Distinguished Senator Uche Ekwunife, CON, has expressed appreciation to the management and entire community of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, following her conferment with the institution’s Distinguished College Fellowship Award.

The award, described as the highest honour of the institution, was conferred on Senator Ekwunife in recognition of her contributions to the development of the college and education generally.

In a statement shared on her Facebook page, @Senator Uche Ekwunife, the former lawmaker thanked the Provost, Dr. Ejezie Virginia Nonye, the management, staff, heads of departments and the entire college community for the prestigious recognition.

Ekwunife said she was deeply humbled to join the distinguished list of Fellows of the institution alongside eminent personalities who have made remarkable contributions to Nigeria.

She also acknowledged her previous interventions at the college, particularly the provision of laptops and digital devices to support teaching and learning. According to her, the intervention was driven by her conviction that education remains the foundation of sustainable development and an important investment in the future.

The Senator further expressed pride in being a product of FCE (Technical), Umunze, noting the institution’s significant contribution to human capital development and its record of producing outstanding Nigerians across different fields.

She reaffirmed her commitment to supporting the growth and development of the institution within her capacity.

Ekwunife also expressed her readiness to work with the college management and relevant stakeholders to explore further opportunities for strengthening the institution and advancing its aspiration to become a Federal University of Education (Technical), Umunze.

“Thank you for this prestigious recognition. I do not take it for granted,” she said.

This report was culled from the official Facebook page of Distinguished Senator Uche Ekwunife, CON, @Senator Uche Ekwunife.

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has cautioned prospective candidates against costly errors when creating their profiles for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination or Direct Entry registration.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has announced a reduction in textbook assessment and ranking charges, directing refunds to publishers who had paid the previous higher rates.

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The Federal Government has announced a review of the tuition fees for students in Federal Technical Colleges and directed a nationwide validation of students enrolled in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, noted that the review will ensure that no student enrolled in any Federal Technical College bears the burden of paying tuition or other institutional fees that could constitute a barrier to accessing quality technical education.

Alausa made the disclosure at the T-31 student selection exercise for admission into Federal Technical Colleges.

He explained that equipping young Nigerians with technical education will empower them with skills for employment, entrepreneurship, and
national development.

“I encourage all stakeholders to work collaboratively to ensure a seamless, credible, and successful admission process. Remain guided by the principles of equity, accountability, and excellence as you select the next generation of skilled technicians and craftsmen who will contribute meaningfully to Nigerian industrial and economic transformation,” the minister urged.

On his part, the Registrar of NABTEB, Dr Mohammed Aminu, said the exercise is to ensure that candidates who sat for the 2026 National Common Entrance
Examination, NCEE, are fairly and transparently placed into technical colleges in line with Federal Ministry of Education guidelines.

On candidates’ performance, NABTEB disclosed that 10,426 candidates, representing 75.29 per cent, scored 50 per cent and above, while 5,708 candidates, representing 41.22 per cent, scored 70 per cent and above.

He noted that the admission process will be based on merit, equity, accountability, transparency and the Federal Character Principle.

“A total of 15,290 candidates registered for the examination, while 13,848 candidates eventually sat for the examination nationwide.

“The exam was conducted across 34 Federal Technical Colleges and 168 State Technical Colleges in the 36 States of Nigeria

“The selection and placement exercise will ensure that qualified candidates are offered admission based on merit, available vacancies, trade preferences and catchment considerations.”

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Osasere Okundaye, Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant, has recounted how she began her journey with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) at the age of 13 after finishing secondary school
early.

Okundaye spoke on Saturday during the Power Must Change Hands monthly programme at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries headquarters in Magboro, Ogun state.

On Monday, the 16-year-old student was announced as the country’s youngest chartered accountant.

In a statement announcing the achievement, Ayodele Olawande,
minister of youth development, congratulated Okundaye on the achievement.

“This remarkable milestone is a testament to the power of hard work, discipline, resilience and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” the minister said.

Sharing her testimony before the congregation, Okundaye said her parents encouraged her to enrol for ICAN’s accounting technicians scheme
(ATS) examinations instead of waiting until she was old enough for university
admission.

“I am 16 years old. I started this ICAN journey three years ago after finishing my secondary school early,” she said.

“My parents encouraged me to start writing the ICAN examinations through ATS instead of just waiting around until I got to the right age for university.”

According to her, the journey was particularly challenging because she did not study accounting in secondary school.

“I wasn’t an accounting student in secondary school, so the exams, especially at the first level proved very difficult, more difficult than they probably were for other people at the same level,” she said.

“But I had to put in extra effort, and with the grace of God, I was able to pass that first level. Ever since then, it has been a
success.”

The prodigy said she experienced a setback after failing one of her final examination papers last year but refused to give up.

“Last year, I failed one of my final papers, unfortunately, which I had to rewrite earlier this year in May,” she recalled.

“To the glory of God, I passed that examination, and now I can say that I am a qualified accountant of the institute at 16 years old.”

Okundaye’s feat is coming a year after Temilola Blossom Arise, an 18-year-old student at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), passed her professional stage examination of ICAN.

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The Federal Government has announced plans to end the policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), saying it has contributed to the rising number of children dropping out of school.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic
Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.

According to the minister, more than 20 million pupils leave school between primary education and junior secondary school, indicating that the current system is not working.

“We have 20 million dropouts from primary school to JSS. Where are those students? We also found we have 80,000 public primary schools and only about 15,000 junior secondary schools. That’s a one-to-eight ratio,” Alausa said.

He explained that the shortage of junior secondary schools has resulted in overcrowded classrooms, while many senior secondary schools remain underutilised, particularly in Kaduna and other northern states.

Alausa said the policy of operating JSS and SSS separately, with different principals and facilities, has failed.

“This disarticulation policy has failed. We will phase it out. We can’t be creating positions because we want to create a director level for people while we harm our education system. It’s about doing what is best for every Nigerian child,” he said.

The minister said the proposal to scrap the policy will be presented at the next meeting of the National Council on Education.

He added that the move is aimed at improving access to education and increasing the number of students who progress to senior secondary school.

“This government will not fail. We are fixing it,” Alaus said.

At the event, the minister also inaugurated a committee led by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye to monitor UBEC-funded smart schools, bilingual
schools and alternative schools across the country.

The committee will ensure that the schools are completed, handed over to state governments, and opened for learning.

Alausa noted that many of the schools built with public funds remain unfinished or have not admitted students, describing the situation
as a waste of government resources.

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Osasere Okundaye, the 16-year-old Nigerian student, has become the youngest chartered accountant in Nigeria.

Ayodele Olawande, minister for youth development, congratulated Okundaye on the newly achieved feat in a statement on Monday.

Olawande applauded the young student for her “hard work, discipline, resilience, and commitment to excellence”.

The minister said Okundaye’s academic excellence has projected her as a beacon of “limitless potential of Nigerian youths”.

“I heartily congratulate Miss Osasere Okundaye on her outstanding achievement of becoming Nigeria’s youngest Chartered Accountant at
just 16 years of age,” the statement reads.

“This remarkable milestone is a testament to the power of hard work, discipline, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

“Osasere has distinguished herself as a shining example of the limitless potential of Nigerian youth. Her accomplishment reminds us that with determination, dedication, and the right support, young Nigerians can break barriers, set new records, and inspire a generation to dream bigger and strive for excellence.”

The minister also appreciated the student’s parents for their support and guidance.

“I also congratulate her parents, family, teachers, mentors, and everyone who has supported and guided her journey. Their encouragement, sacrifices, and belief in her abilities have undoubtedly contributed to this exceptional success,” he added.

“As the Federal Ministry of Youth Development continues to champion policies and programmes that empower young people to realise their full potential, Osasere’s achievement reinforces our confidence that the future
of Nigeria is bright in the hands of focused, determined, and talented young
citizens.”

Okundaye’s feat is coming a year after Temilola Blossom Arise, an 18-year-old student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), successfully passed her professional stage examination of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Arise, a student of economics department, passed all five of
her papers to become a chartered accountant.

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The National Examinations Council (NECO) has officially released the results of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)

A total of 126,291 candidates registered for the examination, which was conducted in 12 subjects from April 20 to April 30, 2026.

The Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, announced the release in a statement on Thursday. He noted that the Award Committee, chaired by Folake David (Director of Basic Education at the Federal Ministry of Education), who represented the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, approved the results following a meeting at NECO’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

The committee also set the 2026 BECE re-sit examination for July 22 and 23, 2026, specifically for Mathematics and English Studies. Candidates with conditional deficiencies in one or both subjects can use this opportunity to remedy their results. This allows them to obtain the necessary certification for admission into Senior Secondary School (SSS1) without repeating the full academic year.

The BECE serves as a crucial assessment for students completing the nine-year Basic Education programme in Nigeria and determines placement into senior secondary schools.Candidates can now check their results via the official NECO portal.

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