Category: Education

The Vice Chancellor of Plateau State University, Bokkos, Prof. Yohanna Izam, has said the institution has secured approval for the establishment of four new faculties and school of post-graduate studies.

With the new additions, the institution would have eight faculties.

Izam said at a media forum by the Correspondent Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Plateau State Council, that the new faculties expected to be accredited were: “Law Faculty (80 per cent completion), Environmental Sciences (80 per cent completion), Health Sciences (95 per cent), and Education, which is awaiting furnishing and staffing.”

He added: “The school of post graduate studies will be inspected soon by the National University Commission (NUC).”

Commenting on the lingering strike by two unions, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) over earned allowances, Izam said “it is very unfortunate.” but promised to address it.”

He said: “When I came on board as VC in 2018, I realised that the earned allowances were not paid since 2010 and the arrears have accumulated over a period of time.

“The situation in the state university is not as bad as being painted. It is very unfortunate that the strike has cut across all unions. If the money is available it will be paid. The agreement will be renegotiated with government in January or February.”

Izam said the management and state government were working to intensify robust security architecture at institution.

He revealed that the challenge of infrastructure was gradually reducing, adding that the university would continue to expand facilities to increase its admission limit from 6,000.

To advance the commitment to the growth and development of youths, MAC Bickersteth, Leadway Assurance, KPMG, and Andersen have awarded 10 students with full tertiary education grant, under the Seyi Bickersteth Scholarship Programme (SPSP) 2021.

The Seyi Bickersteth Scholarship Programme is in honour of Late Seyi Bickersteth, who was the past National Senior Partner, KPMG (2002-2016) and Chairman, KPMG Africa (2014-2016); Board Member, Leadway Assurance; and Chairman, Andersen Africa.

The scholarship programme is targeted at indigent individuals studying Economics, Accounting, Finance, Actuarial Science, Insurance or Business Administration.

Each beneficiary will receive N400,000.00 annually for four years of their tertiary education. The inaugural award presentation took place at KPMG Tower in Lagos recently with the executives and representatives of the organisations presenting the scholarship grant to the beneficiaries.

In addition to the annual scholarship grant, the beneficiaries will also receive summer internship opportunities and be part of a mentorship programme.

The recipients would also be eligible to work at any of the three firms (KPMG, Leadway Assurance or Andersen) should they graduate with First-Class or Second-Class Upper honours.

Speaking at the ceremony, wife of the Late Seyi Bickersteth and Trustee of the SBSP, Mrs. Catherine Bickersteth, said the scholarship programme is in consonance with the family’s tradition of offering scholarships to deserving individuals.

“The Seyi Bickersteth Scholarship Programme identifies intellect, passion and leadership traits in students with financial challenges, just like Seyi had these challenges several years ago before the Federal government stepped in. I am hopeful that the beneficiaries of this programme will grasp the full measure of this opportunity and embrace the principles of intellectual excellence, unassailable integrity, and enduring impact, as well as emulate Seyi’s thirst for and commitment to diverse knowledge and its use for positive and selfless impact,” she said.

Chairman, Leadway Holdings, Mr. Oye Hassan-Odukale (MFR), congratulated the awardees and encouraged them “to embody, reflect and replicate the same high-performance spirit, talent and values, Seyi had and even more. What matters the most is not the amount given to each beneficiary but the commitment of the partner companies to extend their support to the beneficiary for a long-term period by providing internship, mentorship, and work opportunities.”

National Senior Partner KPMG, Nigeria and Chairman, KPMG Africa, Mr. Kunle Elebute, said, “The Seyi Bickersteth Scholarship Programme is an extension of a vision and a gift that keeps on giving, which is Seyi. With this scholarship programme, we believe the excellence and commitment Seyi had towards personal growth and development will continually find tangible expressions”.

During the vote of thanks, Co-Regional Managing Partner, Andersen Africa, Mr Leye Adebiyi, appreciated the partners, congratulated the awardees for being exceptional by raising the standard of excellence at the inaugural scholarship programme, as well as celebrated the parents and guardians for supporting these young stars.

Maryam Kuranga, a 100-level student at the University of Lagos, thanked the benefactors on behalf of the awardees.

“I want to say thank you to MAC Bickersteth, KPMG, Leadway Assurance and Andersen for making it possible. I am inspired to want to do more, as well as help others become better people in any way I can.”

Mr. Olushola Ajao, one of the recipients’ parents, commended the organisation for their laudable support and commitment to exceptional educational performance. He also admonished the awardees to motivate the firms to provide continuous support for many years to come.

The 10 beneficiaries of this year’s scholarship programme were public secondary school graduates who gained admission into leading universities in the country.

Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof Josiah Ajiboye, has restated the agency’s commitment to promote teachers professionalism in the country.

Prof Ajiboye said this at a dinner  in honour of participants of  season two of the Teachers Naija Reality TV Show in Abuja.

The registrar, while speaking at the dinner organised by TRCN in collaboration with ANUB Media Limited, expressed support for the reality show.

Ajiboye, who presented plaques to winners of the show, called on teachers to always check the TRCN’s website for necessary information on teachers Professional Qualifying Examination ( PQE), date of certificate collection, among others.

Convener of the reality show, Enuagwuna Ubaka, said the reality television show is aimed at shoring up support and promoting the nation’s teaching profession, adding that the show has come to stay.

Ubakasaid the challenges encountered in 2020 as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic was overcome in this year’s edition.

He said: “It is really a wonderful journey from the first season in 2019, it started as if we were joking and the first season came and it was huge success and 2020 COVID-19 came amd we could not have it.

“A lot of people thought the show will not come alive again but in 2021 we were able to hold the second season of the show and the achievement recorded in the second season was actually wow. It actually doubled and even tripped what we had in the first season.

“There is the saying that never underestimate the power of little beginning and you know  alot of people keep comparing us  with some shows that have been there and we keep telling them that we will get there.”

The event also witnessed the presentation of a book authored by Ubaka with the title: ‘Unknown Money.’

“There are a lot of money people don’t know about. People make money in dollars others in pounds, but I tell you the real money is in relationship, that is what this book is talking about. Healthy and quality relationships,” Ubaka said

It would be recalled that three females emerged winners in the season two of the Teachers Naija Reality TV show.

Odutola Gloria Ekene claimed the top prize and went home with N2.5 million as well a N35 million worth two-bedroom property in Abuja.

Two other female housemates, Faremi Mary Oluwabukola and Oyin-Adejoba Moranya clinched the second and third positions respectively with  Faremi going home with N1.5 million while the second runner-up  got N1 million.

The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has received another award of recognition for its outstanding performance in the utilization of TETFund National Research Fund.

The award presentation, which held penultimate Thursday,(December 16,2021) at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, was part of the activities organised to mark TETFund’s one decade of transformative intervention in public tertiary institutions.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, represented by the University Librarian, Prof. Abdulwahab Olanrewaju Issa, received the award on behalf of the University.

The VC said TETFund had positively impacted the institution.  In an interview with journalists on the sideline of an event to mark the Fund’s 10th anniversary in Abuja, Abdulkareem described the agency’s existence as a good thing for tertiary institutions in Nigeria, especially UNILORIN.

As the University Librarian, Issa said the university had benefited from funds for library development.

“For me as a University Librarian, I can tell you that the University of Ilorin’s Library had benefited significantly from the largesse of TETFUND. The 2015-2018 library intervention that I heard was about N134 million. Presently, I have received approval in principle for 2019/2020 and that is to the tune of N75 million,” he said.

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has commenced a process to digitise theses and projects in tertiary institutions of learning to ensure seamless access to research outputs and end the ‘evil’ of plagiarism.

Its Executive Secretary, Prof Suleiman Bogoro, made this known at a workshop on thesis digitisation project for beneficiary institutions in Abuja.

He said: “We want to de-materialise and electronic theses and projects by starting with theses at PhD and master’s levels across our beneficiary institutions and we hope we extend it to the private institutions.

“The idea is simple, the world has gone digital. We cannot continue to operate analogue. We know that a number of materials from theses at postgraduate level and even undergraduate have literally disappeared.

“Where there are fire incidents, physical papers are burnt and the theses gone. But if we are able to dematerialise them and they are stored in different forms in different repositories, it will be easier to access and the protection of the materials is guaranteed.

“It will also assist us in checking plagiarism. That is a major benefit for digitalisation. We want to avoid and discourage, and indeed stop plagiarism by researchers at any level.”

He explained that the decision of TETFund to fund digitalisation of thesis was also to shore up ranking of universities and other tertiary institutions in the country, noting that plagiarism in higher institutions had become a source of worry.

“If you want to reproduce the outcome of a particular work and you want to claim it. You know that it is unacceptable and a criminal act, even though you are a professor, you can lose your title as a professor, if it is confirmed you plagiarised,” Bogoro said.

Speaking further, Bogoro said the workshop was to bring together librarians, directors of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and desk officers to address key issues on collective academic research output by bringing ICT and digitization to bear.

“With the unprecedented backing of our President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and commitment of our Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu’s, as well as synergy with partners, such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Council for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the paradigm shift agenda of the Fund has resulted in the elevation of R&D and innovation to the top of the national discourse, but this discourse must be followed with concrete action.

“Today, we have commenced the first of several physical sensitization events on the digitisation of theses for beneficiary institutions with a view towards seeding our very own National Research Repository, containing academic scholarly works produced by our own students, staff, and eventually the entire academic community at large,” he said.

Bogoro, who  expressed delight at the prospects of the project, said “digitising our academic research output will lead to increased access and innovation, consequently accelerating the journey between research and commercial application; and this effort is critical to secure the contributions of our fledgling research base to productivity, growth, and social benefits.”

In a presentation, the Director of Education Support Service of TETFund, Mustapha Gotala, said the digitisation project would reposition Nigerian tertiary institutions for better performance.

Represented by his Deputy, Kolapo Gotala said the funding for theses digitisation would be sourced from TETFund’s intervention in library development for each of the beneficiary institutions as contained in their allocation letters.

AN alumnus of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Fidelis Oditah, has called for increased funding to  strengthen legal education.

Speaking while handing over the Centre for Business Law and Policy, renovated by the Fidelis Oditah Foundation recently, to the university, Oditah said improving funding required public-private partnership.

“Almost all the weaknesses in our legal education can be traced directly or indirectly to the chronic under-funding of our institutions. Provided legal education is adequately funded, the academic legal education will achieve its aims, as it did in the past,” he said.

Oditah, who was enrolled at the law faculty in 1981 as a student, noted that he was inspired to give back because of his belief in quality education.

“There are many reasons for this support. I am an alumnus. I believe in the power of quality education. I believe that education can be transformative. I believe in giving back,” he said.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, who was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development Service), Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa, thanked Oditah for setting up the centre. He called on the alumni to do more for the institution.

Ogundipe said the centre would improve scholarship, research, teaching and learning.

“What makes it even more exciting is that it is a case of an alumnus giving back. We are excited because I will say that alumni are the major stakeholders of the university.

“Early next year, from March 16, the university will be hosting the NUGA games. Additionally, the university will be clocking 60 in October 2022. So, we hope that our alumni can use all these platforms to do major homecoming and also give back. Give, not just to the success of these events, but to the growth and development of their alma mater,” he added.

Head, Department of Commercial and Industrial Law, Prof. Adejoke Oyewunmi, said the university management’s approval of the centre was a sign that the institution remained committed to advancing the cause of knowledge to build the society.

Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary (TG/PS) Lagos State Education District II, Mrs. Anike Adekanye has advised school administrators to cultivate the support of stakeholders in their host communities to promote success.

Mrs. Adekanye said working in peaceful collaborations with monarchs superintending over various locales hosting over 100 schools she is in charge of helped a great deal.

Though government has done its part by funding education and providing an enabling environment for the district to thrive through the building new school structures and rehabilitating others; and the Ministry of Education provides the needed leadership and policy guidelines; while principals, teachers and pupils in the district put in all the hard work, Mrs. Adekanye said the support of traditional rulers in checking excesses of errant pupils as well as galvanizing community also helped the smooth running of her schools.

“The Kabiyesi in Ikorodu and Somolu, and other areas have been wonderful.  If we sense there is an issue in school that may cause crisis, I quickly call them and they respond.  They know the students in the communities so they help to ensure there is peace,” she said.

Last year was a great year for Education District II.  The District won many laurels, including: producing four of the 12 teachers who won the brand new cars during the 2020 Lagos State Teachers Merit Awards held last January; and winning science, language and other competitions, to producing the 2021 Spelling Bee winner, Jemimah Marcus, who acted as One-Day Governor last month.

Looking back at the achievements under her watch as TG/PS of District II, Mrs. Adekanye also thanked her principals and teachers for being great team players.

She said: “There is nothing one can do without God. There is nothing one can do without a capable and wonderful team. I want to celebrate all Principals, Vice Principals, the teachers, students and parents of my students in education district II. They have been wonderful. And I have Wonderful peaceful environment in education district II.

“The major thing that led to all, will be said the will of God and collaboration. We have a team, yes, having collaborating together, are we rubbing minds together to be able to achieve what we have achieved. Not only on that merit award organized by the Governor, giving us cars, whereby  we won four cars and five consolation prizes. From the onset, in Education District II, we have been winning trophies, there is no competition that we go, that we will attend that we will not win. ‘Felabration’, back to back, ‘One day Governor’, education district 2, French competition, Yoruba competition, Physics, Chemistry, all the competitions. And I look up unto the Lord. And I said Lord, you are God. You continue to be God.”

The icing on the cake for Mrs. Adekanye was getting commendation of the Education Commissioner, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, for the district’s many achievements.

While inaugurating a new conference room during the District’s end of year party, the commissioner applauded the performance of its pupils in public examinations.

She said the achievement of such giant stride was a result of hard work and team work.

“This good results in academic excellence did not come by chance, it was due to hard work, intentionality, focus, determination and a collaborative effort of many people, including the Ministry of Education, the District, principals, teachers and the students, “ she said.

She urged the teachers and Principals to be focused, do better and develop more strategies that would guarantee continued success in the students’ performance where no students would be left behind.”

National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has donated laboratory equipment worth N30m to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State.

The equipment for regulating the inflow of technology in the country and  facilitating the domestication of technology was inaugurated by Director-General of NOTAP Dr. Danazumi Ibrahim, recently.

Ibrahim, represented by Mrs. Idereyin Imiyolo, noted that the laboratory would promote the development of locally-motivated technologies to encourage development and utilitisation of indigenous technologies through registration of technology transfer agreement.

He said there was poor knowledge of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) among researchers in tertiary institutions.

Ibrahim said the IPTTO operation would cover several gaps within the system, including the limited interactions between the research community and industry.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Elom, praised the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, for supporting the collaboration between the university and NOTAP.

According to him, the partnership gave birth to IPPTO in the institution.

He assured that the office would guide lecturers, researchers and other innovators within and outside the Southeast zone on issues of copyright and patents as regards their research and innovative ideas.

Wife of a traditional ruler in Lagos Olori Olaseni Fafowora-Ogabi has donated furniture to Anglican Primary School, Badagry, with a call to her counterparts to strive to complement the efforts of their spouses.

The donor, the wife of the Ajagun of Imeke Kingdom, Oba Abraham Olatunji Ogabi, in Olorunda Local Council Development Area in Badagry, urged women married to traditional rulers not to be mere appendages to the husbands.

She spoke at a brief ceremony that took place at the school.

“We as wives to traditional rulers are mothers in our respective communities whose impact and presence should be felt at all times.

“When our husbands are striving to bring development to their domains, we too should be contributing our quotas, however small, to complement their efforts as mothers in our communities.

“We are not mere appendages to our Kabiyesis and we should act so,” she said.

On the donation, she said it was her own little way of assisting the government to promote education, especially in her domain.

“I agree that the government should do all within its means to provide facilities in our public schools, but when we consider the limited resources at its disposal as well as other competing demands, we all have to come out to assist it.

“This is my own little token and I am calling on stakeholders, particularly my colleagues to help in this regard,” she said.

The Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) has graduated 58 technicians trained under its skills for work initiative in collaboration with the Kensington Adebukunola Adebutu (KAAF).

The graduands, trained in electrical installation and maintenance, plumbing and pipefitting, masonry and tiling, and furniture making/carpentry for six months, were presented with tools worth over N3 million to start up their trade during their graduation held at the Government Technical College, Agidingbi, Ikeja penultimate week.

Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, Ms. Moronke Azeez, said over 622 applied for the scheme funded by KAAF.  Only 60 were selected among whom 58 graduated.

A member of the board said the students got four certificates from the nine-month training (which included three months of internship).  They are: Certificate of completion, soft/life skills certificate, and trade test certificates.

One of the beneficiaries, Mumuni Rahmon, who did plumbing and pipefitting, told The Nation that with the tools he was given, he had launched his business.

“We did not pay for this training.  It is a turnover for me. At least it makes my dreams come true.  Without the tools, I would have been thinking where do I start from. But with this, I have started.  I want to say a big thank you to LASTVEB and KAAF for the training,” he said.