Education
SPECIAL REPORT: ICAST: A Citadel of Learning With A Difference
IN January 2011, a citadel of learning for primary and secondary school pupils in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, was conceptualised. What made this conceptualisation unique was its timing; the concept was envisioned when people were dinning and winning during a house warming ceremony.
To Engineer Dotun Sanusi, an entrepreneur of repute and the proprietor of International Collage of Arts, Science and Technology (ICAST) something was missing in the serene and quiet atmosphere of Elebu, a suburb in Ido Local Government Area of Ibadan, where he had just become one of the landlords in the area. But being a lover of sound education, he did not take him too much time to figure out the missing link. He wasted no time to establish a private school (initially, primary school) which was christened Institute of College of Arts, Science and Technology (ICAST) that is to take care of the education of the children born in Elebu area and its suburb right from their cradle up till the end of their secondary education.
He left no stone unturned in his determination to ensure that a school that will see to the preparation of tomorrow’s leaders today was commissioned just nine months after its conception. Befitting physical structure, well equipped Science laboratory and State-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as well as world class sporting infrastructure for Extra-Curricular activities were part of the facilities put in place in order to actualise his ambition of producing students who can rub shoulders with their counterparts anywhere in the world.
Engr Dotun Sanusi, ICAST Schools’ Proprietor.
He went further by employing capable and highly experienced personnel to manage the school and to ensure that his lofty dream for the school materialised. Eight years since ICAST was established, the SSS 3 students of the school have recorded outstanding results consistently in the West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams they have sat for since 2016. Engr. Sanusi, the Proprietor of ICAST, must have internalised one of Dwayne Johnson’s quotations when he said “success isn’t always about greatness; It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success after which greatness will come”. Engnr. Sanusi knows too well that for ICAST to be rated among the greats, the school has to be consistent in terms of academic performances.
Thus, when this year WAEC results were released and the students, once again, recorded hundred percent success, it was not a surprise to some people who are aware that the school management has made academic success their permanent friend through a well developed academic culture.
This year’s feat has made nonsense of the insinuations made two years ago by some people who felt that it is a matter of time before ‘Nigerian factor’ stagnates the wheel of the School’s progress.
While reacting to the recently released WAEC results in which his school performed exceedingly well, ICAST School’s proprietor, Engineer Sanusi, submitted that “it is not part of our plan to prove anybody wrong. What we are after is to ensure that our commitment to academic excellence does not suffer any laxity.” He stated further, “One of our cardinal principles is to better our best everytime. Whether we are eight years old or has reached one hundred years, it does not matter. We shall always strive to churn out students whose academic abilities and certificates would never be queried any where in the world”, he concluded.
Pastor Oyelowo Olanrewju, ICAST Schools’ Principal.
In his own response, ICAST School’s principal, Mr. Oyelowo Olanrewaju, revealed that the key to ICAST School’s consistency as regards the students outstanding performances in WAEC examinations in the past three years is due to the school’s stakeholders, students, parents and teachers’ diligence, discipline and commitment to academic excellence.
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“Our teachers here are not only committed physically but they are spiritually. On several occasions, we go to extra miles of teaching them during the weekends. We source for past questions and teaching aids for them with a view to preparing them for WAEC or any other external examinations they want to sit for. We redirect their minds away from social life to academic activities. Besides making them realise the essence of being sent to school by their parents, we also fill them up spiritually. We start all these calculated and deliberate efforts as soon as they get to SS I, thus, by the time they reach SS II they are already mentally and academically prepared for any kind of examination whatsoever”, said Mr. Olanrewju.
Commenting on the synergy that exists between the school’s management and the parents, the Chairman of ICAST Schools’ Parents, Teachers Association (PTA), Pastor John Ibiloye, disclosed that there exists effective communication channel on both parties.
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According to him, “the school’s management does not see us as their ‘customers’. We are seen as a critical stakeholder, hence our observations are always taken with seriousness it deserves. Collectively as parents, we are not only interested in our children outstanding performance during examination alone, we are also interested in the pre-exam activities. That is why we are very glad that the outstanding results the school has recorded in recent years are not flukes but as a result of hardwork and commitment of all the parties concerned”
However, both the PTA Chairman and the school’s principal unanimously agree that holistic education is not only about outstanding academic performances alone, adding that, behavioural aspect of education is as equally important. They posited that it is on this principle of pursuant of holistic education that both parties build their relationship on.
Mr. Adeoye Adepoju, ICAST Headmaster.
Revealing one of the strategies which has served the school well and, which of course, gives unique brand to the school, the Headmaster of the primary section, Mr. Adeoye Adepoju disclosed that the secret is in their curriculum which according to him was designed to prepare their students to fit in anywhere standard and holistic primary education is being taught. In his words, “our pupils get on well in any environment they find themselves because our teaching methods and scheme covers what operates in any standard school so parents don’t need to bother if they have to relocate”.
He argued further, “our pupils have good command of English as they pronounce with right dictions and intonation. Spellings is also taught with the aid of Scrabble”. Mr. Adeoye concluded by saying that “extra -curricular activities are also in place for our pupils physical development with the recent introduction of BALLET dance. We also have standard sporting facilities and well equipped computer room where our pupils are tutored with CBT”.
The Ogun State Government has inaugurated a multi-sectoral Safe Schools Steering Committee as part of renewed efforts to strengthen security architecture across schools in the state amid rising concerns over the safety of pupils, students, and teachers.
The committee is expected to drive the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies, and intervention programmes aimed at preventing security breaches, enhancing emergency preparedness, and ensuring that schools remain safe, stable, and conducive for learning.
Inaugurating the committee in Abeokuta, the state capital, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, described the initiative as a deliberate and strategic response to emerging security challenges in the education sector.
He said the composition of the committee reflected a careful selection of professionals drawn from relevant sectors, based on competence, experience, and institutional responsibility.
According to him, the government recognises that schools can no longer be treated as isolated institutions, but must be protected through coordinated action involving government agencies, security operatives, communities, and development partners.
“The inauguration of the Ogun State Safe Schools Steering Committee is a strategic response aimed at strengthening collaboration among government agencies, security services, communities, development partners and all stakeholders in the education sector,” Arigbabu said.
He stressed that the task before the committee was urgent and non-negotiable, warning that the future of children in the state depended on the quality and timeliness of their decisions.
“As members of this committee, your selection was based on expertise, experience, and institutional responsibilities. This task is both important and urgent. The future of our children depends on the effectiveness of the decisions and actions we take today,” he said.
Arigbabu urged members to discharge their duties with “dedication, professionalism, integrity and a strong sense of purpose,” adding that every school in Ogun State must remain a place of safety, hope, and opportunity rather than fear.
“I therefore charge you to approach this assignment with dedication, professionalism, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose. Let us work together to ensure that every school in Ogun State remains a place of safety, learning, hope, and opportunity,” he added.
Other stakeholders at the inauguration reinforced the need for collective responsibility, stressing that school safety cannot rest on government alone but requires sustained collaboration from all segments of society.
They noted that communities, parents, security agencies, and development partners must work in synergy to safeguard learning environments and protect the future of children.
“As we inaugurate this committee today, let us recognise that school safety is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a shared responsibility requiring partnership, vigilance, innovation, and collective action,” one of the stakeholders said.
“The decisions we take and the commitment we make here today will contribute significantly to shaping the future of thousands of learners across our state,” the stakeholder added.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State Wing, has directed all public primary and secondary school teachers in the state to embark on an indefinite strike over the continued abduction of teachers and pupils.
The strike, which takes effect from Monday, June 1, 2026, is expected to ground academic activities across public schools in the state.
The union said the action became imperative following what it described as growing insecurity in schools and the prolonged captivity of abducted teachers and pupils whose whereabouts remain unknown.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman of the Oyo State Wing of the NUT, Hassan Fatai, and the Secretary, Salami Olukayode, the union expressed concerns over the psychological impact of the incidents on teachers, learners and parents.
According to the union, the lingering abduction cases have created fear and anxiety among teachers, weakened confidence in the safety of schools and discouraged many parents from sending their children to school.
The statement read in part, “The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Oyo State Wing, hereby directs all public primary and secondary school teachers across the state to commence an indefinite strike action effective from Monday, June 1, 2026, pending urgent and decisive action by relevant authorities on the abduction of teachers and pupils.”
The union explained that the industrial action was aimed at compelling the government and security agencies to intensify efforts toward the immediate and unconditional release of the victims.
It urged teachers across the state to comply fully with the directive, remain peaceful and law-abiding, and prioritise their safety while staying away from classrooms during the strike.
The NUT also expressed solidarity with the abducted victims and their families, assuring that it would continue to engage relevant authorities until the victims were safely rescued.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare, safety and security of teachers and pupils, stressing that the protection of school communities remained non-negotiable.
No fewer than 2,243,816 candidates on Thursday commenced the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board across accredited Computer-Based Test centres nationwide.
The figure represents a 10.5 per cent increase from the 2.03 million candidates recorded in 2025.
The examination, which began on April 16, is being conducted in about 1,000 CBT centres nationwide, with candidates scheduled in four daily sessions to reduce congestion and improve verification processes.
The board said it had deployed biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems to safeguard the integrity of the exercise, noting that candidates whose biometric details could not be authenticated would be rescheduled.
Candidates were advised to print their examination slips from the JAMB portal to confirm their schedules and arrive at least one hour before their examination time.
Under the revised timetable, first-session candidates are expected at 7:00 a.m., followed by 9:00 a.m. for the second session, 11:00 a.m. for the third session, and 2:00 p.m. for the final session.
JAMB disclosed that Lagos State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with 381,814, followed by Ogun with 137,156 and Oyo with 122,662. Kaduna recorded 103,498 candidates, while the Federal Capital Territory had 102,961.
Other states include Rivers with 105,584 candidates and Kano with 83,167, while Borno and Zamfara recorded the lowest figures with 13,483 and 14,861 candidates respectively.
Outside Nigeria, participation remained low, with Côte d’Ivoire recording 32 candidates, followed by Equatorial Guinea with 16, Burkina Faso with 14, and the United Kingdom with 12 candidates.
As part of efforts to enhance efficiency, the board increased the number of CBT centres but delisted 23 centres across several states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, Edo, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory, over technical deficiencies observed during the mock examination.
The board said the action was necessary to maintain operational standards and ensure the credibility of the examination process.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force dismissed reports of insecurity at some centres, describing such claims as unfounded.
The police said it had deployed additional personnel, including patrol teams, perimeter surveillance units and rapid response squads, to ensure the safety of candidates nationwide.
The force added that it was collaborating with other security agencies to monitor the exercise and respond swiftly to any threats.
It assured parents and candidates of adequate security, urging candidates to comply with examination guidelines, arrive early and report suspicious activities.
The police also advised the public to disregard unverified information on social media and rely on official communication channels.
JAMB reiterated its commitment to transparency, warning candidates against accepting admissions outside its Central Admissions Processing System.
It stressed that any admission conducted outside CAPS would be considered illegal and would not be recognised.
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