The Nation Newspaper

Category: Education

  • Why I established Ajayi Polytechnic – Proprietor

    Why I established Ajayi Polytechnic – Proprietor

    Dr Busayo Ajayi is the founder of Ajayi Polytechnic, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. In this interview with our Correspondent RASAQ IBRAHIM, he shared his journey through life and how his lofty dreams to establish polytechnic became a reality. 

    Let’s have an insight into your early life and your journey so far in the academia

    I want to say I started entrepreneurship journey as a teenager. After my first degree, I almost lost focus due to wrong orientation and bandwagon syndrome. Before gaining admission to the University, my dream was to become a successful entrepreneur, create job for thousands, and contribute positively to the society through social entrepreneurial initiatives. Unfortunately, we saw higher institutions as just a platform to acquire certificates and not as a platform to gain knowledge, skills and behaviours that can shape us in showcasing our potential. We tend to believe that the purpose of acquiring the University degree was for certificate that would give us jobs. This bad orientation indicates that something was missing somewhere.  After my first degree, like many other graduates, I lost focus, dropped my dream of becoming a job creator, to become a job seeker. I was able to secure employment, but despite being lucky to secure jobs, I wasn’t comfortable. I always had the feeling that something was missing. I then decided to travel to United Kingdom for further studies after two years of employment in Nigeria.  

    The education I acquired in the UK assisted me to rediscover myself. I was able to acquire the required skills, knowledge and behaviour that assisted me in becoming the person I dreamt of becoming. My experience in life and passion towards ensuring that more people do not become victims of the societal orientation, my desire to gain more knowledge, on how to help individuals to achieve their dream of becoming job creators, fulfilling destiny and acquiring skills that can make them become successful entrepreneurs made me to pursue a PhD degree in Entrepreneurship at University of Essex, United Kingdom. After my PhD studies, i decided to seek God’s face for direction on the next thing to do. It was at that stage that i received the vision to establish higher and further educational institution as a platform to provide inclusive education to individuals towards becoming successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and raise job creators with the necessary skills to provide solutions to economic problems of nations. 

    I am excited that we are making impact on this. Today, one of my dreams that became a reality, is Ajayi Polytechnic, a private polytechnic, established to raise  giants  through entrepreneurship and innovative technological education. If I must be frank, entrepreneurship and Innovation education is now inevitable, going by the number that are graduating from higher institutions in the last few years with at least, 60 to 70 percent of them unemployed, either because they are unemployable or other deficiencies.

    We believe that our entrance into the educational sector at this point would assist in plugging the dysfunctional tertiary education in Nigeria, which had over the years resulted in graduates that are not adequately prepared to face the challenges of building entrepreneurial capabilities. At Ajayi Polytechnic, we are determined to train, produce technical and skilled manpower that will become industrial giants, and solutions’ providers to the myriads of economic problems bedeviling the country. We also seek to provide education that will develop skills, knowledge, behaviour, entrepreneurial mindset and understanding attitudes in our graduate. We have evolved inclusive procedures that would inculcate work habits in our graduates in line with the best practice anywhere in the world and shall continue to follow-up on those procedures. 

    Where do you think the polytechnic will be in the nearest future? 

    The vision of the Polytechnic is to raise giants and produce skilled technicians, and managers who are entrepreneurially driven. This is set to be achieved through inclusive 21st century entrepreneurship and innovative technological education. It is also to provide trained workforce in the field of business, applied science, engineering, and technology, to provide necessary technical knowledge and skills for the nation’s agriculture, industrial, commercial and economic development, while also providing the required training and skills that will equip the students to be enterprising and realise their self-worth.

    We are also out to provide necessary training, in appropriate vocational skills that will make individuals to be self-reliant, gainfully employed or become an employer of labour/job creator, and 

    provide improvement in technical education through consistent research and development, as well as establish regular contact with other institutions and organisations globally. 

    What are the programmes offered in the Polytechnic? 

    The Polytechnic was approved and licensed to operate by the Federal Government of Nigeria and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), in May 2017.The institution have all the necessary approvals and fulfils procedures of Ekiti State Government’s Education Ministry, National Business and Technical Education (NABTEB), in Technical and Vocational Training, as well as Certification in September, 2018.

    The Polytechnic started with only five approved programmes that include ND Electrical & Electronics Engineering, ND Computer Engineering, ND Statistics, ND Computer Science and ND Accountancy. 

    In 2022, the institution got accreditation for five additional courses, which are: ND Science Laboratory Technology, Public Administration, Business Administration, and HND Programmes in Accountancy and Computer Science. 

    Can you highlight some of the policies that have been put in place to sustain the current tempo of quality  education for which Ajayi Polytechnic is known for?

    Yes, in a bid to continue to improve the quality of education in the Polytechnic, the unstitution put in place policies and programmes that have greatly helped in achieving vision of the Institution. Some of these policies are; approving and inculcating compulsory skill acquisition programmes in the school curriculum which was made compulsory for all the students. It was designed in such a, way that the graduating student must have acquired at least, one skill. Some of the available skills are: Fashion design, Solar Installation, Graphics design, Computer programming (using several languages) Web designing, Cosmetology and Phone  repairs amongst others. 

     It has also become a standing policy at the Polytechnic that no Faculty member will be employed without first having at the minimum,Masters Degree or already on it with glaring evidence. The Council of the Polytechnic believes that policies  such as these, would help improve the quality of education in the Institution and many of the Faculty members employed are already researchers in the making. 

    The policy of the Polytechnic also has it that, inclusive entrepreneurship training and capacity development seminars are infused into the polytechnic curriculum. Personal development of our students is very important to us.  We monitor the students personal development.  The management too do monitor the impact of our programmes from time to time. The Polytechnic also has a firm policy on Internship and SIWES programmes. All our students are exposed to internship within the campus and outside, through ITF SIWES programmes, which enables them acquire work experience before they graduate.

    Our impact is feasible despite that we are not making noise about it. Our survey revealed that none of our graduates is unemployed after completing their education with us. There’s no way you will graduate from Ajayi Polytechnic, and become liability to the society.  We are raising solution providers, not problem compounders.  The fact that we are being noticed and recognised despite that we are not making noise about our strides is encouraging and this is motivating us to do more. We are more determined  to sustain our achievements.  

    Despite the challenges that are involved in managing Higher Institutions at this trying period of Nigeria’s economy, Ajayi Polytechnic, Ikere-Ekiti has been able to maintain it’s corporate values, can you ascribe to this feat?

    Early this year, we won an integrity award from a very reputable body. We did not even know that we were been noticed. This further attests to the fact that we are genuinely maintaining our corporate integrity, vision and mission. From the onset, we resolved to do things in a different way. We are creating our own brand. We are creative and innovative and we have continued to encourage our students to also think alike, so that they and the institution can stay ahead of the industry. We resolved not to compromise our integrity, we conduct our business with utmost transparency, zero tolerance to student molestation, harassment and other vices that currently pervades many institutions. We are student-centred in terms of course delivery, policy making, and infrastructural development. Little wonder that I declared 50% scholarship for students during this period to help them have access to quality education.

    Excellence is important to us as an institution, and more importantly as a brand, we strive hard to continuously improve the quality of delivery for our students so that they can compete with their counterparts anywhere.

    What makes your institution outstanding and a place prospective students?

    The Polytechnic is outstanding because we can boast that we have modern, world class and state-of-the-art laboratories for Engineering, Sciences and Technology programmes. We get commendations from accreditation teams anytime they come over to check our resources. We boast of reliable, high-speed internet connectivity across the campus. We also operate one of the most reliable CBT hub in the country. Besides, we have an extensive online library with access to Open Access Resources- Journals and Textbooks. Our physical library is well stocked with latest academic resources.We have specialised Laboratory for programming, software engineering and data science. Our Engineering Workshops are well-equipped for hands-on training.

    How would you advise stakeholders in the education sector on how to improve the quality in Nigeria?

    Improving the quality of education, especially polytechnic education in Nigeria, requires a collaborative effort from stakeholders. The Government needs to increase the funding of education, particularly Polytechnics, by allowing private polytechnics to access TETFUND. If you look at it, the number of private Polytechnics in Nigeria keeps increasing on daily basis and students going to these schools are Nigerians who will in turn come back to contribute their quota to the economy of Nigeria after graduation. 

    The government needs to partner with private polytechnics so that students that choose private polytechnics will not be at a disadvantage. We should correct the narrative that only students from rich family enroll in private institutions. This is not true. It will interest you to note that almost all public institutions school fees are even more than Ajayi polytechnic school fees. I challenge you to do your research on this. You will discover that fee we charge at Ajayi Polytechnic  is not up to the amount public polytechnics do collect from their students. Polytechnic owners and management also need to prioritize academic excellence in their entire citadels of learning by investing in their institution itself and the delivery of their curriculum, so that the polytechnic products can compete favourably with their counterparts from other levels of education. We need to ensure that we are developing our students’ knowledge, skills and behaviour. 

    We should stop making students think that higher institutions are certificates factory. One of the reasons why we are facing socio-economy challenges in the country is because, stakeholders in the education sector are not doing the right thing. The Industry should also be invited to synergise on curriculum development to have a robust curriculum that can cater for the needs of the industry, thereby producing employable graduates. 

    What opportunities exist for students of Ajayi Polytechnic, Ikere-Ekiti to compete favourably, or enjoy benefits on the international stage?

    We ensure that all our students acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviour that will make them to be employable in any part of the world. Some of our students are working for companies out of the country. All students at Ajayi Polytechnic Ikere Ekiti, have the opportunity to graduate, alongside their ND or HND certificate, at least, one professional certification in Cisco, Microsoft, Oracle and Accounting. All students in Ajayi Polytechnic must acquire at least one trade, before they graduate under the institution’s skill acquisition programme.

    They are also exposed to international collaboration through Entrepreneurship Programme of the institution. We work in partnership with various international institutions. We have been using this partnerships and collaborations in providing platforms for our students to network,  form strong ties, and learning from other countries towards building the capacity to compete globally. To ensure that less privileged students are not at disadvantage, we do organise scholarship opportunities for students coming into the polytechnic of up to 50% of their tuition. 

    What advice do you have for prospective applicants who are desirous of making the Institution their Polytechnic of choice?

    In Ajayi Polytechnic Ikere-Ekiti, we are committed to raising the giant in you through inclusive entrepreneurship and skill acquisition programmes that will make you employer of Labour, after your graduation. If you have entrepreneurial mind-set, thinking of becoming employer of labour, or determined to ensure that you are not unemployed after completing higher institution,at Ajayi Polytechnic, we can guarantee you 100% success rate. We carried out survey on our graduates’ destination and we are proud to say that no graduate of Ajayi Polytechnic, Ikere-Ekiti is unemployed after graduation. 

    We are determined to sustain this achievement. You will gain all the required knowledge, skills and behaviour that will either make you to set up sustainable business and become employer of labour, or put you in the position to be employable in any part of the world.  The scholarship programme available in the Polytechnic also offers interested candidates, the opportunity to have access to quality and affordable  education. 

  • Educationist urges enhanced welfare for teachers

    Educationist urges enhanced welfare for teachers

    An educationist, Oluwafolakemi Olubunmi Olasonya, has called on the government to ensure better welfare for teachers in the country.

    Olasonya, who spoke at the 2024 end of year production/graduation ceremony of New World Emerald Private School in Abuja, said as the mother of professions, teachers deserved more.

    She said poor welfare of teachers was significantly responsible for the poor quality of education in the society.

    Olasonya, who is the Director of the school, said more should be done in this regard for the development of education in the country.

    Her words, “I am a teacher and I come from a generation of teachers.In Nigeria, teachers are being looked down upon and not being put in their rightful pride of place. As the people that train every aspect of employment that we have, we have teachers being the mother of all the professions we have in Nigeria but they are not being given the regard. 

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    “In some other countries they are being paid the highest, in some other countries they are exempted from paying taxes, in others they have some benefits. But in Nigeria they don’t even give any accolades to our teachers. 

    *We want our country to switch and start respecting our teachers. I call on the government to look into reviewing the salary of teachers to upgrade their level. Their welfare should be of utmost importance. 

    “Poor welfare of teachers is responsible for low quality of education in society. A lot of teachers have left in search of greener pastures and others are withdrawing because they are not paying them and we really losing them. And we want the government to look into this direction and uplift their value in society.”

    She also called on the government to support private sector investment in education to enhance the development of the sector.

    She said they trained children to stand shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts in any part of the world.

    “We are training the children that can stand out anywhere in the world and can stand shoulder to shoulder with any counterpart all over the world. We are not raising them for this generation alone. You know we are upgrading a smart society. We prepare them for the future. Our pioneer sets are graduating and we are proud of them,” she said.

    Also speaking, the School Support Officer, Bamidele Osuntosa, urged more private sector investment in education.

    “Education is not a one man business again. The private sector has to have a greater input into the educational system these days which is what we are doing. The school has put in so much to ensure quality education.

    “We try to ensure there is quality delivery in the teaching and learning process. We do mostly the British curriculum and Nigerian curriculum. We tend to bridge the gap in the Nigeria educational sector. 

    “We have been able to identify those gaps in the Nigerian education sector and that is what we do here to ensure there is serious input into the Nigerian economy as a whole. Government alone cannot do it. The private sector has to come in,” he said. 

    The Principal of the school, Gifen Festus, said they run a blended curriculum, where 70 percent is Cambridge curriculum and 30 percent Nigerian curriculum. 

    He also called more government investment in education. 

    “We have trained the children to be able to compete in any part of the world. The students have done well. They should not relent. The speed we have put in them should add more. They should not fail us

    A parent, Rev Paul Itodo, said various aspects of society have a role to play in properly raising children.

    He called for strict monitoring of the consumption of social media by children.

    “Parents can bring their children here and not have any regrets. They can be sure they will get value for their money. It goes beyond what we see today. All aspects have their roles to play in bringing up children. The parents, the school, the church, the mosque and so on. So at the end of the day you have a properly raised and developed child. 

    ‘I advise the children to be focused. Social media is one major distraction and parents should help children especially those who have not come to that age where they should handle such devices. They should moderate these devices and help these children to be able to chart a very good course of action,” he said.

  • Six Nigerian students shine on global stage

    Six Nigerian students shine on global stage

    Six Nigerian students have been announced as part of the fifty finalists for the prestigious 2024 Chegg.org Global Student Prize.

    This esteemed prize was established to create a powerful platform that highlights the efforts of extraordinary students worldwide who are collectively reshaping our world for the better.

    The Nigerian finalists are Clinton Okechukwu studying Optometry at the University of Benin. Jennifer Obiorah, a Don Lavoie Fellow at the Mercatus Center, George Mason University, USA. Joel Mordi studying Politics, International Relations, and Global Development at the University of York.

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    Karimot Odebode is studying Education Policy and Analysis at Harvard University, USA, Peace Bello, a graduate of Chemical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University and Roseline Adewuyi is studying French Literature at Purdue University, USA.

    These remarkable students were selected from a large pool of 11,000 applications and nominations from 176 countries, showcasing their exceptional achievements and dedication.

    A statement on Chegg.org’s website reads: “Our Finalists this year have significantly influenced their communities and beyond, spanning from environmental stewardship to social justice, healthcare, education, youth empowerment, and poverty alleviation. Selected from across the globe, these remarkable students are true champions of positive change. Explore their incredible achievements and initiatives and join us in celebrating their successes.”

  • Group launches awareness campaign against cancer in schools

    Group launches awareness campaign against cancer in schools

    A group, Team Nigeria, has commenced a nationwide campaign to educate and create awareness about cancer amongst students in schools.

    The initiative, launched last week, is aimed at creating  awareness, dispel myths and promote early detection of cancer among the youths.

    The campaign kicked off with an engaging session at a school, Morette Ville Heights,  Ladi-Lak, Bariga, Lagos.

     Volunteers from Team Nigeria delivered informative talks and held interactive workshops with the pupils.

    The pupils were taught  about the signs and symptoms of various types of childhood cancers, the early signs and diagnosis, and available treatment options.

    President of National Association of Proprietors of Private School (NAPPS), High Chief Alaka Yusuf, emphasised the critical role of education in the fight against child cancer.

    “Early detection can save lives,” he said, adding that by educating pupils, “we empower them to recognise warning signs and seek medical attention promptly”.

    Alaka advised the students to always report to their parents anytime they notice a strange occurrence or boil in their body as it may be a trace of cancer, which might be mistaken for boil.

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    He advised them to eat good food as it is a good means of preventing cancer and taken good care of themselves.

    Alaka emphasised that the disease is not only limited to adults but also children. “Cancer is not only limited to the adults. We can see it in the children too,” he said.

    He admonished parents to always check on their children and seek appropriate advice from a professional medical doctor on how to cure it before it spreads in the body.

    Team Nigeria plans to visit schools across the country, reaching thousands of students in both urban and rural areas.

    Ambassador of Team Nigeria, Anjorin Temitope, emphasised the need to educate parents on cancer awareness as children are also prone to it.

  • Alumni lift FGC Kaduna best pupil with N1.9m, gifts

    Alumni lift FGC Kaduna best pupil with N1.9m, gifts

    A graduating SS3 student of the Federal Government College (FGC) Kaduna, Udo Lilian Cletus, has won N1.9 million in cash and gifts at FGC Kaduna Speech and Prize Giving Day held last Saturday at the assembly hall of the school.

    The event, which was last held 11 years ago, was resuscitated by the present alumni exco led by its Global President, Seyi Gambo.

    Since the inception of the exco, efforts have geared towards alumni reaching out to ensure the school continues to thrive as one of the leading federal schools in the country.

    Just last year, over N200 million was raised at an endowment fund.

    The exco members were also at the forefront of ensuring that the school lands were not forcefully acquired by the Kaduna State government.

    Udo cleared 11 subjects to become the overall graduating student.  The sum of N1 million was donated by one of the alumni, Abolore Solebo. Other gifts including a laptop were giving to the winner at the event.

    Access Bank was on hand to open accounts for all the awardees

    It was a moving event where parents, awardees, students and teachers celebrated with joy.

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    The principal of the school, Benjamin Ochogwu, was elated and appreciated the alumni association.

    Ochogwu thanked them and requested that the alumni continue to support the school to grow from strength to strength. Many of the former graduates of the school were on hand to give support to the school.

    Gambo and his exco members were elated that the young ones excelling in their studies were being appreciated.

    He said: “We give God all glory and thank you all for your uncommon support. It is important that we redirect the minds of our youths from appreciating amorous competitions and know that if they excel in their studies, the world will appreciate and love them.  This is just the beginning. We hope to do much more in future.”

  • LASU, UNILAG, Pan-Atlantic sign STEM Pact with U.S. varsity

    LASU, UNILAG, Pan-Atlantic sign STEM Pact with U.S. varsity

    In a groundbreaking move to advance women’s education and bolster Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, the Lagos State University (LASU), the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and the Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) have signed an educational cooperative partnership agreement with Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

    The partnership aims to establish a robust framework for collaboration among the four universities, focusing on creative industries, faculty and student exchange programmes, and mutually beneficial educational initiatives.

    The event, held at UNILAG, was attended by U.S. Consul-General in Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., members of the U.S. Presidential Advisory Committee, leaders from other universities in and around Lagos, as well as staff and students from the partnering institutions.

    This partnership, aptly titled “Developing Partnerships between U.S. and Nigerian Institutions of Higher Education,” marks a significant milestone in educational cooperation and is set to pave the way for numerous academic and cultural exchanges, enriching the educational landscape in Nigeria and beyond.

    The signing ceremony was attended by prominent academic figures, including UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola; LASU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, represented by LASU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Adenike Boyo; Dean of the School of Management and Social Science at PAU, Prof. Sola Oni; and Dr. Helene Gayle of Spelman College.

    Prof. Ogunsola, the chief host, highlighted the importance of this partnership, expressing hope that it would strengthen ties with the diaspora community and advance STEM education in the country.

    “We hope to forge stronger ties with the diaspora community to foster a developmental drive that will engender the growth of STEM education in Nigeria.

    “This will help to promote capacity building for faculties, improve collaborations, foster exchange opportunities, facilitate co-creation of curricula, and encourage multi-disciplinary research engagements,” she said.

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    Highlighting UNILAG’s commitment to the initiative, Prof. Ogunsola emphasised the university’s proactive approach to fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and innovations.

    This pledge, she added, reflects UNILAG’s strategic focus on integrating advanced technologies and entrepreneurial skills into its academic programmes, ensuring that students are well-equipped to tackle modern challenges.

    Prof. Olatunji-Bello expressed LASU’s enthusiasm about the partnership, particularly in enhancing its Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education.

  • Northern states underperform in infrastructure, WASH, nutrition, says UNICEF

    Northern states underperform in infrastructure, WASH, nutrition, says UNICEF

    A survey conducted by the United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) in 2023 has revealed that the Safe School Initiative, aimed at creating a conducive learning environment, is falling short in key areas such as infrastructure, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and nutrition in several northern states.

    This was disclosed at a stakeholders’ meeting held in Bauchi yesterday to discuss the findings from the survey conducted in 10 northern states, where the initiative was implemented.

    The programme, organised by the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (BASUBEB) and UNICEF, saw participation from 20 local government education secretaries representing the state’s councils.

    However, the results from the survey indicated that Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Adamawa performed poorly across 21 standards set for safe schools.

    According to UNICEF, the 10 states included Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna and Kebbi.

    Some of the indicators include, strong school system, violence against children, natural hazards, conflict, everyday hazards and safe school infrastructure.

    The report claimed that the states on average implemented nine out of the 21 standards.

    Overall, schools scored highest in their ability to prevent Violence Against Children (VAC), owing primarily to their capacity to respond to concerns about children’s well-being and their implementation of activities intended to prevent VAC at school.

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    “On the other hand, the lowest score was in school infrastructure, which remains nonfunctional, unsafe, or inaccessible, while guidelines for access control at the school are seldom followed.

    “Low performance was noted also in relation to everyday hazards, driven by schools’ inability to meet children’s nutrition, WASH, and health needs.

    “Little improvement, if any, was noted between data collection rounds, with scores remaining consistently low overall and across states,” the report stated.

    Fielding questions in an interview at the event, an Education Specialist with UNICEF, Ado AbdulRahman Ibrahim, urged the Bauchi State government to prioritise improvements in infrastructure and WASH to make schools more comfortable for learners.

     “Another aspect is the availability of WASH facilities. We have seen girls leaving school due to menstrual hygiene issues, ensuring that learners are comfortable and free from psychosocial and physical abuse is crucial,” he said.

  • Why shortage of qualified teachers in basic education is worrisome

    Why shortage of qualified teachers in basic education is worrisome

    Parents, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) have stressed the imperative of tackling the ‘acute teacher shortage’ at the primary level following the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) outcry on the issue and the drive to collaborate with the private sector, DAMOLA KOLA-DARE reports

    Teachers are a crucial part of a triad of education — learner, teacher and materials. At the primary or basic education level, which is  a vital part of learning, lack of enough qualified teachers pose a great threat to pupils’ development. Thus, not a few raised eyebrows when Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) boss, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi stated at the gathering of stakeholders in Lagos that the nation was suffering acute teachers shortage.

    The UBEC Executive Secretary emphasised that teachers play very important role in the teaching and learning process. He noted  that their number and quality significantly contribute to improved  learner performance.

    Bobboyi  said  of the 694,078 teachers required at the level, 499,202 are available, leaving a gap of 194,876.

    He spoke  at a one-day partnership meeting/ dialogue with the Organised Private Sector (OPS) on the implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme,which was organised by UBEC in collaboration with Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG).

    Bobboyi said the inadequate supply of qualified teachers at primary school level is contributing to learning poverty in basic education, adding that the problem  lies with skewed deployment in favour of schools in urban areas.

    He said states are not recruiting new teachers and not replacing those who withdrew from service, resulting in shortage of teachers.

    While raising concerns on the issue, Bobboyi said: “There were 1,686,535 teachers  at basic education sub-sector in 2022. According to him, 354,651 were in Early Child Care Development Education (ECCDE), 915,596 in primary and 416,291 in junior secondary schools. ECCDE teachers increased by 123.5 percent from 43,368 in 2018 to 96,956 in 2022.

    “On the other hand, teachers in the public primary and junior secondary schools decreased by -21.0 percent and -19 percent in 2023. COVID-19 was a major factor in the decrease.

    “The above suggests that states are not

    recruiting new teachers and not replacing  those who withdrew from service, resulting in shortage of teachers in schools, especially rural schools.”

    He berated state governments, which do not place premium on teachers’ professional development, even though they take 10 percent of UBEC grant for such purpose.

    ”The Federal Government sets aside two percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for UBEC and the state governments directly get 10 per cent of it for Teachers’ Professional Development and 15 per cent for Instructional Materials, but how many states use such funds for those purposes? Even the Matching Grant of 50 per cent that they are expected to provide for other projects, some are not faithful, ” he noted.

    Nevertheless, teacher shortage remains a worrisome issue that needs swift attention from government and stakeholders alike. According to the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), more than 14 states of the federation  failed to recruit teachers in five years.

    The  NUT had  revealed that states such as Abia, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kogi, Ogun, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba and Zamfara failed to conduct recruitment between 2018 and 2022.

    Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof. Josiah Ajiboye  also  deplored  “the shortage of qualified teachers” in the country. He said the shortage was more pronounced in rural areas, further worsening educational inequality.

    He  said:  “The surge in the population of school children, and the increase in the number of schools in both government and private present a complex challenge for the education system.

    “The availability and quality of qualified teachers are crucial  in ensuring students receive quality education. However, the shortage of qualified teachers is a concerning issue in Nigeria for several reasons.”

    Ajiboye noted that with the  population of school children in schools  and insufficient recruitment of new teachers, the teacher-pupil ratio in many schools had become worrisome.

    For Deputy National President, National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, there is no merit in recruitment of teachers. He tasked the TRCN to do more and sanitise the system.

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    He said: “There is no merit in recruitment of teachers. It is either you are a candidate of party chieftain, politicians. Merit is gone. There are so many qualified teachers out there, who are  begging to be recruited. It is about who you know and that is why we don’t recruit qualified teachers.

    “The TRCN  should ensure that state governments employ only those registered with the council. Unfortunately,the members of the House of Representatives, the senators, governors, commissioners, all have candidates who are just graduates but not registered with TRCN. Many of them are not even registrable. A degree and postgraduate diploma in education makes teachers registrable with TRCN. The council should be relentless in re-orientation and enlightenment campaigns on the importance of registering with TRCN. Then the powers-that-be are cornering slots for teachers. States are not throwing open lots for teaching and if they do,out of 10,000 only 1,000 gets employment and that is killing education. Teachers who are not registrable are being engaged because they are connected to the powers-that-be.

    Even when the state’s recruit, they sign on unqualified teachers.

    “When El-Rufai sacked over 2,000 teachers in Kaduna in 2022, how many did he employ to replace them? We should stop paying lip service to education and try to engage qualified teachers. They are making mockery of the profession if they refuse to employ qualified teachers.”

     Lagos State NUT Chairman, Mr. Hassan Akintoye said: “Primary school level is a crucial stage of  learning for children. It is interesting that UBEC has come out with data to establish we have teachers shortage in the nation. The figures should lead to swift decision-making.  Development can only be driven by education. Therefore, the foundation is important. Those in the system are not being taken care of, hence they are seeking greener pastures abroad. This is a double tragedy for the country because it seems the government is failing. Then, we sought for an elongation in the retirement age of teachers because the younger generation are not interested in teaching. The older ones are doing it  because of passion.

    “To address the situation, there is need to improve working conditions of teachers so that they won’t move abroad for better welfare. Then as a matter of priority, all states should recruit not less than 5,000 teachers. They should try to make up for the required number.

    ‘‘They can also use the Lagos approach because Lagos is not affected by the shortage. In the last three years, we have recruited at least 1,000 teachers per year.  Our strategy in Lagos is that when one level 17 officer retires, we recruit three Level 8 officers whose wages will be within the budget. It  won’t affect the wage bill of the state, it is replacements approach.”

    The way forward

    On how to address the drift, Bobboyi stressed the need to make the teaching profession attractive, create capacity development programmes, retrain teachers and offer regular incentives, among others.

    He said: “It is important to provide incentives and scholarships towards inviting more entrants into the teaching profession and making teaching attractive. Supporting state and LGEA efforts in the recruitment of more qualified teachers and provision of incentives for increased output is equally significant.

    Others are partnering with UBEC in the implementation and replication of the Effective Schools Programme; supporting the scaling up of UBE inputs and processes in targeted schools nationwide.

    It is also necessary to support the community-initiated self-help projects concept for enhancing local-actors interest in UBE delivery using the School Based Management Committee (SBMC) Intervention model.

    The UBEC Executive Secretary also sought the support of the PSAG and other players in the Organised Private Sector (OPS) regarding infrastructural development, creating further access opportunities to enhance UBE delivery, especially in underserved communities. He also emphasised sponsoring capacity strengthening and professional development for  UBE personnel, especially classroom teachers.

    Bobboyi called for modelling the future of basic education by supporting the replication of UBEC’s Smart School models in states and local government areas, adding that facilitating easy access (connectivity) and sustenance of smart learning using digital technology and ICT in the UBEC Smart Schools was also of significance.

    For Ogunbanjo, there is need for TRCN to redouble its efforts to sanitise the system. He noted that recruitment  should be on merit. He stressed the need to avoid tribalism and nepotism, adding that it is ‘killing our education.’

    Hassan reckoned that states should as a matter of urgency recruit at least 5,000 teachers to fill the gap. He also underscored the importance of  improving  working conditions of teachers so that they won’t move abroad in search of greener pastures.

    The Lagos NUT Chairman also urged states to adopt the Lagos approach, which he described as the ‘replacement approach’ wherein once  a level 17 officer retires, three Level 8 officers, whose wages will be within the budget are employed for effective service delivery.

  • Stop stigmatising children living with autism,  medical experts tell societies

    Stop stigmatising children living with autism,  medical experts tell societies

    Medical experts have stressed the need for societies not to define children living with autism by its challenges or stigmatise them.

    According to them, the community must learn to see the pluses that autism has by using its strengths rather than its challenges.

    These were the kernels of the discussion on Monday and Tuesday, as Guaranty Trust Company Plc (GTCO) held its 14th Annual Autism Conference in Lagos. This year’s theme was: “A Spectrum of possibilities”.

    The experts noted that people are not suffering from autism, but are rather living with it and hence, the society must understand what autism is about and the best ways to assist those living with it.

    According to them, early intervention can assist parents and children living with autism to realise their dreams.

    They asserted that autism spectrum disorder is of three different levels – the mild, the moderate and the severe.

    A Camerounian medical doctor, Bernadette Kilo, who has passionately raised autism in the United States and Cameroun, said when we define something by its challenges, we stigmatise it, naturally. Intuition, as a result, causes us to associate stigma with threat.

    “Threat is when we get fear, and fear causes us to reject and exclude these indiviaduals from our community. If we learn to define autism from strength, rather than as challenges, we remove stigma and we remove fear.

    “Once we do that, we begin to speak the language of identifying strength first. So, what we must do as a people and as a community is to learn to see the pluses that autism has.

    “Other societies are doing it. Where I live, that is what they do. They look at autism as a plus. They employ them.

    “If the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) can create some programmes and take autistic children to sit and read, one can do that in Africa. We can. We absolutely can. We must define autism by using its strength rather than its challenges.”

    She said everybody has a role in making the medical experts’ appeal realisable.

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    “In my opinion, yes, the government can help. It takes for a nation to come together. But before that, let’s think about it. Who makes up a nation, it’s you and I. We make up the nation. There’s no Nigeria without us. We have to move forward. We must start it for those in government to follow suit.”

    One of the experts, Lanre Duyile, the president and chief executive of Behaviorprise Consulting Inc. and Behaviorprise College of Business and Health Studies, Toronto Canada, said: The severe ones, you can try inclusion but it just may not work because they’re severe.

    “But the moderate one, yes you can be with other people, and there won’t be any disruption. We just have to understand what it is and cope with it.

    “The mild ones, you interact with them; you won’t even know this person has autism. When we are talking about inclusion, we are talking beyond just putting people together in the same classroom.

    “We are talking about understanding the person. Understanding their limitations, understanding their diagnosis that they have.

    “If we have that understanding, we can include them. Remember the days of HIV/AIDS, people would say it’s a disease, but now we have a better understanding of what that is. You can actually interact with people with HIV and there’s no fear that anything can happen because we have a better understanding of what it is. So, we bring that same to autism awareness and understanding.

    “Once we understand it, there’s no need to talk about inclusion. They would be automatically included and they would see us as understanding with them.

    According to him, Down Syndrome is not autism. “Some people with down syndrome may show symptoms of autism. But they are different,” he said.

    The bank’s Group Corporate Communications Head, Charles Eremi, spoke about accepting the children through inclusiveness in the way the society accommodates them to develop their personality and attain their wish in the society.

    According to Eremi, the theme of this year’s conference aligned with GTCO’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, alongside its goal of creating a society where everyone could thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their background or abilities.

  • Varsity honours winners of AI competition for secondary school pupils

    Varsity honours winners of AI competition for secondary school pupils

    The management of Cosmopolitan University in Abuja has honoured some secondary school students, who excelled in its first artificial intelligence (AI) competition.

    The “Create with AI competition” tested pupils in secondary schools in areas such as creativity, evaluation, and referencing.

    Speaking during the presentation of awards to the winners in Abuja, the university’s vice-chancellor, Prof. Carl Adams, said the institution has been at the forefront of promoting and using AI for educational purposes.

    The vice-chancellor said the university has been collaborating with institutions within and outside Nigeria to promote the use of AI, noting that the competition was an extension of that effort.

    He said: “It is the future of education, nursing, business, and many organisations. We are collaborating with other universities within and outside Nigeria.

    “This AI competition is an extension of that. AI is embedded in many activities of many organisations and we will continue to grow. This competition is one of many to come in the future.”

    Registrar of the university, Dr. Ibrahim Mani, said the institution needed to take the driver’s seat in promoting AI among secondary school students using the competition.

    Mani said: “We aim to make this grow in the coming years. Hopefully, we want to make it a national event, and gradually, it will become an international event.

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    “This is the trajectory that we are going down. Why are we pushing for AI? AI will determine almost everything that will happen tomorrow. AI will criss-cross and transverse every human endeavour.

    “If you look at it, we are seeing an incremental presence of AI in our everyday lives. We don’t want you to be left behind, and that informed the need for this competition—for you to be exposed to this disruptive technology that will shape the future.

    “More importantly, we are happy that Cosmopolitan University is coming to be at the forefront of promoting the utilisation of AI among secondary school students in Nigeria. We are happy with the response that we received from the participants.”

    Coordinator of the Create with AI competition team, Dr Juliet Okpo said the university seeks to promote responsible AI practices among the students because AI is sweeping across all spheres of life.

    Okpo noted that students at the university are exposed to AI technology through teaching and learning to adequately prepare them to face life after school.

    Students from Roberto Secondary School, Bristol Academy, and Starville Secondary School who took part in the competition were presented with awards.