Education
EdoBEST : We’ve Strengthened Our Education System, Says Commissioner
The Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Oviawe, has said the foresight and political will of the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, is responsible for the landmark transformation and advancement recorded in the education sector over the past seven years.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City, the Commissioner said the education sector is one area where Governor Obaseki has outperformed his peers, adding that the development was made possible by the reforms introduced by the governor in 2017.
According to her, “The governor had the vision and then had the political will. From the very beginning, he said to me, look, always tell the truth, always tell the people the truth, what is working, what is not working, and I have stood by that ethos.
“He is somebody that has compassion for the people, for the downtrodden; he’s somebody that has the right kind of values as the leader.”
She said the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST), launched on April 19, 2018, has continued to record huge success, improving learning outcomes across schools in the State.
The Commissioner said, “So, when in 2021 the governor decided that we had done considerable work at the basic level and these children that are going through a reformed basic education system are coming up to junior and senior secondary and if those levels of education are still in decay, then all the efforts done on basic would have gone to waste.
“June 2021, EdoBEST 2.0 was launched. The EdoBEST 2.0 is not just an acronym; it is an aspiration that Edo wants to be the best at every level of education, whether basic secondary, technical, vocational or tertiary.”
She also disclosed that teachers’ skills and welfare were also prioritised, with an upward review of salaries to make them among the top earners in the country, with a backlog of salaries, promotions and allowances taken care of by the governor.
According to her, “We’ve had remarkable successes, particularly at the secondary and TVET levels. We’ve been able to strengthen our education delivery system.”
On funding of the EdoBEST programme, the Commissioner disclosed that EdoBEST was fully funded by the state government until 2022 when the World Bank heard of the programme’s success and offered some level of funding through its P4R Programme.
She noted that the funding process was transparent as the funding was fully accounted for, with PwC employed by the World Bank to verify the process, adding, “That’s why I’m very comfortable and very confident in our records so far. Even though detractors may misrepresent it as being arrogant, it’s not. We know where we were, we know what we met on the ground and we know how far we’ve come.”
“I believe Edo is the first State that the World Bank was giving that facility. Typically, the World Bank does not fund States directly, they go through the federal government, but they were so confident in the abilities of Governor Obaseki, they were so impressed.”
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has demanded justice for the five students of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) who lost their lives in an auto crash near Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
NANS South West General Secretary, Oluwole Olutunde Aboke in conjunction with NAUS CMC Osun (JCC Osun), and NANS South West (Zone D), in a petition addressed to President Bola Tinubu dated March 24, 2025, accused the Silver Transport Company of negligence, indifference and failure to take responsibility for the accident involving the students.
The students’ body accused the transport company of gross negligence, recklessness and utter lack of accountability in connection with the tragic accident.
NANS said it was disturbing that despite the gravity of the incident, the transport company had failed to release any official statement, send condolences to the victims’ families, or accept responsibility for their role in this unfortunate disaster.
According to them, the silence is not only an insult to the bereaved families, but also a blatant disregard for human lives and public safety.
“Your Excellency, this recklessness cannot go unpunished. Companies operating in Nigeria must be held accountable for their actions, especially when their negligence leads to the loss of innocent lives,” the students said.
The students urged the office of the President to institute independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding tragedy, ensuring that the transport company was held responsible for any violations of safety regulations that contributed to the accident.
If found guilty of negligence, NANS demands indefinitely closure of the company to prevent further loss of lives.
It added that the Ministry of Transportation should review its operational license and assess whether transport companies meet necessary safety standards required to continue operations in Nigeria.
The students stated that the affected students and their families deserve justice, urging the government to compel the Company to take full responsibility and compensate the families of the victims for their loss.
While calling on the Nigeria Police not to bury the case, NANS said it observed a pattern where cases of corporate negligence were swept under the carpet.
They urged the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner, Osun State Police Command to ensure that the case was not abandoned or manipulated in favour of the transport company.
It warned that Nigerian students would not remain silent while innocent lives continue to be endangered by the irresponsibility of corporate entities.
“If swift action is not taken, NANS JCC Osun will mobilise students across the state and beyond for a mass action to demand justice.
“We trust in Your Excellency’s commitment to justice and public safety, and we look forward to your immediate intervention in this pressing matter”, they added.
calls for immediate release of revitalization fund, AEA, others
wants Tinubu to order AG to release approved funds
Due to the Federal government’s persistent failure to honor agreements over the release of the University revitalization fund, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) might have set a dateline of March ending within which it will call for a full-scale industrial action if the funds for the Universities revitalization project are not released.
The ultimatum may have become necessary following the discovery by the top echelon of the union that the government was playing politics with them over the release of over 200 Billion already approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the university revitalization scheme and Academic Earned Allowance, as well as other entitlements owed the body by the government.
A highly dependable source within ASUU, who spoke to our Correspondent under anonymity condition because he is not permitted to speak on behalf of the body, disclosed that the leadership of the union is deeply worried that despite its huge sacrifices and cooperation shown to the present Administration, the federal government has continued to play ‘hanky panky ‘with them over funding of universities, particularly, in implementing existing agreements.
According to the source, the union is mostly pained that despite its resolve to guarantee an uninterrupted academic calendar at the citadel of learning, the government is busy playing politics with them.
The source revealed that the union is tired of attending meetings with the Minister of Education where all negotiations and resolutions are not implemented.
It was also gathered that the government and ASUU team had recently reached a compromise where the sun of 150 billion naira was to be released as a revitalization fund,50 billion as Academic Earned Allowance, and another 30 billion respectively; again, the government reneged as monies are yet to be released as agreed.
The source further disclosed that the union resolved not to attend any meeting with the officials of the government unless President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the Accountable General of the Federation to make the funds available.
“Look let me tell you, what ASUU wants is the immediate release of revitalization fund as well as AEA and all other of entitlement owed them by the government”
It was also learned that the union believes that both the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Accountant General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, are hiding certain facts from the President and are not telling the President the truth as it concerns public university education.
The reliable source noted that the only way to avert stile action by the body is for the president to intervene and order for the immediate release of the funds to the institutions and also honor agreements entered into with the union.
It was also gathered that the OAGF is frustrating all attempts geared towards releasing the fund.
According to the source, officials of the Accountant General’s office insist on fresh presidential approval to release funds to the universities across the country.
The highly dependable source revealed that at a recent meeting between the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa the AG, and the President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, as well as other officials of the government it was agreed that the N 300 Billion captured in the 2023 appropriation Act but was not released be rolled – over to this year.
It was gathered that a letter signed by the Minister of Education and addressed to the Accountant General requesting that the money be rolled over to 2025 has already been dispatched.
The Union was said to be represented at the meeting by its President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, who complained bitterly over the lack of political will by successive governments on the problem of the death of infrastructure and the welfare of members of the University community, including the knotty challenge of Earn allowance for members.
ASUU is also angered that the refusal of the government to release the university revitalization fund is gradually killing public universities, adding that infrastructure that could aid teaching and learning has become an eyesore in almost all the universities in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had in 2009 reached an agreement with ASUU for the provision of 1.3 trillion on annual tranches of N220 billion over a period of 5 years as intervention funds for the revitalization of universities.
A review of the agreement was done in 2014. However, it is yet to be implemented, resulting in several industrial actions by ASUU, which distorts the academic calendar in the ivory tower.
Investigation revealed that efforts by the Federal Ministry of Education to prevent the strike action under the Tinubu-led government will might become history, if the Accountant General of the Federation keeps creating conditions that make the implementation of the agreements difficult, thereby, hampering the release of the University revitalization fund which was done based on needs assessments of the public universities.
Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, the director general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), says the scheme will begin paying N77,000 to corps members as an allowance in March 2025.
The brigadier general spoke at the NYSC zonal offices in Wuse and Garki, Abuja on Thursday.
Nafiu said the scheme prioritises the welfare of corps members.
He urged them to remain disciplined and dedicated to national service.
The brigadier emphasised the NYSC’s role in fostering national unity and cultural integration.
He pledged that the management would continue to uphold values of patriotism, leadership, and teamwork among corps members.
“NYSC is good at record-keeping. I can assure you that your money will be paid. The nation and the scheme appreciate you,” Nafiu said.
Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu assumed office as the 23rd DG of the NYSC on March 6, 2025, succeeding Yusha’u Ahmed.
After taking over office, he pledged to address pending concerns around corps member welfare.
Corps members receive a monthly stipend from the federal government to support their basic needs during the service year.
The allowance has been periodically reviewed in response to economic realities, with the last significant increase occurring in 2020 when it was raised to N33,000 following the implementation of the new minimum wage.
The latest increment to N77,000 aligns with the recent adjustment of the national minimum wage.