Education
Nepal closes schools as deaths from heavy rains hit 129
By Gopal Sharma
KATHMANDU (Reuters) -Nepal has shut schools for three days after landslides and floods triggered by two days of heavy rain across the Himalayan nation killed 129 people, with 62 missing, officials said on Sunday.
The floods brought traffic and normal activity to a standstill in the Kathmandu valley, where 37 deaths were recorded in a region home to 4 million people and the capital.
Authorities said students and their parents faced difficulties as university and school buildings damaged by the rains needed repair.
“We have urged the concerned authorities to close schools in the affected areas for three days,” Lakshmi Bhattarai, a spokesperson for the education ministry, told Reuters.
Some parts of the capital reported rain of up to 322.2 mm (12.7 inches), pushing the level of its main Bagmati river up 2.2 m (7 ft) past the danger mark, experts said.
But there were some signs of respite on Sunday morning, with the rains easing in many places, said Govinda Jha, a weather forecaster in the capital.
“There may be some isolated showers, but heavy rains are unlikely,” he said.
Television images showed police rescuers in knee-high rubber boots using picks and shovels to clear away mud and retrieve 16 bodies of passengers from two buses swept away by a massive landslide at a site on the key route into Kathmandu.
Weather officials in the capital blamed the rainstorms on a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal extending over parts of neighbouring India close to Nepal.
Haphazard development amplifies climate change risks in Nepal, say climate scientists at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
“I’ve never before seen flooding on this scale in Kathmandu,” said Arun Bhakta Shrestha, an environmental risk official at the centre.
In a statement, it urged the government and city planners to “urgently” step up investment in, and plans for, infrastructure, such as underground stormwater and sewage systems, both of the “grey”, or engineered kind, and “green”, or nature-based type.
The impact of the rains was aggravated by poor drainage due to unplanned settlement and urbanisation efforts, construction on floodplains, lack of areas for water retention, and encroachment on the Bagmati river, it added.
The level in the Koshi river in Nepal’s southeast has started to fall, however, said Ram Chandra Tiwari, the region’s top bureaucrat.
The river, which brings deadly floods to India’s eastern state of Bihar nearly every year, had been running above the danger mark at a level nearly three times normal, he said.
(Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Education
FG Bans Admission, Transfer Of SS3 Students
The Federal Government has announced a nationwide ban on the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private schools, beginning from the 2026/27 academic session.
The announcement, signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, said the directive was part of efforts to curb examination malpractice and restore credibility to Nigeria’s education system.
“The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has announced a nationwide prohibition on the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private secondary schools,” the statement read.
According to the ministry, the policy follows growing concerns over the increasing incidence of malpractice, including the use of so‑called special centres during external examinations.
It explained that admissions and transfers will now be restricted strictly to Senior Secondary School One (SS1) and Senior Secondary School Two (SS2). “Admission or transfer into SS3 will no longer be permitted under any circumstance,” the ministry stated.
Officials said the measure is aimed at discouraging last‑minute movement of students for examination‑related advantages, ensuring proper academic monitoring, and promoting continuity in teaching and learning.
School proprietors, principals, and administrators nationwide have been directed to comply fully with the policy.
The ministry warned that any violation would attract sanctions in line with existing education regulations and guidelines.
Reaffirming government’s commitment, the statement added: “The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to maintaining academic standards, promoting fairness, and restoring credibility to public examinations across the country.”
Education
How Fulani Militias Attacked Taraba Community, K!lled My Father, Four Relatives — Grieving NYSC Member Cries Out (Video)
Orkeghen Philip Aondofa, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has cried out for help, alleging that armed Fulani herders carried out a de@dly attack on his village — New-Gboko (Nyugoko) in the Peva–Chanchanji Ward of Takum Local Government Area, Taraba State.
They reportedly k!lled his father and four other members of his family.
Philip, who is currently serving in Enugu State, recounted the horror in an emotional interview with SaharaReporters, saying the Taraba State government has remained silent while k!llings continue across communities in Chanchanji ward.
According to him, the attackers, whom he repeatedly referred to as “herders ”, invaded the community on November 27, 2025, unleashing violence that forced all surviving residents to flee.
He said the assailants are still occupying the village, preventing him from retrieving his father’s corpse for burial.
“Right now, as I speak to you, the k!lling is all over Chanchanji ward in Takum LGA of Taraba State. The Taraba State Government is silent about it,” he said.
The corps member said one of the attackers used his late father’s phone to call him after the massacre — only to confess to k!lling him.
“After the attack, one of them took my father’s phone and called me. When I asked where the owner of the phone was, he told me, he k!lled my father directly. I broke down and ended the call,” he said.
Philip said the inability to recover his father’s remains has left him in deeper anguish.
“What pains me the most now is how I will get my father’s corpse to bury. Those herders are still there in the village. There is nobody left in my village.”
The corps member said he is nearing the end of his service year but now feels completely stranded and without hope.
“After my service, I don’t know where to go. I don’t know where to start. I am calling on the Federal Government and those concerned to come to my aid. I am broke, I am hopeless. I don’t have anywhere to go; everything is gone. I have lost hope.”
Education
TETFund Unveils Plan for Nationwide Security Overhaul in Tertiary Institutions
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a major initiative to strengthen security across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in Nigeria. As part of the new move, the Fund is developing a comprehensive security master plan aimed at addressing the growing threats facing campuses nationwide.
According to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the framework will serve as a unified guide for preventing, managing, and responding to security breaches within tertiary institutions. He noted that the rising cases of attacks, kidnappings, and other safety concerns have made it imperative to adopt a coordinated national approach to protect students, staff, and infrastructure.
The proposed security master plan is expected to involve collaboration with security agencies, education stakeholders, and institution managers to ensure effective implementation across the country.
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