Category: Education

In line with the safe school initiative of Governor Babajide Sanwo – Olu, the Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, is seeking the support of law enforcement agencies to check vandalism in public schools.

Alawiye-King made the appeal when he and other members of the Board visited the Chairman, Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) CSP. Shola Jejeloye to seek help in securing a safe learning environment in schools.

During the visit, the SUBEB chair requested for the Unit’s support in eradicating indiscriminate vandalism of school property, removal of shanties and dislodgment of hoodlums around schools, as well as assistance in curtailing encroachment on school lands by residents.

Read Also: Students jittery over impending ASUU strike

Alawiye-King added that, the presence of hoodlums around school environment was not only a threat to the pupils and teachers, but also a red flag in the society.

He appreciated the task force for its relentless effort in law enforcement in the state and also pleaded that the unit affiliates with the Board by providing armed officers for monitoring and enforcement whenever the need arises.

CSP. Jejeloye promised adequate support in terms of enforcement.

“Exposure of pupils to criminal activities can cause mental imbalance for our children , which is why we have made our decision irreversible in ensuring that anytime the Board calls on us we will answer,” he said.

 

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

Teachers in Lagos public schools will resume next week with new skills to teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) in a multidisciplinary way.

They were exposed to new methods during a two-day training organised by STEAM UP Lagos project in collaboration with the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) at the Teaching Service Staff Development Centre Ikorodu last week.

The teachers learnt from various facilitators, including Dr. Joseph Engeman and Dr. Lorraine Otoide, who joined from Canada via Zoom, how to approach their subjects holistically from all angles which may span various subjects.

Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Oluo n education, Ms. Adetola Salau, said the training was in line with international best practice to help teachers provide their learners with robust understanding of various concepts.

She said: “What we are working on right now is called, ‘The Steam Up Lagos Project’ conceived by myself and a group of people who understood that all across the world, they are utilising this pedagogy which is called ‘Steam Education’ which means you are carrying out education from all the core subjects and bringing them together to carry out what we call ‘A Trans-disciplinary Approach’. That means it is not one subject but it is various subjects you are using to solve problems.”

Explaining further, she said the approach would see teachers of various subjects teaming up to teach.

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“A project is given in a school, the mathematics teacher and the science teacher will contribute their various areas – for example, ‘the Dream House Project’.  In that project, mathematics will focus on area, estimation measurements, whereas science teacher will talk about location, topography, the science of the material.

“Then the social studies teacher could also talk about topography, things around the location; and the English teacher who could talk about communication, how do you report what you found? How do you articulate your understanding and your findings? So these are all the different areas that all these teachers could now come into.”

To prepare for this to work out in Lagos public schools, Ms. Salau said spaces would be created in schools; competitions organised and other teachers trained.

A total of 320 teachers from the six education districts participated in last week’s training. Ms. Salau said others in the state’s employ would also be trained in batches.

In her address, chairman TESCOM, represented by the Commissioner Three in Ikorodu, Mr. Adeleke Kara, urged the teachers to make good use of what they were taught during the training.

“A teacher that has enough upstairs and lacks pedagogy cannot achieve anything. My advice to them is whatever they are taking up from here they should be prepared to use them in a way that would be beneficial to the children,” he said.

Since July, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been threatening to go on strike.  It is for no other reason than the non-implementation of the 2009 Agreement between the union and the Federal Government and the Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Actions that issued from it over the years.

Last December, ASUU called off a strike that had lasted nine months over the same demands.  The Federal  Government promised to implement the nine demands immediately from January.  However, nine months later, only two of the demands have been implemented.  The union is therefore threatening to down tools again.

The reason for strikes since 2009 has been the non-implementation of the said agreement – something students and their parents are tired of.  This is particularly so this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted the academic calendar for most of last year.  Many schools are yet to recover from the disruption.

Jesse Dike-Bernard, a 400-Level student of Mathematics, Federal University of Technology Owerri said he felt both parties were playing with his future.

He said “I feel they are playing with our future.  It is a norm now.  Every year we go on a forced vacation because of this issue. It is sad because the strike would definitely kill dreams. I am supposed to be in finals by now but I am still in 400 Level because they do not take education seriously in Nigeria.” He added: “Both ASUU and the Federal Government are selfish.  You cannot jeopardise the educational system because of money .They don’t think because their kids don’t go to our schools. All the money ASUU gets where does it go too? We don’t know.”

Abdullateef Barakat a student of the University of Abuja lamented the time wasted during strike lasts and its effects on students.

“The strike causes delay and wastage of time. Not everyone is happy with where they are staying during their studies.  Strike just prolongs the suffering. The last nine-month strike was not productive for me at all,” he said.

Okere Caleb of Enugu State University of Science annd Technology said should ASUU go on strike, it would affect students in so many ways, including lethargy for studies and disruption of the academic calendar “which usually results in rush of activities when we finally resume to meet up with the normal education curriculum.”

Okebiorun Mercy, a mathematics student at the University of Nigeria Nsukka said the strike would extend her stay in school. “I should have been done with my degree this year. Because of the COVID-  19 and ASUU strike, I am currently in 300-Level.  It is so saddening,” she said.

However, Oluwabukunmi Akintunde, a 200-Level student of the University of Lagos does not think ASUU is selfish about strikes. She believes the government should meet their demands .

“ I cannot say the strike does not bother me because it does but who am I to complain when they are yet to pay the people who will add knowledge to our lives? I feel ASUU is not being self-centered. Prices of things increase every day in Nigeria; they need to be paid. So I do not blame them; I blame the Federal Government for not meeting their demands. It is either the government pays or we student stop paying school fees and we begin to protest,” she said.

For Daniel Ifeanyi a 300-Level student of FUTO, ASUU’s demands should not be too hard for the Federal Government to implement.

“Yes we are affected but if you actually look into it what they demand are the basic things; therefore Federal Government should be able to meet their needs.  Also ASUU should consider the students in everything they do,” he said.

 

ASUU justifies demands, strike

 

Though many students feel like the grass trampled upon when the two elephants, ASUU and the Federal Government fight, members of the union said they do not enjoy going on strike.

Coordinator of the ASUU-Lagos Zone, Comrade Adelaja Odukoya, said that members of the union suffer during strikes as well.

During a press briefing held at the UNILAG-ASUU secretariat on Tuesday, Odukoya highlighted the negative effects of strike on lecturers.

“Like our students, we suffer tremendously as a consequence of any strike action.  Industrial actions affect us in more ways than one – as parents who have children in Nigerian public universities; as lecturers who cannot ply their trade, denied their salaries during strikes while they continue doing their non- teaching duties of research and community development; stalled promotions; disruption of their planned professional activities such as workshops, seminars, conferences etc. that are indispensable for their career advancements; and extended semesters to make up for lost time which makes annual vacation impossible and imposes stress on our members.”

Read Also: FG actions may compel us to go on strike again, says ASUU

Odukoya added that strikes were difficult to prosecute.

“People think we enjoy strike.  What the average chairman hates the most is a strike action.  We do not like it.  You know why? Your best friend may be your enemy during the strike . It is difficult to prosecute but it is a patriotic duty we owe ourselves and that is the only way we have salvaged the Nigerian University system,” he said.

If pushed to the wall, like it is currently happening with the government failing to match its words with actions, then, he said ASUU was not afraid of strike.

“We do not want to go on strike but we are not afraid to do so,” he said, flailing the Federal Government for meeting only two out of nine demands it agreed with the union.

“We are saying we are being pushed to the wall.  What we are doing is sensitising the government and calling its attention to its own misdeeds.  The Minister of Labour said they have actually met some of the demands.  We had about nine issues when we went on strike.  Two could be said to have been met.  When you have an examination, two over nine is a total failure,” he said.

Responding to whether ASUU strikes have been effective over the years, Dr. Akinloye Oyewunmi, of the Lagos State University (LASU) branch, said but for ASUU fighting for demands, nothing would have been left of universities.

“Without these struggles, there would be nothing left of universities in Nigeria. Our skins are used to struggle. To some of us, we enjoy it,” he said.

Odukoya added that it was because of ASUU that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) was established and has become a major source of funds for infrastructural development, research, and training for not only universities but other tertiary institutions in Nigeria from an education tax collected from private sector firms.

Showing the picture of a beautiful edifice on his phone, he said: “You think it is Afe Babalola University? That is Kwara State University.  That is the proceeds of TETFund.  It is our struggle. That building costs N3 billion. Ninety-five per cent of structures in that university, are TETFund structures. Go to Gombe State University; go all over the country, particularly our state universities; go to Akungba; go to Bayero; go to OAU…and somebody will say the strike does not pay.

 

What ASUU is fighting for

 

Odukoya said ASUU wants the Federal Government to replace the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) with the ASUU-developed University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS); implement the condition of service reviewed since 2012; and renegotiate the 2009 Agreement, among others.

Regarding UTAS, Odukoya said the government was purposely hindering the adoption of the software which they claim is better than IPPIS.

Throwing more light on the hindrances ASUU had faced despite the government’s promises to adopt the software, national treasurer of the union, Prof. Olusiji Sobande, said NITDA, the agency saddled with the responsibility of scrutinising the software had failed to get in touch despite ASUU successfully demonstrating its use to stakeholders.

He said: “Once they made that pronouncement that the issue was actually with us; which they had not told us until we had that meeting, we conducted that stakeholders’ acceptability test within one week and NITDA was present. There are certain key areas in their questionnaire that we did not even know about, like ‘were the users able to log in?’, ‘were they able to use the facility?’, ‘was it functional?’

“All those were clearly taken care of during that process and all the stakeholders present actually gave pass mark to the software.

“Our expectation was that after that test within a very short time, there would be a pronouncement as to what is the outcome of the test.  Up till now we have not gotten any responses,” he said.

However, following the demonstration, Sobande said the Federal Government adopted a feature of UTAS, its ability to be operable from any institution, for IPPIS.

With the continued use of IPPIS, Odukoya said the Federal Government was centralising corruption.  He lamented that for about a year under IPPIS, the government had failed to remit check-off dues of ASUU members to the union’s account.

“For over one year now, the government through IPPIS has implemented a deliberate policy of systematically strangulating our great union by denying us our check-off dues which payment is now at the whims and caprices of IPPIS.  Our union is being owed billions in unremitted check-off dues, in addition to third party deductions like cooperative contributions. It is important to point out that government more than anyone else should know that the non-remittance of deducted check-off dues according to the Trade Union Act is a criminal act,” he said.

Regarding the union’s demands that the government commit funds for the development of universities’ infrastructure, Odukoya said the Federal Government was doing it illegally – dipping into TETFund funds.  He said: “TETFund is not government money.  It is from the private sector.”

The lecturer said it was imperative for the public to note the government’s insincerity in meeting its demands nine months after the last strike so they are not surprised should the Union resume its strike.

“To be consistent on the side of history, we are again expressing our frustration at the depressing arrogance with which government has continued to wish away the collective sacrifice of our members, our students and their parents on these struggles.  That the government after six months, true to character, has again failed to fulfil most of what was agreed upon well after the timelines have expired, is scandalous and underscored the government contempt to the Nigerian academics and its pathological hatred for knowledge and the educational development of Nigerians,” he said.

 

By Victoria Amadi

To commemorate the International World Charity Day, Dreams From the Slum, a non-governmental organisation, has embarked on an empowerment initiative to make children living in the slum have access to education through mentorship and empowerment.

The initiative titled: ‘SmartinSchool’, was part of the organisation’s efforts to effect paradigm shift between children in school and children out of school.

Educational materials such as notebooks, school bags, school uniforms, textbooks, sandals, math-set,ball pens, pencils, socks were donated to over 200 school children in Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools.

Founder, Dreams From the Slum, Isaac Omoleye at the event, said he was raised in Ajegunle and was driven out of school many times because he could not afford a book and notepad but was privileged to access academic scholarship.

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“I missed school and at a certain age, I was finally driven out of school. I was only privileged to continue my education because someone gave me a full academic scholarship. So that was part of the reasons I said no, I was going to move forward and that was how Dreams from the Slum came about.

“We understand that when children go to school in torn uniforms or without basic educational materials, it will affect their self-esteem. So, we want every child to actually resume school in the new session being ‘Smartinschool”.

He said the project became a reality through  partnership with The True and Pure Religion Foundation, LEAP Africa, Ija Foundation, Lagos Food Bank, Delifrost and Adlai Heroes Foundation. These organisations ensured that impacts were made in the lives of children living in Ajegunle.

Dream From the Slum, through its tuition-free school, enrolled 50  children into school under a school session scholarship.

Organisations like LEAP Africa, Adlai Heroes Foundation, IJa Foundation adopted a kid each.

 

By Damian Duruiheoma, Enugu

The president of the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Chief Uche Anioke, has called on the Federal Government to initiate a policy that will make the nation’s tertiary institutions to teach science, medical, engineering and other courses in native languages.

Anioke, a former commissioner and two-term local government chairman in Enugu State, made the call in Enugu during the reception organised in his honour by friends following his recent election as the national NPA president.

He said teaching students in Nigerian universities, polytechnics, colleges and research institutes in their local languages would help address the current technological and scientific challenges facing the country and fast-track both human and infrastructural development in the country.

This issue, according to him, is what publishers want to drive by encouraging authors to produce such books in Nigerian native languages.

Anioke said: “When the Executive Secretary of TETFund visited Enugu recently, I told him of the need for our university system to emulate those of countries like North Korea, India, Germany, China, Japan, South Korea, Turkey and many others. These countries produced their best medical doctors, engineers and scientists teaching them in their local language.

Read Also: Students jittery over impending ASUU strike

“Beyond the few primary and secondary schools where pupils are taught how to read and write in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, nothing else is taught the students in their native languages.

“We do not have any book written in Igbo apart from the primary grammar. We cannot produce a doctor, an engineer or a computer scientist using our indigenous language. Look at North Korea, they don’t speak English or any other foreign language, but they have the best ballistic missiles you can think of.

“Look at China, India, Germany, Japan. The best machines we use today are from Germany, China and Japan, but they don’t speak any foreign language.

“Until Nigeria begins to teach and learn in indigenous languages, our development will be far behind. Let science, medical, computer and all the courses in our tertiary institutions be taught in indigenous languages.

That’s when we will begin to hide our secrets. This is what publishers want to drive. We can encourage authors to produce such books. It will help us develop.

“For me, this is one course or revolution my administration wants to pursue to help our country”.

Anioke also used the opportunity to decry the high cost of printing and publishing materials as well as the debilitating effect of piracy in the country, noting that book pirates dominate publishing business in Nigeria.

end

 

From Emmanuel Uja, Makurdi

The Executive Secretary, Benue State Teaching Service Board, Dr Frank Kyungun has announced the suspension of the Principal of Government Secondary School (GSS) Tse-Agberagba, Mr. Aliba Stephen over financial misconduct.

Kyungun who announced this during his visit to the school which was burnt down by suspected SS3 candidates for the school’s failure to register them for the 2020/2021 WASSCE, named Mr. Iorja Agber Joseph as his replacement.

The Executive Secretary frowned at the level of destruction by the aggrieved students.  He said the traditional rulers, PTA, community leaders and the school’s Management must be blamed for their inability to protect facilities provided by government in their domain.

He urged principals to allow school bursars take charge of monies while they (Principals) only give approvals.

Read Also: UNICEF: attacks scare one million kids from schools

Replying, the suspended principal Mr. Aliba who is being investigated, blamed the incident on a PTA (Casual) staff in charge of ICT in the school.  He explained that receipts were presented to him with the belief that the candidates had been duly registered for the examination with WAEC not knowing the receipts were fake.

According to him, about 75 candidates were affected while properties destroyed during the crisis included: certificates of WAEC & NECO that were yet to be collected, certificate of occupancy, school dossiers, sports equipment, chemistry and physics equipment, terminal exams results, MOCK and BECE results, furniture, school receipts, library books among many others.

In his remarks, the DPO, Konshisha LGA, SP, Markus Amos said investigation was ongoing to bring the perpetrators to book.

Until his appointment, Agber was the Vice Principal Academics, GSS Wanune.  He was known for his hard work, dedication and commitment to duty.

By Osagie Otabor, Akure

The University of Ilorin Alumni Association has said that Prof Is’haq Oloyede made the body proud with his achievements as Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

It said Prof. Oloyede deserved his reappointment

National President of the association, Dr Stephen Olawale Fasakin, in a statement in Akure said Prof. Oloyede has remained one of the most visible star boys of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s war against corruption.

Read Also: ‘Prof. Oloyede made us proud as JAMB Registrar’

Dr. Fasakin stated that Oloyede effectively sanitised JAMB’s operations in five years, making Nigerians think the Board never had any tangible operation in all its years of existence.

According to him: “The entire members of the Alumni Association are indeed very proud of our distinguished alumnus, the very first to have become the Vice Chancellor of our great Alma Mater and, presently, going on to score several high marks at the national level.

“We are happy that, having elevated the quality of university education in Nigeria by ensuring improved examination methods and practices as well as quality of candidates for admission into the university system, Mr President has graciously reappointed our icon to consolidate the gains of the last five years and see to the completion of his ongoing programmes and projects in the institution.”

By Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

Minister of Education Adamu Adamu has said the Federal Government will increase budgetary provisions for adult literacy programmes in the coming years.

The Minister said this during a briefing to make the 2021 International Literacy Day (ILD) in Abuja with the theme: “Literacy for a human-centred recovery: Narrowing the digital divide.”

He noted that confronting adult illiteracy and paying attention to out – of – school children would require a a comprehensive approach to achieve.

“Government is determined to confront adult literacy programme with the same zeal we are handling out of school children. We look forward to improving budgetary provisions in this regard in the coming years.

Read Also: FG recommences conditional cash transfer in Osun

“The aim is that by 2030, all young people and adults across the world should have achieved relevant and recognised proficiency levels in functional literacy and numeracy skills that are equivalent to levels achieved at successful completion of basic education,” the Minister said.

The Minister lamented that the outbreak of COVID 19 pandemic has disrupted the learning of children, young people and adults at an unprecedented scale, saying this might hinder the realisation of the sustainable development goals (SDG) Target 4.6.

According to Adamu, despite 38 per cent of Nigeria’s non literate adult population, investing in education of parents is key to reducing the number of out – of – school children.

“The aim is that by 2030, all young people and adults across the world should have achieved relevant and recognised proficiency levels in functional literacy and numeracy skills that are equivalent to levels achieved at successful completion of basic education.

“Regrettably the advent of COVID 19 pandemic has disrupted the learning of children, young people and adults at an unprecedented scale which might likely hinder the realisation of SDG Target 4.6.

“As you are aware, it is estimated that over 6.9 million children are out of school.

“This is in addition to the estimated 38% of non literate adult Population. Investing in Education of the parents will have ripple effect on the reduction of out of school Children.

“It is a fact that non-literate parents are more likely to breed out of school children, thereby compounding the phenomenon facing our nation today,” the Minister stated.

In the sprawling district of Alimosho, Lagos, where bustling markets and dense neighbourhoods are a way of life, an inspiring movement to combat plastic pollution has taken root.

At the heart of this initiative is Fatimah Bolarinwa, an economist with a fervent passion for sustainability. Her mission: To rid Alimosho of plastic pollution and foster a culture of environmental conservation.

Armed with a deep understanding of economics and sustainability, she was appalled by the extent of plastic waste choking the streets and waterways of Alimosho. Determined to make a difference, Fatimah embarked on a project that would not only address the immediate pollution problem but also educate and empower the local community.

The project spearheaded by Fatimah Bolarinwa in Alimosho, Lagos, provides significant benefits to climate change mitigation efforts. By addressing plastic pollution at its source, the initiative reduces the amount of plastic waste that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions during production and decomposition.

The establishment of recycling infrastructure not only diverts waste from landfills but also promotes the use of recycled materials, thereby reducing the demand for new plastic production and its associated carbon footprint. Additionally, the project’s educational campaigns foster a culture of environmental stewardship, encouraging sustainable practices that collectively contribute to lower emissions and a healthier climate.

Education and Awareness

Fatimah knew that lasting change would only come through education. She organized Pepe talks in communities and schools to raise awareness about the environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution. Using her expertise, Bolarinwa explained how plastic waste contributes to climate change through the release of greenhouse gases during its production and decomposition.

Through these sessions, residents learned about the importance of reducing plastic use, proper waste disposal, and recycling. Fatimah also leveraged social media and local radio to amplify her message, reaching thousands across Alimosho and beyond. Her compelling narratives about the global and local impacts of plastic pollution resonated deeply, sparking a newfound environmental consciousness among the people.

Building a Sustainable Infrastructure

To tackle the plastic waste problem head-on, Fatimah focused on building a robust recycling infrastructure. She secured funding from local businesses and environmental organizations to set up recycling centres across Alimosho. These centres became vital hubs where residents could bring their plastic waste and learn about the recycling process.

Read Also: Secondary schools fight against plastic pollution in Calabar

Additionally, Fatimah worked with the local government to place recycling bins in strategic locations, making it easier for people to dispose of their waste responsibly. She also introduced a mobile app to help residents locate the nearest recycling centres and track their recycling habits, adding a modern twist to her grassroots efforts.

Economic Incentives: Turning Waste into Wealth

Understanding the power of economic incentives, Fatimah introduced a scheme that paid residents for their recyclable materials. This initiative not only encouraged more people to recycle but also provided a supplementary income for many families. By turning waste into wealth, Fatimah addressed both environmental and economic challenges, creating a model of sustainable development.

She also partnered with local artisans and entrepreneurs to create products from recycled plastics. From fashion accessories to building materials, these products showcased the potential of recycled materials and stimulated the local economy. Markets in Alimosho began to feature these eco-friendly products, further embedding the principles of sustainability into the community fabric.

Overcoming Challenges and Celebrating Successes

The path was not without obstacles. Initial resistance and skepticism were common, but Fatimah’s relentless dedication gradually won over the community. A significant breakthrough occurred when severe flooding, exacerbated by clogged drainage systems filled with plastic waste, struck Alimosho. The crisis underscored the urgent need for effective waste management and galvanized support for Fatimah’s project.

As the project gained momentum, its benefits became evident. The streets of Alimosho started to clear plastic waste, reducing the risk of flooding and improving public health. The community embraced recycling, and the economic benefits of the project began to flourish. Local businesses thrived on the production and sale of recycled goods, creating a virtuous cycle of environmental and economic sustainability.

A Model for the Future

Fatimah’s efforts did not go unnoticed. She received accolades from environmental organizations and was invited to share her success story at international conferences. Her work in Alimosho became a model for other districts in Lagos and beyond, demonstrating how community-driven initiatives could address the pressing challenges of plastic pollution and climate change.

By turning plastic waste into economic opportunities, Fatimah’s project also highlights the potential for circular economy principles to drive both environmental and economic benefits, creating a replicable model for other communities facing similar challenges.