Education

Nigerian Schools To Compete In International Science Fair

Published

14 years ago

July 4, 2011

Four Nigerian secondary schools will be representing the country in the forthcoming International Science Fair slated for Brazil and Slovakia in October.

Our correspondent reports that the fair would enable the schools to showcase their scientific inventions and projects.

It was gathered that the four schools include the Government Day Secondary School (GDSS), Wuse 11, and the School For The Gifted, Gwagwalada all in Abuja.

Others are the Solid Rock International School, Lafia and the Government Science Technical College, Garki, Abuja.

They emerged winners after contesting with other selected schools across the nation and they will represent the country in Brazil and Slovakia in October in the fair tagged: “Mostratee”.

GDSS emerged the overall winner with its invention of insect repellant, organic flea spray for animals and tea, all made from orange peels, as well as dye made from the Hibiscus flower.

Solid Rock International School Lafia also won with its remote controlled car jack and GSM – based home automation system for turning off home appliance even when away from the house.

The remote controlled car jack designed to run on batteries will be powered by direct infrared rays from any remote control.

The Government Scence Technical College won with its bio-fuel for powering generators, sourced from the vapour of fermented maize water after undergoing heating at 75 Degree Celsius.

The School For The Gifted Gwagwalada, also won with its healthy earth sustaining system made from the components of a car battery, which produces hydrogen to combat the depletion of the Ozone layer.

The contest was organised by the Society for the Promotion of Science and Technology in collaboration with the FCT Agency for Science and Technology.

The aim of the contest is to build the capacity of Nigerian students in Science and Technology.

The coordinator of the competition in Nigeria. Mr. Desmond Achoakawa, said that the fair was a competition for secondary schools aimed at selecting schools that would represent Nigeria in the International Science Fair.

He said that Nigeria had come first in two of the international fairs since the country started competing in 2007.

“In 2009 and 2010, we came first in the international competition and each competition usually has up to 40 countries competing,” he said.

He said that the organisation had been finding it difficult sponsoring the event due to the lack of regular sponsorships and collaboration from both the government and the private sector.

Mr. Guregi Ibrahim, head of Popularisation of Science, Agriculture and Biotechnology, FCT Agency for Science, said that the competition would help the development of science in Nigerian schools.

He said that such competitions would help in sharpening the intellects of the students and enable them contribute meaningfully to changing the world.

Education

Rivers NYSC Cordinator task corps members on peace building

Published

2 weeks ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

Corps Members have been urged to use the rich cultural heritage of Nigerians to promote peace in the state and country at large.

The Rivers State Coordinator of NYSC Mr. Moses Oleghe gave the charge during the inter-platoon cultural carnival competition for 2025 Batch C Corps Members deployed to the State orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam Tai held over the weekend.

Oleghe while addressing the Corps Members, further charged them to be a “source of light in their host communities,” noting that the “symbolic lighting of the cultural carnival torch means that every Corps Member must be the light that dispels darkness.”

He urged them to integrate and internalize the culture of the people of their area where they serve, strengthen cultural practices that promote human dignity, rights, and respect.”

The radiant and colorful event witnessed the regeneration and rebirth of various ethnic cultures by the Corps Members.

At the end of the competition, 4 platoon was adjudged the overall best, 9 platoon 2nd and 6 platoon 3rd.

Education

RSU Best Graduating Student Makes Case for Absorption of Graduates

Published

2 weeks ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

Miss Chukwuka Christabel Chidnma, one of the best overall graduating students of Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu/Oroworukwu, Port Harcourt, has advocated for the retention of the best graduating students of the institution to fill the gap in teaching staff in the institution.

Chidnma, who was adjudged the overall best graduating student of the class of 2023/2024 academic session in the just-concluded 37th and 38th combined convocation ceremony of the university, had a CGPA of 4.88 from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies in the Faculty of Humanities.

She made the call while delivering her valedictory speech at the awards of the first degree on Saturday, saying the call becomes imperative to ensure that the department and the university at large continue to thrive and maintain academic standards.

She opined that she and her colleagues would be eager to contribute to the workforce of the development and the school in general, in whatever capacity the institution may deem appropriate, to bring their skills, training, and passion to support its continued growth and excellence.

The overall best graduating student decried the enormous challenges lecturers of the department and the university as a whole are facing due to limited manpower and appealed to the university management to also employ professional producers and technical personnel.

She recounted the experiences and challenges she faced during her years of academic studies, noting that resilience, hard work, determination, and being focused were the bedrock of her success.

She dedicated the award to her parents for their untiring efforts in ensuring that her academic fortunes were not cut short.

By: Akujobi Amadi

Education

Students Free to Choose Any WAEC Subjects of Their Choices – FG

Published

2 weeks ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government has reaffirmed that senior secondary school students whether in arts, commercial or science classes are free to register any approved subject of their choice for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), as confusion over the revised curriculum continues to generate debate across the country.

The clarification came in a press statement issued on Saturday and signed by Boriowo Folashade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, following widespread misinformation circulating on social media and within some schools.

According to the ministry, contrary to claims that students must strictly remain within their designated subject tracks, “there is no restriction or exclusion attached to the selection of any approved subject under the Senior Secondary School Curriculum.”

Officials said the curriculum was intentionally designed to be flexible, student-centred and supportive of diverse academic and career interests.

Under the guidance, science students may select subjects traditionally grouped under the arts or social sciences, just as arts and commercial students may choose science-designated subjects provided such choices are supervised by school authorities, parents or certified counsellors.

The ministry also clarified public concerns surrounding the subject formerly known as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), confirming it has been renamed Digital Technology.

The statement emphasised that the change is purely in nomenclature and does not alter the curriculum content or disadvantage students who previously took ICT in school.

Regarding Trade Subjects, the ministry noted that six trades have been approved under the curriculum.

Students may register any of these trades only if the subjects are offered by their schools and they have been taught them. However, the government stressed that students who have never been exposed to any of the six trade subjects are under no obligation to register one as a third subject.

This clarification comes as WAEC registration for the 2026 examination cycle continues nationwide. WAEC recently urged schools to ensure accurate subject entries before the January deadline, warning that mistakes in registration especially in subject combinations have increasingly led to withheld or invalid results in previous years.

The announcement also aligns with ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s education sector. Earlier this year, the ministry began rolling out teacher retraining and digital learning initiatives aimed at boosting performance in core WAEC subjects, following several exam cycles that showed inconsistent pass rates in mathematics and English.

Nigerian universities often require specific subject combinations for competitive courses such as medicine, engineering, law, accounting and mass communication.

The ministry urged the public to rely solely on verified information, noting that misinformation remains a major challenge during examination cycles. It said further updates will be issued as reforms continue across the senior secondary school system