Author: premier radio premier radio

NAN-H-50

Examination

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, April 26, 2017 (NAN) The West African Examinations Council on Wednesday warned candidates against patronising fraudsters in the ongoing 2017 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Mr Damian Ojijeogu, the Head, Public Affairs of the council, said in a statement in Lagos that schools and parents should also warn candidates against patronising cyber criminals, who are out to swindle them.

According to Ojijeogu, the attention of the council has been drawn to the activities of some fraudulent individuals who are out to extort money from gullible candidates participating in the ongoing WASSCE.

“These fraudsters try to distract the candidates by posting on the internet cloned/photo shopped images of supposedly WASSCE question papers and answers.

“We wish to advise candidates to remain focused and shun any form of distraction in order not to ruin their future by participating in the fraud.

“The council has deployed software that can detect any form of cheating, even in objective tests.

“In this regard, therefore, we advise candidates to study hard for their examination, as that is the only honourable way to success,’’ he said.

Ojijeogu also warned parents to discourage their children from patronising fraudsters, but rather encourage them to stay focused and strive for success.

“We also strongly appeal to school principals, supervisors and invigilators to help the council to enforce the rules and regulations guiding the conduct of the examination.

“This is especially by preventing candidates from bringing foreign materials such as cribs, cell phones and other electronic devices into the examination hall.

“The penalty for a defaulter could be as stiff as the cancellation of candidate’s entire results.’’

Meanwhile, the Head of National Office (HNO) of WAEC, Mr Olu Adenipekun, told NAN that the council would continue to strive hard to protect the integrity of its examinations.

He said no amount of blackmail by fraudsters would make the council compromise the pedigree of its examinations.

“So far, I am happy with the conduct of the ongoing examination nationwide.

“Everything has been going on fine as intended, and our supervisors, council members and examiners are all fully on ground to see to the success of the examination.

“As expected, there have been some cases of malpractice like impersonation among others that have been reported.

“We want to assure that the culprits will not go unpunished when we conclude investigations on the cases.

“No amount of malpractice at the ongoing examination will go without being detected.

“And that is why we are calling on the candidates, their parents and schools to shun activities of fraudsters.

“The fraudsters are only out to destroy the future of the ones that will fall victims of their game plans,’’ Adenipekun said. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/SOA

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Oluwole Sogunle

NAN-H-57

Salaries

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, April 24, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Education has appealed to the staff of King’s College, Lagos to be patient with government while it resolves irregularity in their salaries.

The Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Mrs Priscilla Ihuoma, made the appeal during a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

According to her, the ministry is working hard to ensure that the salary issue is resolved, once and for all.

NAN reports that the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), King’s College chapter, March 27, staged one-week warning strike over the non-payment of staff salaries of its members.

The Chairman of the association, Mr Jude Uche, then, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  that the association was agitating for non-payment of February and March salaries.

“The same thing happened in 2016 when members of staff of the college were owed salaries from February to September,’’ Uche told NAN.

He said that the main cause of the delayed payment in salaries of the staff concerned had been left to linger without being addressed to forestall further occurrence.

“Before now, we were told of a mix-up from the Budget and Planning Office and the Federal Ministry of Finance.

“We learnt that last year, instead of paying N409 million as salaries for the entire year, only N37 million was captured in the budget, which was grossly inadequate’’.

Uche further said that the same situation played up in 2017 budget in which N164 million was captured as salaries instead of the N409 million.

“Even with the N164 million, after all deductions, the money was reduced to N144 million’’.

The association chairman said that the situation, occasioned by the shortfall, was making life difficult for members of the association.

But Ihuoma said the ministry was concerned about the issue and had been doing everything possible to ensure payment of the salaries.

“The Federal Ministry of Education has written to its Finance counterpart for a solution to the problem.

“We are also monitoring development and we will like to assure that with machinery put in place by the ministry over the salary issue, there will soon be a headway,’’ she said.

On the possibility of another test for candidates seeking placements into the JSS 1 arm of the 104 Unity colleges across the country, Ihuoma said the opportunity had closed for the year.

NAN also reports that 78,378 pupils participated at the 2017 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) across the country on April 8. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/DUA

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Dada Ahmed

NAN-H-89

ASUU

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, April 21, 2017 (NAN) The Academic Staff Union of Universities has expressed optimism that the Federal Government would be committed to implementing decisions of a new negotiation team on the 2009 agreements.

The union’s National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, raised the hope during interview with the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

NAN recalls that ASUU had in November 2016, staged one week warning strike over the non-implementation of agreement it entered into with the government in 2009.

The union was protesting the dwindling budgetary allocation to the education sector, from 11 per cent in 2015, to eight per cent in 2016.

It also expressed regrets over the shortfall in the N1.3 trillion, earmarked for the revitalisation of Nigerian universities in 2013, by an arrears of N605 billion.

The union equally decried poor welfare for members, among other demands.

Ogunyemi said the National Executive Committee of the union on March 6, met with the negotiating team set up by the Federal Government, to look into the issues.

“We submitted a document to the Dr Wale Babalakin-led negotiating team and we are told to give them some time to study it and get back to us.

“We hope to reconvene very soon and I think what has slowed down the process is the just concluded rehabilitation of the Abuja airport.

“It is however expected that the negotiating team will extract our mandate from the Federal Government at the end of the whole thing.

“The negotiating team should ensure that all agreements reached are implemented for the benefit of both parties, otherwise these new round of negotiation will not make any meaning,’’ Ogunyemi said.

According to him, it is only when this is achieved that the union will get convinced that there is progress.

He appealed to members of the union nationwide, to ensure they kept abreast with developments as they unfolded.

“I want to assure our members that their interest will always be fully protected,’’ he said. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/ASH

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde

NAN-H-26
Examination
By Chinyere Nwachukwu|
Lagos, April 20, 2017 (NAN) The West African Examinations Council (WAEC)  has expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the ongoing May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination, describing it as hitch-free.

The council’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr Damianus Ojijeogu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that the examination was going as planned.

According to him, the examination, which started nationwide on Feb. 20 to end on May 12, has not recorded any security lapse.

“We are satisfied with the level of security and hitch-free process of the examination so far.

“Our staff, who travelled from Lagos to other parts of the country, arrived their destinations safely and have been on ground for the examination.

“The examiners, too, have been working to ensure that the integrity of the examination is not compromised.

“Security agents are maintaining law and order to safeguard lives and property,’’ Ojijeogu said.

NAN reports that WAEC Registrar, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, had during an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos recently, also commended the examiners for the critical role they play.

According to Uwadiae, the council’s mandate of conducting examination of the magnitude cannot be carried oyut effectively without the examiners.

He described them as one of the council’s most important partners, adding that their services could not be quantified nor overlooked.

“The examiners have been one group of persons that associated with the development of the country.

“They have been part of our success story, and we acknowledge the sacrifices they are making.

“We cannot thank them enough; no amount is worth their sacrifice; we are indebted to them,” he said.

The registrar gave the assurance that the council would soon improve the examiners’ pay package. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/IGO
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Ijeoma Popoola)

NAN-H-7

Extracurricular

By Stellamaris Ashinze

Lagos, April 12, 2017 (NAN) An educationist, Mr Sule-Fatai Hassan, says extracurricular activities help to promote healthy relationships  among students and as such, school managements should prioritise them.

Hassan, the Zonal Director, Office of Education Quality Assurance in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos Sate, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that government’s involvement in extra-curricular activities also enhances standard of education.

Hassan spoke to NAN on the sideline of the Easter Cantata and family funfair organised by the Maria Breed Montessori International School, Ajah, Lagos.

Wikipedia defines extracurricular or Extra Academic Activities (EAA) as those activities that fall outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school or university education, performed by students.

These include: sporting, drama, dance competition, literary and debating activities performed by students to identify their potentialities outside the classroom works.

According to Hassan, attending such events by government officials promotes cordial relationships between the government and schools, especially, the private ones.

“School owners should, therefore, see government officials as partners in progress and not as mere school inspectors.

“The Office of Quality Assurance is interested in continued improvement of schools’ qualities in curricula and extracurricular activities,’’ the director said.

According to him, learning is not all about cognitive but also affective and psychomotor activities, where talents can be discovered.

Hassan said that not all children were academically sound; but through extracurricular activities, the talents of such children could be identified and improved upon with the help of their parents and teachers.

He advised parents to devote more time to attend their children’s school events to identify their children’s strength and weakness, which might not be identified at home.

Also, Mrs Mabel Babasola, the proprietress of the school, said that the Easter Cantata and family funfair was introduced to educate the children about the message of Easter and its significance.

It is also to impact on them the need to be honest and imbibe integrity, she said.

“The world is tilting towards negative activities but events like this will make the children to become responsible.

“When the children are conscious of their environment, they will avoid social vices that can bring shame to them and their families.

“They will concentrate their minds on their studies and its effect on their academic development will be great,’’ Babasola said.

According to her, many parents are pleased with their children’s school programmes because such programmes help to groom children to discover their talents and become responsible.

NAN reports that during the programme, the students showcased their diverse cultural heritages to the admiration of guests.

They also played different musical instruments to entertain guests.

Maria Breed School runs both Christian and British Curricular, thus exposing its students to international affiliation. (NAN)
SKA/AIB/PAD

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Peter Dada

NAN-H-27
Examination
Abuja, April 8, 2017 (NAN) Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, the Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has announced the suspension  of the board’s  mock examination  due to some circumstances beyond its  control.

Oloyede, in  a text message sent to the supervisors at the various centres in the FCT on Saturday in Abuja,  expressed regrets at  the inconveniences it might caused the public,  especially the candidates.

He said  that  a  new date would be communicated to them later.

The examination,   scheduled to hold on Saturday  in some  accredited centres across the country  was shifted,   infuriating  many candidates.

The mock examination, which is not compulsory, was designed to acquaint prospective candidates on the application of the examination and its processes  using the Computer Based Testing (CBT) mode.

A correspondent of  the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),   who monitored the examination in some  parts of Lagos, reports that candidates reported at  their respective centres as early as 5.00 a.m.

In one of the centres in Ikeja, candidates waited patiently till about 2.00 p.m. for the examination to start.

NAN reports that when an official of JAMB at the centre was approached to ascertain  why the examination had yet to start, he said that  the centre  was experiencing network problem.

Not long after that, the official, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that information reaching him  indicated  that the examination had been postponed nationwide.

He added that the postponement was due to “some unforeseen circumstances’’ and that a new date would be communicated to the prospective candidates.

The official, however,  said that JAMB regretted the development and pleaded for understanding.

The information was later communicated to the candidates, who   expressed their disappointment.

One of the candidates told NAN that it would be good for JAMB to avoid a repeat of the development during the normal examination.

“Imagine what just happened; we have been waiting here as early as 6.00 a.m. only for us to be informed that the  normal examination will no longer hold.

“I feel disappointed even though it is a trial examination, but at the same time, it is an eye opener for the organisers to be on their toes, get it right before May 6,’’ the candidate said.

Another candidate, Samuel Joel, called on JAMB to do the needful in order to allay the fears that the development might have raised.

Joel said that the country had come a long way to be having such challenges.

“I do not really know the main reason for the postponement of the mock examination, but I just think that somewhere somehow, things did not just turn out well.

“I am not happy going home now without doing the examination after waiting for about eight hours.

“Whatever it is that was responsible,  it should be tackled as quickly as possible to in order to regain the confidence of the candidates,’’ he said.

At the Christ the King College (CKC), Gwagwalada, FCT,  one of the mock examination centres, candidates were sighted waiting  patiently  for the examinations.

NAN  reports that some of the candidates that failed to come to the centre with their  examination print out had  found it difficult to identify their seat number.

Mrs Rachael Angulu,the  JAMB  supervisor of the centre, however,  advised candidates to  print out their mock form before coming to the centre.

Another candidate, Miss Sarah Adeniyi, who spoke to NAN, said she arrived at the centre as early as 6.30 a.m.  and as at 1.30 p.m.,  she had not been allowed into the premises.

“I am so tired and hungry. I rushed down here thinking they would keep to time. Look at us under the sun since morning.

“I just feel like forgetting about this whole mock  examination,” she said.  (NAN)
REPORTERS/AIB/OJO
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Mufutau Ojo)

NAN-H-27
Examination
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, April 8, 2017 (NAN) Over 20,000 children in Lagos State sat for this year’s National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), which held nationwide on Saturday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

NAN reports that the examination is for admission into the Junior Secondary School (JSS) Class One arm of the 104 Unity Colleges across the country.

The Lagos Coordinator of the National Examinations Council (NECO), organisers of the examination, Mr Godwin Adejo, told a NAN correspondent, who monitored the examination, that 113 centres were used for the examination across the state.

“So far, the examination has gone smoothly, as planned.

“Reports coming in from other parts of the state show that the examination is going on fine, as anticipated.

“This year, we had a lot of parents coming to subscribe for the examination, to the extent that we ran out of e-PINs, at some points,’’ Adejo told NAN.

According to him, it is an indication that more parents are reckoning with the quality of education in the unity schools.

NAN reports that the examination started with accreditation of the candidates, before the examination proper.

At the Ogba Junior Grammar School, Babs Fafunwa Millennium Secondary School and the Boys Junior Academy, Simpson Street, in Lagos Island, the examination went on peacefully.

A parent, Mrs Florence Ibem, told NAN at one of the examination centres, that the organisers did a great job preparing for the examination.

“Even the parents were provided with conducive places to stay, as they waited for their children and wards to write the examination,’’ Ibem said. (NAN)
CCN/AIB/PIO
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Idonije Obakhedo)

NAN-H-10

Communique

Lagos, April 6, 2017 (NAN) Chairmen of the Universal Basic Education Boards across the country have called for prompt release of funds to facilitate smooth implementation of the new Model School Initiatives (MSI) nationwide.

The call was  contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the 18^th Quarterly Meeting between the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and 37 SUBEC chairmen, held on Wednesday in Lagos.

The communiqué obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, stated that the implementation of the MSI should be gradual.

It added that population and geo-political setting of states must be taken into consideration in the course of the implementation.

The meeting urged UBEC to ensure timely release of funds for programmes that would ensure qualitative and quantitative education at the basic level.

It implored the commission to undertake advocacy visits to major stakeholders, in order to encourage them key into the model schools system, which was geared towards improving quality and excellence at the basic education level.

The meeting also recommended that SUBEBs should include model schools in their action plans, to attract grant from UBEC.

Earlier in his address at the meeting, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, said the introduction of model schools was to address  challenges facing public schools, especially the learning environment.

He said that the model schools would provide quality facilities and well motivated teachers, as well as care, guidance and safety of learners.

Bobboyi said that the overall target was to raise the standard of education in the country and ensure that products of the school system would contribute fully to societal development.

He commended Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State for revitalising the basic education sub-sector, through the provision of infrastructure.

The UBEC boss added that the governor had also keyed into the Federal Government Home Grown School Feeding and Health Programmes, by providing meals to 1,870 pupils in 31 inclusive units in public primary schools.(NAN)

PR/AIB/MZA

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-H-103
UTME
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, April 5, 2017 (NAN) The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said on Wednesday that 800,000 candidates have registered since the sales of UTME form began on March 20.

The board’s Head of Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the introduction of the remita mode of payment has improved the process of acquiring registration documents.

NAN reports that prospective candidates for the 2017 all Computer Based Testing (CBT) had urged the board to consider extending the registration period due to the multiple challenges accompanying the process.

They described the process as cumbersome, stressful and frustrating and as such, that there was need to extend the deadline in order to capture all.

However, Benjamin said that the introduction of the remita mode of payment had mitigated the challenges faced by the candidates in acquiring the e-pins.

He told NAN that the new remita mode allowed anyone to make payment and get the e-pins from the comfort of their homes.

“This measure has doubled the rate of the registration as over 800,000 candidates have registered.

“I want to assure all candidates that are desirous of registering for this examination, will not be left out.

“We are working hard to ensure that no Nigerian child is denied of his or her right of advancing in education.

“What we are doing currently is for the benefit of not only these candidates, but for the entire Nigerians.

“We do not intend to extend the registration deadline as we are sure that all of the candidates will be duly registered,’’ he told NAN.

Benjamin said that reports had also indicated that many registration centre owners were happy with the way the exercise was going.

He said the centre owners had not complained of any form of challenges as they were well briefed, and the centres, well screened before the registration began.

NAN reports that the registration for the UTME started on March 20 and is scheduled to end on April 19.

The computer based testing of the UTME has been scheduled to begin on May 6. (NAN)
CCN/AIB/AFA
Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Felix Ajide

NAN-H-21
Curriculum
By Stellamaris Ashinze
Lagos, April, 5, 2017 (NAN) The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Lagos State Wing, has hailed introduction of financial education curriculum into basic and senior secondary schools but said lack of teachers and materials might hinder implementation.

Mr Adedoyin Adesina, Deputy Chairman of the wing, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that there were no personnel and materials to implement the curriculum.

NAN reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on March 27 said it had developed and introduced the curriculum into the schools.

An official of the CBN, Ms. Khadijah Kasim, said in Abuja that the apex bank developed the curriculum in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.

She said that it was aimed at inculcating in children how to use financial services responsibly – including the habit of savings and investment  – to enable them to make informed financial decisions in future.

Kasim said that the curriculum, already approved by Nigeria Council on Education, would be introduced in pilot states across the six geo-political zones from the next academic year starting in September.

While hailing the idea, Adesina, however, expressed the worry that many public schools lacked the personnel and materials to effectively implement the curriculum.

“Where are the materials to implement the curriculum? Where are the teachers trained for that purpose?

“What are the reference materials for teaching? Have they organised workshops and seminars on the mode of implementation?

“There are other extraneous factors that will hinder the success of this idea,’’ he told NAN.

The unionist urged that the factors be looked into by relevant bodies to realise the objectives of the curriculum.

Adesina said that, if well taught, financial education would inculcate in children the rudiments of financial management.

“It will also inculcate in them proper accountability, probity and financial propriety, ” he added. (NAN)
SKA/AIB/IGO
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Ijeoma Popoola)