WordPress

Author: Funmilayo Adeyemi

  • Education financing not for govt alone, philanthropists can assist – Minister

     

    Dr Emeka Offor (3rd from left); Dr Adaora Offor (4th from left) with friends at the reception held in Abuja in honour of the doctorate degree awards (honours) by the University of Nigeria Nsukka and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

    Assistance

    By Funmilayo Adeyemi

    Abuja, June 30, 2024 (NAN) The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has called on private individuals and philanthropists to assist the government in funding education in the country.

    Mamman made the plea in Abuja at an event organised in honour of Dr Emeka Offor and wife, Dr Adaora Offor, who were honoured with doctorate degrees.

    They were awarded the degrees in Business Administration and Social Advocacy (Honours) respectively by the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Anambra.

    The minister said, though the government had spent so much in funding education, private individuals and philanthropists needed to emulate what Emeka Offor and wife had done through their Foundation, to support education.

    “The ministry is encouraged with this kind of recognition because the government cannot finance education alone, just as it has contributed a lot.

    “That is why people like Emeka Offor and wife have stepped in, and what they are doing should be encouraged by others. I believe this is an excellent example of resources well used and I urged others to take a cue from what they have done,” Mamman said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the couple through Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF) created an endowment fund of N150 million for research and scholarly enterprise, in the faculties of Business Administration and Social Science of UNN and NAU respectively.

    While UNN received N100 million for research activities and scholarly enterprise that will impact the Faculty of Business Administration, NAU received N50 million for welfare of widows, children with special needs and other vulnerable members of the society.

    The Minister commended the donors for their kind gesture, expressing the hope that the endowment funds would be judiciously used for what they were meant for.

    “The good thing is that the endowment is tied to particular activities in the universities and there are clear terms for usage and I believe that the institutions will utilise the money,” he added.

    Mamman urged philanthropists and kind hearted individuals to also invest in the Federal Government safe school initiative to protect school children from attacks and other forms of violence.

    The celebrant and donor, Chief Emeka Offor, said the endowment funds would be a restricted one where the principal sum would be held in perpetuity except otherwise decided by SEOF and the Universities.

    Offor said the earnings from the invested assets would be expended according to the donor’s specifications, i.e. funding of research and
    scholarly enterprise in the Faculty of Business Administration and Social Science of both universities.

    “This gesture is our desire towards supporting higher education in Nigeria and strengthening the bond of friendship between the SEOF and the UNN/NAU.

    “By the time you create opportunities just like we have done to these universities, you are reducing the suffering of the masses by creating opportunities for the youths to get the right job.

    “We gave those monies as endowment funds and there are conditions attached for the usage; what that means is that the funds will be invested in high-yielding portfolios, not a risky one.

    “We don’t want to hear that the money was lost in a bank because they were looking for higher yields; what we want from this N150 million is to remain in the university system to support research, encourage professional exchanges with other countries to acquire knowledge.

    “The principal sum shall be maintained in a high-yielding but legitimate investment platform wherein SEOF and UNN/NAU shall nominate the signatories.

    “There shall be a committee to be set up between SEOF and UNN/NAU to manage the funds and take decisions as appropriate,” he said.

    Offor added that there must be a status report to be made available by the committee to both parties every 12 calendar months.

    Prof. Romanus Ezeokonkwo, the acting Vice Chancellor of UNN, assured that the fund would be judiciously used.

    He said; the donors mentioned what they want to do with the money and we will follow it judiciously and there will be no diversion.

    “It will be used to do what it was meant for, I assure you that.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    FAK/EMAF

    ========

    Edited by Emmanuel Afonne

  • FG, UNICEF, others push for enhancement of social protection

    FG, UNICEF, others push for enhancement of social protection

    Protection

    By Funmilayo Adeyemi

    Abuja, June 29, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and development partners, have emphasised the critical need to strengthen the social protection system to address growing poverty.

    This is contained in a communiqué jointly endorsed by UNICEF Representative, Ms. Cristian Munduate, EU Ambassador in Nigeria, Ms. Samuela Isopi, and Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of The Economy, Mr Wale Edun.

    The communiqué was issued in Abuja on Saturday at the end of the 3rd Edition of the Social Protection Cross Learning Summit.

    According to the communiqué, Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, faces significant challenges in human capital development, and deprivations in health, education, nutrition, water, hygiene, sanitation, and child protection.

    It noted that the situation underscored the urgency for comprehensive and effective social protection strategies.

    “In response to these challenges, the federal government introduced a cash transfer programme, providing N25,000 over a three-month period to poor and vulnerable households.

    “This initiative aims to alleviate immediate economic pressures and mitigate the socio-economic impact of recent economic reforms.

    “Our goal is to create a comprehensive support network that addresses the multifaceted needs of children and families, ultimately leading to improved outcomes in health, education, and overall well-being.

    “We must work together to bridge gaps and strengthen coordination,” the communiqué said

    Earlier in an address, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Edun, emphasised the importance of integrated social protection systems.

    Edun said the government was committed to ensure access to social protection for all and remove the barriers that people face in accessing these services.

    “As a result, the government is engaged to implement with the support from relevant stakeholders, including the Social Protection Development Partner Group, the agreed action points from the summit,” he said.

    Also, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Munduate, on behalf of the Social Protection Development Partners Group, said that social protection was crucial in realising the rights of every child.

    She said that Child-sensitive social protection was key to ensure that every child reached his or her full potential.

    “There is a need to ensure stronger linkages between social protection and essential social services with focus on health, education, and nutrition.

    “In of spite advancements, social protection coverage remains low, with only seven per cent of children covered.

    “Coordination mechanisms are weak, leading to fragmentation and inefficiency.

    “Therefore, the summit aims to generate actionable insights and foster collaboration among key players to enhance coverage, coordination, and financing of social protection interventions,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    FAK/AMM

    =========

    Edited by Abiemwense Moru

     

  • Former ambassador advocates selfless leaders for African progress

    Former ambassador advocates selfless leaders for African progress

    Leadership

    By Funmilayo Adeyemi/ Folasade Akpan

    Abuja, June 28, 2024 (NAN) A former Ambassador of Nigeria to Mexico, Prof. Hagher Iyorwuese, has advocated for selfless leadership for the future transformation and progress of the African continent.

    Iyorwuese, who was also Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, said this while speaking to journalists during the Public Presentation of his books in Abuja on Friday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the books, Beyond Ethnic Grievance-the Jukun-Tiv Crisis, Leadership Leading Africa out of Chaos and the English Language and its Discontent, were presented to celebrate Iyorwuese’s 75th birthday anniversary.

    Iyorwuese, also a professor of Theatre for Development, said Africa needed leaders, who could fight colonialism so that Africa would take its pride in the world continents.

    “The leadership book is all about what leadership entails and how we can all learn to be good leaders.

    “The book offers the theory of God centeredness and it is not specific to any religion. If you are a good Muslim or a good Christian, you should be a good leader.

    “There is no country like Nigeria that has almost the same number of Christians as Muslims. We must then come together and accept the need for us to be an exceptional country in Africa,” he said.

    Speaking on his book entitled, ‘Beyond Ethnic Grievance, the Jukun-Tiv Crisis’, Iyorwuese emphasised the need to come together collectively to build a strong nation.

    According to him, Nigeria needs to build a strong nation where its democracy place citizens as kings and its citizens have rights and privileges of human dignity, not toiled by any person.

    “Ethnic grievance is the biggest challenge in Nigeria. Two things have put us down- corruption and tribalism.

    “In my 75 years, I have experienced the Jukun-Tiv crisis and these people have been living together until the white men came,” he added.

    He, therefore, advised that collective engagement was critical in resolving crisis in the communities. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    FAK/ FOF/AMM

    ============

    Edited by Abiemwense Moru

  • UTME: JAMB releases 2024 supplementary results

    UTME: JAMB releases 2024 supplementary results
    Results
    By Funmilayo Adeyemi
    Abuja, June 28, 2024 (NAN) The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of candidates, who participated in the supplementary Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted between June 21 and June 22.
    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Friday by the board’s spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
    JAMB said the supplementary examination was conducted for 28,835 candidates, who were unable to be biometrically verified during the main 2024 UTME.
    Similarly, the board said the other category of candidates were those suspected to have been involved in examination malpractices during the main UTME but who were given a second chance to sit the examination.
    “The exercise, which recorded a huge success nationwide, was marked by heightened security
    measures put in place by the Board to preclude any instance of examination infractions.
    “As such, some nefarious characters, who had attempted to impersonate bona fide candidates were apprehended and handed over to law enforcement agencies for further investigation and prosecution,” the board said.
    The board said it will continue to ensure that no candidate benefit from any acts of infractions through the deployment of state-of-the-art technology before, during and after its examinations.
    JAMB therefore, urged candidates in their own interest  to refrain from engaging in any form of irregularities during their examinations.
    The board also enjoined candidates to desist from soliciting score upgrade from fraudsters or engage in the mutilation of their result sheets while trying to generate fake result sheets with higher scores.
    JAMB advised candidates to check their supplementary UTME results, candidates by sending UTMERESULT to either 55019 or 66019 through the same phone number they had used to generate their profile codes at the start of registration. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    FAK/SH
    ========
    edited by Sadiya Hamza

  • FG commits to implementing teachers’ scheme

    FG commits to implementing teachers’ scheme

    Scheme

    By Funmilayo Adeyemi

    Abuja, June 27, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government has pledged its commitment toward implementing the teachers’ scheme as a way to improve the quality of education in the country.

    The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman made the pledge at the Public Presentation of the Professional Standards for school Leadership, in Abuja on Thursday.

    The event was organised by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and supported by British Council and Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE).

    Mamman acknowledged the roles of teachers in developing value system at the heart of learners, hence the need to support their crucial roles.

    He pledged the commitment of the federal government to provide necessary resources, training, and support to help them succeed in their profession.

    The Minister maintained that the professional standards would serve as a comprehensive framework designed to support and enhance the effectiveness of school leadership.

    He said the standards were not merely guidelines, but a vision of what exemplary leadership should be by providing a clear pathway for professional growth and institutional success.

    “To our school leaders, we want to say this; our work is at the heart of our educational mission. You have the power to inspire, to innovate, and to make a lasting difference in the lives of countless students.

    “These standards are here to guide, support and challenge you to reach new heights. Embrace them with the passion and dedication that defines your leadership.

    “Let us all commit to upholding these standards, not as a set of rules, but as a shared vision of excellence.

    “Together, we can build education systems that do not only meet the needs of today but anticipates and prepares for the challenges of tomorrow.”

    Also, the Registrar of TRCN, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, said school leadership was critical to changing the landscape in teaching profession of the country.

    According to him, the idea is to produce instructional leadership in our school leaders.

    “So that they will not only be managing the chalk and duster but they will also be able to manage the instruction in their various school systems.

    “Nigeria is the first country in Africa to have a professional standard for school leadership which is a milestone achievement and being recorded under the TRCN.

    “We want to see this professional standards making impact in our school leaders because over the years we have now come to realise that apart from the learners factor, the next most critical factor in a school system is the school leaders.

    “We believe that if this school leadership document is well utilised, it will transform our classrooms and school system.

    “If we have good leaders in our school system, it will revolutionalise our school system and we will begin to see better results from our schools,” he said.

    On his part, the Director Programmes, British Council, Chikodi Onyemerela, said effective school leadership would invariably create an effective learning environment that students could benefit from.

    Onyemerela said that school leadership was an indispensable outcome of the whole school system.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the professional standards comprised five core domains which are: promoting school improvement and innovation and leading teaching and learning.

    Others are developing self and others, leading and managing the school and engaging and working with the community. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    FAK/AMM

    =========

    Edited by AbiemwenseMoru

  • NUT calls for restoration of TRCN funding

    Funding
    By Funmilayo Adeyemi
    Abuja, June 27, 2024 (NAN) The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT)  has called on the Federal Government to reverse its decision to stop funding the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
    The National President of NUT, Audu Amba, made the call at the Public Presentation of the Professional Standards for School Leadership in Abuja on Thursday.
    Amba said that the decision to stop funding the council was inimical, noting that the council was critical to the development of teaching profession in the country.
    “TRCN is the regulatory body that professionalise everyone that teaches in primary, secondary schools and universities.
    “We woke up overnight to hear that the federal government decided to stop funding of the TRCN.
    “I have never seen anywhere in the world that a regulatory body that supposed to regulate the teaching profession is not funded; do we really mean business when doing this?
    He said that the country placed much attention to other aspects while giving lip service to the teaching profession, the real implementer of other sectors.
    “Are we saying that teachers are inconsequential? We will not allow it go as leaders of teachers.
    “We will agitate and make sure government fund TRCN because we have gone a long way as the leading country in Africa, so we can’t be seen retracting,” he said.
    Speaking on professionalism, the Registrar/Chief Executive of TRCN, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye said the review of the Professional Standards for School Leadership was undertaken to reflect the evolving instructional roles of school leaders.
    Ajiboye said it was also to provide a comprehensive guiding framework that addressed the contemporary challenges and opportunities within the education system.
    According to him, while the existing professional standards emphasised the administrative responsibilities of school leaders, there was a recognised need to establish comprehensive standards that address their crucial role in instructional leadership.
    “This charged them with the responsibility to provide professional learning for teachers and are considered as the most effective type of leadership practice for improving student learning outcomes.
    “The document is setting the stage for a transformative impact on the educational landscape of Nigeria.
    “The standards outlined herein are intended to promote a culture of continuous improvement, professional growth, and accountability among school leaders,” he said.
    He expressed hope that the standards would be embraced and implemented with the seriousness and dedication they deserved while contributing significantly to the enhancement of educational quality and equity across the country. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    FAK/MNA
    Edited by Maureen Atuonwu
    =====

  • FG, ASUU  end meeting, agree on amicable resolution

    Strike
    By Funmilayo Adeyemi
    Abuja, June 26, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on  Wednesday ended their closed door meeting with an agreement that all contentious issues will be amicably resolve to avert strike.
    The parties also agreed to  kick-start a communication process to avert the planned industrial actions by the union.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the parties had entered into a close-door meeting which began at about 4:30 p.m. at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
    The meeting which lasted for over two hours,
    had in attendance the two Ministers overseeing Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, and Dr Yusuf Sununu and other top officials in the ministry in the federal government’ team
    The ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, who led the union’s team, told newsmen after the meeting that negotiation process had begun, while hoping that the federal government would follow up on what had been agreed on.
    “We have discussions on all the issues and we have given assignment to some people to look at, and agreed on the way forward.
    On the two-week ultimatum issued by the union, Osodeke said they would go back and give the details of the meeting to their members.
    “What is important is that we have started the process and our prayers is that we resolve it for the interest of our young men and the interest of the nation .
    “The government has spent one year in office and we have not been called for any formal meeting. Today we are having the first formal meeting.
    “There is a process we have started and we are going to set deadlines, we are going to meet to look at what has been done on those issues and we hope the process will continue,” he said.
    On his part,  Mamman said that consultations would commence immediately to overcome the problems bedeviling education.
    “We’ve had a very good meeting and a very productive one. We’ve discussed progress on how to ensure that the system works well and lots of the issues we talked about are those that we inherited and some ongoing.
    “We discussed them all without exception and we have consensus on the way forward.
    “A lot of consultations will still continue on some information we don’t have, which are beyond the scope of the ministry and which will require us to connect with our colleagues in other ministries.
    “But, the most important thing is that we had a very good meeting and agreed to continue with the consultations to overcome the problems bedeviling education in Nigeria,” he said.
    It will be recalled that ASUU had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the federal government’s failure to meet its demands.
    The union had charged the government to act within two weeks to address all outstanding demands by the union.
    Some of the issues of contention are removal from IPPIS, Renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, all the backlog of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and all the outstanding salaries, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    FAK/ROT
    ========
    Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

     

  • Strike: FG, ASUU in closed-door meeting

    Strike

    By Funmilayo Adeyemi

    Abuja, June 26, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government delegation and the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), are in closed door meeting to discuss lingering crisis and avert strike by the Union.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the meeting holding on Wednesday in the office of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman,commenced at about 4.30p.m.

    The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu and other top officials in the ministry are in the federal government” team

    The ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, who led the union’s delegation told newsmen that the meeting was to deliberate on lingering issues affecting the universities to avert the planned strike actions.

    “There are a lot of issues that are outstanding within the system and we believe that before now, they would have been takwn care of.

    ‘The issues would have been resolved in line with the promise made by President Bola Tinubu and there will not be strike in the university system.

    “We hope that this meeting will be able to resolve some of these issues so that we can move forward as a country as well as our university system,” he said.

    Earlier, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, said the meeting would provide an opportunity for both parties to rub minds on issues affecting the university system.

    Mamman said that ASUU had earlier written to the ministry, detailing a number of issues and concerns affecting the universities and the union.

    He said that the issues required interactions between the union and government officials to avert any strike proposed by the union.

    NAN reports that the closed door meeting is still ongoing as at the time of filing this report.

    ASUU had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the federal government’s failure to meet its demands.

    Osodeke had charged the government to act within two weeks to address all outstanding demands by the union(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    FAK/ROT

    ========

    Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

  • Adult literacy: FG calls for collective engagement to reduce gap

    Adult literacy: FG calls for collective engagement toward reducing gaps
    Literacy
    By Funmilayo Adeyemi
    Abuja, June 25, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government has solicited stakeholders’   collective engagement to close the literacy gaps among youths and adults in the country.
    The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, made the appeal at a National Stakeholders’ Engagement on Achieving Youth and Adult Literacy on Tuesday in Abuja.
    The event organised by the National Commission For Mass Literacy, Adult and Non- Formal Education (NMEC) has the theme: “Addressing the Challenges of Data Collection, Out-of-School Children/Youths.”
    A report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that Yobe had the lowest literacy level of 7.23 per cent in 2017, Zamfara 19.16 per cent, Katsina 10.36 per cent and Sokoto 15.01 per cent.
    The report showed that Southern states were far better with Imo the highest with 96.43 per cent, Lagos 96.3 per cent, Ekiti 95.79 per cent, and Rivers 95.76 per cent.

    The minister, however, said that there must be an holistic approach toward improving the quality of knowledge and certificate given to the adults and non-formal schools.

    “The stakeholders engagement is to carry everybody along and get the buying in of all Nigerians.
    “The way forward for us is to pay attention to education and this is not only for children but holistic in adults and non-formal education and this education must be backed with certification.
    ” We are trying to see how we can improve the quality of knowledge and certificate that can be given to our adults and non-formal schools.
    “We also want to incorporate skills acquisition into it so that they can also have skills,” he said.
    Sununu added that there was need to begin to create awareness campaign that would help parents appreciate the importance of an educated society.
    “For you to have an educated children,  you must have an educated family.
    “There is a direct relationship of the education of the offsprings to that of the parent,” he said.
    The minister expressed hope in the future of the country, saying that President Bola Tinubu was keen to eradicate low literacy level and education in the country.
    According to him, the president has achieved relative success in this with the return of over 2 million children back to school.
    Sununu said that Imo and Lagos states had remained at the top position of states with high literacy rate and called other states like Zamfara, Yobe and the rest to follow suit.
    Also, the Executive Secretary of NMEC, Prof. Simon Akpama, said the roadmap for the Nigerian Education Sector had provided a strategic framework to tackle literacy challenges head-on.
    Akpama urged stakeholders to harness the diverse expertise and resources to create inclusive and effective educative programmes that would enhance unhindered access to quality education.
    “The population increase contributes to increasing number of out-of-school children and once parental illiteracy is high, it will contribute to increasing the number.
    “We must support government in funding adequately youth and adult literacy.
    “Except this commission is properly funded, we will continue to compound the problem of out-of-school children,” he said.
    Meanwhile, the Chairman, House Committee on Alternative Education, Mr Ibrahim Mustapha, commended the political will of the President toward changing the literacy narrative of the country.
    Mustapha also expressed the commitment and support of the National Assembly in achieving an educated society. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    FAK/AOS
    =========
    Edited by Bayo Sekoni

  • Student loan: NELFUND postpones application process

    Postponement
    By Funmilayo Adeyemi
    Abuja, June 25, 2024 (NAN) The Management of Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announce a 14-day postponement of the application process for student loan for state institutions due to low data submissions.
    This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Head, Media and Public Relations of the Fund, Nasir Ayitogo.
    Ayitogo said the decision was necessitated by the failure of several state owned institutions to upload the required student data and fees information to the NELFUND Student Verification System (SVS).
    “To date, only a limited number of state owned institutions have successfully completed the data submission process.
    “These include 20 state universities out of 48, 12 state colleges out of 54 and two state polytechnics out of 49,” he said.
    He acknowledged the efforts of the institutions who had completed their data.
    He however noted that the failure to submit data from the remaining state institutions would pose significant challenges to ensuring a seamless and accurate verification process for student loan applicants.
    He added that the the application window, initially set to open on June 25, 2024, would now commence on July 10, 2024.
    “This extension will provide additional time for state institutions to comply with the data submission requirements and ensure their students can benefit from the Federal Government student loan scheme.
    “To facilitate an efficient and error-free application process, it is crucial that all state institutions provide complete and accurate information.
    “This includes JAMB numbers, matriculation numbers, admission numbers, full names, level, faculties, departments, duration of program, fees and gender of all eligible students.
    “Incomplete or incorrect data submissions will result in application delays and potential disqualification for affected students,” he added.
    He urged all state institutions to expedite their data submission processes and ensure the accuracy of the information provided. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    FAK/EAL
    ====
    Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi