EdTech startups, fueled by venture funding, have emerged as powerful tools, offering innovative alternatives to traditional learning. These companies have harnessed digital platforms to democratise learning, offering hope for a brighter future in the African job market.

According to the World Bank, Africa produces 10 million graduates annually from 668 universities, yet the continent's economy can only employ three million graduates annually. The true test of EdTech's success lies in job creation, not access to education. Africa is projected to supply the world's largest share of future workers by 2100.

Bridging this gap requires building stronger relationships between academia and industry, said Dr. Nkemdilim Iheanachor, an Academic Director at the Lagos Business School, during a panel session on Monday. "On our part, we tried to close the gap between classroom learning and industry requirements."

TECNO, a leading innovative technology brand, has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Nigeria to support the implementation of the Nigeria Learning Passport, a digital learning platform.

Too many children remain out of school today, and many more are not learning. In Nigeria, the challenges in the field of education are particularly acute. To improve the quality of education for children and adolescents, the Federal Ministry of Education and UNICEF launched the innovative Nigeria Learning Passport programme in 2022.

The platform provides curriculum-aligned materials in local languages through online and offline delivery, allowing children to access digital learning resources at any time, wherever they are. This ensures that quality education is available and accessible to all.

The President of the Graduate Students’ Association of the University of Ghana, Legon (GRASAG-UG) Claudius B. Angsongna, has appealed to the government and donor agencies to support the association with a bus to enhance the movement of students in undertaking their research projects.

He said the lack of a reliable transport system hampered students’ ability to conduct fieldwork and participate in off-campus activities such as research conferences. “Travelling all over the country to undertake research projects is so demanding yet we do not have any mode of transport that will enhance the movement of students across the country,” he said.

The GRASAG-UG president said the association had continually strived to improve the quality of educational and research work, as well as enhance its members’ leadership experience. To that effect, he said the association had organised numerous academic and research programmes, alongside leadership summits which had provided invaluable opportunities for personal and professional growth.

United Nations Children’s Fund has said the electronic birth registration aids education planning for children. Chief of UNICEF Field Office for Southwest Nigeria, Celine Lafoucriere, said this at the opening of a two-day media dialogue on e-birth registration in Southwest Nigeria.

The event was held in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development and the National Population Commission. It was titled, ‘Giving Every Child a Legal Identity: A Media Dialogue to Drive E-Birth Registration in Southwest Nigeria.’

Lafoucriere explained that e-registration is important to generate statistics for effective education planning, national planning, and development for the country, saying it was important to give every child an identity, which could be achieved through registration.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers and the Parents Teachers Association have condemned the substandard school infrastructures nationwide. National President of PTA, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, said this in reaction to the recent collapsed building at Saint Academy, Jos Plateau State.

The school’s two-storey building collapsed on July 12, 2024, at about 8:30 am, claiming 22 persons. About 154 were trapped under the rubble before they were evacuated to various hospitals. In a statement made available to The PUNCH on Thursday, Danjuma insisted that there was a need to provide adequate facilities, including classrooms, to achieve desired objectives.

“Parents Teachers’ Association has expressed concern over alleged inability of governments at all levels to provide conducive environment for learning in education institutions in the country.

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has cut the sod for work to begin on the first tertiary-level government-owned training institution built solely for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) instructors in Ghana.

Dr Bawumia, at the ceremony, stressed the commitment of the government to transform the education sector to respond to the changing dynamics of the 21st Century. The project, which is located in Karaga in the Northern Region, when completed, would be known as the Namburugu STEM College of Education.

He said that commitment remained as strong as ever, and that the construction of the tertiary STEM training school was a further testament of that resolve. "This government continues to invest heavily in the education sector.

Parents, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) have stressed the imperative of tackling the ‘acute teacher shortage’ at the primary level following the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) outcry on the issue and the drive to collaborate with the private sector, DAMOLA KOLA-DARE reports

Teachers are a crucial part of a triad of education — learner, teacher and materials. At the primary or basic education level, which is a vital part of learning, lack of enough qualified teachers pose a great threat to pupils’ development.

Thus, not a few raised eyebrows when Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) boss, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi stated at the gathering of stakeholders in Lagos that the nation was suffering acute teachers shortage.

The Student Loan Scheme officially kicked off on Wednesday after a nod of approval from the federal government. Following an approval of N32 billion for the programme, the amount will be paid as loans to applicants who are successful.

The agency running the scheme, the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) disclosed that it received 103,000 successful applications. According to the information shared, 164,000 students were registered between May 25 when the portal opened and July 17.

The dummy cheques were reportedly given to students and some vice-chancellors by President Bola Tinubu to symbolically kick-start the scheme. An innovative move, the Student Loan Scheme is aimed at making loans available to indigent students or those unable to afford their fees to prevent them from dropping out of school.

The Nigerian University Commission (NUC) has reiterated its commitment to the international benchmark in providing 21st-century knowledge-driven education and fostering intellectual growth across the country.

The NUC Deputy Director, Account and Finance, Mrs Anthonia Bawa, spoke in Ikere-Ekiti, Ikere Council Area of Ekiti State on Tuesday during the opening ceremony of the accreditation exercise of 45 academic programmes at the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology.

Bawa said that NUC, as the regulatory agency for universities in Nigeria was irrevocably committed to ensuring proper development of university education and implementation of minimum academic standards. She expressed joy the commission is achieving its goals and objectives going by the distinguished quality of graduates being produced by Nigerian universities who she said can favourably compete with their counterparts in other climes.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over the widespread lack of infrastructure, physical safety, and psychological stability in many schools, severely impacting the safety of learning and teaching.

This assertion was made by Education Specialist Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ado of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office during opening remarks at a one-day state-level sensitization meeting on Bauchi State’s implementation of minimum standards for safe schools.

Ado highlighted that UNICEF conducted a survey in 2023 to assess the state of safe schools in Bauchi State, revealing a troubling situation requiring urgent attention from all stakeholders. He emphasized that children in these schools face various forms of insecurity, both physical and psychological, which hinder their education.

The Ministry of Education through Malawi Education Reform Program (MERP) has engaged 4200 temporary Auxiliary teachers to be deployed in various primary schools across the country. The Ministry has also increased the monthly honoraria amount from K80,000 to K120,000 representing a jump of 50 per cent.

The Ministry's Public Relations Officer, Mphatso Nkuonera confirmed the development saying the teachers have been drawn from the Initial Primary Teacher Education IPTE 14, 15 and 16. "The engagement of the teachers forms part of efforts by government to reduce the pupil-qualified teacher ratio across the country," he said.

Nkuonera added that the teachers will be placed in various primary schools in 32 education divisions for 2024 to 2025 academic year. The selected teachers are expected to report to work on 1st September, 2024.
He, however, reminded the prospective teachers that the engagement does not in any way guarantee automatic employment on permanent basis after the expiry of the temporary period.

The delayed disbursement of capitation funds for primary and secondary schools in Kenya has impacted school operations, leaving heads of institutions in a difficult position. Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) and the Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (Kepsha) have voiced their concerns, emphasising the strain on school managers.

In June, the government disbursed Sh35.6 billion in capitation funds for the second term. The allocation covered Sh18.85 billion for secondary schools under the Free Day Secondary Education programme, Sh14.047 billion for Junior Secondary Schools, and Sh2.74 billion for primary schools.

However, Johnson Nzioka, chairman of Kepsha, revealed that the Ministry of Education has not released the funds despite prior assurances. He noted that many school programmes, including co-curricular activities, have been halted due to underfunding.