Category: Education

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has withdrawn the accreditation of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba over no-payment of salaries and allowances for over 30 months.

The Head, Media Department, NBTE, Hajiya Fatima Abubakar, said this in a statement in Kaduna.

Abubakar explained that regular payment of salary was a key instruments for quality assurance in the polytechnics, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

She said the board had drawn the attention of the polytechnic’s management to the dangers of non-payment of salaries, including the suspension of quality assurance visits.

Abubakar also said: “The Board went the extra mile of writing to Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, informing him of the dire situation of the polytechnic but all to no avail.

“It is, therefore, with utmost sense of responsibility that the board has decided to withdraw the accreditation status of the polytechnic to safeguard the quality assurance mechanism of the board.

“It is also to ensure that students are not left at the mercy of demotivated staff that may resort to under the table practices to survive,” she said.

Abubakar said the Board had written to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), not to mobilise any graduate of the polytechnic for its national service until the institution remedies the problem.

The statement said the NBTE would notify the NYSC when the accreditation status was restored.

She also said the board also sent similar notice of the withdrawal of the accreditation to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund; Industrial Training Fund to stop any official transaction with the polytechnic.

“Polytechnic proprietors across the country are also advised to take regular payment of salaries of staff seriously as failure can lead to loss of accreditation,” Abubakar added.

To outgoing pupils of Achievers  Base Schools, Alakuko, Lagos, it was a solemn moment when, during their graduation, the school’s founder, Mr. Omotola Ayodeji, bid them good bye.

He also told them they were singing the anthem of their alma mater for the last time.

He, however, assured them at the event that coincided with the schools’ 15th anniversary that they would still sing it again, but this time as alumna and alumnae.

Ayodeji was fulfilled that the mustard seeds he planted a few years ago have grown into an Iroko, churning out good products. But in 2020 and last year, he recalled, the school could not hold its graduation. It has also “made remarkable progress not only in numerical strength’’ but also in infrastructure provision. He had honed the skills of pupils and made them to be good in character and learning in tandem with the National Policy on Education.

Ayodeji advised the pupils to be good ambassadors of the school. He said their education should not end at his school, but rather that they should move forward in their education pursuit.

“Remember to stick tenaciously to your moral, spiritual and religious values and convictions which we have inculcated in you. When you finally get into the labour market in few years to come either as full or contract staff in any form or establishment, do not find any job as too mean for you. Work very cooperatively with your colleagues,’’ he added.

He thanked the teachers and non-teaching staff for their dedication to duty. He gave awards to the deserving workers.

He also acknowledged the pupils’ parents for their support to the school over the years.

Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Ojerinde Babatunde, said the school has made its mark in not only in its environ in Ojokoro, but also in Lagos. He added that the state government could gain from it in the training of teachers. He praised the school’s proprietor for its achievements.

Babatunde affirmed that his children who passed through the school were doing well academically.

He advised the outgoing pupils to know that as future leaders, they could not afford to mess up.

 

 

The Kebbi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has registered 857,185 pupils  in Primary and Junior Secondary Schools.

Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Prof. Suleiman Khalid-Jega, made this known at a stakeholders’ meeting on the conduct of the  National Personnel Audit (NPA) with Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) team in Birnin Kebbi.

Khalid-Jega said the exercise is aimed at collecting basic information on schools, pupils, students and personnel.

He said the data being collected would assist the country to plan effectively towards expanding access to quality education and promoting gender parity at basic and other levels of education.

“At present, 857,185 pupils have been registered in basic schools in the state.

“Of this, 65 per cent (534,584) are in public schools and 35 per cent  (302,601) in private schools,” he said.

Khalid-Jega said of the figures, about one-third were taken by the private schools.

He said the pupils were enrolled in 2,320 private primary schools and 426 in private and public secondary schools.

Khalid-Jega said 350,000 learners were enrolled in 5,343 non-formal learning centres, adding they had 3,912 facilitators.

He also said private schools in the state had been good partners in providing quality education.

Khalid-Jega said the private schools had 35 per cent of pupils and 4,141 personnel.

“The aim of the NPA is to provide answers to series of questions on how to move the education sector forward in the state and the country, in areas of teaching and learning environment as well as enrolment of girl-child.

“What we are doing in the state is to provide quality assurance to our schools and also to the learning environment.

“We want to know if there are enough classrooms. If there are, are they in good condition? And how many of them are in dilapidated?

“This has to do with the facilities in the schools and the toilet facilities, which could be a determining factor for attending the schools, especially for a girl-child.

“Not only that, how many schools have the WASH  system, that is hand borehole, water; how many teachers do we have in the schools and how many of them are qualified and what is their level of the qualification?

“The minimum qualification for a teacher is NCE. How many of them are teaching in public and private schools? These are the questionnaire for this activity. We can’t plan without adequate data.

“What they are bringing out now is to update 2018 National Personnel Audit and like I said, Kebbi has the most vibrant education management system in Nigeria,” he said.

The chairman said that virtually, all the information required  on its personnel were on its website.

He said that every information about the children, facilities on ground, including physical facilities, completed and the ongoing projects’ were all on its website.

Earlier, the Team Leader of UBEC from Abuja, Prof. Onoja Onuche, said  the main objective of the exercise was to check enrolment of pupils, quality of the teachers, both non- and teaching staff, and the learning environment.

He also said that the state had done well in the past and hoped that it would perform excellent again in the audit exercise.

After almost five months at home, lecturers and students of public universities in the Southeast have said they are ready to resume classes if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other unions end their strikes. Nwanosike Onu, Awka, Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki, Chris Njoku, Owerri, Damian Duruiheoma, Enugu, and Emma Elekwa, Onitsha report.

The possible reopening of public universities  has gladdened the hearts of students in the Southeast. The students said they couldn’t wait to resume classes in their campuses.

But, the traders on the campuses and some students lamented that their businesses had suffered greatly for lack of patronage.

After almost five months at home, the students may soon return to the classrooms, if words from the Federal Government and striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are anything to go by. For the first time, both sides seem to be giving children of the poor a ray of hope.

 

I can’t afford to wait any longer, says student

A student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, John Amah, in an interview with our correspondent, expressed joy over the development, saying he could not afford to wait any longer.

“For me, it’s a welcome development. Though I didn’t expect the strike to last this long. If the strike is called off, I would be glad. I can’t wait to return to school,” he said.

Another student, Chisom Obi, said the students were ready to return to school anytime the strike was called off.

“I hope it is called off soon. We are ready to return to school. It has not been easy staying at home when you should be in school.

“I was in my lodge last week and it was very boring as there was no one else there. I was in town for a programme. Despite the loneliness, I really enjoyed being back to the school environment,” she said.

Alex Ekwueme Federal University, ASUU Branch, said the strike had hit hard on its members as they had not been paid salaries for five months.

The union, however, said its members remained resolute to continue the strike until all their demands were addressed.

 

ASUU Chairman: we are ready to return to the classroom

Chairman of ASUU in the university Egwu Ogugua, who stated this in an interview with The Nation, noted that the lecturers were ready to return to the classroom once the issues were properly addressed by the Federal Government.

“As I am speaking to you now, I am about travelling. But if I get a call now that an agreement has been reached and the strike called off, I will suspend the journey and mobilise members back to the classroom immediately.”

Some students, who were doing business around the school environment, called on the Federal Government to heed the demands of ASUU in bringing an end to the industrial action.

Some business owners and commercial transport workers like Elom Cynthia, Abraham Chinonso, and Igbe Chisom lamented that the strike had adversely affected their daily income since there was low patronage from the few students around the campus.

The Students’ Union Government (SUG) President, Comrade Jerry Okafor, expressed dissatisfaction over the strike. He wondered why strikes had become an annual occurrence in tertiary institutions in the country.

Immediate past Chairman of ASUU, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof. Dennis Aribodor, said they were yet to receive directive from their national leadership to resume work.

He urged federal and state governments to place premium on education at all levels, as well as provide adequate funding for the sector.

“As our Comrade President said a few days ago, if government does the needful, the union will meet to review the situation and take appropriate actions,” Aribodor said.

 

‘We are expecting directive from ASUU’

FUTO -ASUU Chairman Chinedu Ihiejirika said the parent body had not directed the university chapters to resume, and, until then, they would not sheath the sword.

He, however, said the lecturers at the university were ready to resume lectures at the shortest notice.

A student, Addison Iwu, urged the government and the lecturers to reach a truce as quickly as possible to save the education sector. “We are not happy over this ugly development,” he said.

 

UNN lecturers, others:  it’ll be end of our misery

The University of Nigeria (UNN) lecturers have pledged to resume academic activities as soon as they get directives from the leadership of the ASUU.

This is also as some students and businessmen on campuses said the end of the ongoing ASUU strike would be an end to misery in their lives.

Speaking with The Nation, the lecturers said although they had been conducting researches from their homes, the strike had prevented them from lecturing and interfacing with students.

A student, Emmanuel Usor, expressed readiness to resume school as soon as the strike was over.

Usor, who is in second year, lamented that the students were more at the receiving end.

“The end of this strike will be an end to our misery. I gained admission in 2019, and in 2020, we stopped school because of COVID-19, and in 2021, we were rushed into second year to enable fresh students come in. Since 2021, we have been facing strike.

“I should have been in my final year now and ready to defend my project and to be mobilised for NYSC. But here I am still in second year. So, when I say that the biggest losers of the strike are the students, I know what I’m saying.

“The students suffer in the sense that the studies they are supposed to conclude in four years are extended. So, their time is wasted,” he said.

A business centre owner on the campus, Oluchukwu Ani, lamented that her business had suffered a serious setback as a result of the strike.

According to her, for more than four months, her business had not witnessed patronage as students hardly visited the school to perform any activities.

“So, ending this strike will mean ending part of my problems. I will be happy to see my business back again,” she said.

It used to be called ‘Almighty JAMB’. But more students are finding that with the right preparation, especially help from tutorial colleges, getting a high score in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is attainable. Many of the 110 students who scored over 300 out of the 400 marks share their stories with ROBERT EGBE and EMMANUEL OCHAYI.

Seventeen-year-old Alvin Ezeocha remembers the atmosphere in his Ajao Estate neighbourhood in Lagos whenever the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board releases its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.

Students who scored as high as 230 out of the maximum 400 marks available, felt on top of the world. It was a good performance, or so he used to think. Until he enrolled for tutorial classes this year and was challenged by the stories of others before him, who excelled in UTME after seeking tutorial help. This move paid off. When the result for this year’s UTME was released on May 14, Ezeocha scored 346.

 

Poor performance in 2021 UTME

Ezeocha’s feat becomes even more memorable against the backdrop of students’ general poor UTME performances across the country in 2021. JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, on July 4, 2021, said students’ UTME performances were poorer than what was recorded in the past three years prior or thereabouts.

Oloyede spoke during an appearance on “Weekend File”, a live programme of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

According to the registrar, the percentage of those who scored 120 and above out in 2021 was 99.65 of the entire candidates but the figure stood at 99.80 in 2020.

He said: “In 2018, it was 99.99 per cent, but in 2019 it dropped to 99.92.

“Also, in 2020, 69.82 per cent of the candidates who sat for the UTME scored 160 and above but in 2021, it reduced to 65.62 per cent.”

 

110 from same college score above 300

Ezeocha was not alone in acing the UTME. 109 other students who also took tutorials with him at Adams International College, Oshodi, Lagos, also scored above 300 in this year’s UTME.

Speaking at an award ceremony organised by the college, they told The Nation that the institution’s inspirational teaching methods, among others, aided their feat.

Overall best student for the college’s UTME class for the year was 16-year-old Emmanuel Lawal, who scored 355.

“I feel very happy that even words cannot explain it. I did not really believe I would get this far. I was expecting a score of around 320. But when I checked my result, I was surprised. This college really helped me. To admit, I was not really good at English. But this college helped me to become better in subjects I was not good at. My score would not have been this good if not for them,” Lawal said.

Ezeocha, who was next, rated the college’s standards very high, saying it motivated him to stretch himself.

He added: “When I came to Adams, I saw 343 as the highest and I was intrigued because in my area, people scored 230 and above and they were happy. Mr Adams (Adams International College Proprietor, Adams Adebola) and the teachers were always inspiring. I will advise those preparing for UTME to come to Adams.”

Tobi Olarenwaju, 17, who scored 344, explained how excited he was to have attained such height.

“I feel great. I feel honoured to be among the top five. I feel very happy and excited. When I started the JAMB class, this was not my initial target. But with time, I realised that it was what I could achieve if I just had the right mind,” Olarenwaju said.

Perhaps the most remarkable of the 110 was Jibolabi Owolabi.

Owolabi, 21, scored a relatively low 304 but was one of the two students who received a standing ovation at the event because of their inspirational stories.

He started as an Arts student, but in Junior-Senior Secondary, was made to enrol as an apprentice auto mechanic. He continued learning the trade-up till after he left secondary school.

He said: “After I graduated from Senior Secondary School in 2018/2019, I thought I could do something big that people couldn’t really imagine. I told my mum I wanted to switch to sciences to study mechanical engineering. And she supported me with everything she had.

“I was learning auto mechanics at a shop from SS1 down to SS3 before I graduated. I love doing the work. I did not want to leave it. I told everyone I wanted to study mechanical engineering and the only way was for me to switch from Arts to Sciences. But there was no time for me to go back to secondary school. Then I heard about Adams College. I will be clocking one year and six months of being a science student, this year.”

Owolabi explained how he overcame discouragement, doubt and the need to stop working so he could focus more on reading.

He said: “I feel very very excited that I proved everyone wrong. While I was preparing, people asked me ‘Owolabi are you out of your senses?’ Even some that we graduated together in 2019.

“I just had to delete my WhatsApp, not coming online, because of different opinions of people. They said things like ‘After the stress you went through in secondary school you still want to go through that again?’ I just told them that I had a dream.”

Some advised that “Instead of going back, you can do any course in the university.’ But I was one of the best students in school; I knew mathematics very well. I felt I just needed to focus on my reading.

“I stopped going to the workshop during this period; I dedicated 80 per cent of my time to reading. I read at night and in the evening. Sometimes I stayed back at the college to study till around 6 or 7 pm after classes had ended by 3pm. The set of people I met there really encouraged me that I could do better.”

 

Zero-tolerance for examination malpractice

Adams International College Proprietor, Adams Adebola, praised their achievements, saying it reinforced the school’s decision not to compromise its mission “to raise resourceful and quality future leaders through unwavering zero tolerance for examination malpractice.”

Adebola said: “We are glad to appraise you that ever since we initiated the awards ceremonies, the records have shown that the performances have continuously witnessed a steady boost. This year, to the glory of the Almighty, we have well over 110 students who scored over 300, which is our benchmark for eligibility for the award. We can proudly say we have 344, 346 and 355. Those who follow the records yearly will discover that two of our students went beyond the last feat recorded in the year 2021.”

The college’s Administrator, Mrs. Adenimpe Adams whose birthday was coincidentally on the same day, thanked the “wonderful parents” for believing in the school and praised the teachers for their dedication to the students.

Reminding the students of the challenges ahead, she predicted that “with determination, they were going to succeed.”

Ehimen Felix, a 15-year-old student of the Barachel Model College, Agbado, Oke-Aro, Lagos also performed creditably in the exam.

Felix, who is aiming to study Computer Science at the University of Lagos, boasts of an excellent score of 91 in Mathematics, 72 in Physics, 70 in Chemistry and 67 in English Language.

He also aced his West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) with A1 in Further Mathematics; B3 in five other subjects and two credits.

He hails from Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

 

After UTME, what next?

According to JAMB, about 1.7 million candidates sat the 2022 UTME exercise across the country.

The board conducts the UTME to grade candidates for admissions to undergraduate programmes of tertiary institutions in Nigeria —universities, polytechnics and monotechnics.

However, conquering UTME is one thing, gaining admission to a higher institution is another.

Only a fraction of the students who score above 200 gain admission to tertiary institutions.

For instance, 3,135 UTME and Direct Entry examinations candidates who scored 300 and above in 2018, 2019 and 2020 did not gain admission into tertiary institutions.

The figure is based on the admission statistics prepared by JAMB for the three years.

The statistics for 2018, 2019 and 2020 were made available on the board’s website.

In 2018, JAMB noted that though a total of 4,683 candidates scored 300 and above, only 3,683 gained admission while 1,000 candidates were unable to gain admission.

In 2019, a total of 2,967 candidates scored 300 and above, while 2,288 candidates got admitted 679 were denied admission.

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has rewarded nine Corona Secondary School pupils for passing ACCA’s Foundation-Level diploma certificate examinations.

The body also noted that the school was a strategic partner that had leveraged the opportunity offered by ACCAs Foundation-Level qualifications initiative and produced about 40 ACCA Diploma in Financial and Management Accounting (RQF Level 2) holders since 2018.

Those who received awards were:  Chukwudalu Orafu, who was the Best in ACCA FIA exams, overall best in Management Accounting and Best in Corona High School Financial Accounting. Al-Amin Vincent was Best in ACCA FIA Financial accounting).

Also recognised were nine graduating students, who obtained the diploma certificate.

ACCA Nigeria Senior Business Development Head Aderonke Adebule, who spoke at the event, said ACCAs Foundation-Level qualifications were recognised on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

Adebule noted that ACCAs Foundation-Level qualifications were globally being regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulations (Ofqual).

According to the body, employers globally can be assured of the level and standard of ACCAs Foundation Level Qualifications.

Adebule said: “If you are working or interested in a finance-related role, FIA will give you the technical knowledge you need to perform your role and advance your career. It will also give you a head start towards further finance and accounting qualifications, including the prestigious and globally recognised ACCA Qualification.

“Key benefits of the initiative are to learn the universal language of business; gain qualifications from a recognised global leader in financial education; enhance one’s employability with skills and knowledge that employers value, and flexible options, which means ability to choose which exams one wants to sit, how he wants to study and progress at the pace that suits him.

“The qualification is open to everyone, meaning that there are no academic entry requirements. It has potential for rapid progress in which case one can complete the FIA   group of exams in 12-18 months.”

She added: “ACCAs Foundations in Accountancy (FIA) is a group of qualifications that will give one a solid understanding of the fundamentals of financial management and reporting and enable him to speak the language of business.”

“There are no minimum entry requirements for FIA. However, we recommend you start at Level 2 if you have no formal qualifications, especially if it’s been a while since you completed any studies. FIA begins at GCSE level (Level 2), or equivalent, and progresses up to the equivalent of the first year of a bachelor’s degree (Level 4).”

Six pupils have been picked to represent Nigeria in the 2022 Certiport Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship for students taking place this month in Disneyland, California, United States.

The students and two teachers are being sponsored by Zenith Bank PLC and Agusto Consulting Limited for the competition holding from July 21 to 24.

The Nation gathered that the six pupils emerged after returning top scores and the fastest times during the national Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship for Students (MOSWC) organised by ReadManna Empowerment Initiative, a non-profit organisation that drives learning of current, practical and relevant digital literacy skills in schools and work environment.

Those representing the country are Hammad Omotosho of Aduvie International School, Abuja, FCT, who scored  1,000/1,000 in Excel 2019 in 10 minutes 11 seconds; Joshua Olunlade of Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State (Word 2019 – 1,000/1,000 in 10min 46Sec); and Gabari Rume Mamuromu of Faith Academy, Ota, Ogun State (Word 2016 1,000/1,000; 11min 45Sec).

Others, according to the organisers, are Adekoya Toluwani of Faith Academy (PowerPoint 2019, 1,000/1,000; 23min 18sec); Divine Ihonde of City of Knowledge Academy, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State (Excel 2016, 980/1,000; 28 minutes 30seconds); and Aliyah Adunola, City of Knowledge Academy (PowerPoint 2016, 1,000/1,000; 29min 2Sec).

They will be accompanied by two ICT teachers – Mr. Olusola Ajayi of Aduvie International School, Abuja, FCT, whose student had the highest score in the 2022 MOS Nigeria Competition; and Mrs. Victoria Adebayo of Faith Academy, Ota, the school with the largest number of certified students in the 2022 ReadManna Under13 Computing Fundamentals National Competition (Ages 8 -13).

CEO of Readmanma Empowerment Initiative, Mrs. Edna Agusto, while dwelling on the importance of Microsoft Office certifications, said in a statement that proficiency in them gives the students leverage in the labour market.

She said: “These Microsoft Office Specialist programmes are the most commonly used productivity tools by businesses worldwide and the official MOS certification programme assesses and demonstrates proficiency in these programmes.

She said: “Certified MOS users will become proficient in the use of Microsoft Office programs, thereby improving their chances of becoming gainfully employed in today’s digital world. It is globally recognised and gives certified users the opportunity to apply for jobs globally.”

The MOSWC is keenly competed yearly by students in over 150 countries.

In the past 13 years, Nigeria has come second and third in the World Championship and have had top 10 finishes nearly every year.

The national competition that produced Nigerian contingent held between October 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022 with 385 participants taking the examination in Ilorin, Abuja and Lagos.

Joshua Olunlade is the second university student to win at the National Competition open to students aged 13-22.

Nineteen students scored 1,000/1,000 in various programmes.

Promoters of GetBundi, an educational technology platform, are seeking a partnership with the government of The Gambia to make Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and digital skills accessible to the country’s citizens, particularly the youth.

Founder/CEO of GetBundi, Osita Oparaugo, made this known during a visit to Mohamadou Musa Njie, The Gambian High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Nigeria.

GetBundi was launched in Lagos to help equip youths across Africa with high-quality, engaging and accessible STEM education and digital skills.

Receiving the GetBundi team in his office in Abuja, Njie, who is also The Gambia’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, said that STEM and digital skills are what all Africans, mostly the youths, need to thrive in the 21st century.

“I totally agree with your platform’s direction that we should refocus our education, mostly post primary education, towards STEM and that everyone mostly business owners should posses digital skills,” Njie said.

“Digital skills are what every African needs, mostly our youths, to thrive in the 21st century and, to make it more interesting, science technology and innovation which will guarantee job opportunities and competitiveness internationally for our youths is top on African Union agenda 2063,” he said.

The Ambassador thanked the GetBundi team, saying the President of The Gambia and the entire cabinet are committed to charting a new course for the country and STI is top on the list.

“I will take your message to the appropriate quarters in The Gambia and work to ensure my people embrace this platform because it’s a direction its time has come and must be followed to build a better future for the young and industrious people of The Gambia,” he said.

Oparaugo thanked the Ambassador for the opportunity to present GetBundi to him.

“We recognise that to build an Africa beyond aid, our youths and business owners, mostly SMEs, should be empowered by an understanding and appreciation of science and technology so that they can overcome the many challenges facing the continent,” Oparaugo said.

The GetBundi founder said the goal of the platform is to make STEM and digital skills learning across Africa accessible to all through technology, not just elite children but all students, poor or rich, boys or girls, internally displaced students and refugees.

“We look forward to working with the government of The Gambia and indeed every government in Africa towards massifying STEM and STI skills across the continent. The benefits of this direction cannot be over-emphasised,” he said.

SINCE Treasure Scientia School (TSS) has distinguished itself in the combination of education with vocational skills acquisition, its Principal, Prince Hope Nwagboso, told The Nation during the week.

The school based in Naze, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State believes in the philosophy that while acquiring basic education, their students also need to develop their skills to enable them.

In a chat, Nwagboso said: “The initiative was born out of the need to help our students excel in practical-oriented subjects introduced by the Ministry of Education, and to offer them important skills that will boost their chances of survival in contemporary society,” Nwagboso said.

He added that hundreds of pupils of the school over the past few years had acquired skills in Cosmetology, Computer Engineering, Shoe Making, Fashion and Design, Hair Dressing and, among others. “This is one of the feats, which TSS prides itself for,” he added.

On the challenges which students could face by combining academics with skills acquisition, Nwagboso responded: “The issue of combining academics with skills poses no worry”, Nwagboso insisted. “This is because the duo of academics and skills acquisition complements each other.

“Take, for example, the theoretical framework for Cosmetology, Fashion/ Design and Hair Styling are in Home Economics, Computer Engineering is in ICT, while Shoe making is in Creative Art and so on. This is why we can confidently blend the two together so as to ensure we give our students the best.

“This is not obtainable in other schools because they stop at classwork. For us at TSS, it is a perfect arrangement, which we adopt to ensure that we do not stop at class work, but introduce the practical aspect of it to enable the students  put into practice what they have learnt.

“This practice has not only gained TSS accolades from notable individuals and organisations, but has also created a niche for the school. This is what we are known for and it’s our brand,” he said.

According to him, in most schools in Nigeria where skills acquisition programmes are obtainable, they are mostly sanctioned by the State Ministry of Education for them to be effective.

“However, TSS has not waited to get such a mandate before acting and this