Author: premier radio premier radio

NAN-H-19

History

By Olayinka Olawale

Lagos, Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) on Sunday commended the Federal Government for planning to reintroduce History as a subject in the nation’s primary and junior secondary schools curricula.

Mr Denja Abdulahi, the National President of ANA, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that History, as a subject, was important to the educational development of the students.

He remarked that Nigerians always shy away from their history and that history was not about palatable happenings.

“History can be unpalatable, but when we talk about the unpalatable happenings, we apply experience of what happened to teach people how to avoid the pitfalls.

“If we do not teach History, we are creating a rootless society.

“This is because from history, you get inspired about your origin; you get inspiring story about who you are and what you can emulate from people of the past.

“It is from History that you get to know what led to the civil war and our children can learn about Oyo Empire, Benin Empire, Songhai Empire and Borno Empire.

“Nigerians do not want to talk aboutthe  civil war, coups and counter coups.

“All these things happened; something led to it and if we do not tell our children about them, then how will they learn from the past,’’ Abdulahi.

He said that other countries like the US and UK talk about their civil wars and teach it in their schools.

“We are, therefore, happy the government is reintroducing History into the curriculum,’’ he said. (NAN)

OOG/AIB/BOS

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde

NAN-H-15

Reading

By Olayinka Olawale

Lagos, Oct. 14, 2016 (NAN) In a bid to resuscitate reading culture among young Nigerians, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is to distribute books in primary and secondary schools in the country.

The National President of ANA, Mr Denja Abdulahi, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos, said the books would be sourced from authors.

He said the distribution of books would be one of the association’s core programmes in 2017, commencing in the first quarter.

Abdullahi said the programme was part of the responsibilities of the association to create a reading culture among students.

The ANA chief said the association had also established literary clubs in schools to encourage youths to read and promote a reading society.

He said that such a society would impact positively on making the younger to appreciate Nigerian history and the nation’s developmental strides.

“As we speak, we have a project called teen authorship, where we gather mentors to train young children on how to read, compete and become writers.

“These efforts are geared toward projecting the reading culture and cultivating writing habits among our school population.

“The end result is to produce new writers that will succeed aging generation of authors in the country.’’

Abdulahi said the association had called for entries for the mentorship programmes from members.

He said the entries, which must contain historic articles on values; culture and gender issues were being collated.

“Any entry that fits into the category will be selected and the good ones will be published in the first quarter of 2017,” he stated. (NAN)

OOG/AIB/SN

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Silas Nwoha

NAN-H-27

Education

By Olayinka Olawale

Lagos, Oct. 10, 2016 (NAN) Amid the strident calls for the restructuring of the polity, a university lecturer, Prof. Sat Obiyan, has told the Federal Government that restructuring the education system will resolve other national challenges.

Obiyan, who is Head of the Department of Political Science at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

He said that restructuring the education system would address the country’s technological, agricultural and economic challenges.

Obiyan lamented that the country was still technologically backward, making it difficult for the nation to realize its growth aspirations.

According to him, the absence of appropriate technological force is a major setback for the nation’s development.

The don said that technology was the key element that could address most of the economic challenges facing the nation, regretting that technology had not been fully embraced in the country.

“Education should be the basis for the takeoff of technological development but we have not done what we should do.

“We are still very technologically backward.

“We have not really programmed our education to serve as catalyst for the technological development of this country.

The head of department argued that Nigeria must have to tailor its education to address the needs of the nation.

“If you look at countries that we started together 56 years ago, one will discover that they have made considerable progress, ahead of Nigeria.

“Today, we still talk about reliance on oil but Nigeria need to fully diversify into agriculture and industrialisation.

“To achieve these, technology is vital,’’ Obiyan told stated.

The lecturer said that stakeholders in education system should make conscious efforts to address the challenges.

“The transformation required in the country should be anchored on technological development.

“If we continue to wait and think that the western countries will come and help us, we are making a fundamental mistake.

He argued that there was serious deficiency in the country’s technology and that until “we programme our education to serve as a catalyst for development we will never go anywhere’’.

Obiyan also argued that inconsistencies in policy formulation were affecting other key sectors of the nation’s economy.

He said that the Federal Government should come up with policies that could stand the test of time, noting that government should also consult widely before formulating policies. (NAN)

OOG/AIB/SN

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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde, controlled by Silas Nwoha)

NAN-H-12
History
By Stellamaris Ashinze and Yinka Olawale
Lagos, Oct. 10, 2016 (NAN) The disconnect between youths and the society and the attendant moral decadence, have prompted Nigerians to call for the reintroduction of History as a subject in schools.

Notable stakeholders in education and political big wigs told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that restoring History as core subject in the schools’ curriculum would enhance Nigeria’s national values.

History is the study of past events, particularly in human affairs.

They told NAN that through History, youths would be able to connect with the past and learn from previous pitfalls of their fore fathers to build a better society.

The President of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Mrs Omotunde Lawson, called for the restoration of History in secondary school curriculum to re-establish national values.

Lawson told NAN in Lagos that the removal of the subject in the school curriculum had caused distortion in students’ perception about national values.

“Many things have been lost due to removal of History from the school curriculum. What exists in schools now is mere storytelling,’’ she said.

Lawson, who is the Principal of FESTAC Senior Grammar School, FESTAC Town, Lagos, said that students were only told what happened in the past, which they were not familiar with during morning assembly.

“What we do now is to tell the students what we think they need to know about past events.

“They cannot trace those events to even know what happened in the past and why we are where we are.

“So, History is a subject that must be reintroduced if we do not want to lose our past; our facts and figures of what happened in the past to focus on what happens next,’’ she said.

According to her, many students have lost the ability to read; they are now lazy to read because they no longer offer History, which requires serious reading.

NAN recalls that last week in Abuja, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, advocated for the return of History as a subject in the country’s school curriculum.

Speaking at a book launch, entitled “Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria’’, in Abuja, Tinubu, said that any nation that forgets its past had lost a beacon to guide its actions.

Tinubu, who is a former Governor of Lagos State, said the removal of history, as a subject in Nigerian schools was disturbing.

He lamented that the move had cut off the younger generations of Nigerians from learning about the nation’s history and tradition as well as past mistakes.

“If countries, including the U.S., teach their students about their histories, why not Nigeria with its rich history and tradition.

“History helps a people to connect with the past and learn from past pitfalls,’’ Tinubu said.

Also, Mr Augustine Agali, the Proprietor of the Prevailers Schools, Ijegun, Lagos, said that history was essential to the academic development of every Nigerian child.

He told NAN that history taught students about happenings in the past, the mistakes and how such mistakes were overcome.

“When children are taught about the Ghanaian empire, Mali Empire and Songhai Empire, they will learn a lot.

“It also helps children with the use of language; it helps them know their roots and improve on the future.

“I want history to be a compulsory subject just as Civics because many students do not show interest in the subject,’’ he said.

Agali commended the proposed reintroduction of history as a subject into the primary and junior secondary school curriculum.

He urged the Nigerian Educational Research Development Council (NERDC) to develop the scheme of work as soon as possible for the smooth take off of the subject.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) have said the reintroduction of History as a subject in the Primary and Junior Secondary curriculum would soon begin.

Dr Moses Salau, the council’s Director, told NAN in Lagos that History was very important at the primary and junior secondary schools being the foundation levels.

According to him, history is presently been taught at the senior secondary school but there is a gap that needs to be filled; that is at the primary and junior classes.

He said that when finally introduced, history would become a core subject to be offered leaving school examinations.

“The relevance of history to education is enormous because we need to know where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going.

“When we don’t know our history, where we are coming from, how can we appreciate our present situation?

“History is very important; some components of history were infused into social studies at the primary and junior classes, but you cannot take history as a part of social studies.

“Our children need to know how Nigeria started the amalgamation, when we started the regional government, premier and the regions.

“But all these are lost without the teaching of history.

“Each community, state, ethnic group, tradition and culture has its own history; so our children must learn all this from primary school, because as they say, charity begins at home and we must start now.

“History is presently being offered at the senior secondary school; there is a gap which needs to be filled from primary to junior secondary school,’’ he said.

The director said there was need to bridge the gap between the primary and senior secondary schools in the teaching of the subject.

He said that pupils in the primary and junior schools did not have knowledge of Nigerian history, thus there is need to reintroduction it.

“We don’t have the foundation in the lower class and there is no preliminary information for the primary and junior secondary schools.

“Then they proceed to the senior secondary school and take history for just few terms.

“We want to run it as one of the core courses in the primary and junior secondary schools.

“It will be a core course and immediately NERDC completes work on the curriculum, we will start implementing it,’’ Salau said. (NAN)
SKA/OOG/AIB/PDE
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde and Controlled by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-H-27

Kidnapping (open)

NAPTAN

By Yinka Olawale

Lagos, Oct. 8, 2016 (NAN) The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) on Saturday appealed to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to urgently provide 24-hour security surveillance in all boarding schools in Lagos State.

Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, the Deputy President of the association, made the appeal while reacting to the kidnapping of six persons from a school in Epe on Thursday.

Ogunbanjo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the spate of kidnapping was becoming “one incident, too many’’.

NAN reports that four students, a teacher and the principal of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe Local Government, Mr Oyesola, were kidnapped by unknown gunmen Thursday morning.

Ogunbanjo recalled that similar incident happened in a private school in Ikorodu area of the state earlier in the year.

“Now, a repeat, indicating that there is serious security lapses, which must be addressed urgently,’’ he said.

The deputy president urged the state government to to facilitate the drafting of police and civil defence personnel to protect schools until normalcy returns.

He said the kidnappers were professionals, judging from the skills and tools they displayed during the operation.

“Before now in Lagos State, about 15 to 20 years back, we used to have Man O’ War in schools to beef up security and ensure that students stay in school, but all these are no more.

“We must now start to do something like that to safeguard the lives of our children.

“The Civil Defence Corps should rise up to the situation and start to protect our schools.

“This is an eye opener for the government to do something about it.

“Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode should start to protect our schools and ensure that students are safe during school hours.

“Government must provide 24-hour security in all our boarding schools.

“We condemn kidnapping of innocent children, just as the Chibok schoolgirls incident that had remain unsolved,’’ he said.

The deputy president appealed to parents to remain calm and allow the government take measures to protect schools.

“Parents should not panic because the government is now doing something reasonable to ensure that students are protected,’’ Ogunbanjo said.

He also suggested that the government may give a one-week break, to fully strategise and organise adequate security to all public schools. (NAN)

OOG/AIB/MZA

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-H-72
Kidnapping
Lagos, Oct. 7, 2016 (NAN) Lagos State Model College, Igbonla near Epe on Friday says there is no news yet on the rescue of the six persons recently abducted from the school.
The vice principal, who simply identified himself as Akinrinmade, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the school that the authorities and parents were meeting over the sad incident.
NAN reports that six persons, including the principal, Mr Oyesola, a teacher and four students, were abducted by unknown gunmen from the school on Thursday morning.
“There is no new development; efforts are in place by the government and security agencies to secure the release of the students, teacher and principal,’’ Akinrinmade told NAN in Igbonla, Epe.
The vice principal met the NAN team at the entrance following a ‘’directive that journalists should not be allowed to enter the school’’.
NAN correspondents report that there were heavily-armed policemen and Vigilante Group members at the school entrance on Friday.
There was also heavy presence of Marine Police by the lagoon within the vicinity.
Some residents of the community told NAN that the bushy nature and absence of security operatives in the area made it easy for the gunmen to access the school unhindered.
“The gunmen came from behind the school, which is bushy,’’ Francis Olemu, a hunter, told NAN in Igbonla.
Another resident, Mrs Adijat Eredo, a trader, said that the incidence caught the community unawares.
“We were hearing spontaneous gun shots on Thursday and this scared the entire community.
“People scampered into the bush for safety when the gunshot became so sporadic,’’ she said.
NAN observed that there was thick forest on both sides of the three-kilometer road leading to the school.
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, visited the school on Thursday, promising that the government and security agencies would work to ensure the release of the kidnapped.
Adebule appealed to the public and parents to have confidence and faith in the security agencies as they work to rescue the abducted persons.
“The school was established 29 years ago and something like this has never happened. Now that it has happened, it is so unfortunate and challenging.
“As parents and administrators, we are agitated, traumatised and worried, but we need to join hands with the government and security agencies so that we can rescue the victims, said the deputy governor.
Meanwhile, search for the kidnap victims continues as the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, said he had deployed large numbers of police operatives to locations regarded as flash points in the state.
“These flash points will be policed on a 24-hour basis, starting from now on.
“Members of the public are to assist in giving timely information about any suspect,” Owoseni said. (NAN)
REPORTERS/AIB/WOJ
(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde and controlled by Wale Ojetimi)

NAN-H-3
Teachers
By Rukayat Adeyemi
Lagos, Oct. 7, 2016 (NAN) The Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State on Friday refuted allegation of deploying non-teaching staff to classrooms in some primary schools in the area.

Mr Rotimi Ogunwuyi, the Sole Administrator of the LCDA, refuted the allegation during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Ogunwuyi said that the allegation, being peddled by people that non-teaching staff were being deployed to classrooms in public schools in the state, was a figment of their imagination.

NAN reports that some parents have expressed concern that non-teaching staff were being deployed in classrooms in Lagos public primary schools due to shortage of teachers.
Ogunwuyi said that he overheard the rumour when he came on board as the council head.
“But when I checked, I found out that there was no shortage of teachers in primary schools in the LCDA.

“It may be difficult to ascertain the speculation because the council is not responsible for recruitment of teachers, rather the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is in charge‎.

“Besides, each time we had a meeting with ‎the head-teachers of schools in the council, the issue of shortage of teachers was never brought to our attention.

“Maybe it is because we are not in charge of recruitment of teachers that is why they did not raise it.

“The ‎council is doing its best to ensure facilities needed for teaching and learning in a conducive environment are in place,’’ he told NAN.

Ogunwuyi also said that the LCDA was ensuring that lives and properties within the council area were well protected.

According to him, security personnel and neighbourhood watch teams are always on ground 24 hours in all the public schools to protect lives and properties.

“There is no primary school you visit in this council that you will not find security personnel at the gate.

“We do not allow our students to loiter around during school hours,’’ he said.
‎
Ogunwuyi said that his council planned to strengthen security around the schools by rehabilitating the perimeter fence that collapsed due to heavy rainfall.

NAN reports that there are four primary and 10 secondary schools in the LCDA.

The Lagos State Government said it recruited 1,300 teachers early this year to boost manpower in its public primary schools.

The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on April 15 started distributing appointment letters to the newly recruited teachers. (NAN)
RUKY/AIB/TA
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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde, controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-H-52
Schools
By Olayinka Olawale
Lagos, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Some residents in Agbado-Oke Odo and Meiran communities in Lagos State have expressed concern over the state of insecurity in some public schools in the area.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that the state government should urgently construct fences in the affected schools for safety of pupils.

The residents, who spoke to NAN on Wednesday, said that the pupils were exposed to danger because of the location of the schools.
They listed the affected schools as African Church Primary Schools I and II, Ile-Iwe, Meiran, and Community Primary School, Agbado-Okeodo.

NAN observed that the three schools, located in the same premises, are along Ajasa Command road and Meiran road which intersect each other.

Mrs Alimat Kareem, a parent of a pupil in one of the schools, told NAN that stakeholders had written several letters to the state government on the situation.

According to her, lack of perimeter fencing, poor and inadequate facilities are posing danger to the pupils.

Kareem said the pupils were also exposed to health hazards from pollutions, kidnapping and negative influences from street urchins.

“When you visit the schools in the evening, area boys and hoodlums have taken ownership of the place, playing football and smoking Indian hemp.

“Throughout the long holidays, government did not rehabilitate the schools.’’

Another parent, Mrs Kemi Oluwalogbon, also expressed concern on the increasing moral decadence among pupils, which she attributed to the current economic recession in the country.

Oluwalogbon said the economic challenges forced parents to put their wards in such public school.

She said that the increase in school enrolment had made it difficult for the security men to manage the pupils’ population in the schools.

“The situation in the school is bad.

“Children are kept in a school without perimeter fence and security gate in Lagos in this period of kidnapping and abduction.

“Government should do something to safeguard the safety of the pupils,’’ she added.

Mr Adetokunbo Ifederu, another parent, said that apart from insecurity, the school environment was not conducive for learning.

“Good environment helps students to assimilate whatever they are being taught in class.

“There is no way an average child can learn under such condition and you expect him or her to come out in flying colours.

“Although there are some of them who are brilliant and can cope under such circumstances.’’

When contacted, Mr Seyi Adelusi, the Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), told NAN that the state government was aware of the situation.

He assured that the board would rehabilitate the affected schools soon.

Adelusi said that many primary schools had been earmarked for rehabilitation and that the schools in question would also benefit.

“The schools will be rehabilitated soon; it is one of the cardinal programmes of this administration to rehabilitate schools and we have identified them.

“The perimeter fencing in the schools will also be reconstructed as soon as possible,’’ he said. (NAN)
OOG/AIB/TA
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Edited by Abdulfattah Babatunde/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-AE-7
Electricity
By Rukayat Adeyemi
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Residents of Shagari Estate, Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area, Lagos, have been thrown into darkness as the base of some electric poles in the area have been eroded.

Investigation by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reveals that the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IKEDC) had switched off electric supply to the area to avert impending danger.

This is because the basement of one of the poles carrying 33KVA electric lines has been greatly eroded.

Mr Olufemi Ojo, the Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman in the area, told NAN that the problem had been on for a long time.

Ojo said that the case had been reported to the Sole Administrator of the LCDA, Mr Rotimi Ogunwuyi, and other relevant government agencies, but that nothing was done to remedy the situation.

According to him, continuous rainfall for the past two weeks has further weakened the concrete base.

He said that emergency agencies had also visited the site to evaluate the problem and proffer solution.

“From investigations, the problem was caused by blockage of the canal by illegal structures in the area.

“There are also houses built even under the high electric tension.

“LASEMA told us in confidence that the repair will be done holistically and some houses would be demolished,’’ Ojo told NAN.

The LCDA administrator, Ogunwuyi urged the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company to urgently repair a collapsing pole at the Shagari Estate, before wreaking havoc.

He told NAN that the situation constituted threat to the lives and property of residents in the areas.

Ogunwuyi said the pole, located at Zone A, AB Str., Shagari Federal Low Cost Hosing Estate, on Ipaja road, had slipped out of its basement and could fall any moment soon.

He said that the problem was caused by erosion which is eating up the base of the pole.

Ogunwuyi said erosion has been eating the base for close to five years and that the council had been reported the matter to appropriate authorities.

According to him, there is nothing the State Government could do until the IKEDC is ready to repair the pole base.

“I have spoken with an official of the IKEDC in the area, who also claimed to have reported to the head office at Ikeja.

“I have also notified the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and its officials had come to inspect the erosion devastated site.

“Any rainfall may cause serious disaster in the area,’’ he said.

Ogunwuyi noted that it would be a great disaster if nothing was done in time to avert the impending danger.

The administrator said he had advised occupants of the nearby houses to vacate the site in order to avert endangering their lives.

Meanwhile, an official of the IKEDC, Gowon Estate branch in the area said that efforts were in top gear to ensure that the problem was fixed.

‎The official, who pleaded anonymity, however told NAN that the matter had been reported to IKEDC headquarters in Ikeja.

“We will swing into action as soon as the needed equipment and facilities to remedy the situation are available.

“However, the head office is in a better position to say the level of preparation,’’ he said. (NAN)
RUKY/AIB/AFA
Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-19

Salary

By Chinyere Nwachukwu

Lagos, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Education on Thursday assured that salaries of the striking teachers of King’s College, Lagos, would be paid next week.

The Deputy Director of Information, Mr Benjamin Goong, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that government was making efforts to pay the teachers so that the students could resume for the new academic session.

Members of staff of the 107-year-old institution had embarked on an indefinite strike over arrears of salaries owed them since May.

They claimed that their names were omitted from the salary payroll since May and blamed it on a mix-up between the Budget Office and the Ministry of Finance.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, which waded into the matter, shut down the college, vowing that the workers would only resume after all outstanding salaries are paid.

Goong, however, told NAN that the government was addressing the problem, assuring parents and students that resumption was in sight.

“The ministry is working hard to ensure that King’s College resumes within the next one week.

“We are particularly grateful to the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation, who have approved a warrant to that effect.

“The warrant will be cash backed next week and payment of salaries will begin next week.

“With the development, therefore, we want to assure the students and parents not to worry as the strike is technically over and resumption in sight.

“King’s College will resume for normal academic activities for the new session within one week,’’ he said.

He said that the strike was occasioned by an unintended omission of the institution’s personnel cost in the 2016 budget. (NAN)

CCN/AIB/SOA

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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Oluwole Sogunle)