The Federal Government of Nigeria has reversed its earlier directive prohibiting candidates under the age of 18 from gaining admission into tertiary institutions. This change was announced by Prof. Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, during the 2024 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) held in July in Abuja.

Initially, Mamman had unilaterally declared that from this year, JAMB would only admit students who are 18 years old and older. The directive aimed to ensure that students are physically and mentally prepared for the rigours of higher education, in line with the country’s 6-3-3-4 education system.

The Minister emphasised, “JAMB is hereby notified that there is now a ban on underaged students, those under the age of 18, from our tertiary institutions for the 2024 admissions. Our laws require students to be in school for six years. It doesn’t require a statement of the minister. We are only restating what is in the law.”

The Founder and Chairman of Accra Business School, Bishop Dr Gideon Titi-Ofei has said that youth poverty is the bane of Ghana's democracy, commending the government for introducing educational initiatives, which he said would ensure the youth acquire critical skills needed for the future.

Speaking at the 16th graduation ceremony of the Accra Business School on Saturday, Bishop Titi-Ofei noted that the government's Free Senior High School (SHS) initiative was a laudable step which would lay the foundation for economic transformation.

"We believe education must provide the skills to lift people out of poverty because the greatest threat to our democracy today is youth poverty. Nations thrive when they turn their people into highly productive human capital. The Free SHS initiative lays the foundation for this transformation," he said.

Rapid advancements in AI technology have become essential for educators and educational assessment professionals to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Teachers can use the results from AI-based assessments to improve their teaching practices. By analysing the data, teachers can identify areas of weakness and adapt their teaching strategies to meet the needs of their students better.

AI-powered educational assessment tools provide numerous benefits, including improving the accuracy and efficiency of assessments, generating personalised feedback for students, and enabling teachers to adapt their teaching strategies to meet the unique needs of each student.

Therefore, AI has the potential to revolutionise the way education is delivered and assessed, ultimately leading to quality educational outcomes for students. The role of teachers in AI-based assessments is still critical and cannot be undermined.

The European Union (EU) has launched the second phase of its education programme, ‘Expand, Integrate and Strengthen Systems (EISS)’, aimed at enhancing the capacity of Nigerian teachers. This phase complements the first, ‘Education and Youth Empowerment in North Western Nigeria’, launched in 2023.

At the launch event in Abuja, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Samuela Isopi, said the combined funding for both phases amounted to 45.4 million Euros. Represented by the EU’s Head of Human Development, Leila Ben Amor Mathieu, Ms. Isopi noted that the EISS programme will collaborate with six training colleges located in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Katsina, Plateau and Oyo.

The envoy emphasised the significance of the initiative, saying that “Investing in teachers is investing in our collective future.” She acknowledged the numerous challenges faced by teachers, particularly in Nigeria, ranging from insufficient resources to the demands of adapting to rapidly evolving educational environments.

The Director, Maximus Academy, Arepo, Ogun State, Oluranti Okeowo, has bemoaned the spate of insecurity in the country and its impact on basic education. She stressed that it had affected extracurricular activities in secondary schools.

Okeowo disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH during the 2024 Graduation and Prize Giving Day celebration of the school held in Arepo, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. According to Okeowo, students can no longer participate in excursion programmes that will aid their knowledge base and contribute to their academic prowess due to the increasing cases of insecurity.

“There are many challenges facing private schools and education in Nigeria. One of such is the issue of insecurity which has affected extracurricular activities. For instance, school children can no longer go on excursions which will help them to develop beyond the classroom. We cannot take children on excursions because of the fear of the unknown.

An educational technology firm, Gradely, has launched a gamified mobile application to enhance pupils’ learning. In today’s fast-paced educational landscape, personalised learning is essential. Gradely, at the forefront of this revolution, combines advanced technology, gamification, expert tutors, and dedicated students to create an unbeatable formula for success.

At the launch in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer of Gradely, Boye Oshinaga, noted that its approach identifies knowledge gaps and provides personalised interventions, ensuring mastery of each curriculum topic, adding that the new app features gamified and animated content to increase pupils’ interest in subjects they would ordinarily dislike or struggle with, along with an attractive reward system to keep them engaged.

He said Edtech firm’s goal was to reach one million pupils by 2026, while paving the way for them to have the best future possible, and enabling them to compete on a global scale and excel.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos Chapter and Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Lagos State Primary Schools Teachers Chapter, have lauded Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) for placing premium on the life and welfare of teachers and pensioners.

State NUT Chairman, Comrade Akintoye Hassan and the NUP Chairman, Comrade Adekoya Oluwayesi, gave the commendation during a two-day programme organised by the LASUBEB to reward 1,200 teachers who had put in over 30 years of service and the board’s pensioners who recently clocked 70 years.

Akintoye, while addressing the awardees and their guests at the first day’s event, praised the state government and LASUBEB for regular payment of salaries, promotion of teachers as and when due, and payment of their entitlements.

Every year, teachers across the country look forward to the honour and recognition from the Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition, which serves as a veritable platform for inspiring and rewarding them as moulders of tomorrow’s leaders.

The competition received the endorsement of the Federal Ministry of Education and other education stakeholders, including the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPPS), and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

With its total cash prize in millions of naira, and all-expense paid capacity development training abroad, a fully equipped computer laboratory or a six-classroom block worth N20 million for the winner’s school, the initiative has proved significantly to be worthwhile, just as it motivates teachers to undertake impactful projects.

Cavista Holdings has partnered with the University of Texas at Dallas to establish a liaison office in Lagos. A statement by the firm said the initiative aims to support African students aspiring to study abroad by streamlining the admission process and providing access to quality education.

“The partnership was announced during the unveiling of the University of Texas at Dallas office in Ilupeju, Lagos, which was attended by several eminent Nigerians and Americans, such as the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, the US Consul General in Nigeria, Will Stevens, MD Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, amongst others,’ it read.

Speaking at the unveiling, Chairman of Cavista Holdings, Mr John Olajide, said the main objective of the office was to facilitate access to quality education for Nigerians by simplifying the admission process to UTD.

An educationist, Oluwafolakemi Olubunmi Olasonya, has called on the government to ensure better welfare for teachers in the country. Olasonya, who spoke at the 2024 end of year production/graduation ceremony of New World Emerald Private School in Abuja, said as the mother of professions, teachers deserved more.

She said poor welfare of teachers was significantly responsible for the poor quality of education in the society. “Poor welfare of teachers is responsible for low quality of education in society. A lot of teachers have left in search of greener pastures and others are withdrawing because they are not paying them and we really losing them. And we want the government to look into this direction and uplift their value in society.”

She also called on the government to support private sector investment in education to enhance the development of the sector.

Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, has rescinded his decision to peg the admission age of undergraduates to 18, following protests from stakeholders at the ongoing Policy meeting, organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Mamman backed down on his initial position when he said Heads of tertiary institutions could be allowed to admit candidates who are 16 years of age, gain admission into tertiary institutions of their choice.

The minister was forced to succumb, following the argument that students under the age of 18 had already registered, sat and passed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and awaiting admission for the current academic year.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas, on Thursday, emphasized that teachers are pivotal for fostering effective teaching and learning within society. He emphasized their critical importance, noting that education is fundamental to both personal growth and national development.

“The training and development of teachers are crucial for ensuring quality education for all. Teachers serve as more than just conveyors of knowledge; they are mentors, guides, and role models who mold young minds into responsible citizens capable of making meaningful contributions to society.

“By investing in teacher training programs and professional development initiatives, we are laying the foundation for our nation’s future,” he emphasized. He underscored that education transcends personal success; it forms the cornerstone of national development.