By Tony Obiechina Abuja

The Federal Government has unveiled the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), an interest-free loan scheme designed to improve the welfare, professional growth, and financial stability of Nigeria’s tertiary institution workforce.

The Minister of Education, Dr.

Tunji Alausa, who unveiled the initiative in Abuja on Thursday, described it as a strategic empowerment platform that would give both academic and non-academic staff the financial support they needed to serve students with renewed dedication and live with dignity.

The minister further explained that TISSF is an integral part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Reform Agenda for the education sector, which prioritises people as the nation’s greatest asset in transforming the education sector and driving economic growth.

According to him, the programme is a joint initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), implemented in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BoI).

Under the scheme, beneficiaries can access interest-free loans for medical expenses, family and accommodation needs, transportation (including electric vehicles and CNG conversions), small-scale enterprises and agriculture, as well as academic advancement through certifications and capacity-building programmes.

The Minister said; “TISSF is more than a financial product; it is a workforce transformation tool. By easing financial burdens, we expect to improve staff retention, boost morale, and enhance institutional performance for better student outcomes.”

Eligibility, he said, covers confirmed full-time staff of all federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, along with one state-owned institution in each category per state, while applicants must have at least five years to retirement and be members of recognised staff unions such as ASUU, NASU, COEASU, and SSANIP. This translates to 248 eligible institutions nationwide.

“Each eligible staff member can access up to N10 million, subject to a cap of 33.3% of their gross annual salary. The loans are interest-free, repayable over five (5) years, with 12 months moratorium before repayment begins,” the Minister added.

By Tony Obiechina Abuja 

The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, educational excellence, and zero tolerance for examination malpractice.

In a statement by Mrs Folashade Boriowo Director of Press and public relations, Alausa spoke against the backdrop of the 2025 WAEC results  released recently.

According to official statistics from WAEC, the percentage of candidates who obtained five credits with or without English Language and Mathematics rose to 91.

14% in 2025, compared to 73.79% in 2024 and 84.38% in 2023. 

However, candidates securing five credits including English Language and Mathematics stood at 62.

96% in 2025, down from 72.12% in 2024 and 79.81% in 2023.

Reiterating the Federal Government’s zero-tolerance policy towards examination malpractice, Dr. Alausa highlighted the consistent decline in malpractice rates over the past three years—from 16.29% in 2023 to 11.92% in 2024, and 9.70% in 2025.

He attributed this progress to robust anti-malpractice measures introduced by WAEC, including the serialization of question papers in key subjects such as English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and Economics.

The Minister emphasized the government’s resolve to build human capacity through continuous teacher training and support.

 “We are committed to producing smart, competent teachers to better prepare our students for academic success. This is crucial to ensuring that our examinations remain credible and flawless,” he said.

According to him, going forward, the Ministry will roll out Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for WAEC and NECO objective papers in 2025, and for both essay and objective papers in 2026. This step is aimed at enhancing efficiency, curbing malpractice, and aligning Nigeria’s examination system with global best practices.

Dr. Alausa called on all stakeholders, including parents, guardians, teachers, and community leaders, to support students, encourage discipline, and create enabling environments for learning.

 “Let us work together to ensure that every hardworking child has the opportunity to succeed,” he urged.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

Apo Division of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, on Thursday, commended the members of  operation sweep team  for destroying the suspected criminal hideouts in Apo Cadastral Zone District. 

The Police Officers who visited the demolition site, but couldn’t speak to newsmen, said that destroying the enclave would bring a huge reprieve to the residents around the area.

 

 Confirming the Police’s concerns, the Director, Department of Development Control of FCTA,  Mukhtar Galadima said that it has been established by verifiable intelligence that the place has been contributing to the insecurity of Apo and environ.

 

Galadima disclosed that the place is not just a dark spot,  but there have been reports of killings by miscreants within the environment, making the area a huge security threat to other residents. 

He said, “ This is part of the continuation of the city sanitation and exercise to rid the city of criminal elements. So this place has been identified as one of the notorious dark spots. I recall also efforts were made in the past, but this time around we came in to do a total clearance of the place. 

“ There are credible and verifiable security and intelligence reports about these locations. Instances where some people were even killed around this place. 

“ So, for the fact that this place was identified as a dark spot, it’s enough for this exercise to continue. So that’s why we’re here and we will make sure that we clear this place once and for all. Unlike before that we just come and push the shanties. This time around we are going to remove everything and even fence the place. 

According to Galadima, the FCT administration has devised a strategy to keep miscreants away from recovered green areas and empty plots of land. 

“ We have applied many options but this time around, we are going to devise a new strategy which I won’t like to say now. By the time we take action, then you people will see and identify that this is a new strategy for handling some of these crises”, he added. 

Also speaking, Dr. Peter Olumuji who represented the Director, FCTA Director, Security Department, Adamu Gwary, also confirmed that reports available to them showed that the residents around the area have at various times complained about the  criminal activities of the place. 

He further disclosed that apart from the place being a hub for suspected armed robbers,  illicit drug peddling has also been thriving in the area. 

“We have issues like illicit drug peddling and sales here and intake. We have issues of armed robbery and even house breaking within this environment. Just so you know, some few weeks ago there was this attack on the residents that the criminal element used as a cover. Thank God for the good response time of the Nigerian police and sister agencies that were able to repel them. 

“Over 50 criminal armed robbers came here to attack the residents here. But the quick response from the FCT police command and sister agencies prevented that attack from snowballing”, he said.

Olumiji continued, “Like you know, from the police statistics we have gotten before coming into this place, this place is a hub for these criminal people to meet and go in to attack the residents. But after today, we know that the good people of Apo Resettlement will be happy for what the FCT administration has come to do here today. 

“Yes, what we have come to do this morning here is more of a preventive act to secure the people of Apo Resettlement and its environment. You will know basically that, even before we came into this place, we carried out a detailed look out of the environment, trying to identify the criminal incidences within this place and how these cashew plantations has been a converging point for this criminal element. 

“Yes, some people who are residing here might not be criminals, but when you have unplanned settlements and shanties like this, those criminal elements come here to take out their strategies before attacking the good Apo resident. 

“When people also talk about the cashew tree as economic value, having economic value, you will look at it. Are you considering economic value against insecurity threats to lives and property? Which one comes first? Safety of the resident comes first because it is someone that is alive that can even enjoy any economic value we are talking about. And that is why the holistic clearance of the cashew tree is going to dissipate completely the use of this place as a converging point for this criminal element that operates within here.  

“Yes, we have issues like illicit drug peddling and sales here and intake. We have issues of armed robbery and even house breaking within this environment. Just so you know, some few weeks ago there was this attack on the residents that the criminal element used it as a cover. Thank God for the good response time of the Nigerian police and sister agencies that were able to repel them. 

“Over 50 criminal armed robbers came here to attack the residents here. But the quick response from the FCT police command and sister agencies prevented that attack from snowballing. 

“We also know that some few weeks ago, we had an attack on a medical personnel here, that his life was cut short just because the people that reside here might not really be the criminals but they too cannot profile those coming to stay with them here and that is why you just have to take a holistic move. 

“This place is not meant for residents. It’s a green area so people are not even meant to come and reside here. So clearing it is a good omen for the FCT”.