Education

By Bashir Uba Ibrahim, PhD 

“I have learned that people forget what you said, people forget what you did, but people will never forget what you made them feel”, Maya Angelou (1928-2014). 

Prof. Umma Abdulwahid Dabi is the kind of person captured by the above quote. Prof. was not just a scholar of high repute, but also an academic mentor to hundreds of academics. My last meeting with Prof. Umma was about two weeks ago, during our 3rd convocation speech-writing sub-committee meeting. 

“Mommy”, as we fondly used to call her, would admonish us to always utilise our intellectual rigour in our academic engagements. She always used to tell me that Bashir, you still have time to be mentored on academic engagements, as you are very young. She was also always challenging us on community development services, especially in her dear state, Jigawa. 

It is an understatement to say that Prof. Umma is one of the most patriotic indigenes of Jigawa State, and of her local community (Ringim) in particular. When I brought her the idea of reviving the moribund Ringim Indigenous Students Association (RISA) in SLUK and serving as its grand patron, she enthusiastically welcomed it.

Mommy is a humanist par excellence, as she is often called “Uwar Marayu” for her philanthropic gestures. Her home is heaven for the children of the have-nots who couldn’t afford to live during their school life. As a psychologist, she also used to offer counselling and psychological therapy to students, especially females. 

I can remember the story of one of our brilliant female students in the Department of English and Literary Studies, SLUK, who had a first-class CGPA. When she moved on in her academic pursuit, her performance drastically reduced due to the depression she found herself overwhelmed by. So, her coordinator took her to Mommy. Mommy graciously offered her free accommodation in her house, along with free feeding and psychological therapy, until the student stabilised. Thus, Mommy was not only a scholar, but also a promoter of girl-child education, a mentor, a counsellor, and a psychological therapist. 

Prof. Umma met her final days on her way back from Kaduna along the Kano-Kaduna Road in a fatal car accident. The death of Mommy is indeed an irreparable loss not only to Ringim but to SLUK and Jigawa State. We pray for Allah to forgive her shortcomings and grant her Jannatul Firdaus. 

Postscript

The group picture was taken last year when I accompanied the EXCOS of the Ringim Indigenous Students Association (RISA) SLUK Chapter to her office to solicit her to serve as the grand patron of the union, which she gladly accepted.

Today marked a poignant and memorable milestone in Nigerian history as hundreds of students, dignitaries, scholars, veterans and guests from within and outside Kano converged at Bayero University, Kano for the 50-year Commemoration Symposium organised by Rundunar Kishin Kano (RKK) — also known as the Kano Patriotic Front. The event was held in honour and remembrance of the late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, the former Head of State whose leadership left an indelible impact on Nigeria’s governance and national identity.
Punch Newspapers

The symposium, convened on the anniversary of General Murtala’s assassination on 13 February 1976, brought together a diverse audience, including university dons, students, political leaders, community figures and patriotic Nigerians who came to reflect on and celebrate the life, leadership philosophy and enduring legacy of one of the country’s most revered leaders.

In his opening remarks, the Convener of the event and National Coordinator of RKK, Major General Ibrahim Sani (rtd) received widespread praise for spearheading a well-executed and inspirational program that resonated deeply with all present. The event was noted for its meticulous planning, vibrant energy and strong turnout — a testament to both General Murtala’s continued relevance and RKK’s organizational capacity.

“General Murtala Ramat Muhammed remains one of the most powerful voices of integrity and reform in our national memory,” General Ibrahim declared. “Today, we do not only remember the man, but we recommit ourselves to the values he championed — patriotism, leadership with integrity and unwavering service to our nation.” The address set a reflective and aspirational tone for the day’s activities.

The symposium featured a range of speeches, video show, purposeful discussions and academic reflections on the late Head of State’s life and leadership. Distinguished speakers shared insights on his role in reshaping Nigeria’s civil service, tackling corruption, restoring national discipline and positioning the country as a principled voice on the global stage — contributions widely acknowledged as foundational to the modern Nigerian state.

Students from various faculties at Bayero University actively participated in the discussions, underscoring the relevance of historical leadership lessons for the country’s youth.

Special prayers were offered for the repose of General Murtala’s soul and for the nation’s continued unity and progress.

Guests attending from outside Kano described the symposium as “inspiring and deeply moving,” highlighting the significance of such platforms in preserving Nigeria’s historical consciousness and encouraging cross-generational dialogue.

As Nigeria commemorates this golden jubilee of General Murtala’s legacy, events like today’s symposium reflect a broader national effort to celebrate and critically engage with the leadership ideals that have shaped the nation’s trajectory.

About General Murtala Ramat Muhammed:
General Murtala Ramat Muhammed was Nigeria’s Head of State from July 1975 until his assassination in February 1976. Though his tenure was brief, his leadership remains celebrated for decisive reforms that revitalised the civil service, strengthened national governance and anchored Nigeria’s international stance on justice, Pan-African solidarity and anti-colonial advocacy.

The successful commemoration by RKK at Bayero University stands as a fitting tribute to a leader whose legacy continues to inspire Nigerians five decades after his passing.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The Abba Kabir Yusuf has relieved Engr. Buba Galadima of his position as Chairman of the Governing Council of Kano State Polytechnic.

The decision was announced in a statement issued on Saturday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

In his place, the Governor approved the appointment of the Aliyu Ibrahim Abdulkadir, Emir of Gaya, as the new Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council.

According to the statement, the removal followed a restructuring process aimed at aligning the Polytechnic with the administration’s Kano First Agenda and ongoing reforms to enhance institutional performance. Although members of the Governing Council are expected to serve a three-year tenure, Galadima’s appointment was terminated before its expiration as part of the reform measures.

Governor Yusuf expressed appreciation to Galadima for his contributions during his tenure and urged the new Chairman to deploy his experience and leadership in repositioning the Polytechnic for improved academic and administrative excellence.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

An Indian teacher and activist, Rouble Nagi, has won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize for her groundbreaking work in bringing education to marginalized communities across India. The award was presented on Thursday at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, an event that attracts leaders from around the world.

Nagi, founder of the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, has established over 800 learning centers in India. These centers provide structured education for children who have never attended school and supplement learning for those already enrolled. She also paints educational murals across slum walls, teaching literacy, science, mathematics, and history.

Accepting the award, Nagi said the recognition was not just for her but for India. She recalled starting 24 years ago with 30 children in a small workshop, and now reaching over a million children.

> “I think every step has just motivated me, inspired me to take every child in India to school,” Nagi said. “You know when I was a child it was my dream to see every child at school and as you grow up fulfilling that for as many as we can reach, I think it’s a very humbling experience.”



Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation, which awards the prize, praised Nagi’s dedication.

> “Rouble Nagi represents the very best of what teaching can be – courage, creativity, compassion, and an unwavering belief in every child’s potential,” Varkey said. “By bringing education to the most marginalized communities, she has not only changed individual lives, but strengthened families and communities.”



Nagi plans to use the $1 million prize to establish an institute that will offer free vocational training. UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini, added that Nagi’s recognition highlights the crucial role teachers play in shaping lives.

> “Teachers matter,” Giannini said. “We are honoured to join the Global Teacher Prize in celebrating teachers like you, who, through patience, determination, and belief in every learner, help children into school — an act that can change the course of a life.”



Nagi is the tenth recipient of the Global Teacher Prize since it was established in 2015. Past winners include educators from Kenya, Palestine, Canada, and Saudi Arabia, all recognized for their efforts to improve access to education in challenging environments.

Her work continues to inspire and redefine what is possible in education for underserved communities worldwide.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, visited Mangalayatan University in Aligarh (Beswan), Uttar Pradesh, India, on Wednesday as part of efforts to strengthen education and expand access to quality learning opportunities for Nigerians.

Mr. Kwankwaso stated this in a statement he posted via his official Facebook handle today Thursday.

According to Kwankwaso, the visit aims “to foster meaningful collaborations in research, technology, and academic exchange between Nigerian institutions and their Indian counterparts, promoting mutual growth and innovation in higher education.”

He also expressed gratitude to the university community for their hospitality, stating: “I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the entire Mangalayatan University community—particularly the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Senate, and staff— for their exceptional warmth, hospitality, and gracious reception.”

Kwankwaso’s visit highlights ongoing initiatives to build partnerships that could enhance the standard of higher education in Nigeria through international cooperation.

By Muhammad Sulaiman

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Directorate, on Thursday, February 5, 2026, arraigned a former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA), Professor Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, before the Katsina State High Court over an alleged N19.7 million bribery scheme.

Bichi was docked before Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar alongside two others—Lawal Tukur Mani and Aliyu Lawal Jari—on a five-count charge bordering on bribery.

According to the EFCC, Bichi, while serving as Vice-Chancellor, allegedly received kickbacks from contractors through the two co-defendants in exchange for the award of contracts at the university. One of the charges alleged that he obtained N5 million in July 2023 from a contractor as gratification for contracts involving the supply of medical equipment and laboratory furnishing, with the funds paid into a bank account belonging to one of the co-defendants.

All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their pleas, prosecuting counsel, Salihu Sani, requested a trial date, while defence counsel moved applications for bail. Justice Abubakar granted each defendant bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case to March 12, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

By The Daily Reality

Dr. Umaru Sanda Ahmadu College of Education (USACOE), Minna, Niger State, has honoured the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) in recognition of its immense contributions to the development of education in Nigeria.

The College, founded in 1975, presented an Institutional Award of Recognition to NERDC for “Regulatory Oversight, Guidance and Support” during its Golden Jubilee celebration held on 31st January, 2026. The anniversary programme, which marked fifty years of the institution’s existence, took place from 30th January to 1st February, 2026.

The Institutional award was presented to the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Professor Salisu Shehu, who was represented at the event by the Director, Library and Informatics Centre (LIC), Dr. Mandela Asebiomo. While presenting the award, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Guest Speaker at the occasion, Justice (Dr.) Abdullahi Usman Bello, commended NERDC for its effective discharge of regulatory oversight, guidance, and support functions within the Nigerian education system.

Dr. Umaru Sanda Ahmadu College of Education, named after its pioneer Provost, Umaru Sanda Ahmadu, was initially established as a Teachers’ Training College. Over the years, the institution has undergone significant transformation and has since evolved into a degree-awarding institution offering programmes in various education-related disciplines.

The Golden Jubilee celebration, organised by the College Alumni Association in collaboration with the Management and Staff Unions, attracted the presence of representatives of the Niger State Government, heads of government agencies, members of the academia, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other distinguished guests.

By Uzair Adam

Bayero University, Kano (BUK), on Thursday hosted a public lecture on the reintroduction of History into Nigerian schools, highlighting the issues, challenges and prospects associated with the subject’s return to the national curriculum.

The Daily Reality reports that the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Professor Salisu Shehu, served as Chairman of the Occasion.

The lecture, titled “The Return of History in Nigerian Schools: Issues, Challenges and Prospects,” was organised by the Department of History under the Faculty of History and Development Studies.

Dr. Nanre Nafziger, an Assistant Professor of Black and African Studies at McGill University, Canada, delivered the lecture, offering a conceptual explanation of History and its relevance to human and societal development.

In her presentation, Nafziger said History extends beyond common assumptions that limit it to the narration of events, wars or prominent individuals, stressing that it examines how the past shapes the present and how the present influences the future.

She explained that historical knowledge is grounded in patterns and processes that emerge from human and societal evolution, adding that History addresses causation, time, space, consequences and the impact of both human and natural phenomena.

According to her, the discipline also encompasses peoples, communities, societies, geopolitical territories, empires, states and nationhood, as well as norms, values, cultures, traditions and civilizations.

Nafziger noted that History is closely connected to institutions such as politics, the economy, education and technological development, arguing that this interconnectedness makes it a fundamental component of educational content at designated levels.

She said the renewed emphasis on History in Nigerian schools was informed by these considerations, alongside the need to transform and update educational curricula.

Under the revised curriculum, Nafziger explained, History will be taught as a stand-alone subject at the primary level from Primary One to Six, as well as at Junior Secondary School levels One to Three.

At the senior secondary level, she added, History will be infused into compulsory subjects, including Citizenship and Heritage Studies.

She further stated that the new History curricula were developed using new approaches and feature elements that are development-focused, context-sensitive, competency- and outcome-based, thematic and spiral in structure, as well as aligned with 21st-century educational standards.

The public lecture attracted academics, students and other stakeholders, and formed part of ongoing discussions within the academic community on the role of History in national education and development.

By Garba Sidi

In Nigeria, academic failure is often treated as a life sentence. A poor result can earn a student a damaging label—not serious, not intelligent, or not destined for success. I know this because I lived it. Yet my journey proves that failure, no matter how often it occurs, does not end a person’s future. Giving up does.

After completing SS3, I sat for WAEC, NECO, and JAMB, like millions of Nigerian students whose dreams rest on examination numbers. When my WAEC result was released, I had only three credits—Chemistry, Hausa, and Animal Husbandry. Showing the result to my father was one of the most painful moments of my life. His words, suggesting I might have to repeat SS3, broke my heart. Still, I chose prayer over bitterness.

My JAMB score of 145 further reduced my chances of gaining admission to university. Though ashamed, I showed the result to my father. He advised patience and encouraged me to wait for my NECO result. When NECO came out, I earned seven credits, including English and Mathematics, but failed Physics. At the time, I did not realise how much that single subject would shape my future.

Like many science students, I dreamed of studying Medicine at Bayero University, Kano. I also applied to the College of Education, Gumel, and Hussaini Adamu Polytechnic, Kazaure. With my JAMB score, university admission was impossible. My options narrowed, and disappointment became familiar.

On my uncle’s advice, I enrolled in Remedial Studies at Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, hoping to later study Engineering, a course believed to offer better job prospects. I passed the remedial exams and continued attending lectures while preparing for another JAMB. When I failed again, my journey in Bauchi ended abruptly. Without a successful JAMB result, remedial studies could not secure admission.

I returned home discouraged. Applications to the College of Education, Gumel, and Bilyaminu Usman Polytechnic, Hadejia, yielded no results. While friends moved on to universities and colleges, I spent most of 2015 at home, surrounded by self-doubt and silent questions about my worth.

In 2017, I wrote JAMB again and scored 171, meeting the reduced cut-off mark for Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa. I was offered admission to study Mathematics and even attended the interview. However, during registration, my admission was withdrawn because I did not have a credit in Physics. It was another painful reminder that failure has consequences—but it does not have to be final.

Once again, family intervention redirected my path. Through my uncle’s connection at the College of Education Gashuwa, affiliated with the University of Maiduguri, I secured admission. I randomly chose Physical Education (PHE), not out of passion, but out of necessity. I was admitted into the preliminary batch with only three weeks left before examinations.

That short period forced a decision: surrender or struggle. I chose to struggle. I attended lectures relentlessly and studied day and night. Of the eight courses I took, I failed only one in my first semester. I cleared it later and completed the programme successfully.

During my studies, I met Haruna Aseeni, a Health Education student. Our friendship began simply—sharing study materials. We stayed connected long after graduation. I later completed my NYSC between July 2023 and June 2024, unsure of what the future held.

Then came a message on a Sunday evening. Haruna informed me that someone was looking for a graduate of Physical Education. A few phone calls later, I was submitting my credentials. After an interview in Dutse, I received an Offer of Appointment as Sports Officer II under the Jigawa State Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, and was posted to Hadejia Stadium.

What struck me most was that the opportunity came through someone I once helped academically—not through influence or desperation, but through relationship and character. Even more surprising, my father and uncles later discovered they already knew the official who facilitated the process. Life has a way of connecting efforts in ways we do not expect.

My story is not extraordinary. It is Nigerian. It reflects a system where setbacks are common, opportunities are uneven, and success is rarely linear. But it carries a message young people must hear: failure is not the opposite of success; quitting is.

To students and graduates facing rejection, delay, or disappointment, my advice is simple: do not give up. Respect everyone you meet. Work hard wherever you find yourself. Pray, persevere, and remain humble.

You never know who God will use to change your story.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The National Examinations Council has released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External, with more than 80 per cent of candidates recording five credits and above.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, during a press conference at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

While declaring the results in a video shared on NECO’s official X handle, Prof. Wushishi said, “It is my pleasure to declare the 2025 SSCE External Results released.

“Candidates can access their results on the NECO official website, www.neco.gov.ng, using their examination registration number.”

He disclosed that a total of 96,979 candidates registered for the examination across 16 subjects. The figure included 51,823 males, representing 53.43 per cent, and 45,156 females, accounting for 46.56 per cent.

According to him, 95,160 candidates eventually sat for the examination. In English Language, 93,425 candidates participated, out of which 73,167, representing 78.32 per cent, obtained credit and above. In Mathematics, 93,330 candidates sat for the paper, with 85,256, or 91.35 per cent, achieving credit and above.

Prof. Wushishi stated that overall performance showed that 68,166 candidates, representing 71.63 per cent, secured five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. He added that 82,082 candidates, or 86.26 per cent, obtained five credits and above without regard to English Language and Mathematics.

On examination malpractice, the NECO boss revealed that 9,016 candidates were booked for various forms of misconduct. He said this reflected a 31.7 per cent increase compared with the 6,160 cases recorded in 2024.

He also disclosed that five supervisors were recommended for blacklisting for aiding and abetting examination malpractice. According to him, two of the supervisors were from the Federal Capital Territory, while one each came from Kano, Adamawa and Ondo states.

In addition, Prof. Wushishi said four examination centres were recommended for de-recognition after investigations confirmed their involvement in whole-centre malpractice. Two of the centres were located in Niger State, while one each was in Yobe and Kano states.

The SSCE External examination is mainly written by private candidates who seek certification outside the regular school system. NECO conducts the examination to give opportunities to candidates who missed the internal examination or who wish to improve their previous results.