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Finally, the Federal Government has announced the payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance to academic staff in federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education for the period January to August 2026.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday shortly after inaugurating the Ministerial Committee on Accreditation.

CATA is a financial allowance provided to academic staff to support the purchase of essential tools and materials required for teaching, research and other academic activities.

Alausa said the payment was in accordance with the provisions of the 2025 Federal Government–Academic Staff Union of Universities agreement and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to its implementation.

He said, “The Office of the Minister of Education is happy to announce that the full CATA payment has now been released by the Federal Government from January to August 2026 to all universities, all polytechnics and colleges of education.

All these institutions should have received notification to start paying CATA to all academic staff.”

The minister added that payment to non-academic staff was also being processed.

And also, the payment to non-academic staff, we’re hoping that these funds will be made available, hopefully, in the next few weeks,” he said.

According to Alausa, the payment was another indication of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving the welfare of academic and non-academic staff in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

“This is another indication of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to our academic and non-academic staff. President Bola Tinubu made a commitment to ensuring that the quality and welfare of our staff are prioritised. He has prioritised the welfare of our staff,” he said.

Alausa said the administration’s education reforms extended beyond staff welfare, noting that significant investments were also being made in infrastructure across tertiary institutions, as well as in basic and postgraduate education.

“Beyond prioritising the welfare of our staff, he has also significantly invested in infrastructure at all our tertiary institutions and also basic and postgraduate education,” the minister said.

He added that the administration was committed to ensuring that Nigerian children receive quality education that could compete with standards anywhere in the world.

“This is a President that believes so much in education. He has delivered beyond his promises to ensure that every single child in this country gets the highest quality of education comparable to anywhere in the world,” Alausa said.

He commended President Tinubu for what he described as a transformative initiative in the education sector.

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The Benue State Government has introduced a raft of new measures in public and private schools, including a ban on unauthorised external activities, after-school extra lessons and the use of mobile phones during school hours.

The Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Margaret Adamu, announced the directives on Monday during a press briefing in Makurdi, saying the measures were aimed at reducing the financial burden on parents, improving discipline and raising educational standards.

Adamu said no individual, non-governmental organisation (NGO), private organisation or other external body would be allowed to access schools or conduct programmes, research, advocacy or interventions without prior approval from the ministry.

She also directed schools to discontinue extra lessons after normal school hours, stressing that learners must make effective use of regular classroom periods.

The commissioner further banned the use of mobile phones by learners during school hours and warned school authorities to ensure strict compliance.

According to her, the new academic session commenced on Monday, September 7, with students expected to resume on time, attend classes regularly and remain within authorised school areas.

“Learners are expected to resume school on time, attend classes regularly and remain within authorised school areas. Late coming, truancy and loitering during school hours must be firmly addressed by school authorities,” she said.

Adamu also condemned what she described as “barbaric ways of celebrating birthdays”, warning learners against assaulting or manhandling celebrants in classrooms, schools and hostels.

She equally cautioned parents and guardians against assaulting, threatening, intimidating or verbally abusing teachers, principals and other school staff.

The commissioner warned that bullying, harassment, hazing, intimidation and other forms of violence among learners would not be tolerated.

“Bullying, intimidation, harassment, hazing and all forms of violence among learners are strictly prohibited. School authorities must establish and maintain safe, respectful and inclusive learning environments,” she said.

On external activities in schools, Adamu stated: “No NGO, individual, organisation or external body shall enter a school to conduct programmes, activities, research, advocacy or interventions without the appropriate authorisation from the Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management.”

She said the new policies were intended to protect learners, strengthen school management, promote discipline, reduce unnecessary expenses for parents and improve the overall quality of education across the state.

Adamu warned that schools and individuals who violate the directives would face sanctions under relevant laws and regulations.

“I therefore warn that non-compliance with approved policies and directives will attract appropriate sanctions in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and guidelines,” she said.

She directed school proprietors, principals and heads of schools to familiarise themselves with all ministry directives and ensure their full implementation.

“Ignorance of an existing policy will not be accepted as an excuse for non-compliance,” she added.

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has extended the deadline for candidates offered admission between 2021 and 2026 to accept or reject their admission offers.

The deadline, earlier fixed for Monday, August 31, 2026, has now been extended to Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

The Acting Director, Public Affairs and Protocol, Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement posted on X on Saturday.

The board described the extension as “a final opportunity” for affected candidates to take action on their outstanding admission offers.

“Candidates with pending admission offers who have not yet accepted or rejected (regular or CUIIA) such offers are strongly advised to do so before 30 September 2026,” Benjamin said.

JAMB urged candidates not to wait until the deadline before taking action, warning that failure to do so would affect the status of their admissions.

Candidates should not wait until the deadline, as failure to take action within the stipulated period will have consequences for the status of such admissions,” the board stated.

According to JAMB, candidates who accept their admission offers will be able to proceed to print and obtain their admission letters.

It added that candidates who reject their offers would have their dashboards reverted to “Not Admitted”.

“Those who reject their offers will have their dashboards reverted to ‘Not Admitted’, enabling the Board to update its records and ensure that its admission data accurately reflects the current status of candidates,” it said.

The board also guided that candidates who were no longer studying at the institutions where their previous admissions were offered.

“For candidates who are no longer in the institution where the previous admission was offered, or who are currently in a different programme from the one for which the previous admission was offered, such candidates may accept the outstanding admission and subsequently apply for the appropriate correction or deletion of the admission, as the case may be,” JAMB stated.

It explained that the process would enable it to update the candidates’ admission status and records.

This will enable the Board to appropriately update the candidate’s admission status and records,” it added.

JAMB also addressed candidates currently pursuing a second degree but who still had an earlier admission offer pending.

“Similarly, candidates who are currently pursuing a second degree but still have a previous admission offer that remains unaccepted may go ahead and reject such an offer and continue with their current programme,” the board said.

The board further assured candidates who had secured admission in the 2026 admission exercise that rejecting an earlier outstanding offer would not affect their new admission.