On Sunday night, Magnus Eze, an Assistant Editor at The Sun Newspapers, was honoured as the Education Reporter of the Year 2023 at the esteemed Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA), winning the Ibrahim Shekarau Prize for Best Education Report. The ceremony took place at the prestigious MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos.
Eze’s compelling report titled “Ebonyi: Pupils Without Teachers,” published in the Daily Sun on November 24, 2023, surpassed numerous entries to claim the award. The report highlighted the dire state of basic education in Ebonyi State, where many pupils are subjected to challenging learning environments in dilapidated buildings, with some sitting on bare floors, whilst nearly all the schools lack essential sanitation facilities.
A significant number of schools were reported to be without teachers, whereas others were overstaffed. Additionally, several classrooms were overcrowded. The special report stemmed from a survey conducted by the non-governmental organisation, Technology for Transformative Development Foundation (TTD), commissioned by USAID, which painted a heartrending picture of the situation. Ewah Otu Eleri, the Executive Director of TTD and a passionate advocate for basic education, described some of the schools in the state as akin to poultry farms during an interview.
It took the Daily Sun six months to verify and validate the NGO’s report. This thorough investigation involved touring various villages in Ebonyi State and engaging with local stakeholders, ultimately culminating in this NMMA recognition.
Eze reflected on the effort, stating, “An NGO led by an education enthusiast, Ewah Otu Eleri from Afikpo in the Afikpo Local Government Area, was able to release findings from its study of basic education schools in Ebonyi State. As a journalist, we meticulously revisited their work, visiting these schools ourselves. Our validation process took about six months, and what we uncovered was stunning and heartrending.”
“I give God the glory while thanking The Sun team, especially the Editor, Daily Sun, and Associate Editor, Lifeline and Investigation, for their dedicated contribution to the report,” said an elated Eze.
