News

Over 600,000 Children Have Benefited From EdoBEST, Says Edo SUBEB Chair

Published

3 years ago

July 21, 2023

Editor

Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to the Governor of Edo State on Media Projects; Ozavize E. Salami, Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), and Christopher Nehikhare, Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation at an event designed to showcase basic education sector projects of the Governor Godwin Obaseki led administration

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

… Says Over 181 Schools Currently Receiving Improvement In Infrastructure

No fewer than 600,000 children have benefitted from EdoBEST since its inception, Mrs Ozavize Salami, Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), has disclosed.

She added that, as at today, over 380,000 children are receiving relevant and next-generation aligned learnings made available in 1,289 basic education schools (primary and junior secondary schools) across 18 local government areas in Edo state.

The Chairman who made these revelations on Thursday in Benin while briefing journalists, announced that her agency has embarked on 181 projects in primary and secondary schools in the state to improve on their infrastructure.

The projects which are ongoing, include the construction and renovation of classrooms, perimeter fencing, toilets among others.

Flanked by the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Christopher Nehikhare and Mr. Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Project, Salami disclosed that the State Government provides free education for pupils in the state up to JSS 3.

She explained that the school curriculum is enriched with life skills that makes the pupils competitive should they decide to discontinue their education.

She further disclosed that 228 schools under the Edo Basic Education Transformation System (EdoBEST), have 346,757 pupils, with 15,125 digitally trained teachers, adding that governance across SUBEB and the schools has drastically improved.

“Between October 2021 and July 2023, under EdoBEST2.0, this administration distributed over 11,635 digital work tools comprising smartphones, teacher tablets, Samsung tablets and power banks to various stakeholders in the basic education ecosystem. More than 1.5million textbooks, homework books, over 7.5 million exam materials and not less than 1.6 million result sheets were distributed to facilitate teaching, learning and assessment,” she added.

“With respect to improving school infrastructure, which is also a focus area of this administration, she noted that at least 48,950 metres of school fence have been constructed, another batch of fence construction measuring 14,850 metres will be completed before September 2023; approximately 38,000 furniture sets have been supplied to schools while another of 10,000 furniture sets are in finishing stages soon to be delivered to schools ahead of the new academic session.

“Additionally, over 1,100 toilets have been constructed or renovated with 174 toilets rooms nearing completion. 41 Water projects are also currently ongoing.”

She further explained that while so far 7,511 classrooms have been renovated, and 321 new classrooms constructed since the start of the administration, an additional 400 classrooms will be ready to receive pupils when they resume in the next academic session,” she added.

In this regard, Mrs Salami announced that SUBEB has built a formidable crop of teachers who use proven modern classrooms and pupil management techniques.

“What we are doing is building systems that can outlast us at the end of our tenure”, the SUBEB Chairman stated, stressing that Board emphasizes values in raising pupils/students to know appreciate things.

Mrs Salami, however, explained that schools in the rural or hard to reach areas cannot have the EdoBEST delivered to them as those in the urban areas hence a special package has been designed to deliver learning to them.

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.