EDUCATION
Interswitch re-affirms commitment to STEM development, announces registrations for Interswitch SPAK 3.0

Interswitch re-affirms commitment to STEM development, announces registrations for Interswitch SPAK 3.0
The Interswitch Group has announced the commencement of another edition of its National Science competition, InterswitchSPAK 3.0, in Nigeria. Secondary schools are hereby implored to visit the InterswitchSPAK portal to register their best science students in Grade 11 or Senior Secondary 2 (SS2) for the competition.
InterswitchSPAK is an annual Pan-African competition aimed at re-igniting and incentivizing the study of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects among secondary school students.
For registration, each school is required to present its best science students in SSS2. Each school can register a minimum of six (6) and a maximum of ten (10) students. However, for mixed schools, at least two female students must be among the selected students. Every registered student will participate in the qualifying examination online, from their schools, homes or any convenient space. The top 81 students will proceed to the finale to battle for the crown of Nigeria’s Best Science Student.
For schools to register their best science students, visit https://www.interswitchspak.com/
For the qualifying examination, there are two choices of days to pick from between Friday, 28 and Saturday, 29 May, 2021 any time between 8am-6pm.
Cherry Eromosele, Group Chief Marketing and Communication Officer, Interswitch, expressed her excitement about the new edition. She stated that the competition was back, bigger and better after the one-year hiatus occasioned by the disruptive impact of the global pandemic. She also encouraged more girls to participate in this third edition of the on-going registration.
She said: “At Interswitch, we are committed to inculcating knowledge, aptitude and confidence, with a focus on improving the standard of education in Nigeria. We are very passionate about encouraging more students, especially girls, to take up STEM subjects. The good news is that we have seen an increase in the number of girls participating in the competition. We encourage teachers, school administrators, parents and guardians to ensure their students are registered. I also want to encourage the students to take hold of this opportunity to pursue their dreams. It is our belief that the year ahead will be very exciting.”
The coveted prize is N12.5 million worth of university scholarship for the top three winners. The first prize winner gets N7.5 million tertiary scholarship spread over 5 years, a laptop and monthly stipends. The second prize is N4 million spread over 3 years and a laptop and the third prize is N1 million for 1 year.
The last edition saw Oyindamola Aje, a 16-year-old student of Jesuit Memorial College, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, emerging as winner, while the duo of 15-year-old Oluwatobi Ojo and Onyekachi Madumere (both of Apt Scholar Universal College, Ogun State) came second and third, respectively.
The InterswitchSPAK 3.0 registration portal will close on Thursday, May 27, 2021
EDUCATION
SIGN OUT VIRAL VIDEO: ONDO GOVT WITHHOLD WAEC RESULTS OF STUDENTS, ORDER NAMES WRITTEN IN “BLACK BOOK”
•••••• EDUCATION MINISTRY SANCTIONS STUDENTS IN VIRAL VIDEO
The Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology has cracked down on a group of secondary school students from Oyemekun Grammar School, Aquinas Secondary School, and CAC Grammar School following a viral “sign-out” video that sparked widespread public outrage across social media.The video, which circulated heavily on platforms like TikTok and Facebook following the completion of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), showed graduating students engaging in chaotic and undisciplined behaviour, including tearing uniforms and chanting inappropriate slogans.In an emergency meeting convened at the Ministry’s headquarters in Akure, government officials and school administrators gathered to address the breach of conduct.The Ministry has handed down the following immediate sanctions to serve as a deterrent to other schools across the state:The official school testimonials and WASSCE results of the 17 students identified in the video will be withheld until further notice, and their names will be entered into the “black book” of their respective schools.All principals have been directed to open a “black book” for student misconduct, and senior officers at the affected schools have received official queries for failing to adequately supervise and allowing the celebrations to degenerate into lawlessness.For those in the video who are not in the terminal class, the Ministry has directed that they be expelled from school immediately.The Commissioner advised all parents to consistently counsel their children against actions that could mar their futures, stating that the measures taken by the Ministry will serve as a deterrent to other students who might consider engaging in similar acts in the future.
EDUCATION
Engr. Kayode Ojo Felicitates With Teachers, Says, They are Impetus In Nation Building
A governorship Aspirant under All Progressives Congress APC in Ekiti State Engr. Kayode Ojo greets the teachers on World Teachers Day, describing them as great impetus and steam for the development of any society.
“Teachers’ roles at modelling both children and youths towards nation building cannot be under estimated”, hence the need to always prioritise their welfares. “
Engr. Kayode Ojo made the assertion in a statement issued and made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on this year’s Teachers Day celebration.
The APC governorship Hopeful described Ekiti Teachers as partners in progress if properly renumerated, especially with prompt salary payment, training, retraining, incentive, motivation, and promotion, among others.
He commended them over their sacrifices to impact positively on the lives of both Students and Youth in the State, despite numerous challenges facing them at discharging their duties due to what he called systematic errors under the present administration in the State.
“Teaching profession needs to be treated with desired respect and dignity because of its foundational roles at developing the society by incurcating both academic and social values on the lives of the People.
The current Pro Chancellor and Chairman Governing council, University of Nigeria Nsukka UNN, commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritising Teachers Welfares as one of the cardinal policies of his administration, hence the need for various State Governors to compliment and support the president policy.
The industrialist and engineer turned Politician assured teachers in Ekiti State of more conducive atmosphere to operate if voted into power during this month APC governorship primary and 2026 elections in the State.
According to him, teachers in Ekiti will be compensated with incentives, training, prompt payment of salary, and general motivation.
While congratulating all Teachers in Ekiti on this year celebration, Ojo urged them to continue to put in their best to develop the state.
EDUCATION
Stakeholders confirm Ifako-Ijaiye becoming most educated LG in Lagos
…As lawmaker distributes educational materials to students
Ifako-Ijaiye has been named one of the most educated local government area of Lagos state by stakeholders in the education sector of Lagos state.This was as the lawmaker representing Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency I at the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Temitope Adedeji, distributed thousands of school materials to students of the local government as part of his ‘Back To School Support Initiative’.The event, which took place at Fagba Junior Grammar School, Ifako-Ijaiye, attracted hundreds of schoolchildren, parents, teachers, community leaders, and stakeholders.Items distributed by the lawmaker included 500 school bags, 6,000 exercise books, 10,000 writing materials, 500 mathematical sets, 1,000 pairs of socks, and 500 water bottles.Speaking at the event, Hon. Adewale said the gesture, which is the 5th, was aimed at easing the financial burden of parents while motivating pupils to excel in their studies.Adewale, who distributed GCE and JAMB forms to candidates earlier in the year, said his effort was to complement the unwavering commitment of President Bola Tinubu in the education sector.

“Many people do not understand that service and leadership start from the grassroots. This is one thing that has kept Asiwaju Tinubu formidable over the years. His passion to bring education to children while as governor of Lagos state remains the most effective education strategy in recent times.“Today, we recognize him as the best President Nigeria has had. This is why I also encourage people to do the little that they can. The education of our children cannot be left to the government and parents alone,” he said.Adewale said education remains one of his top priorities as a legislator, describing it as the “bedrock of human and societal development.”He assured the students that as they excel, they would benefit from the free GCE and JAMB forms initiative as well as the scholarship scheme of the Adewale Temitope Adedeji Educational Initiative (ATA-EI).In his remarks, the Lagos Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Tolani Ali-Balogun, said Ifako-Ijaiye has been projected to become one of the most educated local government area in the state.Commending the lawmaker for his investment in education and support for the government, in he urged the beneficiaries to be focused on their studies as a way to encourage the lawmaker to do more.On his part, Dr. Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen, Special Adviser on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, tasked the students to focus on their studies so they could enjoy a brighter future.The Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary, Education District 1, Dr Oyetola Olufunke Idowu, further confirmed that the lawmaker’s support for the government’s education stride saying this had started yielding results in the area looking at examination results of 2023 and 2024.Some of the beneficiaries promised to use the materials judiciously.
