Author: premier radio premier radio

NAN-H-22

Education

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Dec. 16, 2016 (NAN) Mr John Gayvolor, Head of the National Office (HNO), West African Examinations Council in Liberia, says the 15 years of civil war largely retarded educational development in the country.

Gayvolor spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the recently concluded Registrar’s Staff Appraisal Committee meeting of the council, held in Accra, Ghana.

NAN reports that the meeting, which was chaired by the Registrar of WAEC, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, had all the Heads of National Offices of the five member countries in attendance, except that of the Gambia.

It also reports that the first Liberian civil war was fought between 1989 and 1996; while the second one was between 1999 and 2003.

According to the Liberian HNO, the war left in its wake, challenges in various sectors of that country’s economy with education being the worst hit.

He listed such challenges to include: poor logistics for the conduct of public examinations, inadequate financing, manpower and poor attitudes of students to studies while examination malpractice had become worrisome.

“This year has proved to be one of the most challenging in recent years, especially, in the aspect of conducting examinations.

“As we speak, it is heavily raining back home in Liberia and we will be conducting the Liberia Senior High School Certificate Examination next week.

“What this means is that moving around will require logistics, especially, to pull out our vehicles that may get stuck in mud while taking the examination materials to various centres.

“Also, we have the issue of inadequate teachers and where they are available; they are poorly trained, coupled with inadequate infrastructure.

“The quest for quick money is high too there.

“ We have few good teachers but because of the 15 years of civil crisis, most of them had left for greener pastures.

“Now, people in the classrooms who are calling themselves teachers are, indeed, not trained as they are more interested in making quick money by commercialising  education,’’ he said.

According to Gayvolor, these teachers usually set tests for students and in exchange for money, award grades that they (students) do not deserve.

He added that with such development, whenever the students were exposed to external examinations, the performance was usually poor.

“It is not that they do not have the abilities but because they lack focus and often attracted to irrelevant things,’’ he said.

Gayvolor emphasised the need for all stakeholders to be involved in turning the trend around.

According to him, parents must live up to their responsibilities by ensuring that the right thing is done, especially, by inculcating moral values in their children.

“Parents should stop giving money to their children in order to buy grades.

“School authorities must also ensure that teaching is carried out as designed by the Ministry of Education.

“The ministry of education must monitor and ensure that recommended texts are used, qualified teachers are recruited and motivated with good remunerations that will halt the search for greener pasture,’’ he said.

The Liberian WAEC boss also said that infrastructure should be put in place for conducive teaching and learning activities to thrive.

He told NAN that the country was trying to transit fully to WASSCE, adding that all along the students were only exposed to the Liberia’s National Examination.

“We have just started doing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on pilot basis.

“This, alone, is also a challenge to our students who have been used to our national examination only.

“Our national examination will be phased out gradually by 2018.

“By the end of 2018, all candidates in Liberia will be taking only the international examination, which is WASSCE at the senior level,’’ Gayvolor said. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/PAD

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

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde, Peter Dada

NAN-H-91
Examination
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Accra (Ghana), Dec. 14, 2016 (NAN) The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it will soon begin the conduct of its examination for private candidates twice in a year with effect from 2017.

The council Registrar, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the council’s “Registrar’s Staff Appraisal Committee’’ meeting on Wednesday in Accra, Ghana.

Uwadiae said, “The West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates known as the November/December diet for private candidates will now be conducted in January/February and August/September.’’

According to him, the measure is to ensure that many private candidates, who desire the certificate for various purposes, will have the opportunity of writing the examination and acquire the certificate.

“We have concluded arrangements to commence writing of our WASSCE for private candidates twice a year from 2017.

“This will take place in January /February and August/September every year in all the member countries.

“This development, however, does not affect that of the school candidates, popularly called May/June.

“That one remains once a year for all school candidates,’’ Uwadiae said.

He explained that administering the WASSCE for private candidates twice a year was part of the projections of the council in 2017.

According to him, as part of its mandate to render qualitative service to all member nations, the council is looking forward to a more rewarding 2017.

“That is the essence of this meeting, which brings all the Heads of National Offices (HNO) from member countries together.

“This meeting takes place once a year to discuss the appraisals of the international staff in member countries and recommend members of staff that are due for promotion.

“During the meeting too, there is also a follow up action on staff with negative appraisals after which recommendations from the committee are forwarded to the international committee for ratifications.

“All these are parts of what we do in order to make the activities of the council more relevant and beneficial to our people,’’ he said.

Uwadiae lauded the HNOs for their resilience, doggedness and dedication in the face of peculiar challenges in their respective countries and for ensuring a smooth conduct of the examinations.

Describing them as the council’s foot soldiers, the registrar thanked the HNOs for the support accorded him as the overall head of the regional examination body.

“As foot soldiers of the council, I must say that they have done well and deserve the commendation of the council as we look forward to a better 2017.

“They (HNOs) have been meeting the mandate of conducting and releasing results of the various examinations within the stipulated periods and coordinating activities in their respective national offices,’’ he said.

Uwadiae said that WAEC was also looking forward to conducting its examination in many other countries with English speaking students, studying with Nigeria curriculum as possible.

“We are open to any country in Africa which desire to have us set examination for students, who are being taught with English and uses Nigeria curriculum.

“As long as these countries have all requisites needed for the conduct of our examination on ground, we will be there to carry out our mandate.

“For instance, we are currently rendering such services to some French speaking countries like Togo, Benin Republic and Cote d’ Ivoire.

“These countries approached the council and we are doing that for their English speaking students who want our certificates,’’ he said. (NAN)
CCN/AIB/GOK
=========

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Olagoke Olatoye

NAN-H-48

Fund

By Olayinka Olawale

Lagos, Dec. 13, 2016 (NAN) A school proprietor, Mr Augustine Agali, has called on the Federal Government to establish an education trust fund for private school operators in the country.

Agali, Proprietor of Prevailers Comprehensive College, Ijegun, Lagos told the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday that there was urgent need for the government to intervene due to the recession.

He said that it had become difficult for school proprietors to obtain a loan from banks to develop their facilities.

When established, he said, the trust fund would provide easy access to registered private schools to obtain loans at low interest rate.

The proprietor said that the public institutions were already benefiting from the tertiary education trust fund, adding that private schools should also be considered.

“Majority of the people that own private schools are teachers and have little or no access to public funds to finance their schools.

“They depend on lean resources at their disposal to setup the schools.

“Government should setup a trust fund through which school proprietors can borrow money to provide necessary facilities in their schools.

“It is very difficult to access loans from commercial banks because of collateral, high interest, and other hidden conditions that cannot be easily met.

“If the Federal Government can setup the trust fund, it will go a long way to assist the private school owners to provide conducive learning environment for children.’’

Agali urged the government to organise a stakeholders meeting, where educationists would brainstorm to design a template for the trust fund. (NAN)

OOG/AIB/MO

=========

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Morayo Omolade

NAN-H-50
Examiners
Lagos, Dec. 7, 2016 (NAN) The West African Examinations Council has called of the Federal Government to consider examiners for national honours in appreciation of their contributions to the nation’s education development.

The council’s Registrar, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, made the call when he visited the Lagos Office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.

According to him, the examiners, remain one of the most critical components in the entire examination process and, therefore, deserve to be recognised.

Uwadiae, who is resident at the council’s headquarters in Ghana, added that he was aware that the stipend paid to the examiners was in no way comparable with the volume of job they do.

He said the task of marking examination scripts was also risky, but that they still weathered the storm.

“It is a statement of fact that the examiners, not only those in Nigeria, but of the entire member states, remain our backbone in the conduct of any of our examinations.

“We are aware that what we give them as stipends is nothing to write home about and we must admit that fact.

“Here in Nigeria, I will say the story is a little bit different because they are usually paid this same stipend after marking each paper.

“It is not the same in some other member countries where they even go as far as being owed that of the previous years.

“For the sake of emphasis, I have always said that what these examiners are doing is simply what I will call national service,’’ he said.

According to the registrar, the concept behind the sacrifice made by the examiners is likened to that of national service as there is no way the council can pay an amount that is commensurate with their services.

Uwadiae noted that the reason behind this was because the amount the council charged candidates for the examination was meagre and not economic rate.

“You know government moderates the rate we charge. So, we cannot really pay these examiners adequately, given the type of services they render.

“The examination processes are so large, ranging from commissioning of items to trial testing to moderation of items, printing and to the actual conduct of the examination.

“All these processes involve ad hoc staff, not WAEC.

“These persons are university professors and teachers and so, if indeed we want to pay them for their services, we will not be able to,’’ he said.

Uwadiae said the little amount charged by council was spread out to many other logistics and that the examiners are aware of that.

“They do so much only to receive nothing in return and that is why I am saying that these are the category of people government must start recognising because they are truly deserving of the honour.

“Any time I go to any member county and have the opportunity of meeting and talking to the examiners, I simply tell them that I know they are doing national service and that their reward will surely come from heaven,’’ he said.

Uwadiae added that in spite of the poor stipend, it had always remained a thing of joy that these examiners always honour WAEC invitation whenever their services were needed.

“I will indeed like to commend them for their patriotism and love for the nation and may the good Lord remember them for their deeds and reward them,’’ he prayed.

Receiving the Registrar, Mrs Kate Popoola, the Director and Head of Lagos Office of NAN, commended the contributions of the council to education development of the West African countries.

Popoola highlighted the functions of NAN as a media content provider for its teaming clientele within and outside Nigeria.

She sought partnership with WAEC in the dissemination of valuable information about the operations of the council through the agency’s media products and services. (NAN)
CCN/AIB/PDE
===========
(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-H-80
Strike
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, Nov. 22, 2016 (NAN) The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday hailed the resilience of its members in the struggle to re-position the nation’s university system as it concludes a one-week warning strike.

The union’s National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, gave the commendation in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

NAN recalls that the union last week, declared a national warning strike to press home their long standing demands from the Federal Government.

The lecturers under the aegis of ASUU began the strike in all university branches on Nov. 16.

The union listed its demands to include Federal Government’s refusal to honour its 2009 agreement and the denial of staff entitlement in respect of earned academic allowance, amounting to N128 billion.

Other demands are poor funding of universities for revitalisation and refusal to register the Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company.

According to Ogunyemi, members had ensured total compliance of the strike while it lasted in all the universities.

“I am very happy with the level of compliance shown by members.

“I had good reports concerning the strike from the various zones and branches.

“Thus, it goes to show the commitment that our members are putting in place to achieve global competitiveness for Nigerian universities.

“The strike will be over today and we have directed that academic activities should resume,’’ the president said.

He said that negotiations were ongoing with a committee put in place by the Senate to look into the issues listed by the union.

“Yesterday, we commenced talks with the committee to deliberate on the various issues on ground.

“The meeting had in attendance representatives from the Ministries of education, budget, finance, labour and representatives of the committee on tertiary institutions, TETfund and others.

“The deliberation was fruitful as we all had good approaches on the issues.

“For now, we can call this development as work in progress.

“We shall update our members on all that transpired because we are a democratic group,’’ Ogunyemi told NAN.

According to the unionist, the outcome of the meeting will be reviewed by members.

Ogunyemi added that if they were satisfied with it, a congress would be called to give a common verdict.

“It is not in the place for the executive committee members to unilaterally take decisions concerning the issue.

“Members will be the ones to know the next line of action to take in respect of the understanding that the executive reached with the government.

“If members are satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, then there will be no need for further agitation.

“All we are saying is for government to always try to keep its own side of the bargain so that our members can keep fate in them,’’ he said. (NAN)
CCN/AIB/GY
==========

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Grace Yussuf

NAN-H-79

Registration

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Nov. 22, 2016 (NAN) The University of Lagos has begun registration of new students, whose names appeared on the 2016/2017 merit admission list.

The Deputy Registrar (Information) of the university, Mr Toyin Adebule, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday that the registration is holding at the institution’s multipurpose hall.

Adebule said that the registration, which began on Monday Nov. 21, would end on Friday, Dec. 2., adding that candidates should strictly follow the registration procedures.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Registrar said the university was set to chase out persons who do not have business with the institution’s community.

Adebule said that the university had also devised measures to weed illegal students from the system.

He said there were many illegal students, who often deceive their parents and the public, claiming to be students of the university.

“We have published names of about 68 students, either rusticated or expelled, while their pictures have been pasted around the campus for easy identification.

“They were sanctioned with either rustication or expulsion, having been found guilty during the 2015/16 academic year.

“Some of them were also found wanting for academic and social misconducts, ranging from result forgery to conducting themselves in a manner that is inconsistent with the university’s rules and regulation.

“Management has warned that the rusticated students must stay away from the offices, departments and faculties of the university until the expiration of their rustication period,’’ Adebule said.

He advised genuine students of the institution to abide by the university’s rules and regulations by joining hands with management to sustain set standards. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/IS

==========

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Ismail Abdulaziz

NAN-H-14

Insecurity

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Nov. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has identified insecurity as a major factor discouraging foreigners from enlisting in Nigerian universities.

Fagbohun made the announcement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

He said that Nigeria’s education system, especially at the tertiary level had not been competitive because of the absence of foreign scholars and students.

The vice-chancellor argued that in the past, most universities in Nigeria had foreign scholars and students, due to the congenial learning environment.

“We must put our acts together if we want to be globally competitive in education.

“We must not forget that in every area of life’s endeavour, security is critical.

“One thing we need to do is for us as Nigerians to put up positive narratives that will convince the world about us.

“For example, if you meet a Ghanaian or a Kenyan, he will not hesitate to paint a wonderful picture about his country, given the slightest opportunity.’’

The vice-chancellor noted that giving a positive impression of one’s country was necessary to create positive impression of such countries for foreigners.

He argued that there was need for a change of attitude by Nigerians in making narratives about their country.

Fagbohun said that Nigeria’s education system would change for the better when Nigerians showed positive thinking toward their country.

“We must put all hands on deck to ensure that our environment is conducive and attractive enough, not only for teaching and learning but for life in general.

“It is not just about sinking money into the system, building more structures or putting state-of-the-art facilities in place, improving human relations is key,’’ he said. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/SN

=========

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Silas Nwoha

NAN-H-7

CDS
By Rukayat Adeyemi
Lagos, Nov. 21, 2016 (NAN) ‎The Lagos State University (LASU) says it plans to deploy its volunteer students to teach final-year secondary school students during holidays.

Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Vice Chancellor of the institution, told a Forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos ‎that the programme was conceived under its Community Development Service (CDS).

Fagbohun said the university planned to open study cells where its volunteer students ‎would teach and prepare final-year secondary school students for external examinations, free of charge.

He said the programme would first begin in the Ojo area, but that more study cells would later come up in different parts of the state.

“The coaching would be on the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and other external examinations,’’ he said.

‎According to him, the core subjects to be thought are English Language, Mathematics and the Sciences.

Fagbohun said the idea was to take some youths away from roaming the streets during the holidays, keep them positively engaged and providing them with opportunities to develop themselves.

This, he said, is a way of giving back to the society in order to feel the presence of the institution, “not just in the Ojo area, but throughout the state’’.

He said the university would cater for the expenses of its volunteer students, as it would be at no cost to the beneficiaries.

The VC said the study cells would be located at central places that would be accessible to the secondary school students.

He listed the cells to include Ikorodu, Epe‎, Ikeja, Badagry and Lagos Island.

Fagbohun said the idea was part of the university’s way of giving back to the society, as the centres would accommodate as many students as possible.

According to him, the university maintained good relationship with its host communities and will continue to contribute to community development projects in the state.

“I believe if you relate well with your community, if they are happy with you, they will support your cause.

“When I came on board, I went around the communities to let them know that we can do a lot more together.

“The university is not going to work in isolation, it must be ready to work with its communities,’’ Fagbohun said.

The VC said the institution had also organised several programmes to bring the community closer to it.

One of such programmes is the free medical service through “the Health Day,’’ organised by the Lagos State University Directorate of Advancement (LASUDA).

“Free medical tests like checking blood pressure, the eyes and treatment of other ailments, are usually provided to people,’’ he said.

Fagbohun noted that because of the cordial relationship that existed between them, the communities have in turn been collaborating with the university in fighting cultism and other criminalities in the area. (NAN)
RUKY/AIB/PIO
============
(Edited by Babatunde Abdulfatah/Idonije Obakhedo)

NAN-H-17
Language
By Yinka Olawale & Rukayat Adeyemi
Lagos, Nov. 19, 2016 (NAN) Two educationists on Saturday in Lagos, adduced reasons for inability of Nigerians to speak indigenous languages, which are fast diminishing

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Lagos that indigenous language was an identity that every society must jealously guard and preserve.

Mr Afeez Oyetoro, the Head of Department, Theatre Arts, at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Lagos, said the inability of some parents to instil speaking of mother tongue in their children was a serious factor.

Oyetoro, who is also a Nollywood actor popularly known as `Saka, expressed worry that it was quite unfortunate that parents did not allow their children to speak the language of their father fluently.

He said that any Nigerian who could speak his or her indigenous language had lost his identity.

According to him, the teachings, learning and speaking of indigenous languages should be made compulsory to curb social and moral problems in the society.

He said indigenous language would also restore cultural values in the society.

“If we neglect our language, it means we have neglected our cultural values.

“A law should be made that will make speaking of indigenous language compulsory for people, especially the children, in order to stem local language extinction, social and immoral crises.

“By speaking their language, people will understand their values, culture, background and they will appreciate the essence of their life.

“A people that neglect its culture will perish because it will lose its identity.

“Every individual, every creature of God has its own identity; so, once you lose that identity, then the purpose of living is defeated.

“I believe that if all parents make attempt to make their children speak their indigenous language, it will go a long way in promoting our cultural values,’’ Oyetoro said.

Similarly, Prof. Akinloye Ojo of the University of Georgia, U.S., said one of the major challenges confronting the indigenous language in Nigeria was orality and non-documentation.

Ojo, a professor of Yoruba and Linguistics, said that “when a language is not documented, it will be impossible to use it ‎in the modern and Western day educational system’’.

“When languages are not used by their speakers and not documented, they become gradually moribund; meaning the only speakers would be adults.

“The first risk a language suffers is when children do not speak it‎,’’ he said.

The professor attributed the inability of most children to speak their indigenous language to some economic factors.

“Most children make the choice to speak other languages not because they like it or do not wish to speak their own language but because of some economic factors.

“Most of the time, speakers are rewarded for speaking some certain languages, especially in Europe, to make the language more popular and attractive.

“In Africa, most of the languages spoken are languages of economic advancement.

“‎For this reason, some parents would invest heavily in their children becoming proficient in the European languages to the detriment of the local languages,’’ he said.

Ojo said most of our indigenous languages were not economically rewarding‎,

“so most families chose to use the most economically rewarding ones,’’ he said.

Ojo said Nigerian indigenous languages were highly threatened because there were lot of competitions among languages spoken world over.

According to him, a language that is not well used, not really rewarding and not documented, overtime, “becomes a candidate for endangerment’’.

He urged the government to formulate and implement language policies that would propel our indigenous languages to be more rewarding and attractive in the international communities.

Ojo also urged the government to encourage the young generation to appreciate and desire to learn and speak indigenous languages. (NAN)
OOG/RUKY/AIB/AJA
=================

(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-H-99

UNILAG

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) Lecturers of the University of Lagos on Wednesday complied with the directive of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to its members nationwide to begin a one-week warning strike.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited the university campus reports that students were found milling around and idling away, as lecturers stayed away from classes.

A 400 level Civil Engineering student, who simply identified himself as Biodun, pleaded with the federal government to intervene and accede to the lecturers’ demands.

“The lecturers are fighting for us.

“Government should please listen to them because I will not like a repeat of the 2013 protracted strike.

“I knew how much the 2013 strike cost me,’’ Biodun said.

Dr Adelaja Odukoya, Chairman ASUU University of Lagos chapter, told NAN that he was impressed by the level of compliance of his colleagues in the university to the strike directive.

According to him, the union will remain resolute in ensuring that the strike is total.

He said that the union was agitating for the interest of students, their parents and development of the education sector.

Odukoya said for the nation’s universities to remain relevant and be globally competitive, they must embrace standard best practices and do what others were doing.

“ I am very happy with the total compliance of members in this branch.

“However, a few of them, who wanted to test our resolve by attempting to enter the classes for academic activities, were quickly called to order.

“We hear the National Assembly is calling for a reconsideration of our action and come over to dialogue.

“I do not think there is any seriousness in the concern they are showing now.

“We have been doing everything possible to hold dialogue on these issues raised and each time we try, it is promises or even outright silence.

“We are not happy that we are declaring the strike because we know how badly it affects us.

“But since no one seems to bother about the situation in our university system, then we have to rise up to the occasion,’’ he said.

NAN recalls that the National Executive Committee of the union had on Monday declared a national warning strike at a news conference in Abuja to press home some demands.

The union President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, had said that the strike would begin nationwide in all university branches on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

He said the union was unhappy that the Federal Government had refused to honour its 2009 agreement with its members.

Ogunyemi also cited the denial of staff entitlement in respect of earned academic allowance amounting to N128 billion, among others, as necessitating the action.(NAN)

CCN/AIB/SOA

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

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Oluwole Sogunle