Dr. Iyela Ajayi, Executive Secretary of NSSEC, made the appeal during courtesy visits to the management of both banks in Abuja on Tuesday. The visits are part of the commission’s broader effort to mobilise private sector support for human capital development.
Ajayi emphasised that senior secondary education remains a critical but previously neglected segment of the education system. He noted that government funding alone cannot sustain the quality education required at this level, given competing national demands.
He said the proposed collaboration would be mutually beneficial and would contribute to national development, noting that senior secondary education plays a key role in character formation, skills development, and smooth transition to tertiary education.
NSSEC was established in 2021 to address long-standing gaps in senior secondary education, which previously lacked focused regulation and intervention. Ajayi explained that while primary and junior secondary education were regulated by UBEC and tertiary education by bodies such as NUC, NBTE, and NCCE, senior secondary education was largely left unregulated.
This regulatory gap, he said, led to infrastructural decay, shortage of qualified teachers, and declining standards at the senior secondary level.
Ajayi appealed to the banks to support NSSEC in areas such as:
- Provision of digital devices
- Science equipment and ICT laboratories
- Classroom construction
- Teacher training and capacity development
He commended both banks for their strong track records in corporate social responsibility (CSR), youth empowerment, scholarships, teacher development, and support to underserved communities.
Representing Wema Bank, Regional Executive Mr. Sunday Olaitan pledged the bank’s support, particularly in providing learning equipment. He affirmed the bank’s belief that senior secondary education is crucial to human capital development and national prosperity.
On behalf of First Bank, Group Executive of Retail Banking North Division, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, expressed the bank’s readiness to partner with NSSEC to advance senior secondary education. He highlighted the centrality of education to societal growth and warned that neglecting senior secondary education undermines the preparation of future leaders.
Ibrahim added that First Bank’s CSR policy prioritises education, alongside health and gender-related interventions, and that its CSR commitments are reported annually in financial statements for transparency and accountability.
Both banks assured NSSEC that the proposed partnership would align with their longstanding commitments to educational development and national progress.