Education
Giving 45,000 Nigerian Children Quality Education via OPM Free Schools
By Emmanuel Afonne, (NAN)
For the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on education and training modalities by 2030, will be a herculean task in Nigeria.
According to the two UN organisations, one in every five of the world’s out-of-school children is in Nigeria, while about 10.
5 million of the country’s children aged 5-14 years are not in school even though primary education is officially free and compulsory.In the same vein, infographics from Lauretta Onochie, Social Media Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, however, said that the number had dropped from 10.
5 million to 8.6 million.Whatever be the case, statistics show that only 61 percent of six to 11-year-olds regularly attend primary school and only 35.6 percent of children aged 36-59 months receive early childhood education which, they said, was the major reason the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of achieving Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 failed.
To narrow it down, states in the North-East and North-West are the worst hit with female primary net attendance rates of 47.7 percent and 47.3 percent, respectively, meaning that more than half of the girls are not in school.
The cause of education deprivation in northern Nigeria and some parts of the South is, however, not far-fetched.
The Boko Haram attacks and the mayhem unleashed by bandits and killer herdsmen on most of the Nigerian communities have made lots of children drop out of school and thereby putting a snag in government efforts to achieve the SDG 4 by 2030.
Economic barriers and socio-cultural norms and practices are also stumbling blocks to acquiring formal education, especially for girls, and by extension the UN development goals.
Interestingly, the General overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), and the President of OPM Foundation, Apostle Dr Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, have set “Operation Get 45,000 Children Back to School”.
The operation is aimed at ensuring that children of the less privileged from Northern and Southern parts of the country have access to free and complete quality education, within a safe learning environment.
This explains why Apostle Chinyere has built eleven free primary and secondary schools with the state-of-the-art facilities and the pupils and students given four pairs of free school uniform, free school shoes and free school books.
The schools are presently located in Rivers, Bayelsa and Abia.
The students and pupils are also given beverages (Milk and Milo) on regular occasion to compliment the schools free feeding programme.
He said: “Just like the United Nations is advocating, our programme ensures that education is prioritised and that it is targeted at children who are least likely to receive it.
“Our free schools are fully funded through the offerings and tithes received from our members in over 150 branches of the church within and outside the country.
“We want to assist the Federal Government in actualising the SDG by 2030 to make sure all the children have access and quality education, skills and knowledge for lifelong learning,” Apostle Chinyere said.
Seeing the less privileged parents squeeze out their hard earned little money to send their wards to school in spite government’s perceived free education unsettles.
Another free school is presently being constructed in Kaduna to ensure the less privileged in the Northern part of the country are not left out as Nigeria march towards achieving the SDG 4 by 2030.
Apostle Chinyere is taking the gesture to the next level; apart from establishing free primary and secondary schools, the man of God is constructing an all-girls’ free technical college which, he said, would be completed by December this year.
There is no doubt that the federal and state governments have made frantic efforts to ensure that there is free education from primary to junior secondary schools across the nation, but there is still a snag as parents still pay about N2,000 to get their wards go to school every term.
For instance, in some schools parents are forced to pay between N500 and N1,000 for school charge, Parents Teachers Association (PTA) dues and data (usually for computing of results) every term to attend the so called free public schools of government, but it is interesting to note that the cost of attending the OPM free schools is absolutely free.
Apostle Chinyere is saying it to the high heavens that everything in the OPM schools is “absolutely free”.
“We have four sets of school uniforms, school sandals, free school books, free lunch and free school bags. The pupils also go on international excursion; like the last time, they were in Paris.”
This is the reason the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), honoured him with the “Icon of Free Education Award”.
Mr Robin Nwokocha, Chairman of NANS, Rivers chapter, who presented the award to Apostle Chinyere on behalf of the national president, said the award came as a result of his commitment to the education of the less privileged children.
Apostle Chibuzor, who appreciated NANS for the award said that apart from the free schools, the church had also given scholarships to five students studying in Canada. He said three others are due to join before the end of the year.
In his words: “We also have a scholarship programme where we send undergraduate students to Canada to study; another three are due to travel soon.
“We also have a local scholarship for undergraduates here in Nigeria because of this, NANS leadership decided to give me an award of Icon of Free Education in Nigeria.
“I thank God for them; this is the first time NANS is recognising my impact in education for the less privileged.”
Apostle Chinyere may be getting close to becoming an Ambassador of the UN going by his humanitarian activities.
The aim of UNICEF’s education programme is to support the government in achieving SDG 4 by 2030 through improved planning and by addressing some of the systemic barriers that hinder the implementation of an effective education strategy.
The OPM founder seems to be keying into this opportunity to the benefit of the Nigerian child. He would not want the opportunity of attaining the UN development goal on education by 2030 to elude Nigeria like the MDG.
He is seeking to collaborate with the Federal Government, UNESCO, UNICEF and other agencies for this objective to be realised.
The Federal Government has approved N4bn for the payment of allowances to Nigerian students studying abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement.
The approval follows outcries from the beneficiaries who had lamented that they were being pushed into forced labour and prostitution due to prolonged hardship occasioned by the nonpayment of their allowance by the Federal Government.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed that the fund, representing part of the N8bn budgeted for the programme this year, had been released as the first tranche to address outstanding payments owed to the scholars.
“The Federal Ministry of Finance has approved N4bn to pay the first tranche, and I am working with the Minister of Finance to settle the remaining N4bn. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, they will receive all their allowances for 2025 and 2026.
According to him, efforts are ongoing between both ministries to ensure that all outstanding payments are cleared, with the balance expected to be released within four weeks.
The development follows a disturbing viral video from affected students across countries, including Russia, Serbia and Venezuela, who said delays in stipends spanning over a year had left many struggling to survive, with some resorting to menial jobs while others claimed female students had been forced into prostitution.
The outcry comes barely a year after the Federal Government terminated the scholarship programme and promised to ensure that current students are funded to complete their studies.
In 2025, the minister cited inefficiency and misallocation of national resources as reasons for terminating the programme, following similar complaints from previous beneficiaries.
The programme, established through diplomatic partnerships, had enabled Nigerian students to study in countries such as China, Russia, Hungary, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Serbia.
He explained that the scheme had become unsustainable, noting that the government planned to spend about N9bn on just 1,200 students in 2025.
However, the minister assured that all current beneficiaries of the scheme would continue to receive full government support until they complete their studies and return to Nigeria.
Despite assurances that current beneficiaries would not be affected, several students said they had not received stipends for over two years, leaving them stranded.
In the viral video, about 16 Nigerian scholars in Russia appealed to the government for urgent intervention, describing their situation as dire.
One of the students, a fifth-year medical student in Rostov, said many had been pushed into extreme conditions to survive.
A student leader in Russia, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development recently, lamenting that the rising cost of living and currency challenges had worsened their situation.
She added that restrictions on student work permits in some countries further limit their ability to earn income.
Another student in Venezuela described the situation as abandonment, noting that scholars from other countries receive regular support from their governments.
He said, “It is only Nigerians that are abandoned. Other countries like Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and Brazil, send delegates to check on their students and pay them, but no one comes from Nigeria.
A parent of an affected scholar, who spoke anonymously with our correspondent, said relevant government agencies had been engaged to facilitate the payment.
“The situation requires prompt attention. These children were sent abroad through a government programme. There have been delays in stipends despite repeated appeals to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education and other agencies.”
The Federal Government had earlier, in January, dismissed claims that Nigerian scholarship students in Morocco were abandoned, following a viral video that showed some students facing hardship, including homelessness and lack of medical support.
The video, shared on X by activist Martins Otse, featured interviews with Nigerian students in Morocco who alleged they had gone for years without receiving financial support despite being beneficiaries of government scholarships.
Reacting, the Federal Ministry of Education, in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, insisted that no student on a valid Federal Government scholarship had been neglected.
Alausa was quoted as saying that all beneficiaries enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship Programme before 2024 had received payments up to the 2024 budget year in line with government obligations.
The statement noted that any delays in outstanding payments were due to fiscal constraints and were being addressed through ongoing engagements between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.
The Federal Government has approved N4bn for the payment of allowances to Nigerian students studying abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement.
The approval follows outcries from the beneficiaries who had lamented that they were being pushed into forced labour and prostitution due to prolonged hardship occasioned by the nonpayment of their allowance by the Federal Government.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed that the fund, representing part of the N8bn budgeted for the programme this year, had been released as the first tranche to address outstanding payments owed to the scholars.
“The Federal Ministry of Finance has approved N4bn to pay the first tranche, and I am working with the Minister of Finance to settle the remaining N4bn. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, they will receive all their allowances for 2025 and 2026.
According to him, efforts are ongoing between both ministries to ensure that all outstanding payments are cleared, with the balance expected to be released within four weeks.
The development follows a disturbing viral video from affected students across countries, including Russia, Serbia and Venezuela, who said delays in stipends spanning over a year had left many struggling to survive, with some resorting to menial jobs while others claimed female students had been forced into prostitution.
The outcry comes barely a year after the Federal Government terminated the scholarship programme and promised to ensure that current students are funded to complete their studies.
In 2025, the minister cited inefficiency and misallocation of national resources as reasons for terminating the programme, following similar complaints from previous beneficiaries.
The programme, established through diplomatic partnerships, had enabled Nigerian students to study in countries such as China, Russia, Hungary, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Serbia.
He explained that the scheme had become unsustainable, noting that the government planned to spend about N9bn on just 1,200 students in 2025.
However, the minister assured that all current beneficiaries of the scheme would continue to receive full government support until they complete their studies and return to Nigeria.
Despite assurances that current beneficiaries would not be affected, several students said they had not received stipends for over two years, leaving them stranded.
In the viral video, about 16 Nigerian scholars in Russia appealed to the government for urgent intervention, describing their situation as dire.
One of the students, a fifth-year medical student in Rostov, said many had been pushed into extreme conditions to survive.
A student leader in Russia, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development recently, lamenting that the rising cost of living and currency challenges had worsened their situation.
She added that restrictions on student work permits in some countries further limit their ability to earn income.
Another student in Venezuela described the situation as abandonment, noting that scholars from other countries receive regular support from their governments.
He said, “It is only Nigerians that are abandoned. Other countries like Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and Brazil, send delegates to check on their students and pay them, but no one comes from Nigeria.
A parent of an affected scholar, who spoke anonymously with our correspondent, said relevant government agencies had been engaged to facilitate the payment.
“The situation requires prompt attention. These children were sent abroad through a government programme. There have been delays in stipends despite repeated appeals to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education and other agencies.”
The Federal Government had earlier, in January, dismissed claims that Nigerian scholarship students in Morocco were abandoned, following a viral video that showed some students facing hardship, including homelessness and lack of medical support.
The video, shared on X by activist Martins Otse, featured interviews with Nigerian students in Morocco who alleged they had gone for years without receiving financial support despite being beneficiaries of government scholarships.
Reacting, the Federal Ministry of Education, in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, insisted that no student on a valid Federal Government scholarship had been neglected.
Alausa was quoted as saying that all beneficiaries enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship Programme before 2024 had received payments up to the 2024 budget year in line with government obligations.
The statement noted that any delays in outstanding payments were due to fiscal constraints and were being addressed through ongoing engagements between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.
The Federal Government has approved exemption of candidates seeking admission into the National Certificate in Education (NCE) programme with a minimum of four credits from sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The Minister of Education, Dr.
Tunji Alausa, announced the policy on Monday in Abuja, at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).The event also featured the 6th Edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit (NATAP-M) awards.
Alausa said the decision followed consultations with stakeholders aimed at expanding access to teacher education and strengthening enrollment in Colleges of Education (CoE) nationwide.
He explained that eligible candidates would, however, be required to register with JAMB for proper screening, verification and issuance of admission letters through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
According to him, the exemption is part of deliberate reforms to harness the admission capacity of colleges of education, particularly within local communities.
“Accordingly, candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME.
“However, it is imperative to emphasise that such candidates shall mandatorily register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters thr“In recognition of this reality, the Federal Ministry of Education, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, has taken a deliberate policy position.
ough CAPS, in accordance with extant regulations.”
The minister added that the exemption would also apply to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
He said the measure was designed to ease pressure associated with UTME, while encouraging participation in critical sectors essential to national development.
He reiterated that admissions conducted outside CAPS remained illegal and would not be recognised by the government.
He also warned that institutions violating established admission procedures risked sanctions, including suspension of operating licences where applicable.
Alausa reaffirmed the government’s position on 16 years as the minimum admission age into tertiary institutions, noting that the decision aimed at maintaining inclusivity and academic readiness.
He noted that the federal government was implementing wide-ranging reforms in the education sector focused on access, quality, governance and accountability.
He commended JAMB for deploying technology-driven solutions that enhanced fairness and credibility in the admissions process.
He added that efforts were ongoing to deepen inclusion for Persons living With Disabilities through application fee waivers and targeted support initiatives.
“This initiative is not only humane but also a powerful affirmation of our national commitment to equity and equal opportunity.
“The increasing participation of candidates with disabilities in our examinations and admissions processes is clear evidence that when barriers are removed, potential is unleashed,” Alausa said.
The minister further disclosed that the government was advancing digital transformation in education through expanded computer-based testing and integration of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies into curricula.
He said the federal government had equally achieved progress in stabilising the university system, following successful renegotiation of agreements aimed at ensuring uninterrupted academic calendars.
Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to combating examination malpractice through strengthened verification systems and enhanced collaboration among relevant agencies.
He urged stakeholders to uphold integrity and fairness in admissions decisions, noting that outcomes of the policy meeting would affect millions of Nigerian youths seeking tertiary education opportunities.
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