By Alade Adisa The federal government’s decision to increase the PTA levy in its unity colleges has sparked outrage among parents, who have expressed disgust over the more than 100 percent increase. In a circular dated March 18, signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, the government announced that the PTA levy would be increased from ₦5,700 to ₦12,000 per term. The circular,…

Sunday mornings are different kinds of strands in the weave of a week. Sunday mornings are a call to consecration, honoring the Maker and Giver of Life. Stereos are blasting worship songs, with listeners humming and singing along to the tunes. For this Sunday, I bring songs from the Western Coast. They are worship songs that dwell on the goodness of God, the grace man has received as well as…

The authorities of Federal Polytechnic Nekede have issued a suspension letter to a lecturer, Mr. Okoroafor Ifeanyichukwu, who assaulted a male student, Mr Chidera for not adhering to his instructions. This action followed the widespread reactions from netizens after a video of the incident went viral, prompting calls for disciplinary action against the lecturer. The management has withdrawn Mr. Ifeanyichukwu from his role as a facilitator at the Technical and…

President Bola Tinubu has authorised the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to disburse over N700 billion to tertiary institutions in 2025. Announcing this during the 2025 Strategic Planning Meeting with heads of tertiary institutions in Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, said each benefiting universities is expected to get N2.8 billion. Additionally, the Executive Secretary outlined the allocation structure, stating that 91.08% of the funds would…

By Alade Adisa Following the outbreak of diphtheria in parts of Lagos State, the management of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, is set to distribute Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to its staff. This decision comes as several cases of the disease have been referred to the hospital for treatment. Additionally, the hospital has announced plans to enforce the mandatory wearing of face masks for both staff and…

The Trump administration’s decision to halt US military-technical assistance and the uncertainty around continued intelligence sharing with Kyiv will have consequences that take time to be fully felt. The measures will not cause a rapid deterioration of Ukraine’s ability to resist, but will incur a cost in the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. They also do nothing to shift the strategic calculus for Kyiv, whose reluctance to accept…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has completed the registration process for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with over two million candidates set to participate in the exam scheduled for April. According to JAMB’s latest bulletin, as of March 8, 2025, a total of 2,030,627 candidates successfully registered. This figure does not include those who enrolled at international examination centres. The registration exercise, which began on February…

By Alade Adisa Almost five years after several welfare packages were announced for teachers in the country, the federal and state governments have only made limited progress, as most of the promises remain unfulfilled. Investigations by New Daily Prime revealed that the federal government (FG) has only increased the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years and extended the years of service from 35 to 40 years. Some…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted provisional licences to 11 new private universities across Nigeria, a move aimed at expanding educational opportunities in the country. The announcement was made by the President’s Special Adviser on Media & Public Communication, Sunday Dare, in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) following Monday’s Federal Executive Council meeting. The newly approved universities are spread across various states, providing greater access to higher education…

Four students from the Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA), residing in the Paris Quarters area of Dutsinma, Katsina State, were abducted by armed bandits in the early hours of Sunday. The attack reportedly occurred around 2:20 a.m. when heavily armed assailants, wielding AK-47 rifles and disguised in an attempt to evade suspicion, invaded the area and took the students hostage. Security operatives were promptly mobilized following a distress call, but the…

By Adeniyi Yusuf The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), and some Nigerians have condemned four northern governors for ordering school closures during Ramadan. The governments of Katsina, Kebbi, and Bauchi states have directed all schools—public and private—to go on holiday for the entire month of Ramadan, during which Muslims observe strict fasting. The governments stated that the holiday was intended to allow students, teachers, and…

By Alade Adisa The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has criticized the decision by the Bauchi and Katsina state governments to shut down primary and secondary schools during the ongoing Ramadan fasting. The association has called for an immediate reversal of the decision. Speaking in an interview with New Daily Prime, NAPTAN National President, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, described the move as unnecessary and warned that it would further…