Category: Uncategorized

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

Pupils attending the 1,016 public primary schools in Lagos State have begun getting MP3 devices to boost learning at home under the Eko EXCEL project.

With the pupils attending schools only on alternate days in keeping with COVID-19 safety protocols, the Eko EXCEL team pre-loaded school work in audio format on memory cards in the devices which they can listen to when at home.  The pupils are expected to complete exercises from the audio classes in the workbooks also provided with the devices.

Speaking at a demonstration session on the use of the devices for parents at St. Agnes Primary School, Maryland last Thursday, the Lagos State chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Adedoyin Adesina urged parents to pay attention to their wards’ education and help to safeguard the devices.

“Where you have your children you must have a stake.  The MP3 distributed is to complement school work.  Where a child uses it well it will be of great assistance.  That is where parents can ensure safe keeping,” he said.

Adesina praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for increasing budgetary provision for education like non before him.

“Since we have been having budgetary allocations to education since I started teaching in Lagos, I noticed that Sanwo-Olu has surpassed all,” he said.

The Education Secretary, Kosofe Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Mr. Tunde Soleye also thanked the governor for prioritising the use of technology in educational service delivery.

“He is not only talking about education, but education and technology.  He understands that in this 21st century our children must compete and if the primary level is good, all other levels would be good,” he said.

Director of Schools, Eko EXCEL, Mrs. Sonia Ivie demonstrated the use of the devices to parents.  She said they were colour-coded according to the classes – red for pre-school, yellow for lower primary and green, upper primary.  She said the devices only needed to be charged for two hours and highlighted the function of the four buttons on the device which basically serve to scroll from one lesson to the other.

By Olabisi Salau

Okota secondary School, Isolo Lagos State, was agog last weekend when alumni of the school reunited after 32 years of leaving their alma mater.

The reunion brought together different sets of ex-students on the school premises and provided a platform to share old stories, achievements, connections and how they can work together for the benefit of their alma mater.

Coordinator of the event, Mr Olusegun Afolabi, said the alumni would help improve the school technologically.

“We are planning to support the school in order to create better atmosphere in school premises. We want to join the government to improve the school technologically, as well as encourage student empowerment,” he said.

Another old student, Mr. Bello Raymond, said the reunion would add value to the school, and impact the students positively.

“We have spent so much this year and we plan to do more. We plan to meet bi-annually as some of our members reside outside the country and may not be able to attend within a year since we want to carry all the sets along,”

Former Biology teacher, Mr. Ochu Mbila, described the union as unique and consequential.

“I am in my late 70s, and have put in the best of my life in serving this school. I am happy all the sets are coming together to make history and to help impact in their alma mater.  I cannot help the happiness radiating from me right now.  It is the first of its kind,” he said.

He recalled how the school was established as junior high school but was later changed to Okota Secondary School by the Lagos State government, the  school was  and is still the disciplinarian and educationist school.

By Yemisi Olaosun

Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi has urged people with disabilities to embrace the teaching profession as a key to overcoming stereotypes and stigma and providing support to children with disabilities coming through education system.

She made this known during an event organised by ActionAid Nigeria in partnership with Human Development Initiatives Lagos,in commemoration of the World Disability Day with the students of Ajasa Odo Alabe Community Junior High School,Ajasa,with the theme:”Building back better: towards a disability inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID- 19 World.

She stressed that the organisation wouldcontinue to advocate the rights of persons living with disabilities,push for their inclusion, support the development of policy and budget for inclusive education in Nigeria.

The Executive Director, Human Development Initiatives,Olufunso Owasanoye said the Lagos State Government has established the Office of Disability Affairs and has made deliberate efforts in ensuring that the new public facilities meet the needs of some persons with disabilities.

“We commend the governor and his team for their active collaboration with civil society and private sector in making these happen,”she said.

Actress and ActionAid Ambassador,Hilda Dokubo  encouraged the pupils, saying they   could achieve anything they put their mind to.

Her words”You are not disabled,you are just challenged,we are all challenged because there is no human that has everything complete”.

According to Head, Education Committee,Joint National Associated of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD),who also works with the Deputy Director of Lagos State Ministry of Education, Rita Boyo, urged the pupils to work to achieve greatness in life.

“I am also a visually impaired person,so if someone like me  could pass through the level you are passing through and I’m up to the task,I know you children too can work and be greater people in the state”she said.

The Principal of the school,Mrs Ogunleye A.O,represented by the Vice Principal,Mrs Oshileye O.I  said: ”A child with disabilities could be more mentally sound and brilliant than a child without any disability.”

The school authority and the students appreciate ActionAid Nigeria for their love and support.

ActionAid Nigeria has committed to supporting Ajasa Odo Alabe Community Junior High School with the commissioning of a ramp.

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

Human Development Initiatives (HDI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that monitors the Universal Basic Education (UBE) projects, took its old and new volunteer monitors through a rigorous training for two days last week to upgrade their skills.

The training held at R&A City Hotel, Ikeja, was anchored by Prof. Stephen Oyebade and Dr. Gbenusola Akinwale, both of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

In his presentation on “Monitoring education projects in 21st century Nigeria” on the first day of the training, Oyebade highlighted the various educational policies operating in Nigeria and underscored the need for close monitoring.  “Implementation of education policies needs close monitoring.  If your role will be meaningful, it should be in the area of improving performance, school outcomes,” he said.

Oyegbade, who has taught for 42 years, lamented that the fortunes of education and other areas of national life had dwindled in Nigeria since his school days, calling for due diligence from the monitors.

Speaking on “Surviving Strategies for coping with frustration and stress as an Education Monitor in a Post-COVID Nigeria” on day two, Akinwale of the Department of Psychology explained the features of frustration and stress and how to overcome them.  She said stress could manifest physically, mentally or behaviourally and be addressed behaviourally or cognitively.

She said: “Coping strategies may be behavioral or cognitive. Behavioral coping efforts are overt physical or verbal activities, whereas cognitive efforts involve the conscious manipulation of one’s thoughts or emotions.”

In an interview, the Executive Director, HDI, Mrs. Funso Owasanoye said it was necessary for the monitors to upskill to be effective in their roles when they visit schools.

Director-General National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brigadier- General Shuaibu Ibrahim has warned corps members against unauthorised trips, misuse of the social media during their service year.

He spoke when he visited the NYSC Lagos Orientation Camp on Sunday where 2020 Batch B stream 1B corps members are camped.

He said authorised journeys must be done with a written permission from the state coordinator otherwise the corps member would be committing an offence.

While warning against cultism, cybercrime, hard drugs, and other vices, Ibrahim also counseled the fresh graduates to utilise their time in camp and the service year to take advantage of the scheme’s skill acquisition programmes.

The DG praised the effort by the NCDC to ensure that the orientation camp was free from covid-19 and urged the corps members to adhere strictly to  the safety protocols during and after the camp.

Maritime and corporate communication expert, Bolaji Akinola, has bagged a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Media and Communication from the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

Akinola, the CEO of Ships & Ports Limited, had his PhD degree conferred by the PAU Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Governing Council, Mr. Henry Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) and the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Juan Elegido.

“My commitment is to life-long learning. Every day, we commit to learning, growing and developing ourselves so we can add value to our industry, country and the world,” Akinola said.

Akinola defended his PhD thesis entitled: “Millennials, Digital Natives and the Future of Print Newspapers,”  on October 29, 2020.

The thesis was supervised by Dr. Ikechukwu Obiaya.

Akinola also holds MBA (Lagos Business School), Masters in Transport Management (Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State) and PGD Journalism (Times Journalism Institute, Lagos). He served as the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) and also as the President, Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) from 2011 to 2014.

A Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS) and the Certified Institute of Shipping of Nigeria (CISN), Akinola has won several awards in the maritime sector.

By Damola Kola-Dare

The Lagos State government has concluded plans to train retired public school teachers to effectively utilise their terminal benefits, Head of Service, Hakeem Muri Okunola has said.

He spoke through his representative Mrs. Bukola Durodola during the ‘Last day in office for public servants in Lagos Education District II in Maryland.

Okunola said many retired public servants do not invest their pension profitably, making the training an imperative.

“The training is about mindset change for retirees who still want to venture into other businesses. We discovered that many retirees, in a bid to make more money after retirement, invest wrongly and lose their terminal benefits.

“Thus, the Lagos State Government is going to train them on how to invest wisely and make profit,” he said.

He lauded the Education District II for producing the best teacher in the country last year and for producing the best public school this year.

He said: “As teachers, you have done very well.  I appreciate your contributions to the development of education in Lagos State.  You have made us proud by winning the best teacher last year and also the best public school this year.”

The Tutor General/ Permanent Secretary of the District, Mrs. Anike Adekanye praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for prioritising education.  She also praised the retirees for serving the District diligently and urged them to manage their pension well.