Author: premier radio premier radio

NAN-H-79

ASUU

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Nov. 15, 2016 (NAN) The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says there is no going back on its one-week warning strike scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the union’s National President, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone on Tuesday in Lagos that the strike would be total.

NAN reports that the union leadership, after its emergency executive committee meeting, declared the warning strike at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

Ogunyemi said chronic under-funding of the sector through low budgetary allocation, which went from 11 per cent in 2015 to eight per cent in 2016, did not go down well with the union.

He pointed out the failure of government to implement the 2009 agreement and the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as some of the reasons for embarking on the warning strike.

The president said that its members were tired of what they described as “government’s empty promises’’ in setting up its negotiation team for the review of agreement as consistently requested by ASUU since 2012.

“There shall be no teaching, no examination and no attendance of statutory meetings of any kind in any of our branches while the strike lasts.’’

According to him, the union will put machinery in place to ensure that there is total compliance during the strike.

He explained that the essence of the warning strike was to draw attention of concern stakeholders and the general public to the challenges that the unions, universities and other stakeholders in the sector were facing.

“Nobody will say before we exhaust the warning strike some issues cannot be addressed if government want to be sincere with our cause.

“We are doing this because we want Nigerians to come into the matter and ensure that these issues are given adequate attention they deserve.

“Our lecturers are given 40 per cent of their salaries, which is just not encouraging, as this will lead to poor commitment in carrying out their jobs.

“I am sure nobody will like a 40 per cent university education or 40 per cent teaching of various courses including research development and output.

“That is why we have to take the matter before the National Assembly, which we believe, will come into the matter just like the Nigerian parents.’’

Reacting to the impending strike, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), said that ASUU was right and that it must be supported.

Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, the association’s 2nd Deputy National President, told NAN that it was time the government take the country’s education seriously, especially in the face of the technology age.

“ASUU has done well by giving warning, considering the patience its members have shown in these whole issues.

“At least it is good for them to feel the pulse of Nigerians and other key stakeholders on the matter.

“However, because Nigeria is struggling with recession presently, we, on behalf of Nigerian parents are begging them not to down tool totally.

“They have made their points and we thank them for creating the awareness but we are begging them to shelve the looming strike to sometimes next year, when the recession might have been abated.

“Government too should seize the opportunity to listen to the union and see what can be done concerning all the issues it has raised.

“It will be a total disaster if government should allow ASUU to down tool indefinitely, considering the hardship that is currently taking its toll on every sector of the nation’s economy.’’

Ogunbanjo said that a full-fledged strike would not be welcomed by majority of Nigerians in the current situation.

He said the strike would only add more grief to the suffering masses. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/MO

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Morayo Omolade

NAN-H-51

Commendation

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Nov. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Nigeria Examinations Council (NEC) Committee has commended the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for providing braille facilities for blind students during the 2016 May/June WASSCE examination.

The commendation is contained in a communique issued at the end of the NEC’s 62^nd meeting which held from Nov. 8 to Nov. 10 in Lagos.

A copy of the communiqué was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by Mr Damianus Ojijeogu, Head of Public Affairs of the WAEC, on Monday in Lagos.

NAN reports that the committee – the highest decision-making organ of WAEC on examination-related matters in Nigeria – meets twice a year.

During such meeting, the NEC considers matters relating to the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates and private candidates.

According to the communiqué, the committee was equally happy with the council for facilitating easy reading for the albino candidates in bold prints.

It commended the examination body for providing additional supervisors to read the questions for dumb candidates at designated centres.

“We also want to commend the council for deploying a technology that can stop candidates previously barred for reasons of malpractice from registration for its examinations for a stated period.

“We congratulate the council for these developments and also urge it to sustain the feat,’’ the communiqué read in part.

The NEC stated that it received the report on irregularity as well as special and clemency cases arising from the conduct of its 2015 November/December diet of its examination, which was considered at the 61st meeting.

“The committee also considered report on the conduct of the 2016 WASSCE for school candidates and irregularity cases arising from the conduct of the examination.

“In considering various reported cases of malpractice, the committee approved appropriate sanctions in all established cases, after diligent deliberations.

“The committee also approved that the entire results of candidates involved in proven cases, which attract Cancellation of Entire Results (CER), be cancelled.

“Similarly, results of those involved in proven cases, which attract CSR (Cancellation of Subject Results), should also be cancelled,’’ it said.

The meeting resolved that in addition, some candidates would also suffer other sanctions such as barring them from sitting for the council’s examinations for a certain number of years.

Similarly it resolved that some schools that aided malpractices during such examinations should be de-recognised and their Principals reported to the Federal Ministry of Education for disciplinary action.

According to the communiqué, erring supervisors will be blacklisted while the decisions of the committee will be implemented without delay.

The affected candidates and schools would be duly informed by the council, while results of candidates, who were exonerated by the committee, will be released.

The committee also considered various shortcomings of candidates as reported by the Chief Examiners.

It noted that government at all levels should train and retrain teachers through workshops and seminars to keep them abreast of global best practices in teaching various subjects.

It also resolved that candidates should be exposed to more practical activities and that teachers should make use of the feedback provided by WAEC to prepare candidates adequately for its examinations.

The committee resolved to take stringent measures against high incidence of schools writing on the chalkboards for their students to copy during the May/June examination.

“If a school is warned for cheating, aiding and abetting three times within five years, it should be de-recognised.

“Already, the committee had withdrawn the recognition of two schools for assaulting a supervisor,’’ the communiqué read in part. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/SOA

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Oluwole Sogunle

NAN-H-19
Licences
By Chinyere Nwachukwu and Rukayat Adeyemi
Lagos, Nov. 9, 2016 (NAN) Union leaders in the university education system have reacted to last week’s approval of operating licences to eight new private universities by the Federal Government, saying it was not resolve education sector challenges.

NAN reports that the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, had announced the Federal Government’s approval of the licences following a memo submitted by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The minister announced the approval after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting last Wednesday in Abuja.

The educationists told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that establishing new university was not the solution to the challenges currently facing the education sector.

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), said that establishing new universities was not all about creation of more access for students.

According to Ogunyemi, approving new universities can be a step in the right direction, but the current situation does not lie solely on it.

“If you look at it on one hand, it will be right to argue that the approval of these universities has opened more access for potential students to pursue their academic dreams.

“It looks like democratisation of education, in which case, we are trying to open more access for the teeming youths seeking university education.

“But then, we need to balance access with quality.

“There is really no need to keep approving more universities when the existing ones are almost in comatose.

“The opening of more private university is like saying that the Federal Government needs just quantity and displaying its failure to properly fund existing public universities.

“To me, I feel there is need to x-ray the sector, identify core challenges and balance quality with quantity.

“It will amount to nothing if we fail to carry out our various responsibilities,’’ he told NAN.

Dr Adelaja Odukoya, the Chairman of ASUU, ‎ University of Lagos Chapter, also spoke against the new universities, saying the government was confused in carrying out the action.

Odukoya told NAN that establishing more universities was not the solution to the crisis bedevilling the nation’s education system.

“Approval of operating licences for the new private universities at a time when private universities are patently unattractive and undesirable is highly unfortunate,’’ he said.

He urged the government to find a solution to the problem confronting the education sector which is beyond the commercialisation‎ of tertiary education.

Also, Dr Isaac Oyewunmi, Chairman of ASUU, Lagos State University (LASU) Chapter, said the newly licensed private universities might not last long before they close shop.

Oyewunmi said ‎the National Universities Commission (NUC), regulating activities of universities ought to have considered the timing before seeking government’s approval of their licences.

“From experience, the regulating institution do not usually consider the criteria they ought to before issuing these institutions licence because most of them are corrupt,’’ he said.

According to him, while the regulating institution may have reasons for its ‎actions, the timing, considering the present education system, is worrisome.

He advised the NUC to re-evaluate the timing of issuing licences to universities and take the right decision that would improve the education system. (NAN)
CCN/RUKY/AIB/PDE
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-H-80
Training
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, Nov. 8, 2016 (NAN) The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) says it will train 800 artisans on skills acquisition in Kaduna State with the collaboration of the World Bank.

The institution’s Director of Media and Publicity, Malam Ibrahim Sheme, said in a statement on Tuesday that the Kaduna State Government would also be involved.

He listed other partners as Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Housing Developers Institute.

According to him, the training will cover eight different trades, to be conducted in batches.

He then quoted Prof. Grace Joktan, the institution’s Director, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies and Lifelong Learning (CESLL), as listing the scope of the training during a meeting with the partners.

“The training will be certificated after examinations and practical demonstrations by the artisans.

“This hands-on skill training is practical-oriented and will require some level of certification after
successful examination is conducted at the expiration of the programme.

“Already, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, has approved the programme, with its secretariat to be located in the institution.

“This secretariat will be managed by an Assistant Registrar, who will develop a curriculum for the programme.

“The institution will also provide logistics required for the smooth operation of the training,’’ Joktan was quoted as saying.

The training was sequel to a request by the Kaduna State Government with a view to providing skilled male and female artisans that would assist in job creation, especially for youths.

The first batch of trainees would be drawn from four local government areas namely Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South and Chikun local governments, while other local government areas would follow. (NAN)
CCN/AIB/HA
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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

NAN-H-83

JAMB

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will adopt “pin vending”  for the 2017 UTME test, advising intending candidates to get familiar with the new approach.

Dr Fabian Benjamin, the board’s Head of Media and Information, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that it would no longer use scratch cards.

“Candidates, wishing to sit for the 2017 examination, should start getting themselves familiar with the newly adopted process of pin vending by the board.

“We must make ourselves open to change like it is obtained in other climes.

“We are no longer going back to the use of scratch card; that method is outdated.

“Candidates wishing to register for the examination will just make online payment and get a pin with which they can upload their data.

“This new pin vending will be accessible through the options of web payment, ATM issued cards like Visa, Verve, and Master card, online Quick Teller, mobile application and Bank Branch case/card.’’

Benjamin assured that the board was working hard to redress all challenges experienced by candidates during its 2016 UTME as it was preparing for the 2017 diet.

He said that all hands were on deck to ensure a hitch free conduct of the examination across the country.

“Preparations are on to ensure that all the technical hitches that manifested in the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) do not arise again.

“That is not to say that the examination will be completely hitch-free.

“But we are deploying resources to correct the ones identified already.

“In the course of the examination, should there be any other new challenges, we will act promptly.’’

The spokesman also said that the board would begin validation of UTME centres across the country soon.

“We shall be going round to the proposed centres to check the state of their facilities and also to ensure that such facilities could accommodate a minimum of 250 candidates,’’ he said.

NAN reports that some candidates, who sat for the 2016 examination, complained of various technical hitches.

Such challenges ranged from incomplete upload of questions from servers to poor backup facilities in some centres among others.

NAN also recalls that the board’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede,  recently announced the scrapping of the use of scratch card, describing it as outdated.

He said the board decided to do away with the method because of its consistent subjection to fraudulent practices. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/MO/

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Morayo Omolade

NAN-H-65
Schools
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Education has directed principals of the 104 unity colleges to intensify efforts toward standing out as flagships in the nation’s education sector.

Mr Ben Goong, the Deputy Director (Media), disclosed the ministry’s directive in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

Goong said that the ministry had set targets for the principals to shore up academic performance in their respective colleges.

He said that the directive became necessary in view of the huge investments government was making on the colleges and the education sector in general in recent times.

“Henceforth, targets are being set for the unity colleges across the country.

“The targets will be in terms of each college’s performances in major external examinations, such as WASSCE (WAEC), SSCE (NECO), UTME (JAMB), NABTEB and other related examinations,’’ Goong said.

According to him, beginning from the 2016/2017 academic session, principals of unity schools whose students post outstanding performances in external examinations, will be rewarded.

“Those colleges whose students fail to live up to the desired expectation will equally be sanctioned,’’ Goong said.

He added that so far, the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Yaba, had distinguished itself in various academic competitions within and outside the country.

The deputy director added that the FSTC had remained the flagship of unity colleges across the country.

According to Goong, the school has won several laurels in various competitions in recent times and posted spectacular performances in external examinations. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/JCE

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Chukwudi Ekezie

NAN-H-89
ICT
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, on Thursday said that continuous investment in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) would create avenues to grow the country’s economy.

Anwukah made the remark at the presentation of the 2016 Outstanding Performance Awards ceremony organised by the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised in collaboration with FSTC, CISCO academy, and TAFMUN, an affiliate of the United Nations.

He charged the 104 unity colleges to take steps to focus more on ICT by participating in international competitions.

The minister commended some students and management of the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Yaba Lagos for coming top in this year’s award ceremony.

The minister called on all the unity colleges across the country to stand out as flagship institutions by thinking outside the box.

According to him, unity schools must take step further by tilting more towards ICT by participating in international competitions.

He said that ICT was the only way out, going by the current economic challenges facing the country.

Anwukah said that investing in ICT would create avenues to build the country’s economy and provide opportunity for employment with hands-on experience for Nigerian youths.

“FSTC Yaba has distinguished itself in this regard as the flagship and the only unity college that is coming out with a lot of awards from participating in ICT competitions within the country.

“This is why I am saying that we can be where the Asian tigers are if we really do the right thing.

“We are largely consumers of other people’s technology and the time to overturn the trend is now.

“Over the years, we have relied so much on foreign technology; so we must strive to look inwards and begin to see how we can harness our local materials.

“We must also begin to promote our own indigenous technology because we have the personnel and content.

“Rather than patronising other people’s technology, we can invite the technology manufacturing companies to come with their soft wares to Nigeria and manufacture here.

“I want to commend FSTC, Yaba for their landmark achievements in the field of ICT.

“With all that I have seen today, the future of these students are assured,’’ he said.

Earlier, the Principal of the College, Rev. Chris Ugorji, said the institution was fully aware of the importance of ICT to national development and global competitiveness.

Ugorji said that it was in line with the realisation that the college registered for the Cisco Netriders ICT Africa Competition that was organised for all colleges, including tertiary institutions in Africa.

He noted that the college emerged the overall best among colleges and also placed second position in the country.

Ugorji said the college had also participated in programmes and competitions organised for institutions under the Federal Ministry of Education.

According to him, this is part of the mandates to train the Nigerian child to acquire relevant skills for national development.

“The concept is in line with the spirit and letters of the National Policy on Education.

“It is also in tune with the vision and mission of the founding fathers of the 104 unity colleges across the country.

In his brief remark, Mr Imoh Akpan, the Area Academy Manager, CISCO English sub-Saharan Africa, said that so far, over five million people had registered in its networking academy programme across the globe.

He said that the programme had been translated into 19 languages.

Akpan said that in Nigeria alone, 172 academies with over 71,000 students had been trained in the academy.

He noted that, of the figure, 16,000 students were from the unity colleges in the country. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/IGO

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde

NAN-H-85
Media
By Yinka Olawale
Lagos, Oct. 20, 2016 (NAN) To remain relevant in the changing digital world order, media practitioners have been advised to put audience’s experience, ideas and knowledge into their operations to improve media products.

The Editor-In-Chief of The Guardian newspaper, Mr Debo Adesina, gave the advice at the 2^nd Distinguished Lecture, organised by the University of Lagos Mass Communication Alumni Association (UMCAA) on Thursday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the lecture series is: “Building a New Generation of Media Professionals in a Changing World Order’’.

In his lecture titled: “Vessel in a storm’’, Adesina said that the level of access to information through the internet or the new digital revolution was unprecedented and that the volume was immeasurable.

He said that such unhindered access “is giving the people the power, hitherto reserved for media kings’’.

Adesina said that the internet or the new digital revolution offered some advantages to the traditional media, especially those members of the old media oligopoly that were smart enough to embrace it.

“Media organisations must find a way to get some of the audience’s experience, ideas and knowledge into their operations to improve their products.

“ Any organisation that ignores this may be choosing a prime location in the cemetery for its own entombment.

“A smart traditional media organisation must be conscious of what it generates, refine it for the best and make it irresistible for the audience to consume,’’ Adesina said.

According to him, the ability of a media practitioner to research, report, edit, analyse or interpret issues in ways that build a trustworthy brand, is unassailable.

“Our professional standards are a great selling point; yet, we must include our users in our operations, take in as much as possible.

“We must admit that our profession is not rocket science.

“A professional journalist knows how to get information, ask questions, tell stories and connect isolated facts.

“These are not esoteric or specialised skills, just heightened versions of things any smart citizen should be able to do,’’ he said.

In his welcome address, the President of UMCAA, Mr Vincent Oyo, said that the lecture series was one of the programmes lined up to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the Mass Communication Department.

“The lecture is very apt in the era of new technology, placement of ideology with unusual fundamentalism, the arrival of social media and globalisation.

“We can hold our heads high because of the contributions of past and present lecturers of this department,’’ Oyo, who is the Managing Director of Image Consultants Ltd., said.

He urged old and new members of the association to work together to build a strong membership base so as to take the body to a greater height. (NAN)
OOG/AIB/AJA
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-H-84
Advertisement
By Yinka Olawale
Lagos, Oct. 20, 2016 (NAN) An Advertising Practitioner, Dr Biodun Shobanjo, says spending on global  digital advertisements is steadily growing, urging advertisers to key into the changing trend.

Shobanjo, who is the Chairman of Troyka Holdings, Nigeria, made the remark at the 2nd Distinguished Lecture organised by the University of Lagos Mass Communication Alumni Association (UMCAA) on Thursday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the lecture series is: “Building a New Generation of Media Professionals in a Changing World Order’’.

“Digital spending is growing and in the next couple of years, in fact, it will be the fastest growing platform in the world.

“In 2015, the global advertising spending was 552 billion dollars.

“Out of this amount, digital spending accounted for 150 billion dollars,’’ Shobanjo, who also chaired the occasion said.

In Nigeria, he said that what advertisers spent in 2015 was N170.8 billion, out of which digital advertising accounted for N8.1 billion.

“What this portends is that both teachers and practitioners in the media industry must quickly adapt to the way that digital media is trendily changing.

He attributed the change to evolving technological advancement which keeps changing and which the audience themselves were also embracing rapidly.

“In the past, the consumer waited to be educated through a variety of media to make a buying decision but this is not any more.

“Not only is that consumer unwilling to be left on what brand to buy, you are almost unsure of which media he attends to.

“The digital technology or the mobile phone has indeed changed our ways of life forever,’’ Shobanjo said.

In the Lead Lecture, the Editor-In-Chief of  The Guardian newspapers, Mr Debo Adesina,  said that without an understanding of the audience, the journalist or any communication specialist wanted to serve in the new age, he or she would not be useful to that audience.

“Our most urgent duty is to put ourselves in the position of those users of our products or services, if anything useful and for which any form of payment would be made, will be put out.

“Because of the devices of media content production readily available to people today, they are as effectively connected to each other as they are also linked up to the traditional big media,’’ Adesina said.

He said that even though, the internet penetration was still relatively low, especially in Nigeria at about 20 per cent “but it is growing’’.

“There is a school of thought now which says Wi-Fi rights are human rights. Meaning all citizens deserve access to the internet,’’ Adesina said.

According to him, with huge investment companies like Facebook, making Wi-Fi cheaper or even free everywhere, a certain “techno democracy’’ will further strip the journalist of his monopoly on information gathering and dissemination.

Adesina said that the digital change in the world was gradually making media practitioners, almost irrelevant, if not ‘useless’. (NAN)

OOG/AIB/AJA
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-H-44

Expulsion

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) Authorities of the University of Lagos have expelled 125 students and rusticated 198 others for various offences, including examination malpractices during last academic session.

The lists of the affected students were published on the university’s website on Sunday.

The institution’s Deputy Registrar (Information), Mr Toyin Adebule, confirmed the expulsion and estimation to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday,

Adebule told NAN that the university “will soon publish and display the names and photographs of the students in the media’’.

He said that the action was in line with the university’s zero tolerance on malpractices and other vices in campus.

“Yes we have published some names on our website and these students will be punished in various degrees, depending on the severity.

“Last session, a number of students were caught in various forms of malpractices during their examinations.

“Some were found cheating during the examination with “micro sheets” while others were hired as surrogates to write papers for others.

“Others were caught smoking weeds (Marijuana) right in their halls of residence by their colleagues and reported to the university authorities.

“For those who were caught impersonating, writing examinations for others, they will face outright expulsion,’’ Adebule said.

Adebule said the other categories of students, such as those caught with micro sheets and the smokers, would face suspension ranging from two to four semesters.

“In other to get the desired effect of their various punishments, we are planning to publish all their names as well as display their photographs all over the campus in the next one week.

“We shall carry out this measure in all the departments and faculties in the institution.

“This is to help the university ensure that the affected students will have nowhere to hibernate on campus.

“By doing this, the affected students would know that the university want to ensure total compliance to the sanction and would not want to be seen anywhere around the campus,’’ he said.

Adebule said that before every examination, the university normally make available the rules and regulations for the students to abide by.

He said that such rules and regulations were usually accompanied by various sanctions for defaulters.

According to him, the university will continue to do all it can to sustain set standards and best practices as obtained in other top universities around the world.

Adebule, however, clarified that the development had nothing to do with those involved in the recent students’ riot. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/OFN

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde//Felix Nwadioha