Education
Group Makes Case For Public Schools
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Worthy Purpose Foundation, says students in public schools will do better, if the schools are equipped with the right tools.
Chairman of the NGO, Dr Funmilola Williams-Daudu, stated this while speaking with newsmen yesterday in Ikaram-Akoko in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The Tide source reports that Williams made the statement after the finals of the foundation’s annual quiz competition, which was for secondary schools in Akoko axis of the state.
According to Williams-Daudu, the competition, the second in the series, is put together as part of measures to address the falling standard of secondary education in the area.
She said that during the first edition of the competition, no school in Ikaram-Akoko got to the finals, adding that the foundation had to contract teachers for the schools.
“This is the second edition. We started in 2020 with only the schools in Akoko North-West. This year, we have expanded it to cover Akoko North-West and Akoko North-East.
“In this part of the state, we observed that there are no enough teachers in the public schools, thus resulting in poor performances of students in public schools in 2020.
“None of the public schools in this town got to the finals of the competition in 2020 but his year, we have decided to get contract teachers to coach them.
“The wife of the king also supported and a public school from this town came third in this second edition,” she said.
Also speaking, the Akala of Ikaram, Oba Andrew Momodu, called on the state government to recruit more teachers in public schools.
Momodu said that the recent recruitment of 1,000 teachers by the state government could not solve the problem of inadequacy of teachers in public schools, especially in rural areas.
According to the traditional ruler, there are only two teachers in public schools within his domain, thus forcing the community to resort to employing teachers for the schools.
Momodu, who backed the call for declaration of a state of emergency in public schools in the state, said recruitment of teachers should be a continuous exercise until the acute shortage was addressed.
“We thank Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for recruiting teachers in public schools for the first time in 10 years”, he added.
Continue Reading
Education
2025 Book Reading: TotalEnergies Commits To Unlocking Potentials, Career Choices In Students
TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited says it is committed to unlocking reading potentials and passion in students to guaranteeing successes in their educational futures.
The Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset (JVA), TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Olivier Cassassoles, stated this while delivering his speech at the 2025 Book Reading & Open Day Event For Senior Secondary Schools In Rivers State, held at the TotalEnergies Event Centre, Trans-Amadi, PortHarcourt, at the Weekend, with the theme ‘Paragraphs, Pages, and Chapters: Unlocking the Secrets of Success through Reading’.
Cassassoles who noted that the present era is characterised with endless distractions said students need a deliberate push for self-discovery and growth in their educational pursuits adding that reading, for students, is more than preparation for exams; as it is a gateway to new worlds, cultures and ideas, with each book serving as a passport to empathy, critical thinking, and self-expression.
While noting that the event marked a celebration of curiosity, imagination, and the transformative power of books, Cassassoles insisted that there is no greater spark than the one lit by a good book, adding that by supporting education, the company nurtures future leaders, innovators, and change makers.
He said “Today, we unite under a theme that resonates deeply with every learner: “Paragraphs, Pages, and Chapters: Unlocking the Secrets of Success through Reading.” This is not merely a motto, but a journey we embark on together. Each paragraph contains wisdom, every page opens a new possibility, and every chapter marks a new beginning in our personal stories.
“At TotalEnergies, our commitment to energizing society goes far beyond fueling vehicles or lighting homes. For over 60 years, we have been passionate about lighting up minds and empowering future generations through education. We are honored to invest in education, knowing that by supporting today’s youth, we help shape a brighter tomorrow. Let’s turn the pages together and unlock the next chapter of greatness”.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr (Mrs) Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, stressed that the journey of life begins with reading, expressing confidence in the schools and students of the state in their commitment to making the state proud in both national and international competitions.
Represented by the State’s Deputy Director, Senior Secondary Schools, Gbaranwi Charles B, Uzoma-Nwogu thanked TotalEnergies for its contributions to the growth, development and success of education in the state and pledged the ministry’s partnership in instilling reading habit in the students thereby shaping their minds and molding them like clay in the hands of a skilled potter.
Presenting awards to the representatives of the winners of the ‘Schools Presentation on TotalEnergies’, the General Manager, Country Services, Adesua Adewole, commended the students for their resilience and commitment to studies urging them to remain relentless for greater future achievements.
In his Closing Remarks, the Deputy General Manager, External Communications, TotalEnergies, Nigeria, Dr. Charles Ebereonwu, who noted the continuous evolvement of the company even in guiding educational and career paths, wished the students the best in their career decisions.
The year’s event featured a Nigerian literary classic novel: ‘The Potter’s Wheel’ by renowned author, Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike; a novel that not only mirrors the journey of many students as they navigate challenges, learn responsibility, and discover their voices but serves as a beacon of character, discipline, and personal growth.
Participating schools were Community Secondary School, Okuru-Ama (winner), Model Secondary School, GRA (1st runner-up) and Immaculate Heart College, Borokiri (2nd runner-up).
Others were Pabod Model Secondary School, Old GRA, Enitona High School, Borokiri, SeaCrest Preparatory School, Redeemer’s International School, Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri and Community Secondary School, Abuloma.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu
The Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset (JVA), TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Olivier Cassassoles, has stated that reading, for students, is more than preparation for exams; as it is a gateway to new worlds, cultures and ideas, emphasising that each book is a passport to empathy, critical thinking, and self-expression.
While noting that the event marked a celebration of curiosity, imagination, and the transformative power of books, Cassassoles insisted that there is no greater spark than the one lit by a good book, adding that by supporting education, the company nurtures future leaders, innovators, and changemakers.
He said “Today, we unite under a theme that resonates deeply with every learner: “Paragraphs, Pages, and Chapters: Unlocking the Secrets of Success through Reading.” This is not merely a motto, but a journey we embark on together. Each paragraph contains wisdom, every page opens a new possibility, and every chapter marks a new beginning in our personal stories.
“At TotalEnergies, our commitment to energizing society goes far beyond fueling vehicles or lighting homes. For over 60 years, we have been passionate about lighting up minds and empowering future generations through education”.
The TotalEnergies DMD revealed that the company’s longstanding dedication to Nigeria’s youth was evident in a broad range of educational initiatives including
Scholarship Programs, construction of educational structures and laboratories, donation of solar lamps to students, Empowering The Teacher (ETT) fellowship programs and institution of the Institute of Petroleum and Energy Studies (IPES) in the University of PortHarcourt.
These efforts, he said, are not isolated but are all part of TotalEnergies’ vision to ignite potential and foster a culture of lifelong learning
“To our students: May this event be a turning point. May The Potter’s Wheel and the opportunities we support inspire you to reach higher and dream bigger. To our educators and guests: Thank you for being the guiding hands- the potters molding the bright minds of tomorrow.
.
“At TotalEnergies, we are honored to invest in education, knowing that by supporting today’s youth, we help shape a brighter tomorrow. Let’s turn the pages together and unlock the next chapter of greatness”, he said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr (Mrs) Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, noted that books inspire, educate and transform, saying “there’s no time you open a page of a book that you don’t get something”.
Uzoma-Nwogu, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Senior Secondary Schools, Rivers State, Gbaranwi Charles B, stressed that the journey of life begins with reading, expressing confidence in the schools and students of the state in their commitment to making the state proud in both national and international competitions.
The Permanent Secretary thanked TotalEnergies for the growth, development and success of education in the state and pledged the ministry’s partnership in instilling reading habit in the students thereby shaping their minds and molding them like clay in the hands of a skilled potter.
Presenting awards to the representatives of the winners of the ‘Schools Presentation on TotalEnergies’, the General Manager, Country Services, Adesua Adewole, commended the students for their resilience and commitment to studies urging them to remain relentless for greater future achievements.
The year’s participating schools are Community Secondary School, Okuru-Ama (winner), Model Secondary School, GRA (1st runner-up) and Immaculate Heart College, Borokiri (2nd runner-up).
Others were Pabod Model Secondary School, Old GRA, Enitona High School, Borokiri, SeaCrest Preparatory School, Redeemer’s International School, Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri and Community Secondary School, Abuloma.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu
Chapters of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) in Enugu and South Africa have called on the state government, philanthropists, and organizations in Nigeria to devise practical approaches on how to return school age children from the streets to the classrooms.
Alarmed by the growing population of school age children on our streets, the Cap’n of the Enugu chapter of NAS, Mr Oseloka Egbuchiem, said, “it is a time bomb and a sad commentary on our social responsibility.”
Addressing journalists in Enugu on Tuesday, Egbuchiem explained that NAS chose October 6 to galvanize national awareness and collective action on the crisis of out of school children (OOSC) in Nigeria, through its Street Child Project and Back to School Campaign.
According to him, “the truth is that NAS can’t do it alone. The governments at different levels, and philanthropists should participate in this because it is a huge crisis.”
He noted further that, “we in Enugu collaborated with the chapter in South Africa on this campaign to mark the one-day national awareness and advocacy.
“On Monday, we distributed educational kits to at least 1,000 children in the state in five primary schools in Enugu metropolis and suburb.
“The beneficiary schools are Ibagwa Community Primary, Nike, Enugu, Francisca Children Academy, Ugbene 2, Enugu, Transekulu Primary School 1, Enugu, Transekulu Primary School 2, Enugu, Aguowa Primary School 1, Enugu.
“We continued the sensitization campaign today on radio where a panel of discussants threw more light on the OOSC crisis and to capture attention of the public and the government.”
According to Egbuchiem, NAS aims at empowering communities to sustain local education initiatives aimed at reducing OOSC in their areas.
He noted that the crisis is as real as the numbers from the UNICEF 2025 and UNESCO report that shows that 10.2–18.3 million children are out of school globally and that one in every child that is out of school in the world is a Nigerian.
“That unflattering report is a summary of perhaps what the future is for us and our children,” he said.
Egbuchiem noted that NAS believes that, “the scale of this crisis undermines Nigeria’s ability to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially SDG 4 (Quality Education), which sets out the ambition of ensuring inclusive and equitable education for all.
Meanwhile, among the social reasons that have kept millions of children in Nigeria out of school are poverty, insecurity, gender inequality, child labour, early marriage, poor infrastructure, and social exclusion.