EDUCATION

EDUCATION: AHMED CHARGES COMMITTEE ON GOOD RESOLUTIONS

 

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wara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has charged delegates at the 2017 Joint Consultative Committees on Education, JCCE meeting to come up with resolutions that will uplift education to the deserved level in the Country.

Governor Ahmed, represented by his Deputy, Elder Peter Kisira who gave the charge while declaring open the meeting in Ilorin, urged the delegates to identify, collate, analyze and select the best among the memoranda from the meeting towards efficient tackling of the challenges especially funding in the education sector.

The Governor noted that unemployment was a social problem that was threatening to evolve into a serious security challenge unless nipped in  the bud.

In his keynote address, the Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Engineer Musa Yeketi stated that education was a social service to the people that required adequate funding.

The Chairperson of the Joint Consultative Committee on Education, Doctor Chioma Nwadei who noted that education was the key for achieving all the seventeen goals in the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals called for adequate funding of the education sector by all stakeholders.

‘REPOSITIONING EDUCATION SYSTEM WILL GUARANTEE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT’

D irector of Mayfield Montessori Private School, Okota, Lagos, Mrs. Maria Oby Okechukwu, has called on policy makers to reposition the country’s education system, content and delivery so as to achieve a national development.

Speaking with newsmen at the school’s “Read 2 Learn Programme,” launched recently, Okechukwu said effort should also be made to increase support for educational programmes, as doing so will increase literacy among the citizens.

She urged good spirited individuals and corporate organisations to help promote and sponsor educational programmes rather than entertainment, which according to her, promotes mediocrity over robust educational content.

She said: “No nation can succeed without massive investment in education. Education remains the best legacy that can be given to any individual and that is why we are striving to ensure quality delivery to our pupils. Policy makers in the education sector should therefore redesign the education content and delivery methodology so that our country can begin to reap the dividends of good education system.”

On the newly launched programme, she said that the school was making conscientious effort to vigorously encourage children to imbibe sound reading culture. She called on parents and teachers to join hands in developing ways to make reading attractive to pupils.

“The decline in the reading habit of children and the youths can be traced to their sudden dedication to social media platform which had negative impact on their personality, comportment and reasoning. In Mayfield, we buy gifts as incentives or rewards to children who can finish a reading task; this propels them to want to outshine others.

“Our main focus is on providing solid primary education such that when our children graduates and write exams for higher education they will always be on top. Our curriculum is tailored in such a way that each child is raised to stand out. We have periodic parent-teacher meeting to decide a number of things geared towards producing a total child,” she added.

JAMB SCRAPS USE OF AWAITING RESULTS FOR ADMISSION

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andidates waiting for their O’level results will no longer be offered or recommended for admission by any institution effective from this year (2017), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said.

The board also said it has concluded all restructuring and reforms and is now ready to begin sales of its application document in March.

The organization in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by its Head of Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the restructuring is to expand the opportunities available to candidates as almost all the public universities do not consider candidates on the second choice list because they hardly exhaust their first choice.

JAMB said it took the decision because it found out that many institutions had offered candidates admission in the past on merit only for them to discover that such candidates do not have qualified O’level results for the admission and had to delete and start the process all over again.

The organization said it would ensure that no candidate is recommended for admission without his/her O’levels result being supplied.

To achieve this, JAMB said it would insist that candidates supply their result on its website during registration or later, but before admissions commences for them to be considered for admissions.

This, the board said, would allow only qualified candidates to be considered for admissions.

The statement said: “The summary is that no candidate will be admitted with awaiting result.

In the cause of conducting admission exercise, many institutions have admitted candidates on merit only for them to discover that such candidates do not have qualified O’levels results or the right combination for admission and had to delete and start the process all over again. With this, they would have denied other qualified candidates the opportunities for admissions.

“This we are addressing by ensuring that no candidate is henceforth recommended without his O’levels result being supplied. To achieve this, JAMB will insist that candidates supply their result on its website during registration or later, but before admissions commences for them to be considered for admissions. We believe this will allow only qualified candidates to be considered for admissions.

“Because we need a different and progressive result that will position Nigerian educational system in an enviable height in the comity of nations, then we must do things differently. The Board is poised to see that a reasonable percentage of candidates who take this examination and are qualified find placement in tertiary institutions.

“Candidates and their parents are also to note that the Board has restructured the registration platform to allow for only one choice of Public University. The new registration platform will now be first choice, second choice, third choice and fourth choice and not most preferred, preferred etc as it was.

 “Candidates’ first choice can be a College, University, Innovative Enterprises Institutions or Polytechnic/Monotechnic. However, if a candidate makes a Public University his first choice, he will not have any public University to choose for 2^nd, 3rd and 4^th choice. He will have on the remaining three choices, a College, a Polytechnic, Private University and IEI’S. However, candidates for the 2017 UTME can now select NCE (College) or ND (Polytechnic/Monotechnic) as their 1^st choice up to 3^rd choice and the 4^th IEI. They can select the IEI (Innovative Enterprise Institution, ND) as their 1^st choice up to the 4^th choice, but can only pick a public university once.”

The board said it had designed a Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) where it would interface with institutions and ensure they complied with the reform.

“We sincerely appreciate the patience exhibited by Nigerians in allowing us take time to add value to the services we have been offering to Nigerians for over three decades.

“We have designed a Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) where the Board will interface with the institutions and ensure the compliance of this reform.

“The registration of UTME this year will go side by side with the  Direct Entry and during registration, candidates 10 fingers are to be captured using Biometric Verification Machine (BVN).

“Again, we want to inform candidates that no cyber café will be registering candidates for our examination. On no account should any candidate patronize any cybercafé for our registration. It is important to note that the Board will not deploy the use of any scratch card for the 2017 UTME registration exercise,” the statement added.

FEMALE PROFESSOR CAUGHT IN EXAM MALPRACTICE SUSPENDED

The University of Jos (UNIJOS) has suspended one of its academic Staff who was allegedly caught cheating while writing an examination on May 4.

Benedicta Daudu, an associate professor of law and former head of the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law of the Faculty of Law in UNIJOS, was allegedly caught copying from a prepared answer during an examination for a Master’s degree in Research and Public Policy in the Faculty of Social Sciences of the same university.

The development was exclusively reported by PREMIUM TIMES on May 21, frustrating what some staff and student described as a plot by the university to cover up the matter.

After the report, Mrs. Daudu’s membership of the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption was immediately suspended.

Insiders at UNIJOS have revealed that the lecturer has been suspended from work, and from the Masters Programme.

“I can confirm to you that the Senate Disciplinary Committee found her guilty of the allegations, and has suspended her from the Masters programme for two semesters,” an official of the university told this newspaper.

“Also, the matter was referred to the Staff Disciplinary Committee which also suspended her from work. So she is no longer teaching.”

Another official of the university said the professor sued the institution over her suspension.

When contacted by telephone on Monday, Mrs. Daudu, the affected professor said, “Please excuse me, please, please” after our reporter asked her for updates on her examination malpractice case.

Asked when the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) would allow the professor back to her post, Executive Secretary, Bolaji Owasanoye, said, “Until matter is resolved, she remains away from PACAC.”

The committee, headed by prominent law professor and civil rights campaigner, Itse Sagay, and made up of mainly university professors, is the intellectual wing of Mr Buhari’s anti-corruption war.

The mandate of the committee includes advising the President on the implementation of required reforms in Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign and criminal justice system.

Although she has a Masters in Law, the associate professor was working towards another Masters in Research and Public Policy.

The department later accused her of sneaking in prepared answers, also referred to as “chokes” by students, during the examination for the Global Context in Public Policy course.

ASUU STRIKE: STUDENTS APPEAL FOR FG’S URGENT INTERVENTION

.If govt. fails to do the needful, we go on indefinite strike – ASUU

Some students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) have appealed to the Federal Government to urgently look into grievances of striking lecturers to forestall incessant strikes in universities.

The students made the appeal in Nsukka on Tuesday while reacting to the ongoing warning strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The President of the Students Union Government (SUG) in the university, Mr Emmanuel Chukwu pleaded with President Muhammad Buhari to urgently address the grievances of the striking lecturers.

Chukwu said that this had become necessary in order to prevent disruption in the academic calendar of universities in the country.

Miss Amarachi Okafor of the Department of Psychology urged the Federal Government to dialogue with ASUU not to allow the strike snowballed into an indefinite one. Okafor also pleaded with ASUU to consider the plight of students who would be spending extra years in the university, especially in this period of recession.

Meanwhile, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chairman of UNN chapter, Dr Ifeanyi Abada has said that if government failed to meet with ASUU’s demands they will go on an indefinite strike.

Dr.  Abada said that academic activities grounded in the university in compliance of directive by the National Executive Committee of ASUU.

“NEC made efforts to resolve this issue with government but it remained unyielding because of its insensitivity to issues concerning education.

“Since government failed to do the needful, ASUU is left with no option than to proceed on a one week warning strike and failure to meet with our demands we will go on an indefinite strike,’’ he said.

Abada said that ASUU was not taking it lightly with government on issues raised, especially the demand that universities be exempted from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy.

“The strike compliance in UNN is total, no lectures, no examinations no departmental and faculty meetings as members will not participate.

“UNN chapter will not renege on the directive of the national body till government addresses all the issues raised. “Our monitoring team is moving round and any lecturer found teaching will be sanctioned accordingly,’’ he said.

ASUU STRIKE; ITS UNCONSTITUTIONAL- FG

The Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja asked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to rescind its decision to embark on a one week warning strike from Nov. 16,  noting that it is unconstitutional owing to the prevailing circumstances.

It said, as its employer, the federal government is equally yet to receive any petition from the academic body on their claimed

It said, as its employer, the federal government is equally yet to receive any petition from the academic body on their claimed nationwide consultations with it.

Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment who gave the statement urged ASUU to shelve the strike to make room to address contending issues.

Ngige via a statement issued by Mr Samuel Olowokere, Deputy Director of Press in the Ministry, said shelving the strike would ensure wider consultation. 

“The claims of nationwide consultations by ASUU cannot be true as the Ministry of Labour and Employment which is the chief conciliator of industrial relations disputes is yet to receive a direct petition from ASUU. “This is against the Federal Government who is the jurisdictional employer, ‘’ he said.

He emphasised the need for a proper re-negotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement which ASUU reached with the previous administration through a clear channel of social dialogue.

He said channel of dialogue would consist of the immediate employer, the Ministry of Education, and the Labour Ministry. Ngige explained that in view of the prevailing circumstances, the issuance of warning strike by union was unconstitutional.

“ The body is yet to exhaust the conflict resolution mechanisms clearly mapped out in the labour laws, ‘’he added.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday said it would embark on a week warning strike over failure by the Federal Government to implement the 2009 Agreement and 2013 MoU.

ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said Many aspects of the 2013 MoU and the 2009 Agreement with the Federal Government were either been unimplemented or despairingly handled.

“The agreements are: Payments of staff entitlements since December 2015, funding of universities for revitalisation, pension, TSA and university autonomy and renegotiation of 2009 Agreement.

“Failure by the Federal Government to implement this agreement has put ASUU leadership in severe difficulty, responding to inquiries from members of the union about the state of our agreement,’’ he said

FG APPROVES TAKE-OFF OF 8 NEW PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES

THE Federal Government yesterday gave its nod to the take-off of eight new private universities in Nigeria.

This was sequel to a memo approved by the National Universities Commission, NUC, and presented to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, by the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja, yesterday.

With this development, the number of universities in Nigeria has increased from 143 to 151, while the number of private universities has risen to 69 from 61.

The eight universities and their promoters include Anchor University, Ayobo, Lagos, owned by Deeper Christian Life Ministry; Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Cross River, engineered by the Clitter House Nigeria Limited; Clifford University, Owerrinta, Abia, owned by Seventh Day Adventist Church; Coal City University, Enugu, operated by African Thinkers Community of Inquiry College of Education, Enugu; Crown-Hill University, Eiyenkorin, Kwara, floated by Modern Morgy and Sons Limited; Dominican University, Ibadan, the brainchild of Order of Preachers, Nigerian Dominican Community; Kola Daisi University, Ibadan came from Kola Daisi Foundation and Legacy University, Okija, an idea of The Good Idea Education Foundation.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka, said the reason for the approval was to give the teeming youths the opportunity to acquire university education Anwuka, who was joined by his counterparts in Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: “The Ministry of Education submitted a memo to Council this morning seeking approval for eight private universities as recommended by NUC after very serious comprehensive and exhaustive compliance to the conditions that warrant such approval.

 Anwuka said the new universities would be supervised by the older universities within their zone for a period of three years to assist them put necessary infrastructure in place, adding that the supervision was in sync with the law. He said:

“While approving these universities for licensing provisionally for three years, the Universities should be mentored by some existing older Universities in Nigeria.

And those will include: Anchor University will be mentored by University of Lagos, Akoka; Arthur Jarvis University will be mentored by University of Calabar; Cliffored will be mentored by University of Agriculture, Umudike; Coal City University will be mentored by University of Nigeria, Nsukka. “Crown-Hill University will be mentored by University of Ilorin.

Dominican University will be mentored by University of Ibadan. Kola Daisi University will mentored by University of Ibadan. Legacy University will be mentored by Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.”

FG URGED TO DECLARE EMERGENCY ON EDUCATION

National Coordinator, Education Sector Investment Promotion Initiatives, Mrs. Arete Amana, has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the education sector.

She also called on the government to set up a presidential task force to look at some of the problems affecting Nigeria’s education and project ways to accelerate development of the sector.

Mrs. Amana, who stated this in Abuja at a briefing ahead of EDUINVEST 2016 in Calabar, Cross River state, urged government to develop political will and commitment to declare state of emergency in the sector for 10 years.

50 MILLION NIGERIAN ADULTS ARE ILLITERATE, SAYS COMMISSION

 

Nigeria has about 50 million number of non-literate adults in the country, Executive Secretary, ‎National Commission for Mass Literacy (NMEC), Abba Haladu, has said.

Prof. Haladu gave the figure on Tuesday in Abuja to mark the 50th International Literacy Day with the theme: “Reading the Past, Writing the Future.”

He said Nigeria was unfortunately experiencing increased numbers of non-literate adults while other countries continue to record progress.

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He said the high rate of illiteracy in the country had become a challenge to achieving national sustainable development.

Prof. Haladu said: “Tremendous progress has been made in the fight against illiteracy in the last five decades, yet the world is still home to at least 758 million illiterate adults, and about two thirds of them are women.

“In Nigeria in particular, the illiteracy situation is still troubling. With an estimated figure of over 50 million adult illiterates and 11.5 million out of school children, the problem of illiteracy remains one of Nigeria’s greatest obstacles to development.

“In fact, UNESCO 2016, contends that as other regions of the world are recording progress in the fight against illiteracy, Sub-Saharan Africa, in which Nigeria has the highest number of population, is unfortunately experiencing rising absolute numbers of non-literate adults.”

Haladu, who called on the Federal government to upturn the unwholesome illiteracy statistics, also urged state and local governments, non governmental organisations and the organised private sector, to ensure the necessary material support needed to eradicate illiteracy were adequately provided.

 

In his address, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment towards addressing the challenges of adult literacy by providing quality education for all through the implementation of effective policies.

Represented by the Director, Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs. Ann Okonkwo, the minister said adult illiteracy would affect the status of women, fertility, children’s development, economic productivity and political processes.

He said: “Efforts would be made to strengthen equity and access, equality, funding, teacher quality, effective curriculum implementation, human resource development and provision of infrastructure, to equip young people and adult learners with the right knowledge and skills for global citizenship.”

Adamu called on stakeholders to rededicate themselves and come up with new mode of operations, innovative initiatives in content and pedagogical methods, to provide sufficient and appropriate learning options for youth and adults who did not enrol in school or dropped out from school.

 

EFCC ARRAIGNS ILLEGAL POLYTECHNIC OPERATOR IN ADO-EKITI

 

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Office on Monday arraigned in a Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti an illegal polytechnic operator

The alleged illegal operator, Johnson Babatola, was arraigned before Justice Taiwo Taiwo on a seven count bordering on advance fee fraud and operation of illegal Polytechnic.

Babatola, a former Principal Manager of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ado-Ekiti branch pleaded not guilty to the charges

The EFCC said that the suspect was arrested following a petition from the National Board for Technical Education in Kaduna, alleging that he was operating an illegal polytechnic named Teedek Polytechnic at Ilogbo, Ekiti State.

The board said that the accused had allegedly extorted gullible students, who were not aware of the status of the institution.

The petitioner further alleged that some of the students of the polytechnic had earlier reported the institution to the board and they had published the school as an illegal institution in some national dailies.

It said that the accused failed to stop the fraudulent act and as such continued to fleece innocent students through the polytechnic.

The petitioner said that Babatola had sometime between the month of August, 2013 and March 2015 intended to defraud Adakeja Thomas Olusola at Ilogbo Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the court.

The accused had intended obtaining the sum of N118, 000.00 from Adakeja, having falsely represented that the money was tuition fees.

It said that the accused had told the victim that money was for the award of National Diploma Certificate by Teedek Polytechnic.

The offence contravened section 1 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006”.

His counsel, Mr. Clatus Nachata, applied for his bail, which the prosecuting counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi, opposed

The Judge after listening to the argument of both counsel, granted bail to the accused in the sum of two million Naira with two sureties in like sum.

Taiwo said that one of the sureties must be the traditional ruler of Ilogbo-Ekiti and the second surety must be one of those sureties during the administrative bail earlier granted him by the EFCC.

He said that both sureties shall depose to an affidavit of means and all the documents verified by the EFCC during his administrative bail shall be deposited with the registrar of the court.

The accused person shall deposit his international passport with the court and be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

Taiwo adjourned the case till Oct. 18, Oct. 24 and Oct. 27 for hearing.

KWARA CLOSES 10 PRIVATE SCHOOLS BUILT WITH WOOD

 

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he Kwara Government on Friday said it had closed down 10 private schools built with wooden slabs and operating without due authorisation from the state government.

Hajia Zainab Bello, the Director, Quality Assurance Bureau (QAB) of the Kwara Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that the schools were unsuitable for child learning.

Bello said that these schools were closed down due to poor infrastructure and unconducive learning environment.

She said that the pupils could not assimilate well in an untidy environment.

The director assured of the state’s government commitment to ensure quality education, stressing that government would continue to close illegal private schools.

“These schools are built with wood slabs and the surrounding could not be said to be suitable for human beings, talk-less of little children.

“The children are packed and sandwiched in the untidy classrooms demarcated with slabs.

“There is no way any child can receive sound education in uncompleted buildings, that is why the Quality Assurance Bureau team are fishing out illegal private schools in the state,” Bello said.

She expressed disappointment at the disobedience shown by some proprietors who went ahead with the schools in spite of several warnings from the state government.

Bello warned school proprietors that the state government had zero tolerance for unauthorised private schools and that those found would be dealt with to serve as deterrent to others.

The director mentioned the affected schools to include New Creation Nursery and Primary School, Adabata, Habitat Nursery and Primary School, Al- Salam Nursery and Primary School, Allahu Samad Arabic School as well as Almalik Nursery and Primary School.

“Others schools affected are Great Success Nursery and Primary School, Isale Aluko, Aduni Success Islamic and Arabic International Model Center Ajikobi.

Bello also listed others as Ridwanulkahi Nursery and Primary School, Isale Aluko, Alubarka Nursery and Primary School, Ajikobi and Almubashirina Nursery and Primary School, Ajikobi.

JAMB WON’T EXTEND NOV. 30 DEADLINE FOR ADMISSIONS, SAYS OLOYEDE
 

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he Nov. 30 deadline for conclusion of admissions into higher institutions for 2016 remains effective, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said on Friday.

The Registrar of the board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, reaffirmed the deadline in Abuja in his address at the opening of an Extra-Ordinary Technical Committee Meeting on 2016 Admissions to First Choice Institutions.

The meeting held at the Baze University, Abuja. He said that the meeting was an indication that the board was ready to attend to legitimate requests of its stakeholders and clients in the collective quest for efficiency.

Oloyede said that JAMB would be flexible except in cases where flexibility would be unethical or inimical to national interest.

According to him, the meeting is in line with the board’s pledge to be consultative and all-inclusive in the discharge of its functions.

“The First Technical Committee Meeting was held in Bayero University, Kano, from Aug. 22 to Aug. 26, where institutions were expected to make submissions for their first choice admissions to admissions’ panels at the technical sessions.

“However, some institutions informed the meeting that they were not ready to make submissions as internal processes leading to the exercise had not been completed.

“The affected institutions requested for an earlier special date than the date for the Second Technical Committee Meeting scheduled for Nov. 14 in Owerri, Imo State,’’ he said.

Oloyede said that he expected the institutions represented at the meeting to be prepared to make presentations of their recommended candidates to the board. He said that the meeting was primarily for placement of suitably qualified candidates into tertiary institutions.

“As such, I need to re-state my earlier submission that the senate and the academic boards of the institutions have the primary responsibility of recommending candidates to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for admissions.

“JAMB will not initiate or insert any candidates but will, as expected, ensure that no candidate is unjustly treated by any institution.

“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board is thus a referee for justice, equity and standards,” he said.

The registrar said that the only difference in the 2016 admissions process was the policy that there should be no written post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination test.

He said that other admission processes remained. The registrar urged institutions yet to update their requirements for the 2017 brochure to urgently do so. Read more