Category: Education

The graduating students of Mind Builders High School have been told by a keynote speaker, Mr. Kayode Oni, an education consultant, at their graduation to learn and grow.

Oni, who inspired the graduating pupils, told them to keep embracing learning since it’s a life-long experience.

The graduation day was a culmination of years of support, encouragement and dedication which the students and their families cherished.

Oni, while praising the 19 graduating students, said: “Your hard work, dedication as well as commitments have brought you to this milestone and we are immensely proud of your achievements”.

He challenged the graduating to cherish the Mind Builders spirit by reflecting on the values that defines the excellence of the school, innovation and community.

He advised that the Mind Builders spirit implanted in them should assist them to maintain high standard of achievement and contribute positively to the community they will become part of.

The guest speaker admonished the graduating students to be proud of their alma mater and let the spirit inspire them to achieve greatness. They were advised to develop resilience and adaptability as life will throw unexpected challenges at them.

The graduating students were advised to take calculated risks and to be prepared make significant positive impact in the world to make the school’s management and their families proud of their achievements

Oni said: “As you step out into the world, know that you have been equipped with knowledge, skills, and the potential to conquer the world. Have confidence in your abilities; be bold in your pursuits, and remember that the power to create a better world lies within each of you.

 “I want to congratulate each and every one of you once again on your remarkable achievement. Your graduation marks the beginning of a new chapter filled with endless possibilities. Embrace the challenges, cherish the victories, and never stop learning and growing.”

At the ceremony were the school’s chairman, Mr. Bosun Falore, a Trustee of the Council, Mrs. Bola Falore, Mr. Dejo Fajobi and Otunba Dayo Olanrewaju.

The star graduating student of the day, Johnny Trisha, carted away 12 prizes as Best overall graduating Student, Best Female Student, Best Behaved Student, Best Student in English Language, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, ICT, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Civic Education . The mother of the graduating student expressed joy at her daughter’s performance and pray for success in her future endeavours. The JS 3 student with the best result in the BECE examination was Miss Adeife Aderogba, who scored 10 As and one B in the examination.

Mrs. Falore congratulated the graduating students and thanked the guest speaker, members of Parent Teacher Forum and the corporate sponsors for their support in ensuring the success of the ceremony.

Delta Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme has vowed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration will check the high-level of understaffing in rural schools in the state.

He said the current administration would address the lopsidedness by ensuring local government councils recruit teachers from host communities.

Onyeme, who spoke in Asaba Delta Capital, during a visit by members of the Ossissa Traditional Council of Chiefs, blamed refusal of teachers deployed to rural schools for worsening the situation.

According to Onyeme, the call had become necessary following the observation that rural urban drift had impacted negatively on primary schools in the state.

He decried a situation where primary schools in urban centres were overstaffed and rural areas were understaffed.

His words, “The employment of teachers in primary schools in the state will be given attention in this administration, but we must ensure that teachers are recruited from the communities where they come from and they should be ready to stay in the where they are posted to communities.

“We want to also advise our people who are lobbying to be recruited as teachers in the current recruitment exercise that they should be ready to stay in the communities where they are posted to; situation where everybody wants to be in the town and nobody wants to stay in the village is what is adding to lack of teachers in our communities.

“Schools in urban centres are overstaffed; a lot of teachers are seating down doing nothing in those schools. But if you go to the village schools, they are begging for teachers.”

He assured Deltans that the Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration was committed to the development of the state in the areas of road construction, provision of health care facilities, electricity and other social amenities.

Chairman, Ossissa Traditional Council of Chiefs, High Chief Joseph Osakwe, described Chief Onyeme as the pride of Ndokwa Nation.

Osakwe, in an address by High Chief J.E. Adibeli, said: “We strongly believe that going by your  track record of giving  succour to the needy, even when you were not a deputy governor, some of these problems, if not all, would  be solved now that you are a deputy governor.”

The Lagos State Government has recommended a digital learning device called “SuccessTAB” for usage by schools and pupils in the state.

This was made known in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic Education, Mr Abayomi Abolaji.

According to Abayomi, the learning device would enhance and revolutionise education in Lagos State because it is packed with educational content and innovative apps.

He also described the device as user-friendly, beneficial instructional content, and advanced applications that would improve kids’ learning.

“Lagos State fully endorses SuccessTAB, recognising its remarkable impact on education for all students and schools across the State. 

“Having extensively used SuccessTAB across Public Schools in Lagos, we have witnessed its outstanding features and benefits. SuccessTAB’s user-friendly interface, rich educational content, and advanced applications have significantly enhanced students’ learning. Its comprehensive curriculum coverage, interactive lessons, and multimedia resources engage students and foster critical thinking,”

Chief Executive Officer, Chronicles Software, Oluwakoyejo Oluwatosin said the endorsement by the Lagos state government is a testimonial to their unrelenting dedication to providing the most innovative educational learning tool that empowers pupils for outstanding performance.

The CEO added that the commendation from students and their parents motivates them to keep working hard to promote academic success through digital learning device solution.

“SuccessTAB’s endorsement by the Lagos State government is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering the most innovative educational learning device that empowers students for excellent performance,” Oluwatosin said.

This remarkable feat would not have been possible without the dedication of the Chronicles team, the invaluable support from our partners, schools, financial institutions, the board and most notably the Lagos state ministry of education.

“During the pandemic a number of solutions were introduced by Chronicles Software to enhance and improve virtual learning for schools including Eko Success Cloud (an online platform for Lagos state teachers to organise their teaching resources, for students access to premium learning resources), and SuccessBOX which provided a wide range of past questions for WAEC and JAMB examinations. 

“Through the SuccessBOX App, Chronicles Software initiated the “SuccessBOX Excellence Award” programme to recognize and celebrate high-achieving students in Lagos state.

“The testimonials from students and their parents encourage us to continue giving our best to promote academic excellence via our SuccessTAB solution. As such, we remain motivated in our quest to support students, parents, schools and governments with educational technology solutions that continuously improves learning outcomes,” he said.

Two pupils of Chrisland Schools, Mmesomachukwu Okonkwo and  Oluwabukolami Adeyemi, made top scores in the Cambridge International AS (Advanced Subsidiary) Level and International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGSCE) examinations.

Mmesomachukwu was a pupil at the school’s branch at Victoria Garden City, Lagos; while Oluwabukolami attended Chrisland Pre-Degree College, Lagos.

For being the highest scorer in English as second language in IGSCE, Okonkwo got the top in the world award.

Oluwabukolami, who got the highest mark in the world in the Cambridge International AS Level Law, received the Top in the World award and the High Achievement award for Cambridge AS Level Psychology. Thus, they were honoured with the British Council Outstanding Cambridge Learner’s Award.

The award, organised yearly by British Council and Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), recognises exceptional performance of learners around the world in Cambridge examinations.

It also showcases performance of Nigerian students who have achieved outstanding scores and results in various examinations series conducted by the British Council on behalf of Cambridge International Examination in Nigeria.

Cambridge Examinations are conducted in more than 145 countries across the world.

On the outstanding performance of the duo, Member, Advisory Board Chrisland Schools Limited, Mr. Akin Fadeyi hailed the school’s staff commitment and high standards in making the pupils the best.

He said it was not the first time the school would be performing well on the world stage.

“Because we are resourced with a crop of disciplined and committed staff members, we have been able to achieve a consistent track record for delivering qualitative, world class education even as we have remained irrevocably committed to raising great ambassadors who have been modeled in our community’s humane culture, values and ethics.

“We have always raised an enduring generation of leaders in all spheres of human endeavour, be it Science, Technology, Arts and Sports.

“The latest world featherweight champion, Israel Adesanya is our product and has always been proud to identify with us.

“We are grateful to God who has always been our cornerstone even as we are fortunate to have been blessed with an amazing body of responsible and responsive parents who entrust the all-round development of their children unto us.

“Gratitude must always go to our founder for her uncommon passion and overarching vision without which we would not have evolved and stepped on this glorious pedestal,” he added.

The 17-year-old Okonkwo, a native of Anambra State also sat for Mathematics, Business Studies, ICT, Economics and Biology and got good scores. She said it has been her plan to study in the UK, adding that the nation’s education system is plagued with incessant industrial actions by academic university workers.

Read Also: Chrisland pupils top in Cambridge, IGSCE exams

She said preparing for the examination was tough, but with constant study and support from teachers, she scaled the hurdle.

“We used most times to solve past questions, have mock examinations that was similar to IGSCE examination. Through this, I was familiar with the pattern for the examination, which made it comfortable writing the examination,” she said.

For 18-year-old Oluwabukolami Adeyemi, the Cambridge A Level examination, which is a step further IGSCE, gives her opportunity for direct entry to a university in United Kingdom to study Law for three years.

The duo thanked the school for putting them on a sound academic footing. They lauded their teachers for painstakingly assisting them to shine on the global stage.

Unprecedented wealth and severe inequalities have made progress towards the education-related Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets weak globally. Nigeria is confronted with-high number of out-of-school children, learning crisis, low infrastructure, low budgets and incessant strikes by unions on campuses, amid dwindling revenues to implement the manifestoes. These are some of the issues that will confront minister of education and commissioners for education, Assistant Editor Bola Olajuwon writes.

The right to education and lifelong learning is at the very heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) because education, knowledge and learning are central to the dignity, growth and development of the individual, according to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

For centuries, education has been the great equaliser, a driving force of nation-building, and the engine of social, cultural, economic and technological progress.

To UNICEF and its global partners, unprecedented wealth and severe inequalities have made progress towards the education-related SDGs and targets weakened.

Hundreds of millions of children and young people remain out of school. Billions of those in school are not even acquiring the basics. Girls continue to encounter discrimination in education and, as elsewhere, the most vulnerable and marginalised – low-income groups, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, migrants, refugees and displaced persons, among others – are being hit hardest.

In Nigeria, free education seems utopian to the citizenry than realistic owing to paucity of funds in the face of national competing needs.  In the midst of this, a minister of education will next week take over at the centre and the make-up of commissioners for education will take shape.

It would not be business as usual as the country is confronted with high number of out-of-school children, learning crisis, low infrastructure, low budgets and incessant strikes by unions on campuses at Federal and state levels in the face of dwindling revenues to implement the manifestoes that those elected presented to the public during electioneering.

Therefore, those to be appointed would have to gird their loins for the tasks ahead, as analysts indicated, “statistics are not smiling”.

The national education outlook

A report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, in partnership with Global Education Monitoring Report, showed that the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria had risen to 20 million from about 12.5 million recorded in 2021. The data showed that sub-Saharan Africa remained the region with the highest out-of-school children.

The introduction of the Better Education Service Delivery For All (BESDA), targeted at reducing the figures of out-of-school children in the country, seemed not to have reduced the figures.

The report stated: “Nigeria holds the unenviable position of being the country with the largest population of out-of-school children of primary school age: 9.6 million in 2020, up from 6.4 million in 2000 and 7.5 million in 2010.

 The number of out-of-school children continues to rise.” The statistics might have changed now.

This spark, according to educationists, calls for an urgent intervention by the government to arrest the situation so that the pupils can return to school.

Communication Specialist, UNICEF Nigeria, Dr. Geoffrey Njoku, said the 5.3 million students affected by the closure of 11,536 schools in 2021 were responsible for the significant increase in the number of out-of-school children from about 15 million in 2021 to 20 million.

This was followed by insecurity in the country, especially in the northern parts of Nigeria, which has the highest number of out-of-school.

Some of the major school abductions include April 14, 2014, kidnap of 276 school girls in Chibok, Borno State; another 300 pupils from Damasak, Borno State; 110 pupils from Dapchi, Yobe State; 344 pupils from Kankara, Katsina State; 276 pupils from Jangebe, Zamfara State; 140 students from Chikun in Kaduna State; and 102 pupils from Yauri, Kebbi State.

Dr. Njoku said: “As a precautionary measure, a total of 11,536 schools were closed for specific periods in 2021, with 5,330,631 students affected – whose schooling was disrupted and learning severely impacted.

 “When schools are attacked, children and parents begin to see them as places of danger. The damage is tremendous – making parents afraid to send their children to school and affecting the mental health of children. Those directly impacted are traumatised and are slow to recover from the shock of an attack on their school.”

High in northern states despite UBEC interventions

Despite accessing all their funds for basic education from the Universal Basic Education Commission, most northern states continue to boast of high figures when it comes to issues of out-of-school in Nigeria. According to the 2021 Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey 6 (MICS 6), the highest out-of-school rates are found in Kebbi (65 per cent), Zamfara (61 per cent) and Bauchi (61 per cent). The lowest rates are found in Ekiti (two per cent) and Imo (one per cent).

At a two-day media dialogue on MICS 6 results, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, UNICEF’s Chief of Measurement for Results (M4R), Claes Johanson, noted that the share of children that are out-of-school in primary schools was still 25 per cent. The MICS 6 was carried out in 2021 by the National Bureau of Statistics as part of the global MICS programme. It covered 39,632 households.

Poverty, lack of investment in basic education responsible for rising figures

In Kebbi State, the Programme Assistant on Education, Youthhub Africa, Peter Ogah, linked the rising figures in the state to increase in poverty.

Ogah said: “A key contribution to this for me is the increase in poverty rate (parents preferring to survive than send their wards to school), very low quality of teaching, and a gradual decline in interest for education. Kebbi for instance is not plagued with insecurity as the other states, but yet has an alarming figure.

“I had a conversation with a parent and traditional rulers while in Kebbi and he said he would rather send his wards to neighbouring states where the academic standard is high than have them study in Kebbi State.

“Based on UBEC’s guideline, huge chunks of the fund accessed are used for renovation and construction with just a fraction going into teachers’ training and retraining, robust curriculum development and other factors that truly drive the quality of education in a state.”

But, Head Tracka, BudgIT Foundation, Uadamen Ilevbaoje, carpeted governors over low investments in basic education. He noted that most state governors, who access UBEC funds for basic education, end up diverting the funds into something else.

Govt’s reaction

‘’When the report was released, the Federal Government disagreed with the UN agency about the 20 million figure of out-of-school children. The Federal Ministry of Education said it conducted annual school census. From the National Population Commission, we got the birth rate. When we got the birth rate from NPC and we did our school census. The birth rate revealed  to us how many children are born in Nigeria every year. The school census tells us how many are in school. When we take the birth rate from how many that are in school, then we say the rest are not in school.

“We have these schools, we reach them, we conduct these school census and we go to NPC and work on this template and come up with the figures. Where UNESCO is getting its own figures? I don’t know,” the top government spokesman stated.

Alarming numbers of unqualified teachers

The roles of teachers in shaping the future of tomorrow’s leaders are important and that’s why Teachers Professional Development programmes are vital to the teaching profession. It helps to enhance the capacities of teachers to deliver quality teaching to pupils.

According to the National Personnel Audit of the Universal Basic Education Commission 2018, the quality of teachers is in short supply across all educational levels and incoming minister and commissioners of education must tackle this fast.

According to UBEC, 27 per cent of the teaching staff in the country is unqualified. The commission noted that in the North East, there is 33 per cent unqualified teachers and in the North West, we have 39 per cent unqualified teachers.

The lack of quality teachers has further fuelled the learning crisis in the country. According to the World Bank, about 70 per cent of pupils in the age bracket of 10 are not learning.

The bank noted that globally, 125 million children are not acquiring functional literacy or numeracy, even after spending at least four years in school.

Tertiary unions’ crisis

Last year was dominated by the strike by the four university-based unions – the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU); the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

On February 14, ASUU’s leadership declared a four-week warning strike, which was subsequently extended. The union was soon followed by the other three university-based unions. But after a series of meeting with the Federal Government team, the three other university-based unions – NAAT, SSANU and NASU called off their strike.

For ASUU, what started as a warning strike soon snowballed into an indefinite one, crippling academic activities in the nation’s public universities.

ASUU on one side insisted that the Federal Government must meet its agreements on funding for the revitalisation of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances, reconstitution of the FGN/ASUU 2009 Renegotiation Committee, University Transparency Accountability Solution, UTAS, and withheld salaries and non-remittance of check-off due. The Federal Government on the other side insisted that most of the demands had been met and only refused to pay the union their salary for not working for six months, a decision that led to further extension of the strike by the union. The university lecturers insisted on the full implementation of their demands.

There were a series of meetings between the government team and the leadership of ASUU. At some point, negotiations between the leadership of ASUU broke down.

But after a series of meetings with the leadership of ASUU, the Buhari administration found out that reaching an agreement with ASUU was not going to come easy. It invoked the Trade Dispute Act and referred the matter to the National Industrial Court.

The industrial action was an offshoot of the alleged failure of the Federal Government to fully implement the 2020 Memorandum of Action after the union called off its strike in December of the same year.

The union had protested the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to migrate all public service workers to IPPIS. After few years on the platform, ASUU began to develop resistance to IPPIS.  It cited irregularities in the payment platform for the resistance.

The union proposed UTAS as an alternative platform for the payment of salaries for its members following discrepancies it highlighted in the use of IPPIS.

The Federal polytechnics and colleges of education are also having various axes to grind with the federal and state government.

Are the minister and commissioners for education ready for the task ahead?.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is known for encouraging talents and nurturing them, no matter their age.

The appointment of a 400-level Economics student, Orire Agbaje, from the University of Ibadan (UI), is in tandem with his well-known principle for achieving results.

Agbaje, president of the Nigerian Universities Tax Club, is a member of a 70-man Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, inaugurated on Tuesday in Abuja.

Announcing her appointment on Tuesday, a tweet on the official Presidency Nigeria page, reads, “One of the members of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, inaugurated today by President @officialABAT, is Miss Orire Agbaje. She is a 400-level Economics student at the University of Ibadan, also serving as the President of @ui_taxclub, President of @SEIHUnibadan, and a Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) Scholar.”

Read Also: Tinubu has performed creditably, says ex-Niger Delta militant

The committee will be chaired by Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Taiwo Oyedele, for a one-year mandate divided into three main areas: fiscal governance, tax reforms, and growth facilitation to align tax policies nationwide to enhance revenue generation.

In her LinkedIn profile, she said: “I major in International and Monetary Economics. My love for crunching digits made me take up Accounting (ICAN) and further exposed me to corporate finance and taxation which I’m learning on. Academics aside, I’m into Sports and volunteering.

“I’m assertive, hard-working and I like being productive in whatever I engage in. I also have great leadership and interpersonal skills. I’m open to different jobs, internships, mentorship, workshop, and volunteering option.”

Agbaje also described her passion for “crunching digits” as part of the reason she decided to study accounting and taxation.

“My love for crunching digits made me take up Accounting (ICAN) and further exposed me to corporate finance and taxation, which I’m learning on,” she wrote.

The committee has been mandated by the President to address the challenges faced by Nigeria in the areas of fiscal governance, tax reforms and growth facilitation.

It has a one-year window to deliver quick reforms that can be implemented within 30 days, as well as critical reform measures that should be recommended within six months.

Her appointment is said to be a remarkable testament to excellence and the power of youthfulness.

Although Agbaje is still an undergraduate, she had been involved in various volunteer works, both within and outside the university, as well as in corporate organisations.

From March 2020 to March 2021, she became the director of sponsorship at Noble Airstar Charity Foundation. She, thereafter, took up a part-time role as a campus ambassador at EduBridge Academy for almost two years.

Subsequently, she obtained a four-month internship at SISU Africa and later assumed the role of administrative assistant at WorldPRMedia Limited, where she worked for over two years.

The panel member became the senior financial analyst, public relations officer and later Head of Masterclass at the Student Finance Club at the University of Ibadan, where she currently studies.

She is currently a fellow at Africans Who Invest Corporation and is also the Strategy & Transactions Lead at Sierra Partners Limited.

With her wealth of experience, she will be joining the committee, which comprises other experts from both the private and public sectors.

According to the President, these critical reform measures should be recommended in six months, and full implementation will take place within one calendar year.

A group of Junior Secondary School Students from Marist Bicentenary College, Ngor Okpala, Imo State has launched a project — The Community Finance Project — aimed at helping people with disabilities through crowdfunding. 

The students, known as the SIEFED Tech Team — Students Involved in Funding and Enabling Economic Development — created the platform with the aim of tackling the obstacles to financial stability faced by people with disabilities. 

According to the students, one of the many objectives of the project is to help people with disabilities to start or grow a micro-enterprise so that they can become self-reliant and cater for their basic needs. 

A statement by the team said: “The project will also minimize discrimination against people with disabilities in Nigeria and the world at large and promote equality of all persons. 

Read Also: Native doctor allegedly kills, buries servant in Imo community

“The team of students is committed to ensuring better economic and employment opportunities for millions of people with disabilities and reducing the poverty rate which is very high in Nigeria.”

In June, the students participated in a national competition organised by SAGE Nigeria in Abuja with their project, and they won the “community service award” presented by the CEO of SAGE Nigeria, Agwu Amogu. 

SAGE — Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship — is an international program initiated at the California State University Chico USA in 2002. 

The nomination of Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo as Commissioner-Designate by Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been greeted with excitement from Lagos Mainland political stakeholders. 

In Sanwo-Olu’s first term, Adefisayo was the commissioner for education. 

The stakeholders commended Sanwo-Olu for nominating Adefisayo to work with him, and most importantly for recognising, rewarding hard work and competence.

For them, Adefisayo’s nomination demonstrates Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to fostering continued growth and development in the educational sector. 

Prominent political groups including: 2ONE6, MV, New Mainland, MIG, Ibere Otun, politcal officers, including elected representatives in Lagos Mainland LG applaued the nomination. 

Read Also: Zamfara Assembly confirms 18 nominees as commissioners

Also, House of Reps member representing Mainland Constituency, Hon. Lanre Oshun, Executive Chairman of Lagos Mainland LGA; Omolola Esien; Hon. Ibrahim Owolabi and Hon. Raheed Shabi of Lagos State House of Assembly, have extended their warm wishes to Adefisayo and equally praised Sanwo-Olu for his choice.

One of the stakeholders, Hon. Abel Enikanologbon JP, popularly called Able Abel said the political leaders were satisfied with governor’s choice. 

He said: “Mrs. Adefisayo’s previous accomplishments and dedication have undoubtedly earned her the respect and support of Lagosians.”

The management of Cosmopolitan University Abuja has announced the appointment of Carl Adams, a professor of information technology, as the vice-chancellor of the institution.

In a statement in Abuja, the management also approved the appointment of Ibrahim Ahmad Mani, a former director of academic planning at Baze University,  as the registrar of the university. 

“Adams has over 35 years of experience in innovative and groundbreaking academic research from all over the world, including China,” the statement reads.

“Formerly of the University of Portsmouth, Adams has published articles in top journals and has extensive university administration experience, including developing and managing research and academic processes at school, faculty and university level.

“Dr Mani is an expert in university administration, academic planning, environmental

impact assessment, sustainable environmental development, international consultancy,

PR/marketing, capacity building, aquaculture and fisheries, ICT, research, public speaking with broad experience in national politics at the highest level.

Read Also: Olawepo-Hasim hails Tinubu for nominating Abuja indigene as minister

“Of recent, he is involved with issues of ecology and environmental sustainability with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

Cosmopolitan University was among the 37 private universities that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration granted operational licences to on May 15 to commence academic activities.

According to the statement, the university has started academic programmes with three faculties, namely: management and social sciences; medical sciences and science and engineering.

The university is set to admit candidates for the 2022/2023 academic session starting in September.