The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Council, Lagos State Axis, has condemned the continued probe of three students of the University of Ibadan who were involved in a protest against a fee hike on the campus in 2024. The PUNCH reports that the three students, namely Olamide Gbadegeshin of the Institute of African Studies, Aduwo Ayodele of the History Department and another female student, Nice Linus, are facing a disciplinary panel at the university. In a memo seen by PUNCH Online, the students were invited to appear before the Central Student Disciplinary Committee on Monday, July 14, 2025, being the latest in a series of appearances made by the students before the panel. “The meeting is a continuation of the investigations on the allegation of misconduct bothering (sic) on insubordination/unruly behaviour. To wit, obstruction of the swearing-in ceremony for the 2023/2024 Newly Elected Executives of the Students Union, by you and two other students. “Please note that you must be properly dressed when you appear before the Student Disciplinary Committee. Failure to honour this invitation may earn you disciplinary action,” part of the memo dated July 8, 2025, addressed to Aduwo, and signed by Deputy Registrar (Students), S. O. Oyewumi,” the memo read. The Public Relations Officer, NANS JCC, Lagos State, Ridwan Ajayi, in a statement on Thursday, said, “This latest summons — the third in a pattern of vindictive political persecutions — is nothing but a blatant assault on the soul of students’ unionism and a gross abuse of institutional authority.” Ajayi stressed that the invitation was “a continuation of a calculated campaign of intimidation and suppression, weaponised against these student leaders for daring to challenge the unjust policies of the university, particularly the students’ role in the struggle against fee hike.” “We declare, without fear or apology, that this clampdown will not work. “It will only fuel the momentum of a growing student movement and further expose the rot at the core of leadership in many tertiary institutions and their shameful alignment with oppressive governance structures,” the PRO said. The student body said the students had committed no crime but “only exercised their constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.” NANS demanded the immediate withdrawal of all disciplinary charges against the students and “an end to administrative impunity and the criminalisation of students’ activism in Nigeria.” “We will not fold our arms while our comrades are sacrificed on the altar of fear, tyranny, and cowardice,” he added. On May 13, 2024, the students, alongside other individuals, were apprehended and bundled into a van by officers of the Nigerian Army during a protest against fee hike on the campus. In query letters delivered to the students by the management on May 27, 2024, about two weeks after the incident, the students were accused of disrupting the inauguration of the Students’ Union administration through their protest, which the management described as “disrespectful” and “gross misconduct.” Last July, the human rights organisation, Amnesty International Nigeria, called on the management of UI not to “victimise” the students. “Amnesty International calls on the University of Ibadan @UniIbadan to rescind plans to expel three students for exercising their human rights; by participating in a protest against an outrageous fee hike that — so far — forced many students to withdraw from university education,” the organisation wrote on X. Meanwhile, the Director of Publicity of the university, Adejoke Akinpelu, around the time last year, cautioned against ‘sensationalising issues,’ saying the panel was yet to make its recommendations known.

At least 183 learners have been enrolled in a newly launched adult education programme in Gbatse, Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State. The programme, organised by Better Life Initiative, Upswing, in partnership with Revival Prayer Outreach, aims to provide free education from primary to junior secondary school levels for adults in the community, with plans for further expansion. The programme was officially inaugurated on Thursday at Gbatse Community Primary School, drawing widespread attention and support from residents eager to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills. Speaking at the event, the Country Director of Upswing for Better Life Initiative, Ms Maureen Okechukwu, said the large number of enrollees showed the high demand for education in the community. “The people here are hungry for education. We were overwhelmed by the level of interest shown by residents who want to learn,” Okechukwu said. She explained that Gbatse was chosen for the programme due to its high illiteracy rate, the willingness of the people to embrace education, and the cooperation of the traditional ruler and local leaders. “We saw their eagerness to learn and the openness of their leaders to support this initiative, which made it easier for us to come in,” she said. The Zakir of Gbatse Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Zika Pila Jeremiah III, who officially launched the programme, urged the learners to remain committed to the classes, describing education as a powerful tool for personal and community development. “An educated community can overcome many challenges, including poverty. Education empowers people to think critically and solve problems,” he said. Apostle Wisdom Ezenyi of Revival Prayer Outreach, who also serves as the school’s proprietor, said the initiative emerged from a spiritual outreach that evolved into an education-focused intervention after seeing the community’s need for literacy. “What started as a spiritual mission has now grown into this free adult education programme,” he explained. “We started with 183 learners and plan to continue growing. The school is free for all, from primary one to junior secondary three, and we hope to extend to senior secondary in the future.” He expressed appreciation for the community’s support, noting that the monarch donated the entire school facility for the programme. “We couldn’t have done this without the support of His Royal Highness, who gave us this building and his full blessing,” Apostle Wisdom added. In addition to the adult literacy programme, the organisation has also funded the education of several students in the community. Apostle Wisdom disclosed that seven adult learners were enrolled in formal secondary schools, with two sitting for the recently concluded Junior WAEC exams. “We also supported five students who had dropped out due to a lack of funds by paying their fees and covering exam costs,” he said. One of the community’s oldest residents, Baba Ahua Nyagba, expressed gratitude to the organisers and pledged the community’s continued support for the initiative. “You have our blessing to operate here. There will be no issues with insecurity or interference,” he assured. The programme has sparked optimism across Gbatse, with many residents hopeful that the free adult education classes will not only improve individual lives but also help drive broader community development.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has said the government is revitalising the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria to ensure higher professional standards across the education sector. This is as he asserted the commitment of the Federal Government to raising teaching standards nationwide through improved teacher recruitment, training, and welfare. Alausa spoke while delivering the keynote address at the KADA EduPACT International Summit 2025, on Wednesday, themed “Strategic Visioning for Educational Transformation: Developing the Kaduna State Education Model.” He identified the Teacher Internship and Quality Assurance Framework and the ongoing reforms at the TRCN as key national initiatives aimed at harmonising teaching standards and boosting professionalism in Nigerian schools. “No education reform will succeed without teachers. We must prioritise teacher recruitment, training, motivation and continuous professional development,” the minister said. Alausa commended Kaduna State for leading by example, noting that its education reforms could serve as a blueprint for other states. “Kaduna’s education reforms show that transformation is possible when there is strong political will and data-driven leadership,” he said. He also praised Governor Uba Sani’s administration for demonstrating commitment through policies such as the 40 per cent reduction in tuition fees at state-owned tertiary institutions, increased funding for Kaduna State University, and the rollout of a $62m basic education programme. “What we are witnessing here is not just progress, but proof that deliberate and inclusive reforms can deliver results,” Alausa said. The minister urged other states to replicate Kaduna’s model of collaborative governance, stressing that education required joint efforts from government, communities, and development partners. “Education is a shared responsibility. No government can do it alone,” he said. He also outlined the Federal Government’s vision for holistic education reform, built on five pillars—learner-centred systems, equity and inclusion, digital literacy, resilience, and sustainability. According to him, Nigeria’s education system must shift beyond physical infrastructure to focus on teacher quality, relevant curricula, gender inclusion, and sustainable financing. “Our education vision must equip students with critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital skills, while leaving no child behind,” Alausa added. He further advocated the use of artificial intelligence, data-driven school management systems, and remote learning tools to guarantee learning continuity during emergencies. The three-day summit, attended by local and international stakeholders, is expected to produce a Kaduna State Education Transformation Blueprint that aligns with national priorities and global standards. Meanwhile, Governor Uba Sani reaffirmed his government’s commitment to building an inclusive, technology-driven education system that addresses decades-old disparities. The governor said his administration had prioritised education since assuming office, rolling out projects such as the construction or rehabilitation of over 1,000 classrooms, commissioning of 62 new secondary schools, distribution of 1.48 million instructional materials, and deployment of digital tools to track enrolment and performance. “We are making sure no child in Kaduna is denied education because of financial barriers,” Sani said. He also unveiled the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project aimed at returning 300,000 children to school, describing the state’s out-of-school crisis as “a stain on our collective conscience.” The governor disclosed that ₦500m had been invested in Kaduna State University, leading to the approval of 40 new academic programmes by the National Universities Commission for the 2024/2025 session. Sani stressed that education remained central to Kaduna’s development strategy. “We are moving from fragmented interventions to a unified, future-ready, and data-driven education system,” he said.

Some public primary school pupils in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory expressed mixed feelings over their return to school following suspension of the three-month-old strike by their teachers. In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, the pupils said they were worried about how they would make up for the lost academic time. The FCT wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers had on Tuesday announced the suspension of its over three-month-old strike by primary school teachers, mandating its members to return to classrooms on Wednesday. The decision follows the intervention of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who convened a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday, July 3rd, to address the lingering impasse. Recall that primary school teachers in the FCT had embarked on industrial action on March 24, 2025, over the non-payment of arrears and failure to implement the new national minimum wage. Interviews with some pupils on Thursday revealed their uncertainties about how to make up for the lost term. A primary four pupil, Joshua Peter, said though many of his schoolmates were happy to return to class, they were worried that schools were reopening at a time when private schools were writing exams and preparing to go on holidays. “We’ve already lost the entire second term. Pupils in private schools are writing exams and getting ready for holidays, but we don’t know how we’ll cover what we missed,” he said. He added that although they had resumed, classes had yet to commence fully. “For now, the teachers only told us to clean the school compound. I hope lessons will begin soon,” he added. Another pupil, Mercy Gwoza, expressed similar concerns. While happy to be back in school, she feared that teachers might rush through lessons to make up for the lost term. “I just hope they won’t rush too much or stop midway again,” she said. Also speaking, Jamiu Mahmoud said he was excited to reunite with his classmates but worried about coping with academic work after such a long break. “I just pray God helps me catch up. I don’t want my performance to drop,” he said. Some parents also expressed concern over the impact of the strike on their children. One of them, Mrs Manji Amos, said while she was relieved that schools had reopened, she was worried about the gap in learning. “The children are now behind academically, and something must be done quickly. The school authorities and teachers must work together to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” she said. An education consultant and school proprietor, Mr Tanimu Abdulmalik, advised schools to conduct quick assessments to gauge pupils’ academic levels and identify learning gaps. “They can start with short tests or oral questions in key subjects like English, Maths, Science, and Social Studies, then focus on essential topics that pupils need for exams and promotion,” he suggested. Abdulmalik also recommended adopting a compressed teaching plan, extending learning hours, or holding weekend lessons to help pupils recover lost ground. Meanwhile, it was also observed that in several other schools which were open, pupils remained idle without teachers in class.