Al-Hikmah University in Ilorin, Kwara State has in the last three months paid N72 million to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBDEC), Vice Chancellor of the Islamic faith-based tertiary institution, Prof Noah Yusuf, has said.
He revealed that before the hike in tariff, the university used to pay N8 million on a monthly basis.
Prof. Yusuf said: “The university is desirous to solve the problem of rising cost of energy as a result of the categorisation of the university into ‘Band A’ and which has resulted to an astronomical increase in electricity bills from N8 million to N25 million, N29 million and N18 million in the past three months respectively.”
The Professor of Peace Studies spoke with reporters in Ilorin to commemorate his fourth year anniversary as vice chancellor of the institution.
“To solve the above problem, the university through council approval, has embraced the idea of energy mix, which will soon lead to installation of solar powered gadgets on our campuses, which is to be implemented in phases.
“Further, staff and students have been sensitised on responsible power usage on campuses.”
He also listed the challenge of providing accommodation to “all students as the ultimate goal of the university”.
Prof. Yusuf revealed that the institution is in contact with the Nigeria Police High Command for training of senior police personnel in management.
“The university is currently in discussion with the Nigeria Police that will lead into collaboration between the two institutions.
“Hopefully, the Centre for Peace and Security Studies of the university would be fully engaged on training programmes at the Nigeria Police Intelligence Training College, Share, Kwara State as soon as it is commissioned.
“In addition, the university’s partnership with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolutions (IPCR) in Abuja is being strengthened,” he said.
The Benue State Government has revealed plans to close unapproved and sub-standard schools.
This was made known when the Director-General of the Benue State Bureau for Education Quality Assurance (BEQA), Dr. Terna Francis, led a delegation to the State Board of Internal Revenue Services (BIRS).
According to Francis, many schools were operating without being duly registered, thereby evading taxes.
He said BEQA’s ongoing efforts to monitor, evaluate and ensure standards in schools have revealed that over 6,000 private schools operate in the state. Only 539 have presented themselves to be captured through the recertification effort of BEQA.
Francis explained that BEQA was at BIRS to seek synergy in the same manner it had contacted the state Urban Development Board towards enforcing the demolition of illegal schools.
He said those who were yet to fill their forms and return same to BEQA for capturing have between now and the 26 of this month or risk closure, adding that enforcement will begin in the first week of August.
Responding, the acting Executive Chairman of BIRS, Mr. Emmanuel Agema, assured the BEQA delegation of full cooperation of the board in the enforcement exercise. He said the board is ever-ready to support the BEQA in the implementation of its policies as he knows that BIRS will be the greatest beneficiary of the exercise, since more schools will be captured into the tax net.
Mr. Joseph Asase also commended Francis for taking the right steps to revamp the education sector in the state for the betterment of the Benue child, urging the DG not to relent in his efforts with his team.
He said they were proud of the success stories the DG is recording, particularly because he was part of BIRS at some point.
The University of Warwick, United Kingdom, has awarded Bayelsa born, Cherish Daniel Markson, a first prize for hear exceptional performance in the three-year BA (Hons) Law with Social Sciences degree programme.
Cherish, who graduated as the best law graduate at the university, is the daughter of a former Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Bayelsa State, Daniel Iworiso-Markson.
In a congratulatory letter signed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies, School of Law, Dr. Margaret O’Brien, the institution said Cherish scored the highest mark among all students “on this most demanding of all courses” and was awarded the sum of £250 prize money.
“You have been awarded First Prize for your performance in three-year BA (Hons) Law with Social Sciences degree at the University of Warwick. You achieved a Second Class; Higher Division Degree with an overall average of 67.3per cent. This was the highest mark of all students on this most demanding course. A record of your prize-winner status will be added to your HEAR transcript. Your prize of £250 will be paid directly into your bank account, “the letter read in part.
The institution asserted that with her level of commitment and intellect, there is no doubt that Cherish will go on to do great things in her post-university life, adding that a formal reception will be held in her honour after the graduation ceremony on July 19 by the Head of the school.
Markson, three years ago as a student of Bridge House College, Lagos, was awarded the Top in World Award in Law and High Achievement in Sociology by Cambridge International.
She bagged the prestigious award for her outstanding achievement in her Advanced Subsidiary Level Examination (November 2020/2021 series).
According to the school, Markson achieved all A-stars (A*) in nine of her IGCSE subjects; (English, Mathematics, Biology, Geography, Literature, Business Studies, Economics, History and ICT).
The international qualification is recognised globally by the world’s best universities and employers as giving students a wide range of options in their education and career.
Efforts should be made by universities across the nation to imbibe the culture of tree planting in addition to effective pedagogical delivery, as this practice would enhance sustainability of the earth, Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Prof. Bidemi Bilkis Lafiaji-Okuneye has said.
She spoke at the weekend at the 2024 Lagos State Annual Tree Planting exercise which held on the school’s main campus in Oto/Ijanikin, Lagos.
The VC said the theme for this year’s exercise:”Nourish our future,” echoes the Lagos State Government’s profound desire to create a safe and environmentally sustainable state for generations yet unborn.
She said the institution imbibed the culture of planting trees 16 years ago when the programme was launched in the state, adding that the university’s greening project has the tremendous support of members of staff who have embraced the culture towards a sustainable environment.
“This inclusive greening initiative is gradually addressing the growing apprehension on climate change. Global warming has always a significant role in orchestrating climate change, impacting rainfall patterns worldwide. The shifting climate patterns can also disrupt the traditional seasonal rainfall cycles,leading to unpredictable weather conditions. This can have profound impacts on agriculture,water resources and overall ecosystem health as species struggle to adapt to rapidly changing environments.
Addressing the causes of global warming through annual tree planting by the Lagos State Government is crucial to combating these impacts and building resilience to a changing climate. This effort critical to securing a promising future for future generations,” she said.
She emphasised the importance of trees to humans,noting that studies have shown that by spending quality time among trees and in green places, they reduce the amount of stress in people and significantly enhance quality of life.
“Trees provide oxygen and purify the air we breathe by removing harmful particles from the atmosphere. Aside the economic benefit of generating income from sale of fruits and woods,the value of our homes increases than similar ones with no landscaping,” the VC added.
Lafiaji-Okuneye urged everyone to plant a tree and nurture it to survival,adding that it would create a sustainable future for generations to come in the state.
Thereafter, top management officials of the university planted trees on campus.
The Governing Council of the Al-Hikmah University, llorin, has granted approval for the commencement of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme in the university from the 2024/2025 academic session.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Noah Yusuf, made this known at his fourth anniversary press briefing on campus last week.
He said plans were underway for the resource visitation by the National Universities Commission (NUC), preceding the full commencement of the Medicine programme.
Yusuf thanked the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdul Rahman Abdul Razaq for the approval of Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin, for the training of their Medical students.
He said the university’s enrolment of both undergraduate and postgraduate students have increased compared to what it used to be some years back.
The VC noted that the institution runs a total of 157 programmes across seven faculties.
He said that the university’s International School has received the approval of West African Examination (WAEC) and (NECO) for its students to write both senior and junior examinations.
Yusuf said the university was committed to robust staff development programme as it secured the approval of the council for its academic and non-academic staff to proceed on sabbatical leave after meeting stipulated requirements.
He described the current massive agriculture investment in the institution’s Faculty of Agriculture at Igbaja campus in Ifelodun Local Government Area as impressive.
The Professor of Sociology said the institution embarked on planting of plantain and potatoes, adding that the university’s authority has spent over N40 million on agricultural production on its Igbaja campus.
Yusuf noted that the institution’s decision to solve the problem of rising cost of energy as a result of categorisation of the university as “Band A’ has led to a spike in electricity bills from N8 million to N29 million, N25 million and N18 million in the past.
The Kogi State College of Education (Technical) has applauded the Kogi State government for its zeal in expanding technical education to rural areas, while broadening educational opportunities and supporting regional development.
The institution’s Head of the Information and Protocol Unit, Mr Yunusa Onalo, disclosed this in a press statement on campus, following the relocation of the college in Kabba to Mopa.
This marks an important milestone in the institution’s journey which has spanned 13 years in Kabba.
Over this period, the college produced 10 sets of graduates who have made significant contributions to both the economic development of Kogi State and Nigeria, through their technical and vocational skills.
Onalo stressed the significance of technical education in driving economic growth and development. He noted that technical education provides students with practical skills essential for the workforce, fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving, adding that these attributes are fundamental in transforming societies and leading to progress.
He called on the government to prioritise several key areas,including provision of adequate classrooms and offices to accommodate the student body and staff, providing financial and logistical support to help staff relocate, implementing security protocols to ensure a safe learning environment, and supplying the necessary tools and resources for effective teaching and learning.
Onalo highlighted the significance of the relocation in expanding technical education in rural areas, adding that the right support and investment from the government will make the college continue to produce graduates who will drive economic growth and development in the state and nation.
He emphasised the importance of continuous investment in technical education for the college’s long-term success.
Grooming Centre Nigeria, a microfinance institution, has opened its application portal for this year’s university research grant scheme for students in both public and private-owned tertiary institutions nationwide, reinforcing its commitment to rigorous educational development and poverty alleviation in the country.
Launched in 2019 as a corporate social intervention effort on education with just 25 beneficiaries, the number of beneficiaries has steadily increased and has now risen to a total of 393 at the HND, undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree levels in five years.
Speaking at a news conference to announce the commencement of submission of applications for this year’s edition in Lagos on Tuesday, the Head of Project, Grooming Centre Nigeria, Mr Egulefu Chikezie, declared that the annual non-refundable grant aims to encourage and boost evidence-based research activities and knowledge among tertiary school students in critical economic areas that include social enterprise, microfinance, inclusive finance, rural development, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), women in development, and other areas that aim at lifting people out of poverty.
The research proposals must be relevant to the Nigerian context, demonstrate practical innovation, and promote the specified areas of interest.
Egulefu said the bank, which has also given out scholarship grants to about 3,000 senior secondary school students under another platform called “Lady Kate Scholarship Scheme,” believes that so many university students in the country would want to carry out research on problem-solved issues that are impactful to the economy but have no money, hence the purpose of the research grants to support them.
He noted that 150 students (100 undergraduates and 50 postgraduates) are expected to benefit from the 2024 grants, urging students to start submitting their proposals.
Giving insights into the modality, the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the scheme, Mr Alex Ajibo, emphasised the need for originality and data inclusiveness in the research.
Eligible applicants must be students at NUC/NBTE-approved Nigerian universities or polytechnics and submit a written recommendation from their project supervisor.
Proposals should be eight to 25 pages, including an introduction, a literature review, research methodology, and the candidate’s personal profile.
Ms Ler Jonathan-Khaver, a member of the Governing Council of the Grooming Centre, officially declared the edition open, adding that students have until September 20 to submit their research proposals.
The Lagos State University(LASU) Career Development Centre in conjunction with the Association of Management Technology Students, Department of Management Technology, has organised a one-day training for students.
The event which on the school’s main campus in Ojo, Lagos, was aimed at expanding students’ career horizon.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, stressed the importance of project management as the foundation of entrepreneurship. She was represented by Prof. Ibrahim Olawale Olateju, a professor of Project Management and Dean, Post Graduate School, LASU.
She said : “Project Management is the tripod on which successful entrepreneurship rests.Without substantial project management skills, you have no place in the next generation.”
The Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof. Rafiu Akanji Bankole said the Nigerian Universities’ syllabus is being adjusted to include project management as a compulsory course of study in the faculty of management sciences across the federation.
The Director, LASU Career Development Centre, Prof. Stella Durowoju thanked the participants for attending.
At the event, speakers represented various industries, including banking, surveying, project management, and insurance. They stressed the importance of project management skills in today’s fast-paced business environment and emphasised the need for students to develop these skills to remain competitive in the job market.
The training provided students with the opportunity to network and interact with the speakers and industry professionals and learn about career opportunities in project management. The speakers encouraged students to pursue certifications in project management, such as the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, Microsoft Project, Coursera, and other relevant online certification courses, to enhance their career prospect.
With over 200 students in attendance, the career building programme equipped students with a comprehensive understanding of project management and its applications in various industries. The event served as a catalyst for students to pursue careers in project management, armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in today’s competitive job market.
The event concluded with a Q&A session, a presentation of awards and group.
In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE) demonstrated a remarkable commitment to advancing innovation in technical education in the country.
OSSAP-TVEE generously donated 50 laptops and 50 industrial training course licenses, valued at over N80 million, to students at the Government Science and Technical College, Garki, Abuja on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
The laptops were equipped with appropriate software to support a six-month training program in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Engineering.
During the handover ceremony at the College in Area 3 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Madam Abiola Arogundade, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Education (SSAP-TVEE), emphasized the significance of the donations in line with the presidential mandate to promote innovation in technical education.
“We are giving licenses to 25 students for each of these courses who will each also receive a laptop which is already configured with the appropriate software downloaded to enable the beneficiaries to do the course effectively.”
At the presentation, the need to focus on promoting technical, vocational, and entrepreneurship education was reinforced, with emphasis on enhancing the advancement of technical and entrepreneurial skills among the students.
“It is the beginning of a journey into stimulating innovation in technical education in the country which is one of the major pillars of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration”. Arogundade disclosed.
Madam Arogundade consequently urged the beneficiary students to seize the opportunity presented by the training, envisioning them as future entrepreneurs in the fields of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. She emphasized the potential for the students to utilize the skills acquired to become self-sufficient and contribute to the nation’s technological advancement.
Underscoring the importance of upscaling the skills of the nation’s workforce, she highlighted the potential impact of Robotics Engineering and Artificial Intelligence on Nigeria’s industrialization and productivity.
The SSAP-TVEE also emphasized the need for Nigeria to advance in industrialization and technology and join the League of developed nations.
Drawing parallels with leading countries in the use of Robots and Artificial Intelligence, she encouraged the students to strive for excellence in their chosen fields, envisioning a future where Nigeria achieves significant progress in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
Madam Arogundade expressed gratitude to Messrs, De Lorenzo International for their generous support and looked forward to continued partnership with the company. “The initiative represents the beginning of a journey towards stimulating innovation in technical education in the country, aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration.
The donations of laptops and training course licenses symbolize a significant step towards fostering innovation, enhancing technical education, and empowering students to become key contributors to Nigeria’s technological landscape.” She disclosed.
She also pointed out that currently many interventions are going on in Nigeria in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence adding that by the donations, her office is contributing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate of promoting technical education in Nigeria, Madam Arogundade, who said the donations to GSTC are the beginning of a series of such gestures to technical institutions across the country disclosed that the next in line for the donations is Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) in Lagos where Robotics Science and Artificial Intelligence will also be donated adding that the courses being given to any technical institution would depend on the ones they show interest.
Reacting to the kind gesture by the federal government, the Principal of the school, Mr. James Musa Kuta, in his remarks, expressed delight at the gesture describing it as a privilege to be chosen among many other technical institutions in the country as the first to receive the courses and laptops for the six-month programme.
The Principal declared: “It is a privilege that our youths are being captured at this age to engage in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Anywhere you go now all over the world it is the in thing and if the youths perfect in them, they will fit in any part of the world”.
While expressing their appreciation of the President and the SSAP-TVEE, Young-Itiye Emmanuel and Simone Godsfavour Ojoacheli, both beneficiaries in the Artificial Intelligence Course, thanked the President for his interest and commitment to Nigeria youths commending the SSAP-TVEE for bringing that commitment to reality by the donations to them.
Also, Muhammad Onono Hadiyyah, Augustine Daniella and Manasseh Goodness Injadoo, beneficiaries in the Robotic Sciences, hailed the administration of President Tinubu for its commitment to youth development in the country and expressed gratitude to the SSAP-TVEE making them beneficiaries of the gesture.
They all promised to make good use of the opportunity by developing into experts in their chosen careers and training other youths in their careers.
An 11-year-old Year 7 Student of Chrisland School, Khadija Alege, has emerged the first student to receive an eStar Award in Africa.
Managing Director of the Chrisland Schools Ltd, Mrs. Ibironke Olatokunbo Adeyemi expressed delight and enthusiasm stating “we are very proud about this development even as it reiterates our consistent winning spree of academic laurels globally..
“Our new partnership with ESTARS is a forward thinking approach as we set the tone for game changing academic curriculum. ,”
On Tuesday, July 15, a strategic partnership was unveiled between Chrisland Schools Limited and EStars, an innovative educational Esports platform in the United Kingdom.
At the launch of the platform at the British High Commission, Lagos, the founder of EStars, Mags Byrne said EStars aims to bridge the gap between education and the rapidly growing global Esports industry.
The pioneering initiative seeks to educate students on all facets of the Esports world, prepare them for a myriad of career opportunities within the industry, and harness the power of Esports to enhance educational outcomes.
Speaking further, she said: “Esports is a colossal global industry with a vast, untapped potential for educational impact.
“EStars is dedicated to filling this gap by offering comprehensive education on the various aspects of the industry, guiding students towards future careers in Esports, and leveraging Esports as a tool to enhance traditional education.
“This unique approach prepares students not only for success in the gaming world but also equips them with skills applicable to numerous other fields.
“EStars is set to become the most recognised educational Esports company on the African continent, starting with its rollout in Nigeria.
“This year, the company plans to introduce the Esports Club to as many schools as possible, laying the foundation for widespread educational transformation. Central to this initiative are the EStars Certificate and the International BTEC, which provide a structured pathway into the Esports ecosystem.”
The Esports Club targets students aged 7 to 12 years with a keen interest in gaming.
By integrating Esports into school curricula, EStars aims to nurture these young minds, fostering their passion for gaming while instilling valuable skills.
Additionally, this initiative presents an excellent Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) opportunity for companies seeking to sponsor and support the journey of educational advancement through Esports.
The EStars Certificate in Esports serves as a gateway to the dynamic and fast-growing Esports industry. Available to all students, this introductory qualification offers a comprehensive overview of the Esports ecosystem.
Endorsed by the NOCN Group, a leading accredited body in vocational skills development, the EStars Certificate is accessible to learners of all abilities. It provides an ideal stepping stone for students eager to explore the world of Esports further.
“We believe that Esports has the potential to revolutionize education by making learning engaging and relevant to the interests of young people,” Byrne added.
“Our mission is to empower the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the Esports industry and beyond.
