The Wesley Girls Secondary School Old Students Association (WOGA) is putting finishing touches to the 40th anniversary of its alma mater next month.

Activities lined up for the event would begin this Saturday with medical outreach, feature a thanksgiving service, inauguration of projects, and climax with a founder’s day programme on September 7.

Wesley Girls’ Secondary School was founded on September 7, 1981, and named after the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, during the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande as governor of Lagos State. The school, formerly named Methodist Girls High School II, was renamed Wesley Girls’ Secondary School. The school was separated into a Junior and a Senior Secondary School under Senator Ashiwaju Bola Amed Tinubu’s adminisration.

Elder Adebisi Adebo, an octogenarian, was the pioneer principal of the school which currently has Mrs Kehinde Meroyi at the helm of affairs.

Speaking on the milestone, Mrs. Meroyi said that the celebration was necessary because the school had improved tremendously in all areas, including: structures, improved teachers and students performances, among others.

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“The school has undergone a lot of metamorphosis. It has evolved. If we talk about structure we have functional buildings then, and now we have prototype building.  I am sure that people who were here as the first set would know that the school has really changed.  In terms of teaching and learning too the school has improved. Our teachers are now 21st century teachers using the new strategies in teaching and learning. In the area of maintenance of the school, the government is doing a lot to ensure that the school is well maintained.  Everything in order,” she said.

Mrs Meroyi also praised WOGA for contributing towards the school’s progress by helping indigents and donating a well-equipped economics laboratory.

“WOGA has also helped to contribute to improvement in the school. They built the home economics laboratory; they have employed an home economics teacher too and they have been paying her for like two years now.

“We had students that want to take NECO but did not have the money; they have also helped in that area. So, they sponsored about 13 students last year for NECO and a lot of things that has brought about improvement in the school, “she said.

Mrs. Meroyi said projects like construction of a new school gate, laying of interlocking tiles in the school compound and renovation of the science laboratories to be inaugurated were ongoing.

 

Over the next 12 months, the United States Consulate- General in Lagos will support a series of professional development workshops for 100 primary and secondary school teachers drawn from across local communities in Oyo State.

The capacity development project tagged “Ibadandun” seeks to introduce the participating teachers to fun, creative and interactive teaching methods that enhance educational outcomes such as improved numeracy, literacy and school attendance.

Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative, 1 Million Teachers Incorporated and the American Corner Ibadan are collaborating to implement “Ibadandun” with generous support from alumni of U.S. government exchange programmes.

The series of workshops will integrate a variety of hands-on activities that provide the teachers a deeper understanding of new approaches of using arts to improve classroom instruction and students’ learning.

Delivering remarks last Friday during a workshop for a cohort of the teachers in Ibadan, Acting U.S. Consul-General Stephen Ibelli, explained that integrating a variety of hands-on activities, including arts, in classroom instruction will engender critical thinking, creativity and collaborative learning.

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“The U.S. Mission is fully committed to supporting a more educated population by increasing and strengthening the capacity of Nigerian teachers,” Acting Consul General Ibelli said. “Teachers who use innovative pedagogy and interactive assessment techniques enliven the teaching-learning process for their students. Students who have effective and engaged teachers tend to perform far better than their peers.”

Acting Consul-General Ibelli lauded the efforts of alumni of U.S. government exchange programs for supporting the project by serving as mentors and trainers during the 12 month-long project.

“U.S. Government exchange alumni are at the forefront of promoting access to qualitative education, good governance and civic engagement throughout Nigeria. They have strong ties to their communities and with the support of the U.S. Mission, create and execute projects to address specific needs, including basic education,” he added.

Through teacher training workshops and exchange programmes like the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Programme and the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Programme, the U.S. Mission provides teachers the opportunity to develop expertise in their subject areas and enhance their teaching skills.

 

The Federal and state governments have agreed to establish e-learning centres for out-of-school children in the country.

Both levels of government also agreed to ensure the use of Accelerated Basic Education Curriculum (ABEC) at the centres.

This decision was taken at the just concluded 65th National Council on Education meeting in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

The council also agreed that states and the FCT should set up a task force to enforce sanctions on parents/guardians whose children/wards are on the streets during school hours.

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In a communique at the end of the meeting, the council agreed that the Federal Ministry of Education, states and the FCT should evolve and implement coordinated and sustainable strategic enrolment drive campaign to bring out-of-school children into the school net as well as ensure retention and completion of basic education.

According to the communique issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations, FMoE, Ben Goong, the Council agreed that FMoE, states and the FCT should make admission of learners into Basic Education open ended.

The council also called for the extension of the Homegrown School Feeding  to at least middle basic education level.

“The council agreed that the FME in collaboration with Nigeria Education Research and Development Council (NERDC) should present a memorandum on the developed National Language Policy for presentation to the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) for consideration and approval, as a reference document for use in Nigeria by all stakeholders.

The Vice Chancellor of Dominican University, Ibadan, Prof Anthony Akinwale, has praised the institution’s Pro-Chancellor, Mr. Peter Obi’s love for education, health and poverty eradication, which he said are critical to building a good society.

Akinwale, who spoke when Obi led members  of the university’s Governing Council to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said Obi’s legacies in education, health and contribution to economic growth remained outstanding and exemplary.

He added that Obi, former vice presidential candidate under PDP in the 2015 elections, had always worked for the interest of the university.

Speaking at the meeting with Makinde, Akinwale said that the Dominican Order of Preachers had established different universities in every continent of the world, since 1901, when the first Dominican University was established. Akinwale revealed that Dominican University, Ibadan was the first on the African Continent. He also said all the university’s courses had been fully accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

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Responding , Makinde assured of continual partnership between the church and the state. He said that he was born in a Catholic hospital and had always supported church institutions.

The governor appreciated that the university was being run by a non-profit organisation and assured of his government’s support. He noted also that the choice of the Dominican Order of Preachers to establish in Ibadan, their first in Africa, showed the love they had for the state and assured that the state would protect their interests.

Appreciating Makinde for his warm reception, Obi urged him to remain committed to investments in education and health as they remain the most critical areas of development of any nation.

 

 

It was celebration galore at the school hall of Sanngo Secondary School, Agege, Lagos as the 1995/96 Alumni set celebrated 25 years of leaving the school.

Also in attendance at the event were some of the teachers who taught them while in the school.

One of them was Alhaji Abubakri AbdulAzeez, who was the Vice Principal back then.  He said he was happy to witness the anniversary and admonished the old students to seek help from God.

“I  give thanks to Almighty God who spared our lives to witness this convention. It is with great pleasure and excitement to welcome all of you to this great convention of Sango Senior Secondary School Agege Old Students’ Association. My advice to you is in three folds: Believe in God, Obedience to parents and Love one another other.”

“I thank all old students who made this convention a reality. I must not forget to appreciate all our former principals, vice principals as well as teachers that played significant roles in the lives of these students.”

The President of the Alumni’s Board of Trustees, Mr. Adewale Shoremekun, said the celebration was an avenue to thank God and meet old friends. He also advised current pupils of the school to love their teachers and take to corrections.

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“This is where our roots were formed. What we are today is a product of what we learnt here. The lecturers, teaching, friendship and bond we formed has really impacted in our life.

“The advice I have for current students of Sanngo Secondary School is to love all their teachers because sometimes, if you have anything other than love for your teacher, it might be difficult to understand what they are teaching you. That might be like a curtain or a veil in front of you. What you are there for is knowledge. Students should know whatever they are being corrected for it is for their good and being done in love not out of wickedness because these teachers have gone through whatever the students are going through now. They should be diligent in all they do.”

Mr. Shoremekun also spoke on how the alumni body has met the school’s needs.

“We have done things in the past; we came here and met the then principal and told her of our plans to give back to the school. She told us they needed a big generator that can handle all their laboratories and facilities because of power failure and we provided it. We also organised pep talks for them because we were told some of the students were being unruly. We go into their classes, listen to them and address their concerns. The only need of theirs we are yet to meet is to provide computers and we are hoping to provide that soon.”

Mr. Ayoola Idowu Olofinsawo who was the senior prefect of the school during the 1995/1996 academic year said that he felt great to be able to gather with his former classmates, some of whom he had not seen since 25 years ago. He also advised members of the association to stand in brotherhood as the school anthem says because working together makes it easier to achieve a lot.

 

Nearly 2,000 teachers employed by the Federal Government for the 104 Unity Schools have not been paid since they were hired more than two years ago. They shared their ordeal with KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE.

Getting hired to teach in one of the 104 Federal Unity Colleges – also known as unity schools – is a dream for many Nigerian teachers.  They are assured of better pay according to the federal civil service wage structure (which is better than what obtains in private schools); enjoy steady progress on the job and retirement benefits.

That was what prompted about 1,710 teachers to abandon their former teaching jobs and other businesses in the private sector to pursue the federal civil service dream in 2018/2019.

However, that dream has turned into a nightmare as they have not been paid since they received their appointment letters more than two years ago.

“We have been employed by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Education. Some December 2018, some between January and July 2019. We went for interview; we passed and they gave us appointment letters. Since then, nothing has been given to us as salary. They said we need to wait till they capture us,” said one of the teachers, who works in one of the co-educational Federal Government colleges in Lagos.

The teachers, who spoke with The Nation on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimised, said they had done multiple documentations that required traveling to Abuja several times.

However, despite doing capturing last year – which entailed submitting their data for enrolment on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), among others, and re-documentation early this month in Abuja, nothing has been said about their salaries.

The Lagos-based teacher, who said there were 20 of them in his school, said: “They called us to come to Abuja early this month to do re-documentation. We are about 1,710 and they called about 919 of us to come and do re-documentation – that was late July to early August. They did it for two geo-political zones. Southwest fell between August 2 and 4.

“They have not given us anything.  We do not even know what to do next; and we do not know their mind. Anytime we call on them they will say very very soon.”

Another teacher, who was posted to the Quality Assurance unit of the Federal Ministry of Education, Oyo, said he had traveled five times to Abuja for documentation since he was employed.

“We have not been paid.  I am part of unity school teachers employed since 2018/2019 session though I was posted to the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service, Oyo State.  I have travelled to Abuja nothing less than five times, for documentation, posting and others.  The officers in charge keep giving us unnecessary promises that we are going to be invited for capturing soon,” he said.

A Chemistry teacher in one of the Federal Government Colleges in Abuja said she had also gone for re-documentation and capturing but learnt that the capturing had been cancelled.

“My employment letter was dated July 10, 2019. I have not been paid a dime; and I have gone for this re-documentation they asked us to do yet nothing has been done about it.  Most of my colleagues have gone for capturing one time. Those of us in the northern part of the country went for capturing last year but I learnt it has been cancelled,” she said.

When asked for comments about the non-payment of salaries, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, told The Nation that the matter was with the Head of Service.  He said there was the problem of illegal employment.

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“The matter is with the Office of the Head of Service and it is being resolved.  They were caught up with the discovery of illegal employment and later the embargo placed on recruitment and capturing on IPPIS,” he said in a WhatsApp message.

The Director of Information at the ministry, Mr Ben Goong, also said the teachers ought to be paid by the Office of the Accountant General, not the Ministry of Education.

The non-payment of salaries has caused the 1,710 teachers untold hardship and left them regretting taking up the jobs.

The Abuja-based Chemistry teacher said she has been surviving on her husband’s income.

“I was working in a private school. God has been the one helping me. I am a married woman so my husband has been the one providing for me. But there are some of us that are not yet married. They are the ones fending for their families. We are not finding it easy o because I cannot buy what I want to buy.   I cannot do what I want to do because I do not have money,” he said.

For the Quality Assurance officer in Oyo, catering for his family in the last two years has been difficult, making him regret leaving his former job at the Umar Bun Kattab College, Saki, Oyo State.

“I was working with Umar Bun Khattab College, Saki, and I am highly disappointed in taking the Federal Government job because since then, life has not been easy for me and my family,” he said.

The Lagos-based teacher said many teachers live on loans.  He also said he had been thrown out of his accommodation for failure to pay rent.

“We have been borrowing and borrowing till those people lending to us got tired and did not lend to us again. Some of us have been sick for the past two months they are in hospital now there is no money to pay for hospital bill.

“Personally as I am talking to you, I have been sent packing from the place I rented because I do not have money to pay again. One of us called me yesterday and was crying.  She said, ‘I want to pay my children’s school fees; they have sent them away’, and her landlord has issued her quit notice as she had not paid for one year.”

In the course of traveling for documentation, all the teachers confirmed some of their colleagues had died in road accidents.

“About three to four of us died through road accidents while going for that re-documentation and some of us as well had an accident but thank God it was just only three people that died, others were injured,” said the Lagos teacher.

The Abuja-based teacher added:   “I did the documentation last month. I had to go to Abuja for it. Everyone travelled. We even lost two of us, if not more than two – people that were traveling from far North to Abuja. The two died in in accident. Some got kidnapped.”

She added that her school recently lost a pregnant teacher to health complications.

“I have a colleague who died of sickness. She was pregnant and had issue. Next thing she was rushed to the hospital and then lost her life. Who knows if she had been paid and registered in a good hospital maybe she would not die. She had two young children and a husband. In fact we are in agony. I pray they can do something immediately,” she said.

 

 

A University Don, Dr. Okpe J Okpe has said the recent calls for the scrapping of the National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) scheme is unwarranted as the gains of the scheme supercedes the pains.

Okpe, a seasoned Researcher who spoke at a one day round-table discussion on appraising the NYSC Scheme, its prospects, challenges and gains said the scheme can never die.

Okpe who teaches at the Federal University Lafia said the scheme apart from inculcating discipline in Nigerian youths by instilling in them a tradition of industry at work also enlightens on loyal service to Nigeria in any situation they may find themselves.

He said the scheme has succeeded in raising he moral tone of the Nigerian youths by giving them the opportunity to learn about higher ideals of national achievement, social and cultural improvement

“It has also developed in the Nigerian youths the attitudes of mind, acquired through shared experience and suitable training which will make them more amenable to mobilisation in the national interest

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“It has also enable Nigerian youths acquire the spirit of self-reliance by encouraging them to develop skills for self-employment and also contribute to the accelerated growth of the national economy

The scheme also assist in developing common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration.

Another Speaker at the session, Dr. Thomas Uzah who urged the Government to increase the funding of the NYSC scheme said scrapping it will take the country more than 30 years backward.

Uzah said the scheme has gotten to a point where it has come to stay due to its social integration responsibilities.

“The founding fathers of the scheme should be lauded for conceiving the scheme rather than describing as outlived its relevance, the scheme has done a lot of good to the country rather than its negative sides.

Another social commentator, Mojeed Dahiru who also spoke on the continuous relevance of the scheme said it has contributed in removing prejudices, eliminate ignorance and confirm at first hand the many similarities among Nigerians of all ethnic groups while also ensuring an equitable distribution of members of the service corps and the effective utilisation of their skills in area of national needs

He said “As far as possible, youths are assigned to jobs in States other than their States of origin

“That such group of youths assigned to work together is as representative of Nigeria as far as possible

“That the Nigerian youths are exposed to the modes of living of the people in different parts of Nigeria

“That the Nigerian youths are encouraged to eschew religious intolerance by accommodating religious differences

“That members of the service corps are encouraged to seek at the end of their one year national service, career employment all over Nigeria, thus promoting the free movement of labour

“That employers are induced partly through their experience with members of the service corps to employ more readily and on a permanent basis, qualified Nigerians, irrespective of their States of origin” he said

Serena Williams has withdrawn from next week’s U.S. Open due to her torn hamstring that has not completely healed ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year, the American said on Wednesday.

Williams, a six-time winner at Flushing Meadows, has had an injury-marred season and limped out of her first-round match at Wimbledon in tears due to the leg injury.

The 39-year-old, who has been hunting for an elusive 24th major, skipped the Olympics in Tokyo and opted out of the Cincinnati Masters.

“After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the U.S. Open.

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“This is to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring,” Williams wrote in a statement on Instagram.

“New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favourite places to play — I’ll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone from afar.”

Williams is the latest big name to pull out of the tournament after reigning men’s champion, Dominic Thiem, and four-time winner Rafa Nadal, ended their 2021 season due to injuries.

The main draw of the U.S. Open gets underway in New York on Monday. (Reuters/NAN)

As part of efforts to kick-start the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination in the country, the Federal Government yesterday said it had delivered Moderna vaccines to 29 states.

It, however, disclosed that eight states are yet to receive the vaccines because they lacked requisite storage capacity, especially backup cold chain facilies.

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, who spoke at a joint briefing on COVID-19 vaccination by his agency, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), said the second dose vaccination with AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will begin today – August 25, and ends September 5, 2021.

“In the last few days, our focus has been on distributing the range of COVID-19 vaccines – Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca to the states, as well as concluding the training of state and LGA personnel to ensure optimum vaccine utilisation.

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“So far, we have deployed Moderna vaccines to 29 states. It is pertinent to state that we could not deploy the vaccines immediately after NAFDAC certification because, unlike AstraZeneca, the Moderna vaccine did not come with complete barcoding. And this is absolutely needed for us to be able to track and trace the vaccines.

“Nigeria was the first country to use Track and Trace to monitor the movement and utilisation of the vaccine. At every point in time, we know where each vaccine vial is in the country. This takes a lot of time as it entails careful packaging, serialisation and follow up to the end-user.

“The remaining eight states that we have not deployed the vaccines to have not demonstrated readiness in terms of their cold chain capacity. While on the one hand, they have the ultra-cold chain that the Federal Government supplied, but we also require that they have a backup cold chain equipment. So either they have a working cold room or a working freezer or chest freezer. If for example, there is a power outage, there is the opportunity to quickly transfer the vaccines to a backup source. That way we do not risk the potency of the vaccines.

“For these eight states that have not provided that type of backup plan, we are holding on to the vaccines, to ensure that they are adequately prepared before we send the vaccines. This is in line with our commitments to make sure that only states that have potent vaccines are administered to all Nigerians. Any state that is not ready, we do not deploy the vaccines. We are hoping that in the next couple of days, the states will be able to put their acts together and make sure that they are ready to receive the vaccines,” he said.