Education

FG gets $25.35m Kuwait loan to tackle Kaduna out-of-school crisis

Published

1 year ago

August 6, 2025

The Federal Government has secured a $25.35 million concessionary loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development to support a major initiative aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in Kaduna State.

The facility, signed on behalf of the Kaduna State Government, forms part of a broader $62.8m blended financing package with international development partners designed to expand access to quality and inclusive education in one of the country’s most affected regions.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, the loan is expected to finance the Reaching Out-of-School Children programme, a large-scale intervention targeting vulnerable populations, including girls, children with disabilities, and internally displaced persons.

The statement read, “In a significant step towards improving access to quality education in Nigeria, the Federal Government and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development have partnered to support the Reaching Out-of-School Children programme in Kaduna State.

“This partnership is built on a $25.35m concessionary loan agreement signed today between the Federal Government of Nigeria, on behalf of Kaduna State and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
“The facility forms part of a wider $62.8m blended package with international partners that will expand access to quality, inclusive education and improve learning outcomes for some of Nigeria’s most vulnerable children.”

The programme is set to enrol over 100,000 children, construct or upgrade more than 200 schools, and improve both the learning environment and the capacity of teachers in underserved areas across the state.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, who was represented at the signing by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the programme highlights the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes in social sector investments.

He noted that with millions of children still out of school, particularly in northern Nigeria, each dollar of intervention must translate into real and visible progress.

He also commended Kaduna State for its proactive leadership and strong engagement with partners, expressing confidence that the initiative could serve as a model for replication across other states.

According to the statement, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, reaffirmed the state’s prioritisation of education, disclosing that Kaduna had already fulfilled its counterpart funding commitment of $1m.
He said the state had increased the education sector’s share of the 2025 budget to 26 per cent, as part of a broader commitment to human capital development.

Under the framework of the new programme, 102 new climate-resilient schools will be built while 170 existing schools and learning centres will be rehabilitated, with particular emphasis on marginalised groups and hard-to-reach communities.

The Director-General of the Kuwait Fund, Dr Wahid Al-Bahar, described the project as an investment in hope, noting that its goals extend beyond infrastructure.

He said the fund was proud to support an initiative that aims to guarantee access to learning for every child, stressing that success would be judged by improved enrolment, stronger learning outcomes, and community engagement.

The other partners in the financing structure include the Islamic Development Bank, which is contributing a $10.5m loan; the Global Partnership for Education, offering a $15.45m grant; the Education Above All Foundation, with a $10m grant; and Save the Children International, which is providing $0.5m in technical assistance. Kaduna State’s contribution stands at $1m.

The Federal Ministry of Finance is expected to oversee the programme’s fiduciary processes and coordinate results reporting in collaboration with the state and partner organisations.
This will involve routine joint assessments covering enrolment rates, teacher training metrics, and academic performance indicators to ensure the programme delivers measurable and sustainable impact.

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Education

How Nigerians can apply for 2027/2028 UK commonwealth scholarship – FG

Published

4 days ago

September 15, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Federal Ministry of Education has invited qualified Nigerian university graduates to apply for the 2027/2028 Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowship Plan, with applications closing on October 20, 2026.

The scholarship notice was shared by the Lagos State Scholarship Board.

The scholarships, which are tenable in the United Kingdom, are available for a one-year taught Master’s programme or doctoral studies of up to three years.

The notice was issued by the ministry’s Department of Scholarship Awards, formerly known as the Federal Scholarship Board, and signed by the Director Overseeing the Office of PSE, Dr Folake Olatunji-David, for the Minister of Education.

According to the notice, applicants for the Master’s category must have a first degree with at least a Second Class Upper Division.

For doctoral studies, applicants are required to possess a relevant Master’s degree in addition to at least a Second Class Lower Division in their first degree.

Applicants for both categories must have secured admission into at least two UK institutions.

Doctoral applicants are also required to provide a supporting statement from a prospective supervisor at their chosen UK institution.

The ministry further listed evidence of participation in the National Youth Service Corps among the eligibility requirements.

The notice stated that the selection process would focus on three key areas.

“Applications will be assessed on Academic merit, Development impact on completion and Quality of Study plan,” it said.

How to apply

The notice said all applications must be submitted through the Electronic Application System.

Applicants are required to register on the EAS portal and complete the application form online.

They must also upload scanned copies of their passport photographs, university academic transcripts, birth certificates and admission letters received from a UK institution listed in the application form.

Completed applications must be submitted online on or before October 20, 2026.

After submitting the application, candidates are required to create a PDF version of the completed form, download and print one hard copy for submission at the interview venue.

The notice said foreign certificates must be accompanied by official translation and evaluation.

It also advised applicants to consider Nigeria’s developmental priority areas relevant to their fields of specialisation when preparing their study proposals.

The priority areas include education; health; economic growth and the private sector; governance and conflict; climate and environment; water and sanitation; engineering; science and technology; food and nutrition; and humanitarian disasters and emergencies.

The ministry also advised prospective applicants to ensure that their proposed studies align with Nigeria’s development needs.

Prospective applicants were advised to consult the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website for further information on the scholarship and selection criteria.

Further enquiries may be directed to the Director, Department of Scholarship Awards, through fsb@education.gov.ng, 09124516750 or 09082454557.

Application portal: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships-results/?wpv_view_count=13930&wpv-cscukscholarshipcountry=nigeria&wpv_filter_submit=search

Source: punchng.com

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Education

NELFUND: ‘A Child Should Be Able To Graduate Without Being Buried In Debt’ – Atiku Fires Tinubu’s Aide

Published

6 days ago

September 13, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has slammed the Special Assistant on Social Media to President Bola Tinubu, Olusegun Dada, over a remark that he hates NELFUND and wants it cancelled.

It was reports that Dada, in a post via 𝕏, said Atiku does not believe that the child of a nobody should have access to education.

He wrote: “Mr @atiku hates NELFUND and wants to cancel it because he does not believe the children of the poor should have access to education.”

Responding to Dada, Atiku, in a statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, via 𝕏 assured that he is not opposed to the education of poor children.

Atiku said he only opposes turning education into a debt trap after the government first allowed fees to skyrocket.

The former Vice President said he wants poor children to graduate without being buried in debt.

The post read, “@DOlusegun, this is simply dishonest. Atiku does not oppose education for poor children. He opposes turning education into a debt trap after the government first allowed fees to skyrocket.

“Imagine a widow selling food by the roadside to send her daughter to university. The government raises the fees beyond what she can afford, then tells the daughter to borrow the money and begin adult life in debt.

“That is not compassion. Atiku’s position is clear: make education affordable again, restore scholarships and grants, and ensure that a child’s future does not begin with a loan burden.

“The child of nobody should not only enter school, that child should be able to graduate without being buried in debt.”

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Education

ASUU threatens nationwide strike over unpaid salaries, agreement

Published

1 week ago

September 11, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has threatened to resume its suspended nationwide strike if the federal government and state governments fail to urgently address outstanding issues affecting university lecturers.

ASUU said it could reactivate the strike “without any further notice” over the incomplete implementation of the December 2025 agreement, payment of the remaining 3.5 months of withheld salaries and non-remittance of billions of naira deducted from lecturers’ salaries.

The union’s position was contained in a statement sent to our correspondent in the early hours of Friday by its President, Christopher Piwuna, after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council held at the University of Abuja.

ASUU said the December 2025 agreement followed more than eight years of negotiations and struggles but had not been fully implemented by the Federal Government and several state governments.

“Unless immediate and concrete steps are taken to FULLY and COMPREHENSIVELY address issues bordering the welfare and well-being of Nigerian academics, ASUU-NEC will not accept any blame for calling out its members on a nationwide strike action within the shortest time possible,” the union warned.

It commended Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and the governments of Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Borno for commencing implementation of the agreement.

The union said Kano, Edo, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe and Bayelsa had also pledged to commence implementation in September or October, while warning other states to act before their universities were plunged into an “industrial crisis of monumental proportions.”

On withheld salaries, ASUU acknowledged that the Tinubu administration had paid four of the 7.5 months withheld during the Buhari administration but demanded the immediate release of the outstanding 3.5 months.

“We have consistently acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for paying four (4) out of the withheld salaries. However, leaving out the unpaid balance does not give his government the full credit of a labour-friendly administration,” it said.

ASUU also alleged that pension contributions, cooperative deductions and union check-off dues running into billions of naira had remained unremitted for several months.

The union warned that the combination of unpaid salaries, unremitted deductions and poor implementation of the agreement was threatening industrial peace in the universities.

“In no mistaken terms, ASUU posits that the non- or haphazard implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement by federal and state governments is a recipe for industrial crisis in Nigeria’s public universities,” it stated.

It urged the Federal Government and state governments to act quickly, insisting that it would not accept responsibility if the suspended strike was reactivated.

“ASUU-NEC resolved to notify all concerned that the Union may activate its suspended strike action without any further notice if the critical issues raised in this release are not speedily addressed,” the union said.

Source: punchng.com

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