Category: Uncategorized

By Emmanuel Oladesu

Two graduates of the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, Jane Akudinanwa Agbo, and Rahab Musa were among 110 corps members offered automatic employment into the Federal Civil Service by President Muhammadu Buhari for outstanding performance during their service year.

The president also offered them scholarships to pursue post-graduate studies up to the doctoral level in any university of their choice in Nigeria.

While Agbo served at the Dental Centre of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Musa served in Taraba State and both of them distinguished themselves in excellent service delivery, bringing to bear the erudite skills inculcated in them by the College.

Agbo deployed her skills to deliver oral health care services to 2,000 almajiris and 750 other persons from 50 years and above, thus making her the cynosure of NYSC eyes.

Musa, on her part, engaged in outstanding oral health care services to internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Because of the success of both initiatives determined by the number of beneficiaries, they were deemed qualified for the Presidential honours’ awards

The duo, who participated in the 2018/2019 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, attended the honours award held virtually at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, where President Buhari, also announced cash rewards for the ex- corps members.

Consequently, the president directed relevant government agencies to ensure timely implementation of all the benefits he pronounced in favour of the award recipients.

He also admonished the recipients to keep alive their sense of patriotism which qualified them for the award.

“It is noteworthy that the young men and women being honoured have excelled in the four cardinal programmes of the scheme, namely: orientation course, primary assignment, community development service and winding-up/passing-out, which formed the basis of assessment for the honours award.

“On behalf of the government and the good people of Nigeria, I heartily congratulate those honoured on standing out from their peers in order to merit the honour being bestowed upon them.

“You have proved yourselves worthy ambassadors of your respective families and the National Youth Service Corps. I am very proud of you and confident that the award shall spur you to greater service to the nation and humanity,’’ Buhari said.

Speaking on her project, Agbo who hails from Enugu State, said: “I delivered free oral health care services to over 2,000 almajiris, over 750 elderly people from 50 years and above. I delivered an electrically constructed borehole to my place of primary assignment which is Dental Centre, ABUTH, Tudun Wada, Zaria.

health awareness in the IDP camps and I distributed clothes, I gave them free treatment, tooth paste, tooth brushes.”

A lecturer in the Department of Physics, College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS), Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Gboyega Adebayo, has been appointed as a full College Member, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Adebayo, who was also the Deputy Dean, Postgraduate School of the university, will also play a role as the Co-Principal Investigator (Co-Pi) on Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) at the University of Swansea, Wales, UK.

Adebayo said the benefits of his new engagements to FUNAAB would cover enhanced visibility and institutional ratings. In addition, being the Co-Pi can seamlessly foster collaboration and staff exchange between FUNAAB and the UK university.

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

The 1968/72 set of Ilesa Grammar School, Ilesa in Osun State has donated N3 million worth of classroom furniture to commemorate the school’s 87th Founder’s Day.

The class known as the 6872 club handed over the furniture at an event attended by the National President of the Ilesa Grammar School Old Students Association, Mr. Adedoyin Adelekun; former Vice- Chancellor of Caleb University (an alumnus), and some other national officers to mark the milestone.

Mr. Olagunju Oshundiya, who led the 6872 Club, said likeness of minds, trust and unity among members of the class helped it achieve success on several projects they executed for the school.

He praised all members of the class for their sacrifices considering the nation’s poor economy, especially when most of them are retirees.

Responding, Adelakun, an engineer, praised the 6872 club for being the first set to actualise its intention to support the school.

He said Ilesa Grammar School was established on February 5, 1934 as the pioneer secondary school in Ijesa land. He said the school, which has produced eminent Nigerians, had gone through developmental phases, some of which had been very unpleasant, especially in the last 10 years.

However, he said the old students have been supportive of the school to ensure it maintains its leadership position in academics, morals and infrastructural development.

Principals of the school represented by Mr. Lekan Orisajimi and Mrs. Yomi Mohammed, and the pupils, appreciatied the gesture. The Coordinating Principal, Mr. Orisajimi promised to put the furniture to very good use.

By Kolade Adeyemi, Jos

As the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board inaugurated 17 new education secretaries last week, they were urged to improve quality in their localities and reducing the number of out-of-school children.

Giving the charge, Chairman of the board, Prof. Mathew Sule, said the poor performance of learners in primary school was disheartening.

He lamented that the results received for pupils in Grades four and five showed that of the 52 candidates examined in Mathematics, only five scored 50 per cent and above, while 47 ( 71.1% of the candidates) scored below 40 per cent; while in English Language, eight of the candidates scored below 40 per cent and all others made above 50 per cent.

He said the results had far reaching implications on the quality of basic education teachers.

“l state that the pre-mordial challenges facing  education stems partly from the poor readiness of school managers which may be more severe among teachers at the foundation level, “ he said.

Sule, also, charged all the Education Secretaries to be “ high fliers “ in both subject content mastery and pedagogical knowledge and skills that would guarantee prudence, accountability and transparency given scarce resources.

He, however, warned them not to abuse the privileges of the office, warning that there would be sanctions.

Suleiman also called on them to ensure that all children of school age are enrolled, retained and complete their basic education.

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

After a decade of intervening in the Nigeria education sector, Head of Oando Foundation, Ms. Adekanla Adegoke, says the foundation would continue to do more to support large scale impact to enhance learning outcomes in schools.

In doing so, Adegoke said the foundation was ready to partner with government and other stakeholders in the private sector and civil society to address emerging issues in education.

“Oando Foundation remains committed to strategically engaging government on emerging opportunities for large-scale impact, accelerating digital learning opportunities in our schools, deepening direct programme interventions, strengthening partnerships and advocacy efforts, and scaling existing initiatives for more impact,” she said.

In the past 10 years, Adegoke said the foundation had made its mark in Nigeria through its adopt-a-school policy which made it possible to continue improving beneficiary schools over the years. Within the period the foundation adopted 88 schools pan-Nigera, building and renovating 249 classrooms and early childcare centres, enrolling 60,955 out-of-school children (OOSC) with a cumulative retention rate of 77%, the establishment of 39 ICT centres, upskilling 2,832 teachers and 210 head teachers, empowering local communities to support school improvement processes, among others.

Thanking the various partners that had worked with the foundation over the years, Adegoke said: “The celebration of our 10th anniversary presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the journey so far – our successes, challenges, lessons, and impact. We also consider it a time to deeply appreciate all who have supported the Foundation’s work in diverse ways through the decade; especially our employees (past and present), Board of Trustees, partners, sponsors, volunteers, mentors, Federal, State and Local Government Education officials, and programme beneficiaries for their invaluable support and collaboration in the execution of our strategic objectives.”

tre, and Educate A Child Foundation, felicitated with Oando Foundation on the milestone.

By Onimisi Alao, Yola

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has commissioned an ICT centre at a secondary school in Numan, Adamawa with a charge on the students to make the best of the centre to gain digital knowledge and beat the world.

Commissioning the ICT Centre built by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) at the Villanova Government College Numan, Boss Mustapha said: “We are taking Villanova to the rest of the world and bringing the rest of the world to Villanova.”

The SGF who on Saturday also commissioned similar centre at the Government Day Secondary School in Garaha, Hong local government area, told the Villanova students at the Sunday commissioning in Numan to view ICT as the source of answers to emerging problems.

“This is introducing you to the digital world. COVID-19 has brought the world a new normal. People are being asked to work from home. You can’t work from home without ICT.

“Other challenges will come to which ICT will provide the answer. The world moves on and won’t wait for you. Use ICT to live,” he told the students.

The Villanova Government College built in 1960 and named after one of the missionary officials who influenced its establishment, remains one of Adamawa’s foremost secondary schools with the new ICT Centre, one of only two of its kind in the state, as a welcome enhancer.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Boss Mustapha, wife go into self-isolation

Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr Simbi Wabote, explained the centre, built in selected secondary schools across the country, is meant to raise the human capital at the secondary level of education development.

He said: “We want Nigerians to be major players in the oil industry in terms of high tech staffing. Our people have to be well grounded in ICT and the best way is to catch them young.

“This is why we are building ICT Centres complete with solar-powered electricity so that activities can take place as much as required.

“The ICT centres necessarily provide internet connectivity services so that our students can keep abreast with the world in all their subjects.

“Whether it is Physics or whatever subjects, our students can see what their mates are doing anywhere around the world.”