Category: Education

• Pupils enrolment hits 13%

• 1.2 textbooks distributed

No fewer than 6,500 primary school teachers in Kwara State have been trained and retrained under the state government KwaraLearn programme.

The training is to enhance the beneficiaries’ teaching skills and expertise in pedagogy that meets global best practices, Chairman, Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB) Prof. Shehu Adaramaja said.

Prof. Adaramaja added that the programme had led to 13 percent pupils enrolment in public primary schools in the state, putting the total number of enrolees at 115,000 in the last one year.

KWSUBEB Chair told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, at the one year anniversary of KwaraLearn.

He hinted that the programme had equipped another 7,000 teachers with tablets and digital gadgets to assist teaching and learning.

He revealed that the state government under the programme had also distributed 1.2 million text books to pupils, thus leading to significant increase in the percentage of readers.

He said that “there has been noticeable achievement in numeracy.

“The system has reduced cases of truancy among teachers in the state. Basic education in the state is now on world map.

 “The programme now exists in 872 primary schools in 10 out of 16 local government areas in the state. The programme will by December this year, cover every nook and cranny  of the state.

“The councils where the programme is operational are Asa, Baruten, Ekiti, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, Ilorin West, Irepodun, Offa, Oke-Ero and Patigi.

“Other local government areas yet to be captured are Isin, Moro, Kaiama, Edu, Oyun and Ifelodun.

 “The programme has been successful in the stage as we understudied Edo and Lagos states where it was in existence before we started ours. Apart from that, we carried along traditional and religious leaders in the state before embarking on the programme.”

The Children’s Day was celebrated with festivities on Saturday, to remind the country that the minors have the right to health, education, love and protection. However, the challenges facing children remain, Assistant Editor Bola Olajuwon writes.

Another Children’s Day was celebrated in the country on Saturday, May 27. The day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare. November 20th was also the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. In 1989, the UN General Assembly also adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the same date.

However, the day is celebrated on different dates in various countries. May 27 is officially Children’s Day in Nigeria. The day is also designed to bring to the front burner issues affecting the younger generation.

As part of the celebration, former President Muhammadu Buhari, while leading other government officials in celebrating the day, hosted some select pupils and students from schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. He presented his comic book, which contains seven key messages on the role of children in nation-building, at the event.

Buhari, others to children: how to be good leaders

At the event, the former President advised them to build a great Nigeria through honesty, patriotism and unity. He said he was happy to have an interaction with them at the Council Chambers, State House as he prepared to exit from office after eight years of service to the nation.

As the leaders of tomorrow, Buhari encouraged the children to be good citizens before becoming leaders, highlighting the importance of self-reliance and responsibility to build and develop Nigeria.

He narrated his life journey, recounting how he went from being a child to becoming the leader of the country both as a military officer and a civilian.

“God spared my life to grow up from a child to an adult. As students, we were told that we were the leaders of tomorrow. I never knew that I would one day lead my country, much less lead it twice as a military officer and as a civilian.

”Therefore, I would like to say that, among you, there are future councillors, lawmakers, governors and presidents. But you must first be good citizens before you become leaders,” Buhari  said.

Also, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, congratulated the children on the occasion. The Speaker said the children were worth celebrating for their determination to succeed against all odds, as exemplified by the many feats they have accomplished since the last celebration.

He, however, emphasised the need for concerted efforts to assist Nigerian children to harness their potential and fulfill their dreams. He said the figure of 20 million out-of-school children in the country called for concern for the future of the country.

Gbajabiamila noted that the fulfilment of the saying that “children are the leaders of tomorrow’ lay in a deliberate and strategic formulation and implementation of policies, including the legislative framework to give quality education to Nigerian children and reduce the number of out-of-school children at all levels of government.

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) also joined in calling for accelerated implementation of Child Rights Law in states to guarantee proper children protection and care. It also called on states yet to pass and sign their Child Rights Bill into law to expedite action on it to move on with the rest of the world and make the world a better place for children’s development and safety.

The Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Enugu, Mrs. Juliet Chiluwe, made the call in Enugu during a news briefing in preparation for the celebration. Mrs. Chiluwe said as “special gifts from God to the country and humanity”, children everywhere should be “treated with care and respect as they remain the future of many generations.”

“It is the obligation of all duty bearers and persons who take care of children to help them actualise these rights,” she said.

Children score former government low

The children, however, scored the former government low in the handling of security challenges besetting the nation. They lamented loss of lives, rising inflation, soaring unemployment, skyrocketing cost of living, and alleged general poor governance and others.

They accused the Buhari-led government of being sloppy in handling of educational issues, including industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to the children, must ensure the happiness of the greater number of Nigerians as he takes the reins of government. 

Challenges confronting the child

But, this indeed is not the best of time to be a child and a pupil in the country. Millions of Nigerians live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. The first people to suffer the pangs of poverty are women and children.  Against the Child Rights Act, many children are still hawking goods and products for their parents and their guardians. Not all states have passed or assented to the Child Rights Act – the legal instrument that many believe would alleviate the challenges facing children, according to UNICEF Office in Nigeria

 “We would much prefer that all states would have domesticated it by now but what we don’t want is a state domesticating the Child Rights Act, 2003, and not have the mechanisms in place or the commitment to fulfill the obligations in it because children’s rights are all about obligations; obligations of local governments, structures to ensure they protect the child’s rights at every stage. It is also about trying to give an environment for children to be able to express some of their concerns and where we can provide a solution to the problems,” UNICEF said.

It is also a fact that Nigeria has a high number of out-of-school children, a situation worsened by the ongoing violence and instability in parts of the country.

The unsafe school environment still persists as armed groups have over the years made schools their target of attacks. Thousands of children have been killed, kidnapped or put in harm’s way following invasion of their schools by armed terror groups. One such case was the April 14, 2014 kidnap of over 276 school girls of Government Girls College, Chibok, in Borno State, some of who are still being held captive by members of the Boko Haram Terrorist group. The insurgents also destroyed many primary, junior and senior secondary schools in parts of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger and other states.

In the Southeast, pupils have been subjected to dangers by members of the secessionist Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) enforcing sit-at-home order.

UNICEF Office in Nigeria had expressed the need for children to be safe when in school, saying: “No child should be afraid to enter a classroom – afraid their school might be attacked or that they will be kidnapped – and no parent should fear sending their children to school.”

It advocated better funding for education that would enable schools put efficient safety and security measures in place.

Battling with preventable and treatable diseases

Children under five are especially vulnerable to diseases like malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea, HIV and tuberculosis. For older children, non-communicable diseases, injuries and conflicts pose significant threats, according to UNICEF.

It said despite being entirely preventable and treatable, common infectious diseases are still killing young children in large numbers. Pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria were responsible for high percentage of global deaths among children under the age of five. Children in the world’s poorest regions are disproportionately affected, with infectious diseases particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. These trends, UNICEF said, can be reversed.

The clarion call

As the nation celebrated their Day, they are calling for safe and sound environment with basic survival needs – shelter, food, clothing, medical care and protection from harm.

They are also seeking stability from family and community. They want families which will be a part of larger units to give them a sense of belonging, tradition and cultural orientations.

The young ones also want emotional support, love, best possible education for their future and role models.

Who will tackle the prevalent poverty in the land, give the children their needs to realise their potential and an assured future?

The Managing Director Ad Dynamo by Aleph Nigeria, Tintin Imevbore, has described Nigeria as one of the fastest growing digital markets in the world with over 100 million internet users.

He said that Aleph’s entry into the market is to help bridge the gap between brands and consumers and provide a platform for businesses to reach new audiences and grow their sales.

He spoke in Lagos while unveiling the platform’s official entry into the Nigerian market. Aleph is the world’s leading digital global enabler of digital advertising in emerging countries.

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“We are excited to bring Aleph’s expertise and experience to Nigeria. We believe that there is a huge opportunity for digital advertising in this market, and we are committed to helping brands reach their target audiences and achieve their business goals,” Imevbore added.

Aleph offers a comprehensive suite of digital advertising solutions, including media planning and buying, creative development, and measurement and analytics. The company has a team of experienced professionals who are experts in the Nigerian market. Aleph also works with a network of local partners to provide additional support to brands.

“We are here to solve Digital Media Education in Nigeria and Africa at large with Digital Ad Expert, our proprietary and FREE digital media education platform,” said Michael Owatunde, Regional Marketing Manager. “Digital Ad Expert is educating and certifying the next generation of digital professionals across the globe, enabling more people to compete in the global digital ecosystem. Over 1000 Nigerians have already benefited from this program.”

“Our platform welcomes newcomers into the industry by teaching the basics. It also keeps experienced advertisers on top of their game by helping them sharpen their skills. Compared to other MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) our methodology leads to 2x higher graduation rates, 50% less dropout rates, and 90% more engaged learners” said Stephen Newton, MD, Sub Saharan Africa on Digital Ad Expert.

According to Partner and Global Chief Operating Officer Mr. Ignacio Vidaguren over the past 18 years, ‘we have built a global infrastructure that aggregates untapped advertising revenue from digitally developing economies.’ 

“Our infrastructure acts as a bridge, widening access to and equalizing the global digital media ecosystem. Our comprehensive solutions and the value that we create for our partners and advertisers has given us a first-mover advantage that puts us light-years ahead of any global competitors. Our team is made up of people from all walks of life – with different stories, cultures, and aspirations. That means that we are constantly learning from each other and growing together” 

Regional Meta Director in Meta Nigeria Mr Stan Martins said: “Aleph has access to global platforms, and focuses on bringing these platforms to brands in Africa. We are Meta’s Authorized Reseller in Nigeria, providing strategic consultation and local solutions expertise.

As a Meta ASP, we are here to help you choose the right advertising strategy for your business across Meta technologies, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. We offer local, in-market support and consulting, and provide access to workshops and training in Nigeria to help you and your team learn new skills to get the most out of the platforms and your advertising budget.”

The University of Ibadan (UI) Distance Learning Centre (DLC) has said the Centre would on Friday June 2 conduct an admission screening exercise for the first batch of applicants. 

The university also said examination for the O’Level fresh applicants to the University’s Undergraduate programmes via the ODeL has been scheduled for Saturday, 3 and 17, June 2023 respectively.

A statement by the Director of the Centre, Prof. Babatunde Omobowale stated application form is open to candidates with at least five relevant credit passes in WAEC or NECO for admission into 100 Level.

Read Also: The University of Ibadan Opens A Special Window to Admit Undergraduate Candidates To Study On The University’s Open Distance eLearning (ODeL)

He said: “Candidates seeking admission into the 200 Level with OND or HND must have obtained minimum of Upper Credit for the Direct or Fast Track Entries in undergraduate programmes including B.Sc. Computer Science, BSc Sociology, BSW Social Works, B.Sc Psychology, B.Sc Political Science, B.A Communications and Language Arts, B.Ed Educational Management. 

He noted that “A” Level, NCE and First degree holders are also eligible for Direct and Fast Track admission upon meeting the admission requirements.

He said sitting for the JAMB examination is not required to gain admission to study in the University via the flexible ODeL mode, but candidate upon admission would be required to effect registration on JAMB Portal for the purpose of obtaining admission letter.

Omobowale stated that due to the parity of esteem policy operated by the University, students on the two Modes of Studies take the same courses and are taught by the same lecturers, either physical or virtual classes.

“They also sit for the same standard of examinations and are ultimately  awarded the same prestigious UI certificates as well as enjoy privilege of being mobilised for the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC).”

He however said all O’level candidates in ODeL Mode who may not be able to come down to the University’s physical address for verification can go to the University ’s Web Address (https://dlcportal.ui.edu.ng), and request for online verification of results, saying once students are verified, they would be able to continue with their registration from their locations

Stakeholders in Lagos have joined their counterparts across the world to celebrate the World Book Day, with the theme: “Indigenous languages”.

At an event organised by the Lagos State Library Board, at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa Secretariat, Lagos, invited dignitaries and stakeholders in their goodwill messages enjoined schools and parents to teach their children the mother tongues.

Invited schools across the states also dramatised on the theme, “Why mother tongue must be encouraged in schools’ curriculum.”

Permanent Secretary, Office of Special Adviser on Education (OSAE), Mr. Adeniran Waheed Kasali, who represented the Special Adviser on Education, Tokunbo Philip Wahab, urged schools across the state to imbibe the teaching of cultures and local languages during class period.

“We must take a cue from countries like India, China, Pakistan and others, whose mother tongues have been their source of development today.

“Therefore, our schools should now allow this to take the centre-stage of their teachings,” he stated.

In his welcome address,  Director,Library Board Lagos State, Oyadipe Asimiyu Amoo, praised the state government for throwing its weight behind the subject matter, saying this would go a long way in recognising, developing and boosting the economy.

Others who attended the event were: Mrs. Folashade Salako, representative of the Permanent Secretary, PMO, Dr. O.A. Aina, director, the Agency for Mass Education, Ms. Kalesanwo. Director, Admin and HR, OSAE, Mrs. Oluranti Fadipe, and Mr. Taiwo Bogunjoko,  retired director, Library Board also attended the event.

Highlights of the day included the presentation of school bags and books containing Nigeria’s indigenous languages to the 12 invited schools from across the state’s six districts, namely: District One – Shasha Community Senior High School, Alimosho; Iju Senior High School, Ifako Ijaye; District Two – United Senior High School, Ikorodu and Ojota Senior High School, Ojota; District Three – Eko Akete Senior Grammar School, Lagos Island and Girls Academy Senior School, Lagos Island; District Four – Birrel Avenue Senior High School, Sabo, Yaba and Sari Iganmu Senior Secondary School, Apapa; District Five – Ojo Senior High School, Ojo, and Tin Can Island Senior High School, Ajeromi; and District Six – Isolo Senior High School, Isolo and Ikeja Senior High School, Ikeja.

The United Kingdom says only students on longer postgraduate courses designated as research programmes, such as Ph.D., will be able to bring dependants to the UK while they study. Assistant Editor Bola Olajuwon, Damola Kola-Dare and Victoria Amadi spoke with stakeholders on the new policy.

The United Kingdom said net migration into its territory has been steadily on the rise and is reportedly expected to hit a record high this year. According to UK officials, 1.1 million people migrated into the UK and 560,000 people emigrated from it, leaving net migration of 504,000 people. This represents the balance of long-term migrants moving in and out of the country.

Crux of the matter

 It might hit 700,000 or even a million this year. The rising figure has created a consensus view among the two main parties in the country that legal migration must come down.

The British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “I’m committed to bringing down the levels of migration that I inherited.” It’s not surprising on Tuesday that the UK government barred international students from bringing family members as dependants to the country in a move to cut immigration. The changes will come into effect from January 2024. Foreign students are typically the most popular immigrant group in the UK.

Under the new proposals, only students on longer postgraduate courses designated as research programmes, such as Ph.D., will be able to bring dependants to the UK while they study. Also, overseas students will be prevented from switching “out of the student route into work routes” before their studies have been completed.

There will also be “improved and more enforcement activity” and a clamp down on “unscrupulous agents” using education as a cover for immigration, according to the government statement.

In the year ending December 2022, 486,000 student visas were issued to applicants – up from 269,000 in 2019.

Last year, the number of student visas issued to dependants stood at 136,000 – an eightfold increase from 2019, when 16,000 were provided.

Immigration figures point to an “explosion” in the number of people relocating to Britain on the privilege of their relatives’ student visas.

Last year, 59,053 Nigerian students brought over 60,923 relatives.

In the written ministerial statement, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said recent immigration figures had shown an “unexpected rise” in the number of dependants coming to the UK alongside international students.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan added: “The number of family members being brought to the UK by students has risen significantly.

“It is right we are taking action to reduce this number while maintaining a commitment to our international education strategy, which continues to enrich the UK’s education sector and make a significant contribution to the wider economy.”

Criticisms trail policy

In Nigeria, criticisms have trailed the policy announcement.

Former Director, Centre for General Nigerian Studies, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Biodun Akinpelu, said it appears this policy is targetted at Nigerian students going to the UK for studies. He said it runs contrary to the expected bilateral relationship between Nigeria and its former colonial masters.

Akinpelu said: “It is one of the latest immigration developments in the UK. Whereas a number of Nigerians that gained admission into educational institutions in the UK had always had the privilege of travelling with their spouses and children, it appears the UK government is looking critically into its immigration policies with a view to reducing the influx of immigrants into their country through education.

“This has serious implications for both immigrants and the UK Government. It is obvious that the UK education curriculum happens to be stable and loaded with the needed skills and expectations that are needed for modern societal development. It is equally not cheap, and that explains why admitted candidates often travel with their spouses with a view to making the other partner be doing some menial jobs to raise funds for family upkeep and for the sustenance of studentship for the partner that is studying in school. This has an economic impact on the UK environment too. Putting an end to such a policy would affect a number of intending candidates who would be willing to study in the UK, as such may lead to a very harsh reading climate where concentration will be seriously hampered.

“We are currently having instances of reported mental health challenges among immigrant students that travelled alone to study in the United States, Canada, or UK. This may not be outside the consequences of inadequate funding from the home country. It is on record that some of them have taken to drugs since there’s no one to caution them over there.

“It is expected that there may be a reduction in the number of immigrant students that travel to the UK as a consequence of this policy. Unfortunately, it appears this policy is targetted at Nigerian students going to the UK for studies. This runs contrary to the expected bilateral relationship between Nigeria and its former colonial masters.

“The UK government should be advised not to implement the immigration policy as it would definitely have its negative effect on even the standard of education in Nigeria since a good number of spouses that studied in the foreign countries do make some meaningful contributions to the quality of education in their home country.”

Coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone D (Southwest), Adejuwon Emmanuel Olatunji, said it was time for the government to reconstruct the nation’s education system.

He said: “Actually, we all know what this means and the idea of Nigerians travelling to the UK is a means to Japa, to run away from this country due to our poor education system. This is actually passing a message to Nigerian Government to take things seriously and not only embezzle our money on irrelevant things. They should repair and reconstruct the educational architecture of our dear nation. If the country is good and the educational system is good, there won’t be a need for travelling outside the country, but rather have others come to study here.

“Nigeria is rich and blessed, but the government is not channeling these riches in the right direction but rather channeling it for their own personal use. And things were not like this during their own period; they all enjoyed free education. Even if we have to pay for this education as we are already doing, this education should be well-funded and restructured to meet up standards.

“Government should wake up and do the right thing. The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should make sure things are done accordingly and make sure that the educational system functions as one of the best in the world.”

Deputy National President of the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo said the policy was rather unfortunate.

“It’s their country; there is nothing we can do. But what this translates to,to me, is that they are now discouraging mature students from coming to the UK to study.

“It’s not all of these students who travel to the UK to study that stay. Most of them still come back after their studies.

“The Federal Government should appeal to the UK Government to reconsider the total ban on families. They should look at it  on case by case basis. A total ban will be unnecessary,” Ogunbanjo said.

Director of Research, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Associate Professor Efem Ubi, said though it was an internal affair of the United Kingdom, the policy will not augur well for some Nigerian students.

“I can understand the situation. Most students use the opportunity to relocate their families to the UK and never return after completing their studies,” he said.

According to him, most students studying for Bachelor’s degrees may not have been married. In the case of those studying for Master’s Degrees, some of them may be married before travelling to the UK.

A public affairs commentator, Paul Ejime, said: “The policy is not a good one for Nigerian students who desire to go to the UK for studies looking at it that we have been having an excellent relationship right from the colonial period to the Commonwealth.

“But you should remember that the reason for Brexit is to regulate the inflow of people into the UK.”

He said the present UK government wants to show they are serious about curtailing immigration. According to him, many trained Nigerians in the fields of engineering, law and consultancy are contributing to UK’s development and economy.

“I hope they are not making the mistake of losing brilliant Nigerians to other countries like the U.S. and Canada.”

 You can’t stop migration because it has come to stay,” Ejime said.

He urged the incoming Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to discuss with the UK Government at the level of a bilateral meeting. The UK, he said, can make the visa requirements stricter to restrict the relocation of all extended families to the UK.

A Professor in Lagos State University, Solomon Makinde, said the policy would enable Nigerians come back home to fix the country.

“It is a known fact that most Nigerians use the platform of admission into higher institutions abroad as an escape route from the country and many have gone like that with spouses and family members. The UK is a highly organised country and that was why the number of people who followed those offered admissions can be identified.

“We are looking forward to a more organised country, that will be safe for everyone and those who have ‘japa’ would stage mass return to Nigeria. We believe that the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has all it takes to make Nigeria a good country to live, stay and prosper,” Prof. Makinde said.

A member of Nigeria Education Research and Development Council Abuja, Mr. Ibrahim Mubarak, said the policy did not infringe on Nigerians’ right to education since it didn’t ban Nigerians from studying in the UK.

“They didn’t ban Nigerians from studying in the UK universities. There is no violation of the right to education. It’s just a government policy to manage their economy.

“Ask yourself, must you go to study with your family members? It would have been wrong if they had banned Nigerians from studying in any of their universities. That would be a right violation and may be interpreted as racism and discrimination. The matter shouldn’t be an issue of concern,” he said.

Lagos State is driving excellence in learning for pupils across 1,020 primary schools through EKOEXCEL. State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) Chairman Wahab Alawiye-King speaks with Assistant Editor Bola Olajuwon on the inauguration of EKOEXCEL Situation Room – an intervention technology designed to monitor real-time data to increase learning gains and improve teaching methods in public schools

What is the situation room for?

As part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu‘s determination to improve the basic education sector, we have the third pillar, which has to do with education and technology. We have introduced a technology into our classrooms. We need to track and monitor what is happening in our classroom. That is the essence of the situation room as the name suggests. It’s a situation room where you get information on a timely basis, you analyse them, and you process them for effective use. That is the essence of the situation room. It’s a room where you do crime analysis. Crime in this sense is an acronym. When you look at the credibility of the data, you look at the reliability of the data, the integrity, the manageability of the data, most importantly the effectiveness of the data. These are some of the things we use the situation room to track and monitor.

As we all know that we have three major components in trying to improve the basic education sector. One has to do with access, equity and the most critical one that is relevant to what we are discussing is quality. In trying to determine the quality, you must track and monitor what you do in your classroom. That’s why we introduce the situation room. It is like a workstation where you have gadgets, you have implement to track and monitor what is happening in 1020 schools in Lagos State.

Are you saying you’ve taken over the control and management of EKOEXCEL?

It is part of what the packaging entails. There’s a particular component of EKOEXCEL where you need to monitor and track what’s happening. They have their own back-end office. In the office here, we also track and monitor. With this gadget here, I can monitor what is happening across the schools in the state with this. We have dedicated officers that monitor and write report in the situation room. I have told you about the CRIME Analysis, where you get all information. Get those information, you analyse them, and you process them for immediate use; what is happening in your classroom. These are some the things we use the situation room to monitor. You monitor the time on task, you monitor time of arrival and time they leave the classrooms and so many other important parameters, if learning is actually happening in those classrooms.

We must have gone through some kind of trainings before it was handed over to us. Before now, we have been trained. Situation room is just a large fraction of this dashboard I have in my office. Every member of the board can go there and see what’s happening. If I need to know what’s happening in simply for instance, I can go there and know the number of schools, what is happening in a particular classroom as we speak, the teacher teaching, what they’re teaching. These are some of the important data we need to track and monitor what is happening in the classroom.

What does the situation room entail apart from what we see, the gadget we see. Did you train your staff to handle it?

Yes, we must have gone through some train before it’s handed over to us. The situation room is an enlarge version of the dashboard you are seeing in my office. Every member of the board can go there and see what is happening. If I need to know what is happening in Shomolu for instance, I can go there and know the number of schools, what is happening in a particular classroom as we speak, the teacher that is teaching, what they are teaching and some of the important data you need to track and monitor what is happening in the classroom.

Before the coming onboard of the Situation Room, how would you describe EKOEXCEL, the achievements recorded before it was introduced and the achievements recorded after  and what you hope to achieve with the room aside those analyses?

A baseline assessment was done before EKOEXCEL was introduced. A medium level assessment was equally done to monitor and track how far we have gone. From the result we have gotten so far, we can see that learning and teaching outcome in our classrooms has improved. In times of the classroom being more active and engaging, the pupils get what they are supposed to get in terms of curriculum and pedagogy. These are some of the things we design EKOEXCEL to do. It’s just an infusion of technology into what we used to do. It’s a combination of the traditional way of teaching our classroom and using technology to enhance that. That is what EKOEXCEL has been able to do for us. It’s a phenomenon, in the sense that it’s a multi-dimensional implement to improve the learning outcome in our classrooms. These are some of the things we use to do.

Before now, it is difficult to measure what is happening in the classrooms. But with the introduction of EKOEXCEL, you can monitor what is happening real time in terms of teaching and learning outcome.

With EKOEXCEL and with the modus operandi being used in top class private schools, how would you describe the application?

In measuring what is happening in basic education sector, three things are important. You look at the facilitation, the facilitator and you look at the curriculum. The facilitation is the methodology you’re using. For us, we have used and introduced technology in the way we do things in our classrooms. In terms of the pedagogy we are using, we have already pre-planned and embedded curriculum in the tabs we are using in our classrooms. That has made the job to be easy for the teachers to do. They don’t need to write lesson note. They already have the prepared lesson note embedded in the system, which they can use. Time on task has been captured in the tab. So, you know the time for each lesson to be taught in these classrooms. These are some of the KPI we use to measure if something is actually happening in our classrooms. In times, of the facilitators, I’m talking about the teachers. They have been trained to be globally competitive in term of using the device for teaching in our classroom.  These are some of the good things about EKOEXCEL.

When you get results from the situation room, do you have the facilities and other things required to make timely intervention base on the results you get from the situation room because sometimes we get all these information, but we don’t make use of them?

I told you about the CRIME analysis.  The E there stands for effectiveness. We have learning and development officers that go to the field and monitor what is happening. As we get this information here, we quickly deploy our officers to go to town and do what is needful. Aside from the learning and development officer, we equally have rapid response unit that we can deploy from the headquarters here to see what’s happening in our schools based on the information we gathered from the situation room. Aside from that, we have the Local Government Education Authority with the education secretaries, who also have their own quality assurance officers that go to field to monitor what’s happening. If you gather all these information together, that is why we mention the E aspect of the CRIME analysis, which is the effectiveness. To make it more effective, you need to deploy officers to go and monitor what’s happening. Response time has been very great in terms of the way we intervene. You mentioned intervention. If intervention is not coordinated, it’s not structured, it can further degenerate into more crises. So, that is why you have officers that are designated to respond swiftly and promptly to issue that sometimes arose when we are doing these.

How can you describe the intake of more pupils? Because with the situation in the Northeast and other parts of the country, many kids and families are moving to safer places like Lagos and it is the duty of your board to try as much as possible to take them in. Is your board getting the necessary funding and support from UBEC and the state government?

As part of our mandate, we are to provide qualitative, open and basic education in the state free. We cannot prevent people coming from outside. Education is a merit good. You cannot reject people from taking it. You cannot exclude people from taking it. It is non-ravenous in consumption. People must come and get education. So, you cannot prevent people from getting one. Number two, education as a merit good, the demand for it will always outweigh the supply and as such, intervention must come in from different angles. That’s why there’s handshake between the Federal Government through UBEC and the state government through SUBEB to intervene in terms of provision of facilities in education. We must also realise that investment in education is a continuous activity. You must continue to provide those services in education sector. For us in Lagos, as we are trying to mitigate the problem of people coming into the state, other things are also militating against us in terms of people continue to come on a daily basis. Migrations from the rural areas to places like Lagos are also overstretching some of the facilities we have already planned for. That is why we need to focus on data. That is essence of that situation room where you have reliable data. Data that are credible to plan. When you have a reliable and credible data, you will be able to plan for what you want to do. With the situation room, we have been able to track and monitor, not only the admission rate, we have been able to track the retention rate, we are able to track the completion rate, we are able to track the transition rate to higher level of education. These are some of things we have been using this EKOEXCEL Situation Room for. Like I told you, it’s a multifaceted and multi-dimensional approach in changing the face of education, not only in Lagos but in Nigeria in general.

UNICEF and UNESCO are concerned about out-of-school children and learning crisis. How have you been able to inculcate your plan to deal with the issues?

Out-of-school phenomenon is a general phenomenon. It’s not applicable to Lagos alone. Let us look at it from this angle. I’m not a medical practitioner. Let me tell you this, before you administer or prescribe to address some kind of illness, you must have one, do the prognosis of the illness. Prognosis in the sense that you must know the root cause of the illness. For us, we are only focusing on the elements of the disease. Nobody is focusing on the root cause of the disease. What are the major causes of this out of school phenomenon? For you to have been able to address or administer a proper prescription to address a situation in terms of disease, you must have done some research. Before you would be able to do that prescription, you must have done scientific test to determine if the medication is good for the illness you’re trying to control. In this wise, we must focus on the root cause and one of the major root causes of the phenomenon is social economic factor. There are households that require support for them to be able to bring their wards to school. These are some of the areas the government also needs to look out at in terms of access. That is why we open up the space for the private sector to come on board to. The private sectors are there to support too. The government is providing the access to education. The parents themselves also have a responsibility. We only focus on our own side of the coin. You looking at the government alone, what are you doing as a parent too. What is your own responsibility as a parent to ensure that your wards come to school? These are some of the areas we need to look at.

The world is now focusing on foundational literacy, in order to have a solid foundation for the future, Chairman of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Ozavize Salami, has said.

She said that Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki, was still committed to basic education and investing heavily in the sector.

Salami stated these yesterday in Benin at the opening of Edo SUBEB’s basic education stakeholders’ engagement, which was attended by principals, head teachers, and education secretaries in the 18 local government areas.

She described as very timely and really impactful, Obaseki’s initiative of Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST).

The SUBEB chairman said that EdoBEST was an international programme, now operated for five years, and already in its sixth year, thereby transforming basic education in the Southsouth state, and making Edo to be outstanding in education.

She said: “Education gives the students the opportunity to be better than their parents. The public school’s basic education may be the only opportunity that students will have in life. The first nine years in school matter most in the lives of the students. So, basic education must be taken seriously by all the stakeholders.

“Free text and exercise books are being provided for the students in primary and junior secondary schools in Edo State, in order to assist them and their parents.

“EdoBEST is a data-driven programme. Over the last five years, we collected our data. We know when the teachers are in schools when the students show up in schools, and how much learning is taking place in our schools.

“As the basic education reform progresses, the focus is now on actual learning in the classrooms and how well our children are being taught. There is a global drive now to eliminate foundational illiteracy, and we have a lot of support from our international partners, especially the World Bank, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”

Salami also noted that the school heads and the teachers were essential in improving learning by students in their various schools.

She said: “In terms of out-of-school children, Edo State ranks lowest in Nigeria. There should not be any child that would not be in school, with emphasis to also be placed on learning and equipping them with the needed skills for a better life.

“For any reform, progress happens over time. Our headteachers have greatly improved. With the training we are giving them, we expect them to get better.

“To sustain the EdoBEST initiative, all the stakeholders, including the parents, must be involved. That is why the social mobilisation efforts at engaging people of the communities are so important.”

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Edo SUBEB chairman also stated that the board was committed to improving the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), thereby enhancing learning outcomes among students, with emphasis placed on improving the quality of teaching and learning in Edo classrooms.

She stressed that with the schools being the result areas, it was essential the schools must be headed by competent people, in order to improve learning outcomes.

Salami revealed that Edo SUBEB had supported the basic education teachers with professional development opportunities, online certification courses and in-service training for them, stressing that delivering and sustaining basic education was very technical.

The Dean of Education Secretaries in Edo, Comrade Nosa Erhahon, who is the Education Secretary of Egor LGA, and the Principal of Army Day Junior Secondary School, Isiohor in Ovia Northeast LGA of the state, Dr. Queency Edegbe, while later speaking with reporters, hailed Obaseki on the EdoBEST initiative and expressed optimism on its sustainability.

HEARTY CONGRATULATION

Your Excellency, The Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormen Alia, on your Inauguration today May, 29th, 2023.

I write to formally congratulate you on your inauguration as the 6th demo

A not-for-profit organisation i-Scholar Initiative (iSI) has announced 70 young Nigerians for its 2023 scholarship awards.

A statement by the Executive Secretary of the organisation, Dr. Olufemi Fajolu noted list of the winners was unveiled in a presentation by the organisation’s Vice President Operations, Mrs. Hanatu Banjoko during the Organisation’s Management Committee (MC) meeting. 

According to Fajolu, the list has also been approved by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the organisation.

The organisation’s BoT Chairperson Mrs. Tolu Ewherido said: “I congratulate all our stakeholders, the BoT, the MC and most importantly, our esteemed partners for another successful application season”

“Congratulations also to the new scholars and their families. i-Scholar is proud to support them to  pursue their dreams and showcase their amazing talents to the world.”

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“The awards offered by the Initiative will pay for standardized tests such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

“Scores from the two tests are required by top universities in North America and Europe. The scholarship also covers a predetermined number of graduate school application fees and most importantly, an end-to-end mentoring program.”

President of the organisation, Mr. Victor Ogunmola said: “This is the 5th edition of our scholarship  offerings. We continue to scale up the number of awards we offer each year but we are no where near we want to be.

“However, we are very grateful to all our funding partners for the tremendous progress that we have made over the last four years.”

The new awardees will soon be receiving invitations to join The organisation’s platforms, and they will be onboarded into the organization during an official event that will take place in June. 

The list of awardees is also available on the organization’s website. www.ischolarinitiative.org.