Education: A Mirror of Society

APC Manifesto on Education: Promises Before Power

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><h1>APC Manifesto on Education: Promises Before Power</h1><p class="isSelectedEnd">Nigerians were preparing for another general election, originally scheduled for 14 February 2015, to elect new leaders into various offices, including the presidency.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were the two major contenders. One of them was expected to form the next government. Therefore, their plans and objectives for education were important because they would provide standards by which the success or failure of the next government could be measured after four years in office.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC manifesto on education is reproduced here for the record. At the time, the party appeared to have a strong chance of forming the next government because of its growing popular appeal and promises to offer Nigerians an alternative to the PDP government.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Should the party eventually form the next government, these were its plans for education. The party was right when it stated that:</p><blockquote><p class="isSelectedEnd">“Our future depends on quality education.”</p></blockquote><blockquote><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> The presidential election initially scheduled for 14 February 2015 was later postponed because of security concerns. It was eventually held on 28 March 2015. </span></p></blockquote><h2>Introduction</h2><blockquote><p class="isSelectedEnd">We must invest in quality teachers, schools and colleges to equip current and future generations with the knowledge and skills they need to gain employment, live productive lives and contribute to the welfare of their communities. Our future depends on it.</p></blockquote><h2>APC’s Roadmap for Free, Relevant and Quality Education</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC promised to:</p><ul data-spread="true"><li>make the right of every Nigerian child to receive free, relevant and quality education a reality through free and comprehensive primary and secondary education;</li><li>provide free tertiary education for students pursuing courses in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics;</li><li>provide free tertiary education for students studying education and pay them stipends before their employment as teachers;</li><li>create incentives and give special attention to the education of girls;</li><li>ensure that every child attending primary school is properly nourished and ready to learn by providing one free meal each day;</li><li>invest in properly equipping and staffing teacher-training colleges;</li><li>provide financial and career-progression incentives to attract and retain competent teachers;</li><li>restructure the curriculum from primary to tertiary level to ensure that students acquire the skills required for employment, entrepreneurship and innovation;</li><li>prepare young adults for future employment by expanding the emphasis on science and technology in colleges and universities; and</li><li>improve access to technical and vocational education so that Nigerians could acquire skills for employment in different fields.</li></ul><p class="isSelectedEnd">These were ambitious promises. They touched on some of the most serious problems facing Nigerian education: access, quality, teacher development, school feeding, girls’ education, unemployment and the weak connection between schooling and the needs of the labour market.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">At the time, the manifesto presented the APC as a party that understood that education was not merely about increasing the number of schools. It was also about ensuring that students received useful knowledge, practical skills and proper preparation for employment and national development. </p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The important question was whether the party would fulfil these promises if Nigerians gave it the opportunity to govern.</p><h2>Update: July 2026</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC eventually won the 2015 presidential election. Muhammadu Buhari became president and completed two terms in office between 2015 and 2023. Another APC candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, won the 2023 presidential election and has continued the party’s control of the Federal Government. </p><p class="isSelectedEnd">More than eleven years after the APC first came to power, it is now possible to compare the promises above with what the party achieved.</p><h2>Free Primary and Secondary Education</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The promise to make free and comprehensive primary and secondary education a reality for every Nigerian child has not been fully achieved.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Nigeria already had a policy of free and compulsory basic education before the APC took office. However, implementation remained inconsistent across states.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Many parents continued to pay for uniforms, books, transportation, examinations, learning materials and different school levies. In some communities, the absence of nearby schools, insecurity, poverty and shortages of teachers prevented children from benefiting from the policy.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The continued presence of millions of out-of-school children is perhaps the clearest indication that universal access has not been achieved. The Federal Ministry of Education’s current reform programme estimates that approximately 15 million Nigerian children remain outside school, while UBEC officials have placed the figure at about 17 million.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Therefore, while free basic education remains an official policy, it has not yet become a practical reality for every Nigerian child.</p><h2>The Free Meal-a-Day Programme</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The provision of one free meal each day was one of the clearest promises in the manifesto, and it was one of the promises that the APC government attempted to implement.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme was introduced as part of the government’s Social Investment Programme in 2016.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">By 2018, the Federal Government reported that the programme was providing meals to more than 8.2 million pupils in approximately 45,394 public primary schools across 24 states. It also reportedly engaged more than 80,000 cooks.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The programme was important because it aimed to improve children’s nutrition, increase school attendance and support local farmers and food suppliers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">However, it did not cover every child attending primary school as the manifesto had promised. Its implementation also differed across states, and concerns were raised at different times about funding, continuity, monitoring, the quality of meals and the accuracy of beneficiary figures.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The school-feeding programme can therefore be regarded as a major attempt to fulfil the manifesto, but not as the complete achievement of the original promise.</p><h2>Free Tertiary Education for STEM Students</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC promised free tertiary education for students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">This was not implemented as a nationwide programme.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Federal universities continued to be officially described as tuition-free, but students still paid registration charges and other institutional fees. They also had to meet the costs of accommodation, transportation, books, feeding and other needs.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The promise was not simply that federal universities would remain tuition-free. It specifically offered free tertiary education to students pursuing STEM courses. No comprehensive national programme was established to provide this benefit to every qualified STEM student.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The later introduction of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has provided financial support to students, but a loan is different from free education. Beneficiaries are expected to repay the assistance according to the conditions of the programme.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The student-loan scheme may improve access to higher education, but it should not be presented as the fulfilment of the 2015 promise of free tertiary education.</p><h2>Education Students and Teacher Stipends</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The party also promised free tertiary education for students studying education, together with stipends before their employment as teachers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">This promise was not implemented as a general national policy.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">There were teacher-training programmes, recruitment exercises and different forms of support at federal and state levels. However, students studying education did not generally receive free tertiary education and regular stipends simply because they were preparing to become teachers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Nigeria has continued to struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers, especially in rural communities and subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, technical education and special education.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Recent programmes such as the Federal Ministry of Education’s teacher-training platforms may contribute to professional development, but they do not amount to the original promise of free education and stipends for all education students.</p><h2>Education of Girls</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC manifesto promised to create incentives and give special attention to girls’ education.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">One important intervention was the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, introduced by the Federal Government in partnership with the World Bank in 2020.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The programme was designed to improve secondary-school opportunities for girls, particularly in states with high numbers of out-of-school girls and low transition rates into secondary education. It included school construction and rehabilitation, water and sanitation facilities, digital skills, life skills and measures intended to reduce the social barriers preventing girls from remaining in school.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">In 2023, the programme was expanded with the aim of reaching approximately 8.6 million girls.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">This represents meaningful action towards the promise of giving special attention to girls’ education. However, challenges such as poverty, early marriage, insecurity, inadequate facilities and cultural resistance continue to prevent many girls from completing their education.</p><h2>Curriculum Reform</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC promised to restructure the curriculum from primary to tertiary level so that students could acquire skills for employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">There have been several curriculum discussions and reforms since 2015. The government has also introduced policies aimed at increasing digital literacy, vocational skills and the connection between education and employment.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">In 2025, the Federal Government announced another major review of the national curriculum. The stated objectives included reducing subject overload, promoting skills development and aligning education more closely with national and global needs.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">However, changing a curriculum document is only the beginning. Successful curriculum reform also requires trained teachers, appropriate textbooks, well-equipped schools, laboratories, workshops, electricity, internet access and proper supervision.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Without these, a good curriculum may exist on paper without producing meaningful changes in the classroom.</p><h2>Technical and Vocational Education</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">There were also attempts to improve technical and vocational education.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills Project was approved in 2020 to strengthen Nigeria’s skills-development system and improve training for employment in both the formal and informal sectors.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">More recent federal programmes have similarly placed greater emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a means of preparing young Nigerians for employment and entrepreneurship.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">These initiatives reflect the original manifesto’s concern about vocational skills. Nevertheless, Nigeria continues to produce many graduates who lack practical experience or struggle to find employment.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Technical colleges also remain poorly funded or unattractive to many students and parents. Until vocational education receives the same respect, investment and public recognition as university education, its potential will remain limited.</p><h2>Quality Teachers and Teacher-Training Colleges</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The promise to invest in teacher-training colleges and provide incentives for qualified teachers was important because no education system can perform better than the quality of its teachers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Some teacher-development programmes have been introduced, but the conditions of many teachers have not improved sufficiently.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Teachers in some states have experienced delayed salaries, poor working conditions, overcrowded classrooms and limited opportunities for professional development. Many schools, especially in rural areas, continue to experience shortages of qualified teachers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The promise of financial and career incentives capable of attracting and retaining the best teachers has therefore been only partly addressed.</p><h2>Has the APC Fulfilled Its Education Manifesto?</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">It would be unfair to say that nothing was done.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC governments introduced or supported programmes in school feeding, girls’ education, student loans, vocational training, curriculum reform, digital learning and teacher development.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Some of these interventions have benefited millions of Nigerians.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">However, the main promises were much broader than the programmes eventually implemented.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The manifesto promised:</p><ul data-spread="false"><li>free and comprehensive primary and secondary education for every Nigerian child;</li><li>free tertiary education for STEM students;</li><li>free education and stipends for students studying education;</li><li>a free daily meal for every primary-school child;</li><li>properly equipped teacher-training colleges;</li><li>strong incentives to attract and retain good teachers; and</li><li>an education system that would prepare students for employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.</li></ul><p class="isSelectedEnd">By July 2026, most of these promises had either been partly fulfilled, implemented on a limited scale or not fulfilled at all.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The party deserves credit for programmes such as school feeding, AGILE, vocational-skills initiatives and student loans. However, programmes should not be confused with complete results.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The continued existence of millions of out-of-school children, poorly equipped schools, teacher shortages, graduate unemployment and weak learning outcomes shows that Nigeria is still far from the free, relevant and quality education promised in 2015.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The manifesto was correct in stating that Nigeria’s future depends on quality education.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The question, more than eleven years later, is whether the political commitment and investment have been equal to the importance of that statement.</p><p>Manifestos should not be forgotten after elections. They should be preserved, revisited and used to hold governments accountable for the promises through which they obtained the support of the people.</p></div>
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APC Manifesto on Education: Promises Before Power

APC Manifesto on Education: Promises Before Power Nigerians were preparing for another general election, originally scheduled for 14 Februa...

Over 500 Students Reportedly Killed in North-East Insurgency

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This article reflects a January 2015 estimate released by a northern students’ association. The figure was not presented as an official government death toll but offered an indication of the effect of the insurgency on students and education in the region.</span></p></blockquote><h2>Association Estimates Student Deaths</h2><p>Indications emerged yesterday of the estimated number of students who may have lost their lives to the insurgency affecting the North-East of Nigeria.</p><p>According to the Northern Students Association of Nigeria, more than 500 students had been killed in direct attacks on schools and students in the region within the previous three years.</p><p>The figure excluded a significant number of students who were receiving treatment for different degrees of injury, some of which were critical.</p><p>The leader of the association, Musa Terrang, said the group compiled the figure through its committees working with the National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigerian Red Cross.</p><h2>Attacks on Schools and Students</h2><p>Boko Haram, the group blamed for many of the attacks, regarded Western education as sinful and repeatedly targeted schools, teachers and students in the troubled region.</p><p>At Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, 59 boys lost their lives when armed attackers raided the school at night in February 2014. Some of the students were shot, while others were burnt to death in their dormitories.</p><p>In April of the same year, Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State. At the time this article was written, most of the girls had yet to regain their freedom or return to their families.</p><h2>The Effect on Education</h2><p>Schools, teachers and students had borne a heavy part of the insurgency’s impact.</p><p>The group’s hostility towards Western education made educational institutions important targets. Apart from the loss of life, numerous schools were closed or destroyed, teachers fled affected communities, and many parents became afraid to send their children to school.</p><p>In the absence of a comprehensive official figure showing the full impact of the insurgency on education, the estimate released by the students’ association offered an indication of the scale of damage suffered by the sector in the region.</p><h2>Update</h2><p>The attacks did not end with the period covered by the original report. School abductions and attacks later spread to other parts of northern Nigeria.</p><p>In 2024, Amnesty International reported that 82 of the 276 Chibok girls were still believed to be in captivity and that at least 1,700 children had been taken in 17 documented mass school abductions since the Chibok attack.</p><p>UNICEF also reported that 19 attacks on schools were documented in 2022 and 2023, resulting in the closure of 113 schools in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.</p><p>The figures confirm that insecurity has not only taken lives but has also denied many children their right to education.</p></div>
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Over 500 Students Reportedly Killed in North-East Insurgency

Editorial note: This article reflects a January 2015 estimate released by a northern students’ association. The figure was not presented a...

Platforms for Free and Flexible Online Learning

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This post was first written during the early growth of Massive Open Online Courses. Some platforms and payment arrangements have since changed. The list now includes MOOC platforms, free educational resources and an online university.</span></p></blockquote><p>Learning is a continuous process—it never ends.</p><p>Over the years, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and other online learning platforms have emerged to provide lifelong learning opportunities to people in different parts of the world where internet access is available.</p><p>They provide endless opportunities to learn new things, acquire new skills and remain up to date in one’s area of interest.</p><p>In case you are wondering what Massive Open Online Courses are, MOOCs are online courses offered to a large or unrestricted number of learners over the internet. Many can be studied free of charge, although certificates and graded assessments may require payment.</p><h2>Benefits of Online Learning</h2><p>The benefits of taking online courses are numerous. Apart from gaining knowledge, learners enjoy flexibility and opportunities to interact and share ideas through discussion forums.</p><p>From my personal experience with edX, people with busy schedules can also learn at their own pace through self-paced or archived courses.</p><p>Learners may earn certificates that can support career development and strengthen their CVs, although a certificate alone does not guarantee employment.</p><p>There are several platforms where learners can enrol in courses of interest. For a start, I would personally recommend edX, where I earned several certificates from different courses.</p><h2><a href="https://www.edx.org/">edX</a></h2><p>edX offers online courses and programmes from universities and other recognised institutions.</p><p>Many courses can be audited free of charge, giving learners access to lectures, readings and some practice materials. Learners who want graded assignments and verified certificates generally need to enrol in the paid track.</p><h2><a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/">Khan Academy</a></h2><p>Khan Academy is not strictly a MOOC platform, but it is one of the most useful free online learning resources.</p><p>Learners can study Mathematics, Science, Computing, Economics, History and several other subjects through videos, articles and practice exercises. It also allows learners to study at their own pace.</p><h2><a href="https://www.uopeople.edu/">University of the People</a></h2><p>University of the People is an online university rather than a MOOC platform.</p><p>It describes itself as tuition-free because students are not charged for instruction. However, learners pay an application fee and assessment fees for the courses they complete. Financial assistance may be available to eligible students.</p><p>The university provides an opportunity to study for recognised online degree programmes without the cost normally associated with conventional universities.</p><h2><a href="https://iversity.org/">iversity</a></h2><p>iversity offers online courses in different subject areas, including some free MOOCs and paid professional-development courses.</p><p>I undertook two courses on the platform and would also recommend it. The platform is now part of Springer Nature, but it continues to provide online learning opportunities.</p><h2><a href="https://nou.edu.ng/">National Open University of Nigeria</a></h2><p>The National Open University of Nigeria provides a large collection of digital course materials covering different university programmes.</p><p>The materials can be read online or downloaded for educational use. They may be useful to students, teachers and anyone seeking additional learning resources.</p><h2><a href="https://www.youtube.com/learning">YouTube Learning</a></h2><p>YouTube is not a conventional MOOC platform, but it contains a large amount of educational content.</p><p>Learners can search for subjects, topics or skills and find video lessons, explanations and tutorials. YouTube also provides organised courses and learning playlists for topics requiring more than a single video.</p><p>However, because anyone can publish on YouTube, learners should consider the qualifications of the creator and confirm important information through reliable sources.</p><h2><a href="https://www.coursera.org/">Coursera</a></h2><p>Coursera is one of the largest MOOC platforms, offering courses, specialisations and degrees from universities and companies worldwide.</p><p>Many courses can be audited for free, while certificates and full programmes typically require payment.</p><h2><a href="https://www.futurelearn.com/">FutureLearn</a></h2><p>FutureLearn provides online courses from universities and cultural institutions around the world.</p><p>Learners can access many courses for free for a limited time, with options to upgrade for certificates and extended access.</p><h2><a href="https://www.udemy.com/">Udemy</a></h2><p>Udemy is an online learning marketplace where instructors offer courses on a wide range of topics.</p><p>While many courses are paid, there are also numerous free courses available, especially for beginners.</p><h2><a href="https://www.open.edu/openlearn">OpenLearn (The Open University)</a></h2><p>OpenLearn offers free courses and educational content from The Open University.</p><p>It provides short courses, articles and interactive learning materials across various subjects.</p><h2>More Learning Opportunities</h2><p>These are only a few of the many online learning platforms and educational resources available on the World Wide Web.</p><p>edX also made the software behind its learning platform open-source. The Open edX platform now allows universities, governments and other organisations to establish and manage their own online learning sites.</p><p>As online learning continues to expand, more courses and platforms will become available.</p><p>I will continue to add useful platforms to this list as I discover them.</p><p><strong>Happy learning!</strong></p></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
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Platforms for Free and Flexible Online Learning

Editorial note: This post was first written during the early growth of Massive Open Online Courses. Some platforms and payment arrangement...

Politicians and Teachers: Money for Campaigns, None for Salaries

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><p>On 30 October 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan obtained the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential nomination form after receiving donations and pledges totalling about ₦98.165 million from different individuals and groups. The PDP governors contributed ₦22 million—the full cost of the nomination and expression-of-interest forms. (<a href="https://thenationonlineng.net/2015-jonathan-gets-n98-165m-donations-for-nomination-form/">thenationonlineng.net</a>)</p><p>Less than two months later, on 20 December 2014, the governors again announced another large donation during a fundraising dinner at the Presidential Villa for Jonathan’s re-election campaign.</p><p>Each of the 21 PDP governors pledged ₦50 million, bringing their combined contribution to ₦1.05 billion. The entire fundraising event reportedly generated more than ₦21 billion. (<a href="https://www.icirnigeria.org/pdp-raise-n21-billion-for-jonathans-re-election-bid/">icirnigeria.org</a>)</p><p>This happened at a time of supposed austerity, when Nigerians were constantly reminded of falling oil prices and the need for governments to reduce spending.</p><p>Yet, at that same period, politicians appeared to be on a spending spree.</p><p>It may have been difficult to determine exactly what governors belonging to the opposition All Progressives Congress were contributing to their own party. However, the huge sums openly pledged by the PDP governors raised important questions about the sources of campaign donations and the priorities of political officeholders.</p><p>The governors and their supporters might insist that the donations came from personal or privately raised funds. Still, where public officials make such large political donations while workers in their states remain unpaid, citizens have every right to ask questions.</p><p>Whenever it is election season, governors seem to know where and how to raise money for campaigns. But when it is time to pay workers’ salaries and allowances, the familiar response is:</p><blockquote><p>“There is no money.”</p></blockquote><p>Several governors who made generous donations at the fundraising event had workers in their states complaining about unpaid salaries and allowances.</p><h2>The Situation of Teachers</h2><p>Benue State was particularly known at the time for disputes over the payment of workers and teachers.</p><p>Primary school teachers in the state embarked on a prolonged strike over the government’s failure to implement the ₦18,000 national minimum wage. Public primary schools remained closed for about seven to eight months while the disagreement continued. (<a href="https://www.lawyersalertng.org/post/benue-of-primary-schools-teachers-strikes-and-wages">lawyersalertng.org</a>)</p><p>Teachers and other workers in several states, including Abia, Plateau, Ondo and Akwa Ibom, also complained at different times about delayed salaries and unpaid entitlements.</p><p>In Ebonyi State, teachers employed under a Universal Basic Education programme reportedly complained that they had not received their allowances or salaries for several months.</p><p>In Niger State, the planned recruitment of additional teachers in early 2014 was quietly suspended. Whether the decision resulted solely from a lack of funds may be difficult to establish, but the cancellation reflected the low priority often given to teacher recruitment and school staffing.</p><p>The contrast was difficult to ignore.</p><p>Governments claimed that there was no money to employ teachers, pay salaries or improve schools, yet enormous sums could be raised once election campaigns began.</p><p>It appeared that politicians were more prepared to save or raise fortunes for political activities than to meet the basic responsibilities of government.</p><p>Sadly, the education sector often became an easy target.</p><p>Teachers could be told stories, given promises and expected to continue working without pay. They were often treated as though demanding their salaries was an act of disloyalty rather than a legitimate request for money they had already earned.</p><h2>Teachers Are Not Doing the Government a Favour</h2><p>A teacher who goes to work every day without receiving a salary still has rent to pay, children to feed, transport costs to meet and other responsibilities.</p><p>How can such a teacher concentrate fully in the classroom?</p><p>How can the government demand dedication, professionalism and improved examination results from someone who has worked for months without receiving a salary?</p><p>The failure to pay teachers does not affect teachers alone. It affects their families, students and the wider education system.</p><p>A demoralised teacher is less likely to prepare lessons properly, purchase teaching materials or remain committed to the profession. Some may leave teaching entirely for other work that offers greater financial security.</p><p>Meanwhile, many politicians do not send their children to the same public schools affected by their decisions. Their children may attend expensive private schools or institutions outside Nigeria, while the public education system they are responsible for continues to decline.</p><p>Perhaps that is why they do not always feel the consequences of their actions.</p><h2>What Does Our Spending Say About Our Priorities?</h2><p>A government’s priorities are often revealed more clearly by how it spends money than by what it says in speeches.</p><p>A governor may publicly describe education as the foundation of development. But when teachers are unpaid, classrooms are overcrowded and schools lack essential facilities while political campaigns receive generous funding, the real priority becomes obvious.</p><p>Successful nations invest seriously in education. They do not treat the payment of teachers or the provision of school facilities as favours to citizens.</p><p>Education is a responsibility of government and an investment in the future of society.</p><p>If the truth must be told, Nigeria does not have an unlimited amount of time to correct these problems. A country that neglects teachers is gradually destroying the people who are expected to prepare its next generation.</p><h2>Update: July 2026</h2><p>More than a decade after this article was first written, the names of the political leaders have changed, but the problem has not completely disappeared.</p><p>Nigeria’s national minimum wage was increased to ₦70,000 in 2024. However, reports in 2025 indicated that several state governments had yet to implement it fully for their workers, including teachers.</p><p>Primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory went on strike for more than three months over unpaid salaries and arrears. Teachers in Abia State also declared a strike over unpaid entitlements and concerns about the implementation of the minimum wage, while teachers in Taraba reportedly faced several months of salary arrears. (<a href="https://businessday.ng/news/article/unpaid-salaries-strikes-derail-nigerias-education-goals/">businessday.ng</a>)</p><p>At the same time, political parties and candidates continued to spend enormous amounts on nomination forms, campaigns, rallies and other election activities.</p><p>The lesson remains unchanged: whenever political leaders can find money for elections but cannot find money to pay teachers, the problem is not always the complete absence of resources. Sometimes, it is a question of priorities.</p><p>Teachers should not have to beg for salaries they have already earned.</p><p>Our politicians need a change of heart.</p></div>
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Politicians and Teachers: Money for Campaigns, None for Salaries

On 30 October 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan obtained the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential nomination form after receiving donati...

English for Scammers: A Humorous Guide to Better Business Writing

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<p>Many of us are accustomed to receiving spam emails containing dubious claims, questionable proposals and offers that are simply too good to be true. The sole intention of the senders is usually to swindle unsuspecting recipients out of their hard-earned savings.</p><p>Sometimes, while reading through such messages, one is forced to ask:</p><p><strong>Did these people ever attend a basic English Language class?</strong></p><p>Their grammar is often so poor and their message so difficult to understand that one may delete the email before reaching the end.</p><p>However, if scammers wish to improve their fortunes—or at least improve their English—help appears to have arrived in the form of a handy book titled <em>English for Scammers</em>.</p><p>Before anyone misunderstands the title, the book is not actually intended to help scammers become better at committing fraud. It is a humorous business-English guide written by Dorothy Zemach and Chuck Sandy and published in 2014. Its real purpose is to help legitimate writers avoid the grammatical, structural and stylistic mistakes commonly associated with scam emails.</p><h2>Why “Nigerian” Scammers?</h2><p>You may have noticed the similarity between the original title of this review—<em>English for “Nigerian” Scammers</em>—and the title of the book.</p><p>Nigeria has unfortunately become strongly associated with advance-fee fraud, popularly called <strong>419</strong>, and with the activities of “Yahoo-Yahoo boys”, as internet fraudsters are commonly known.</p><p>The expression “Nigerian letter scam” became internationally recognised because of fraudulent messages claiming that large sums of money needed to be transferred out of Nigeria. In such schemes, the recipient is promised a share of the money but is first required to pay certain fees or provide banking and personal information.</p><p>However, internet fraud is not limited to Nigeria or Nigerians. Similar scams are operated from different countries, and even the so-called Nigerian-letter format has been used by fraudsters outside Nigeria.</p><p>The quotation marks around “Nigerian” in the original title are therefore important. The intention is not to suggest that fraud is a Nigerian profession, but to reflect on the damaging reputation created by those Nigerians involved in it.</p><h2>What the Book Examines</h2><p><em>English for Scammers</em> contains genuine examples of correspondence similar to the messages commonly sent by scammers.</p><p>The examples are analysed for their:</p><ul><li><p>format;</p></li><li><p>tone;</p></li><li><p>forms of address;</p></li><li><p>spelling;</p></li><li><p>punctuation;</p></li><li><p>capitalisation;</p></li><li><p>grammar;</p></li><li><p>sentence structure; and</p></li><li><p>suitability for formal business communication.</p></li></ul><p>In other words, the book examines the small details that can make a letter appear professional—or immediately suspicious.</p><p>If you are lucky enough to be a scammer, one or more of your messages may even have found its way into the book. You may need to read it again!</p><p>That, of course, is said in jest.</p><p>The book is not recommending fraud. It uses the strange and often exaggerated language of scam correspondence to teach legitimate writers how to communicate more effectively.</p><h2>Not Only for Scammers</h2><p>The book, available <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/408740">here</a>, takes readers through the step-by-step process of writing an acceptable business letter. This is what makes it useful to non-scammers as well.</p><p>Its stated purpose is to help readers avoid writing like scammers and prevent their genuine business emails from ending up in the recipient’s junk folder. It teaches readers how to write clear, direct and appropriate business correspondence.</p><p>This is particularly important for small-business owners and entrepreneurs.</p><p>A person may have a legitimate proposal or genuine business opportunity, but the email may still be ignored if it contains:</p><ul><li><p>an unclear subject line;</p></li><li><p>an inappropriate greeting;</p></li><li><p>excessive capital letters;</p></li><li><p>spelling and grammatical mistakes;</p></li><li><p>an exaggerated story;</p></li><li><p>an unrealistic promise;</p></li><li><p>unnecessary references to religion or charity;</p></li><li><p>an urgent demand for action; or</p></li><li><p>a suspicious request for money or personal information.</p></li></ul><p>Such mistakes can make an honest message resemble a scam.</p><p>Therefore, anyone involved in legitimate business communication should understand the common features of fraudulent messages and avoid reproducing them.</p><p>In that respect, <em>English for Scammers</em> could become a useful companion.</p><h2>Structure of the Book</h2><p>The book contains eight chapters, and each chapter ends with exercises that can be used for self-study.</p><p>The exercises may also be useful in business-letter writing classes and professional training programmes. A final examination at the end of the book allows readers to review what they have learnt.</p><p>The approach is humorous, but the lessons are practical.</p><p>Readers learn not only how to correct grammatical errors, but also how to use an appropriate tone and organise a message in a way that inspires confidence.</p><h2>My Personal Experience</h2><p>On a personal note, the book was a useful and gentle refresher on how to write—and how not to write—a formal or business letter.</p><p>Formal-letter writing was something I had last studied several years earlier during my secondary-school days. Reading the book therefore reminded me of many small but important rules that are easily forgotten.</p><p>It is a book I hope to keep for a long time. It could save me considerable trouble if I ever need to write a business proposal, formal request or professional offer.</p><p>I would particularly recommend it to business start-ups, students and anyone who communicates with customers or organisations through email.</p><h2>Update: July 2026</h2><p>The book’s basic lessons remain useful, but online scams have become more sophisticated since it was published.</p><p>Poor grammar and strange spelling may still be warning signs, but they should no longer be treated as the only indicators of fraud. Modern scammers can produce grammatically correct messages, copy official logos and impersonate recognised companies or government agencies.</p><p>A well-written email can still be fraudulent, just as a poorly written email may come from a legitimate person who is not fluent in English.</p><p>The most important questions are therefore:</p><ul><li><p>Is the sender’s identity verifiable?</p></li><li><p>Does the email address match the organisation being represented?</p></li><li><p>Is the offer realistic?</p></li><li><p>Is the sender asking for money or sensitive information?</p></li><li><p>Is there unnecessary pressure to act immediately?</p></li><li><p>Can the information be confirmed through an independent and official channel?</p></li></ul><p>Good English can make a legitimate business message more credible, but good English alone does not make a message genuine. </p><h2>Disclaimer</h2><p>This is not a paid review. It is my personal assessment of the book.</p><p>I received a coupon for a free copy from the authors during the closing days of <em>College Writing</em>, an online English course taught on the edX platform by one of the book’s authors.</p></div>
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English for Scammers: A Humorous Guide to Better Business Writing

Many of us are accustomed to receiving spam emails containing dubious claims, questionable proposals and offers that are simply too good ...

Why Are We Being Wicked to the Chibok Schoolgirls?

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><h2>A Nation United in Tragedy</h2><p>Recently, the small nation of South Korea suffered a disaster involving a ferry that sank with hundreds of schoolchildren on board. In the wake of the accident, the nation went sober, and there was widespread anger directed at the government, the captain of the ship, disaster-management teams and all parties that might have been involved in regulation and rescue.</p><p>It was a disaster of “national scale”, especially because of the hundreds of schoolchildren involved. Media houses in the country minimised their reporting on other matters to provide up-to-date information on the tragedy. The resources and technological wealth of the country were mobilised towards the rescue effort.</p><p>The pages of the nation’s newspapers were filled with up-to-date photographs of grieving parents, divers involved in the rescue effort and the remains of the ship as it sank further into the sea. International news organisations also played their part by keeping the world informed and independently investigating the likely cause of the accident.</p><p>Essentially, the entire nation was consumed by the tragedy. An article published by Reuters summed up the emotional mood of the country as the lifeless bodies of some of the children were pulled from the sunken ship.</p><h2>A Different Response in Nigeria</h2><p>Compare that incident with some recent events in Nigeria.</p><p>Hundreds of schoolchildren have been murdered in cold blood. Some were butchered, while others were burnt alive in their dormitories. Yet, the government remained indifferent. In fact, the nation’s president even attended a political gathering barely a week after one of such incidents—a reminder of the insensitivity of those in power and the wider insecurity troubling the country, particularly the North-East, where Boko Haram fighters operated with near impunity.</p><p>More troubling is the fate of the more than 200 schoolgirls recently abducted from their school in the small town of Chibok, Borno State.</p><p>The girls have been in the hands of their captors for weeks—most probably being abused—yet the nation pretends as though “all is well”.</p><p>To further aggravate the pain of the victims’ families, a few days after the kidnapping and barely 24 hours after a major bomb blast near Abuja claimed scores of lives, President Goodluck Jonathan attended a political rally in Kano State. He was pictured celebrating with his political associates before a cheering crowd.</p><p>No brief visit was made to Chibok, the school or the families of the abducted girls.</p><h2>Public and Media Indifference</h2><p>The Nigerian population has also been largely indifferent. There has hardly been any major protest demanding the freedom of the girls.</p><p>While international media organisations such as Al Jazeera have continued to update viewers on the girls’ fate and interview government officials, our local news has been filled with political events, proceedings of the ongoing National Conference and other less urgent matters.</p><p>Only a few organisations, such as <em>Premium Times</em> through its editorial, have made strong statements on the matter, registered their protests and called for mass action until the government takes substantial steps to free the girls from their abductors.</p><h2>The Danger of Remaining Silent</h2><p>To sum things up, this is a nation ruled by the wicked and populated by divided people.</p><p>Children are being kidnapped, maimed and killed in horrific ways, yet some people still find reasons to blame the victims—probably because it is not happening within their own “safe zones”.</p><p>Nobody wants to act because they feel comfortable and unconcerned about events elsewhere. Yet, experience has taught us repeatedly that what goes around may eventually come around.</p><p>Pastor Martin Niemöller captured this danger in the following words:</p><blockquote><p>“First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.<br />Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.<br />Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.<br />Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”</p></blockquote><h2>The Time to Act Is Now</h2><p>Your time to act from your comfort or “safe zone” is now.</p><p>Use your Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and every other social-networking account available to you to support mass action for the freedom of the more than 200 schoolgirls in captivity.</p><p>Make a difference. Use the popular hashtag <strong>#BringBackOurGirls</strong>, or any other platform available to you, to campaign for the freedom of the girls.</p><p>Act now.</p><p>Save our girls. Save our future!</p><h2>Update: The Continuing Kidnapping of Schoolchildren</h2><p>In the years since this tragedy, some of the abducted girls have been rescued or released through negotiations, but many remain unaccounted for.</p><p>Disturbingly, the pattern of targeting schoolchildren has continued across Nigeria. From mass abductions in states such as Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger to more recent cases of school kidnappings, these incidents show that the crisis is far from over.</p><p>Schools—once considered safe spaces—have become targets, and families across the country now live in fear. The need for sustained attention, accountability and decisive action to secure the freedom and safety of all affected children remains urgent.</p></div>
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Why Are We Being Wicked to the Chibok Schoolgirls?

A Nation United in Tragedy Recently, the small nation of South Korea suffered a disaster involving a ferry that sank with hundreds of schoo...

Akomst Education