed for careers in technology and innovation. This opportunity marks a defining moment in this phase of their lives; a trajectory filled with endless possibilities, growth, and the promise of a brighter future.

The five scholars, Nadia Akua Nsiah Dame, Halimatu Sadia Mohammed, Sherif Mohammed, Princess Nhyira Addai, and Arjuna Caleb Gyan, represent the hope and potential of a generation ready to shape Africa’s future. They are part of a pool of 20 exceptional scholars selected from across the continent, a remarkable achievement for young Ghanaian talent competing for limited global scholarship opportunities.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas on Tuesday underscored the need for the establishment of more Colleges of Education in the bid to meet the country’s 230 million population.

Abbas who stated this in Abuja during the public hearing organised by the House Committee on Federal Colleges of Education, observed that the existing 205 federal, state and privately-owned colleges of education remain inadequate.

He said: “On several occasions, I have noted that human capital is the key driver of development. Material resources, though important, will remain latent until they are activated and galvanized by human knowledge, skills and innovation for national development, social mobility and economic empowerment.

The Federal Government has unveiled new minimum standards for senior secondary school education in Nigeria. Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, inaugurated the new minimum standards developed by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) at an event organized by NSSEC in collaboration with Google Research.

Additionally, the government flagged off an Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Pedagogy training program for 6,000 senior secondary school teachers across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Alausa, who was represented by the Director of the Senior Secondary Department, Hajia Binta Abdulkadri, highlighted the importance of the training program, stating that it aligns with the government’s commitment to equipping teachers with the necessary skills to prepare Nigerian students for the rapidly evolving digital age.

The Premier University, University of Ibadan (UI), through its Department of Communication and Language Arts (CLA), is set to establish a partnership with INTI International University, Malaysia, for a faculty and student exchange programme.

The Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Solomon Oluwole Oyetade, disclosed this during a visit by INTI team leader, Prof. Miew Luan, to the Department of Communication and Language Arts. Prof. Oyetade assured that UI, through its Office of International Programmes and Faculty of Arts, is committed to making the partnership a success.

“As much as possible, we need to take advantage of it as a University and as a Department. And I must say that your Department of Communication and Language Arts is a leading light in the Faculty of Arts; it is the number one department that anyone would like to apply to because of the prospects in studying any branches of communication.