The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Anambra State has called for stronger collaboration among schools, parents, religious leaders and security agencies to address examination malpractice and promote integrity among students.

The appeal was made at the 12th Annual Chaplain Corps Policing Explorers (CHAPOL) and Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC) Conference in Awka, where the Corps linked academic dishonesty to concerns about students’ moral development and the country’s future workforce.

The conference, held on Friday, 16 October, at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, attracted participants from more than 274 public and selected private secondary schools across the state.

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Why examination malpractice matters beyond the classroom

Speaking on behalf of the NSCDC Anambra State Commandant, Maku Olatunde, the command’s Safe School Coordinator, Superintendent of Corps Afunanya Nneka Chibugo, described examination malpractice as a threat to merit, students’ development and national progress.

Delivering a lecture titled “The Limiting Power of Examination Malpractice to the Moral and Mental Development of Students and the Heavy Price Society Pays as a Result,” Afunanya urged students to embrace hard work, discipline and honesty rather than seek shortcuts to academic success.

“There is no shortcut to success. Hard work, integrity and discipline remain the only sustainable path to greatness. When we cheat in exams, we cheat our future and mortgage the destiny of our nation,” she said.

She called on teachers, parents, religious leaders and communities to work with security agencies to prevent examination malpractice before it becomes entrenched among young people.

NSCDC links school safety to students’ moral development

The Corps said its message aligned with the Federal Government’s Safe Schools Initiative, under which it has responsibilities relating to the protection of schools and host communities against violence and other threats to a safe learning environment.

The Anambra Commandant, through his representative, pledged continued collaboration with CHAPOL, PPSSC and other stakeholders to promote safety and discipline in schools across the state.

While physical security remains important to school protection, the conference also highlighted the role of values education in encouraging responsible conduct among students.

Government officials, education stakeholders attend conference

The event was attended by government officials and education stakeholders, including Anambra State Governor’s wife, Dr Nonye Soludo, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Chiamaka Nnake.

Other attendees included Prof Oby Lilian Orogbu, member representing Awka North/South Federal Constituency in the National Assembly; Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ekene Ogugua; and PPSSC Secretary, Hon Lady Benedine Anagor.

The conference concluded with an interactive session during which students pledged to serve as ambassadors of integrity.

The wider challenge for schools

The conference’s emphasis on integrity raises a broader question for educators and families: how can schools combine examination supervision and disciplinary measures with sustained efforts to build ethical behaviour among students?

The NSCDC’s call for cooperation places responsibility on multiple stakeholders, rather than treating examination malpractice solely as a problem for school authorities.

However, the conference bulletin did not provide figures on the prevalence of examination malpractice in Anambra State, details of specific enforcement measures or an implementation timeline for the proposed collaboration.

NigeriaUpdates will continue to follow developments in school safety, education and efforts to promote accountability among young people.

Omoluorogbo Grammar School, Akure, is set to mark its 50th anniversary with plans to raise ₦100 million for infrastructure development, as its old students prepare to commission a new administrative block and lay the foundation for a four-classroom building.

The three-day golden jubilee, scheduled for October 29–31, 2026, will bring together alumni, education stakeholders, traditional rulers and government officials to celebrate the school’s history and discuss its future.

The planned fundraising drive, known as the Golden Jubilee Legacy Project, is expected to support the institution’s infrastructure needs beyond the anniversary celebrations.

Alumni target infrastructure development

Hon. Kayode Akinmade, chairman of the OGSA 50th Anniversary Implementation and Planning Committee, said the anniversary would recognise the school’s achievements over five decades while mobilising resources for its continued development.

He called on alumni, government institutions, corporate organisations, philanthropists, community leaders and friends of the school to support the ₦100 million initiative.

The programme will also feature the commissioning of a new administrative block and the foundation-laying ceremony for a four-classroom block to be built by the Old Students’ Association.

The committee has not provided a breakdown of the proposed ₦100 million budget or a timeline for completing the legacy project.

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What to expect during the anniversary

The celebration, themed “Celebrating Our Legacy, Shaping the Future,” will run from Thursday, October 29, to Saturday, October 31, under the anniversary banner, Omoluorogbo Grammar School, Akure @ 50: 1976–2026.

Activities on Thursday will include an interdenominational thanksgiving service and a history and heritage session examining the school’s journey since its establishment.

Friday’s programme will feature an alumni reunion, career mentorship and the school’s inter-house sports competition.

The grand finale on Saturday will include goodwill messages, an anniversary lecture, cultural performances, recognition of distinguished alumni and contributors, and the launch of the Golden Jubilee Legacy Project.

FUOYE lecturer to deliver anniversary lecture

Dr Alaba Mogaji, a senior lecturer at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, and an alumnus of the school, is scheduled to deliver the anniversary lecture.

His address is expected to examine the institution’s future and challenges facing education.

Organisers say the event will provide an opportunity for former students and other stakeholders to renew their commitment to the school’s development.

Governor, traditional ruler among expected guests

Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the Deji of Akureland, senators and other prominent personalities are expected to attend the anniversary.

Their anticipated participation places the school’s milestone celebration within a wider gathering of public officials, traditional institutions, education stakeholders and members of the community.

However, the planning committee’s announcement does not confirm individual attendance.

Beyond the golden jubilee

The anniversary’s long-term significance will depend partly on how the proposed legacy project translates into completed infrastructure and sustained support for the school.

The planned classroom block and fundraising initiative are intended to direct attention beyond the festivities towards the institution’s future needs.

For alumni and other supporters, the anniversary offers an opportunity to contribute to a school that has completed five decades of educational activity in Akure.

Anniversary details

– Institution: Omoluorogbo Grammar School, Akure

– Dates: October 29–31, 2026

– Theme: Celebrating Our Legacy, Shaping the Future

– Fundraising target: ₦100 million

– Key projects: Administrative block commissioning and foundation-laying for a four-classroom block

– Anniversary lecturer: Dr Alaba Mogaji, FUOYE

Source: OGSA 50th Anniversary Implementation and Planning Committee.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has received a Federal Ministry of Education Special Recognition Award, with the Ondo State Government describing the honour as the Best Governor in Education award.

Aiyedatiwa received the recognition on Monday at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day Commemoration and President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards at Eagle Square, Abuja.

The recognition comes as Ondo State highlights a series of interventions in teacher recruitment, school infrastructure, examination funding, tertiary student support and the introduction of digital learning tools.

The Federal Government’s President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards programme says its selection process involves nominations, assessment against approved criteria and final approval before winners are announced at the World Teachers’ Day ceremony.

From classrooms to digital learning

Aiyedatiwa said his administration recruited more than 2,100 teachers into public primary and secondary schools in 2025.

He also cited professional development programmes covering digital and pedagogical training, climate-smart instruction and quality assurance.

On school infrastructure, the governor said 43 new classroom blocks were constructed in 2025 at a cost of about N3.1 billion, while 75 schools were completely renovated.

The government also procured 8,500 learners’ furniture and 1,200 teachers’ furniture, alongside textbooks, sports equipment and other learning materials.

According to Aiyedatiwa, learning resources worth more than N150 million were distributed across Ondo’s three senatorial districts, while computer textbooks were provided to learners across the state’s 18 local government areas.

The figures form the core of the administration’s case for the recognition, although the award itself is a recognition by the Federal Ministry rather than an independent assessment of every aspect of the state’s education system.

The money behind access to education

The governor also highlighted spending aimed at reducing the financial burden on families.

He said the state paid N633.9 million for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination registration of 23,048 students in public schools, while National Business and Technical Examinations Board examinations were fully sponsored.

For tertiary students, Aiyedatiwa said the government committed N350 million to bursary and scholarship support in 2025 and N400 million in 2026.

He added that the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission provided N286.7 million in bursaries to 4,837 students.

The figures are significant because examination and education-related costs can determine whether students from lower-income households remain in school or complete key stages of their education.

Teachers’ welfare remains a key test

Aiyedatiwa dedicated the recognition to teachers across Ondo State and said his experience as a former teacher had influenced his approach to education.

“This honour is gratefully accepted, not as a personal award, but as a tribute to the teachers of Ondo State,” he said.

The governor said teachers in urban centres, communities and difficult circumstances deserved recognition for work that often received little public attention.

“Your work is foundational. Your influence is often invisible, but its significance is enduring,” he said.

He also said teachers’ salaries and allowances had been paid regularly, while the government was addressing inherited gratuity arrears owed to retired public servants, including retired teachers.

“This is not merely a fulfilment of an obligation; it is a message to those still in service that government remembers their sacrifice and that their future is secure,” Aiyedatiwa said.

His comments come against a wider national debate over teachers’ welfare. At the 2026 World Teachers’ Day events, the Nigeria Union of Teachers called for a shift from commitments to implementation and sustained investment in the profession.

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AI enters Ondo classrooms

Another part of the governor’s education agenda is the move towards digital learning.

Aiyedatiwa said the state’s partnership with EIDU had introduced AI-powered learning tools, smartphones and structured literacy programmes.

He said thousands of tablets had also been deployed in public schools, while laptops were being provided to digitally trained teachers as part of preparations for robotics, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

The Federal Ministry of Education has itself placed technology and professional transformation at the centre of its 2026 education agenda, including innovation, mobility, artificial intelligence, inclusion and professional excellence.

For Ondo, the challenge will be ensuring that digital tools complement rather than replace the fundamentals of education — qualified teachers, functioning classrooms, learning materials and reliable access to schools.

New institutions planned

Beyond primary and secondary education, Aiyedatiwa said his administration had approved the establishment of a College of Nursing at Igbokoda and a College of Education at Aboto.

He said the initiatives were intended to expand opportunities for professional training and teacher education.

In August, the governor also approved a 60 per cent increase in monthly subventions to state-owned tertiary institutions and the implementation of the Federal Government-unions agreement covering relevant state institutions.

What the Federal Government said

Education Minister Tunji Alausa described teachers as among the most important people in society, stressing their role in preparing Nigerian children and young people for the future.

He said teachers needed opportunities for professional development and recognition as technology and artificial intelligence continued to change the learning environment.

The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, said teacher welfare and retention remained priorities for the Federal Government.

“Those expectations are reasonable. So is a teacher’s expectation of good preparation, useful material, fair treatment, safety, timely career progression and respect,” she said.

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Titus Amba, represented at the event by Deputy National President Kizito Kalu, said the status given to teachers reflected the value a country placed on its future.

He called for a move “from celebration to action, from promises to implementation and from recognition to sustained investment”.

Why the award matters

The recognition gives national visibility to Ondo State’s education interventions, but its longer-term significance will depend on whether the investments translate into better learning conditions and outcomes for pupils and teachers.

For Aiyedatiwa, the award is an endorsement of an education strategy built around recruitment, infrastructure, welfare, access and technology.

For teachers and learners, however, the more immediate question is whether those investments can be sustained and expanded across the state.

Aiyedatiwa said the objective was bigger than the award itself.

“If we truly desire a knowledge-driven society, we must give teachers the tools to teach, the environment to work, the dignity they deserve and the opportunity to continually renew their knowledge,” he said.

“When we educate a child, we do more than change one life. We strengthen a family, enlarge the possibilities of a community and increase the productive capacity of a State,” he added.