News

Lagos Begins Comprehensive Assessment Of Public Primary Schools

Published

1 month ago

September 5, 2025

The Lagos State Government has commenced its maiden NEEDS Assessment Project for all public primary schools across the state.

According to a statement on Friday by the Deputy Director, Information, LASUBEB, Abe Adunola, the initiative, spearheaded by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, was unveiled on Thursday during a stakeholders’ engagement session.

The NEEDS Assessment Project is an evidence-gathering exercise designed to identify gaps in infrastructure, teaching capacity, and learning resources in public schools. It provides government with data to plan targeted interventions and allocate resources more effectively.

According to the board, the project will cover 1,238 public primary schools, vocational centres, inclusive units, and Local Government Education Authorities.

Board member of LASUBEB, Owolabi Falana, said the exercise was a major step in strengthening the foundation of basic education in Lagos.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Deputy Chief of Staff, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Project Implementation and Monitoring, Mr. Olusegun Sanwo-Olu, noted that the initiative reflected the state government’s resolve to drive education reform with data-driven interventions.

“This project is about clarity and intentionality. By understanding the realities in our schools, we are laying a solid foundation for smart planning, equitable resource allocation, and sustainable reforms. It is a bold step that will ultimately improve the quality of teaching, enhance learning outcomes, and prepare Lagos children to thrive in this fast-changing world,” he said.

LASUBEB Chairman, Dr. Hakeem Shittu, described the initiative as the first in a series of continuous exercises aimed at transforming Lagos public schools.

“This maiden edition of the Needs Assessment Project is only the beginning. It will be sustained as a continuous initiative to ensure our schools, teachers, and learners are never left behind,” he affirmed.

Highlighting the project’s benefits, Shittu explained that the assessment would lead to safer classrooms, improved facilities, empowered teachers, and better learning outcomes for pupils.

“The future of Lagos depends on how much we invest in our children today. This initiative gives us the clarity and direction to act decisively,” he said.

He further stressed that the project was not only about identifying gaps but also about developing practical solutions that would create conducive learning environments, improve teachers’ working conditions, and strengthen administrative capacity across schools.

Shittu also commended the contributions of teachers, administrators, and Local Government Education Authorities, while emphasising collaboration with the Project Implementation and Monitoring Unit for credible data collection.

He urged teachers, parents, and community leaders to support the exercise.

“The success of this project depends on our collective effort. Together, we can build a school system that empowers our children with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to compete globally,” he said.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of several education reforms introduced in Lagos in recent years. Through the EKOEXCEL programme launched in 2019, the state government deployed digital learning devices and retrained teachers to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes in public schools.

The state has also embarked on school rehabilitation projects, the construction of new classrooms, and the expansion of inclusive education centres to accommodate children with special needs.

Despite these efforts, public primary schools in Lagos have faced challenges of overcrowded classrooms, poor infrastructure, and uneven access to quality teaching.

Education experts have long called for systematic assessments to guide interventions, making the NEEDS project the first coordinated attempt to collect comprehensive data for policy decisions in the state’s basic education sector.

News

Tragedy In The Sky As Pilot Dies Mid-air

Published

1 hour ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

What began as a routine trip from Seattle to Istanbul turned tragic. Turkish Airlines Flight 204 was cruising normally when one of the captains, 59-year-old İlçehin Pehlivan, suddenly collapsed.

Despite the crew’s efforts, he sadly passed away mid-flight a veteran aviator lost among the skies he loved.

Over the radio, the co-pilot’s voice trembled: “Initially we had three pilots, but we lost one of our captains today.

That’s why we’re diverting to JFK.” Air traffic controllers responded with compassion, arranging medical help on the ground.

The aircraft landed at New York’s JFK Airport at dawn, met by emergency teams and a heavy silence. Turkish Airlines later paid tribute to Captain Pehlivan, who had passed medical checks just months earlier and spent nearly two decades flying safely around the world.

Passengers continued to Istanbul, but the memory of this flight endures a reminder of the resilience of aviators, the fragility of life, and the bond shared by those who soar through the skies.

News

Foundation Engages Traditional Leaders To Curb GBV In Bauchi

Published

2 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

The Iqra Foundation for Women and Youth Development (IKFWYD) has engaged traditional leaders across three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Bauchi State to promote male involvement in efforts to curb Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

The intervention is being implemented in Bauchi, Ningi, and Toro Local Government Areas.

Speaking during an advocacy visit, Mr. Ismail Umar, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the foundation, said the role of traditional institutions in influencing positive behavioural change could not be overstated.

“The programme is designed to engage men on issues related to protecting the rights of women and girls.

“Family wellbeing and social harmony cannot be achieved without the meaningful involvement of men.”

Umar noted that challenges such as gender-based misunderstandings, domestic tensions, poor communication between spouses, and limited awareness of shared responsibilities often contribute to family instability.

“By focusing on men as partners in promoting peace and wellbeing, this programme aims to reinforce their positive influence within families and communities.

“We are piloting the initiative in Bauchi, Ningi, and Toro LGAs, and are engaging respected community members to support and guide male involvement in promoting peace, family wellbeing, and the dignity of women.”

He further explained that the initiative would foster unity and cooperation between men and women as partners in building stable and peaceful homes.

Also speaking, Mr. Bamidele Jacobs, Director of Legal at Lawyers Alert, an implementing partner of the project, said the engagement of men was crucial to ensuring sustained support and protection for women in the state.

In their separate remarks, traditional rulers expressed their support and commitments to the programme.

Alhaji Yusuf Danyaya, the District Head of Ningi, pledged to mobilise men for the initiative, noting that “a violence-free home leads to a peaceful society.”

Similarly, Alhaji Hussaini Uthman, District Head of Miri in Bauchi metropolis, said the mission of the programme aligns with the traditional role of community leaders in fostering reconciliation between couples.

On his part, Alhaji Umar Adamu, the District Head of Toro, said addressing GBV is a collective responsibility to ensure that communities remain safe and peaceful.

News

Okpebholo Believes In Courage, Capacity Says Edo Poly Rector

Published

6 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

The acting rector of Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, Dr Nosakhare Arodoye has promised to implement to the fullest the SHINE agenda of the state government.

Dr Arodoye said he was appointed by the governor to change the narrative of the Polytechnic from the present state to global standard with market-ready graduates and wealth creators within and outside Nigeria.

He spoke during the handover ceremony of the leadership in the state tertiary institution.

According to him, “the governor sent me here for development that will position this institution in a manner that will be productively and evidently attractive to all for visible intellectual results and deliveries.

“I’m for greater impact, lesser noise, the governor as a game changer understands this hence he approved my appointment as a tool for change in Edo Poly. Governor Okpebholo believes in courage and capacity.

“The governor is not a cut to size, he knows how the academic environment works. You can see that his team is made up of global scholars and that is where I belong.

“I’m here to work, I’m going to teach, courses must be allocated to me. I go for what people run from as a progressive, just like the governor, you can see the turnaround of things affecting every area positively.”

Earlier, the immediate past acting rector, Engr. Sylvester Omoruyi briefed the new rector on the present state of the institution particularly the continuous support from the state government.

He said Sen Monday Okpebholo has cleared the backlog of salaries as staff now receive their salary as at when due.

He noted that a total of twenty-two programmes have successfully been accredited with NYSC calling for various HND awarding departments.

On partnership, he said the polytechnic is currently in collaboration with Xianzi and Fuzhou Polytechnic in China where seven students are currently undergoing studies on student exchange programmes.

Before arriving at the polytechnic premises, Dr Arodoye had visited the palace of the Elawure of Usen, Oba Oluogbe III.