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Tag: AOCOED

  • AOCOED ‘is on top and always will…’

    AOCOED ‘is on top and always will…’

    The management of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education Otto/Ijanikin, has refuted allegations made by its workers concerning unpaid arrears and unremitted pensions, which was published last week. The Registrar of the 56-year old institution Olumuyiwa Coker, in this interview with ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, described the allegations as mere falsehood, saying no amount of misinformation can obliterate the leadership status the college has sustained in the last five decades.
    Excerpts:

    There appears to be no end to the ongoing crisis between the management and leadership of Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), and Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education in Nigeria (SSUCCOEN). What is the update?

    Management has been meeting and discussing with them from time to time, and government is also doing its part.

    However, let me correct this misconception, it is not 18-month arrears that we are owing as claimed by workers. Initially, it was 18 months and government has promised to pay half, which is nine months, while the management will pay the remaining nine. Now government has already paid four and a half months.  Management has also paid nine months from HATTIS (Harmonised Tertiary Institutions’ Salary Structure) 1-5. What is left are those from HATTIS 6-9 and the management has paid three months remaining six months. For other levels, management has paid only one month though, but it has rolled out payment plans on how outstanding arrears would be paid.

    Government has already granted the approval and I can assure you before the year runs out everything will be fully sorted out. As I’m talking to you, the voucher is at the stage whereby the money is to be credited into the college account, and this has duly been communicated to the unions.

    With respect to unremitted pension and adequate funding, let me say that the management has been meeting with the government which has also promised to look into the matter in no distant time.

    Would you agree that academic standard of AOCOED is on a  shaky ground?

    I am glad to tell you that all the 32 NCE programmes we run at present have full accreditation by the NCCE (National Council for Colleges of Education), and this has been consistent for nearly two decades. In addition, all the 16 education degree programmes we run with the Ekiti State University also have 100 per cent accreditation. This simply means we are comparable to any teacher-education institution that runs a degree programme in Nigeria.

    There was a time NCCE did a survey on colleges of education that are actually due to be upgraded as degree-awarding institution and AOCOED was among the five colleges of education that were shortlisted nationwide.  Also recently, we held a national conference here and the current secretary, Committee of Provost, Prof Olu Akeusola, said categorically that AOCOED today ranks as the best college of education in Nigeria. Suffice to say, Akeusola is also a sitting provost, with local and international exposure. That speaks volumes of our ability

    In the report, one of the union leaders was quoted as saying that the college’s medical centre is defective.

    To start with, that building was awarded by the Lagos State Tenders’ Board with every due process followed. All relevant agencies inspected the projects and certified them as okay. Lagos State Material Testing also subjected the building to integrity test and it passed. I can tell you some universities don’t even have the kind of health centre that we have in AOCOED and you can quote me on this.

    The NCCE and NUC (National Universities Commission), also gave credit to the Lagos State government for that facility. Interestingly, that Health Centre was constructed not to serve the college community only, but other adjoining neigbourhoods. As a matter of fact, there is a tripartite agreement between the Ministry of Health, AOCOED management and the Office of the Special Adviser on Education on how the facility can be put to maximum use.  Let me also add that many of the projects that this institution benefitted from TETfund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund) went through Monitoring and Evaluation process. So, I do not really know how that union leader arrived at her conclusion.

    Could you then speak on the achievements of the current administration since it came on board in 2011?

    Too numerous to count. This present administration under Bashorun Wasiu Olalekan, has remained committed to his mandate. This regime pioneered the college beautification and the annual tree planting in accordance with the Lagos State Environmental Law. It also upgraded the library with the e-library platform, in addition to repositioning the ICT centre. Under Bashorun’s tenure, the college witnessed the maiden induction of graduates into Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

    This administration restructured security system and maintenance of street lights, which have helped in curtailing crimes and other vices. This has helped the college to maintain rosy relationship with its host, Otto/Ijanikin communities, as well as leaders and traditional rulers. To further boost IGR, this administration started the production of sachet and table water with NAFDAC approval.

    Our sport facility is now more equipped to host local or international contests. This year, the college completed 1200-seater capacity auditorium, which Senator Oluremi Tinubu, facilitated through TETFund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund), and where our last convocation was held.   Last year, the management completed and handed over School of Vocational and Technical Education Studies extension, ditto for School of Language Complex. At present, School of Arts and Social Sciences as well as Administrative Complex are under construction, to mention but a few.

    What about workers’ welfare?

    Management has ensured that virtually all segment of non-teaching staff are retrained on the job through workshops and seminars organised by the institution’s Training& Development division.  In addition, some cadres of staff are also being sponsored for training outside the college. It is also on record that over 50 per cent of our teaching staff are pursuing their PhD programmes. The management is also in collaboration with TETFund to ensure over 20 teaching staff pursue their PhD programmes overseas. Recently, management granted an amnesty to all cadres of staff who embarked on programmes without due approval. Management had to approach the Council to plead on their behalf. This is due to management policy that workers should be allowed to get to the peak of their careers

    So what is your appeal to striking workers?

    AOCOED is an ongoing project and we should all work together to move it forward. There are indications that very soon, our challenges will be resolved.

     

  • AOCOED workers protest in Alausa

    AOCOED workers protest in Alausa

    Workers of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, Lagos, stormed the office of Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday to protest the anomalies in the institution.

    The workers, who carried placards with various inscriptions, said they had no faith in the ad-hoc committee set up by the governor on issues affecting the institution.

    Chairman of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union(COEASU), Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education Nigeria (SSUCOEN) and  Non Academic Staff Union (NASU AOCOED), Michael Avosetinyen, Mrs. Wunmi Ombugadu and Femi Adebayo argued that the ad-hoc committee was not genuine.

    Avosetinyen said some of the issues include unpaid 18 months salaries, non-payment of pensioners’ benefits for three years, non-remittance of 7.5 percent deducted from workers’ salaries for 17 months into the Retirement Savings Account, N150 million unremitted fund deducted from the co-operative funds, poor funding of the institution and others.

    He said when the governor set up the committee, they were happy and responded immediately the committee invited the unions to a meeting.

    “But we were surprised to discover that the special adviser to the governor, who was unable to resolve the issues before the strike began, was appointed as the chairman.

    “The special adviser has over the years failed to present the union’s demand before the governor. We have held several meetings with him that yielded no result.

    “And after such meetings, the unions felt that the meeting with the committee was another waste of time and energy. And the unions decided to walk away.

    “If by now, the issue that had been before the special adviser for over two years and he failed to do something on the issue, we do not believe in the committee. Even after we walked away, nothing concrete has been done to address the issues.”

    The aggrieved workers demanded the appointment of another person as the chairman of the committee, saying they believed that an independent person would address the issues.

  • AOCOED students beg Fashola on school fees

    Students of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Otto/Ijanikin are appealing to the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola to reduce their school fees from N40,000 to N25,000, like he did for students of the Lagos State University (LASU) at the institution’s 19th convocation in August.

    The students’ plea was contained in a letter dated October 9  and signed by their union President, Comrade Waheed Ojoare and Secretary Waheed Oluwaseun.

    In the letter, the duo lamented that enrolment has reduced at the college, which was recently adjudged one of the best three colleges of education nationwide by the National Council for Colleges of Education (NCCE) since the introduction of the new fees in 2011.

    Before then,  students upon admission, paid N17,500. It was later increased to N25,000 before the government reviewed the fees to N40,000 for freshers.  Those in 200 and 300 levels pay N30,000 and N25,000.

    The duo said if Governor Fashola deemed it fit to revert LASU tuition which he increased in 2011 from N25,000 to between N193,000 and N350,000 back to N25,000, it would be ridiculous and unjustifiable if students of a college of education pay higher than a university also owned by the government. Despite disparity in fees, the students lamented that products of the nearly 60-year old institution are denied employment by the state government unlike their counterparts in LASU.

    “It is unimaginable when student of a college of education with certification in NCE pays higher than a university which awards degrees.  Currently, students of AOCOED pay higher than students in LASU. To make things worse, after our various programmes, we NCE graduates are again, short-changed by being denied employment opportunities in the state. A good example is the present Lagos State Civil Service vacancies, which gave no room to our trained teachers. This, to us, calls for massive protest, but we feel confrontations aren’t necessary when dialogue is given a room,” they wrote.

    The students also said government has not been fair to AOCOED compared with LASU with respect to  infrastructural projects.

    They said many facilities in their college such as lecture theatres, SU building, laboratories, among others are an eyesore, while students are being exploited by unscrupulous landlords since they live off campus.

    “Sir, despite the discriminating fee, our theatre-arts students, one of the best in the country, have no departmental classrooms. There are dilapidated classrooms all over campus. We feel pained that an institution long overdue to be a university of education isn’t given the necessary support to achieve that mandate.

    “It is displeasing to note that the teacher training institution is undermined and evidences have shown that we are less catered or cared for. AOCOED is a public utility that is meant to serve the people and not for profit making; therefore the enormous fee is unjust for the reason that AOCOED was established to bridge the gap between the rich, poor and middle class,” the students submitted.

    Apart from fee reduction, the students also want their tuition fees to be regularised so that they would know how much they are to pay.

    The students are also urging the governor to absorb them into the Lagos State Civil Service upon graduation, increase the number of banks on campus to ease transactions;  construct hostels, Students’ Union (SU) building, and other infrastructures; introduce Teaching Practice allowance, and upgrade the college to university of education.

    Copies of the letter were also sent to the Governor’s Office,  the Commissioner for Education, Lagos State House for Assembly, Chairman, House Committee on Education, Special Adviser on Students Affairs, Special Adviser on Special Duties, as well as Chairman All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State chapter.

    Others that received the letter included: Office of the Commissioner for Rural Development; Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Area K; AOCOED Alumni; College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and their counterparts in the Non-Academic Staff Union.

  • AOCOED workers end warning strike

    Workers of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Otto Ijanikin, Lagos yesterday concluded their three-day warning strike to compel the management to remit their pension fund.

    The exercise had seen the entire campus of the college brought to a sudden halt for three consecutive days.

    Since Monday, when the strike began, workers had blocked the two main entrances leading to the institution.

    Their grouse – they are asking management to uphold the 65-year retirement age granted non-teaching staff of the college last year, as well as pay in full 18 months’ salary arrears owed them. Workers under the aegis of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), and the Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education in Nigerian (SSUCOEN)  are also demanding  payment of members’ dues to the five cooperative societies in the college and conversion of the 2013/2014 promotion.

    Besides, they are also asking management to rescind its earlier decision to de-harmonise staff of AOCOED International School and AOCOED Staff School.

    The college management led by the Provost Mr bashorun Wasiu Olalekan and Registrar Mr Wole Ajose, had made repeated appeals to both unions who insisted that government must now wade into the issues.

    Chairmen COEASU Comrade Michael Avosetinyen and his counterpart in SSUCCOEN Wumi Abugade told reporters yesterday that government is not being fair to workers in the 56-year-old institution.

    Avosetinyen lamented that their former colleagues who have retired for over two years are in pitiable condition as they are yet to access their pension, ditto  for those in service but whose pension are yet to be remitted to their various pension administrators over 16 months.

    Avosetinyen said management has always given inadequate monthly subvention to the college as reason for the development, adding that it has to make the deductions so as to pay workers’ salaries and meeting up with other cost to keep the institution running.

    Said Avosetinyen: “Workers’ money are being deducted without remittance to their pension administrators and this we are opposed to.

    “As I’m talking to you, those who have retired over one or two years ago have not been paid able to access their pension. For those of us in active service, our pension fund deducted up to 16 months are yet to be remitted to our various pension administrators.

    “We have approached the management several times on this, and they keep telling us that the monthly allocation is not enough and that if those deductions are not made they can’t pay our salaries.

    “We can’t keep silent anymore. Its obvious management and government are both playing pranks on us. We have therefore resolved to stay under this sun so government can appreciate our plight.”

    Abogade said management owes cooperatives societies to the tune of N150 million.

    Upon her session into the office on July 9, she said the union received a memo from government reversing the 65-year retirement age granted to to workers last year back to 60 years.

    “How can they (government) do that when it has already been put into our Condition of Service? We had written two letters to government on this, yet no reply.”

    As regards the 18 month salary arrears, Abogade said government agreed to pay half while AOCOED would pay the outstanding. She however lamented that the latter has only paid four and a half, while the college has paid only two months.

    Addressing reporters yesterday, the provost Mr Bashorun said the institution has been going through cash crunch. He assured that the contentious issues were being addressed by the government and management.

    “We are using this opportunity to make a passionate appeal to the unions to embrace dialogue. Don’t let us disrupt the system by locking up the gates. It pays no one in the end,” Olalekan said.

    According to him, AOCOED has forwarded to government those demands that concerned them (government), noting that those one that borders on management would be addressed once monthly subvention improves.

  • Hope rises for AOCOED graduates

    The induction of 59 graduates of Early Childhood Education of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Otto/Ijanikin into notable professional bodies, and their merging with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education may have opened window of opportunities for them.

    They were inducted into the Early Childhood Association of Nigeria (ECAN) and the Association for Childhood Education Practitioners (ACEP).

    In attendance were ECAN’s Founder and National President,  Prof. Ajike Osanyin of the University of Lagos (UNILAG),  and ASEP National President,  Hajia Olaitan Oshodi represented by its Lagos State chapter Chairman, Simeon Fowowe.  AOCOED Provost, Mr. Wasiu Olalekan Bashorun , was represented by his deputy, Wole Ajose and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Gbolahan Daodu.

    Oshodi said the event was packaged as a platform to showcase the college products to  SUBEB in order to work out modalities for their onward employment  by the SUBEB.

    “At present, we have 1,007 public primary schools in Lagos, but with no single professionally trained graduates of ECE. Last year, this institution produced only 12, which are now being absorbed by private schools. However, this time, we have decided to invite SUBEB to see the 59 graduands that came out of this school, and to market them for the commission to absorb those who do not intend to further their education for now,” he said.

    A lecturer at the School of Early Childhood and Primary Education, Muyiwa Ashimolowo, said the exercise is expected to bridge the gap between theory and practice while providing inductees with contemporaries’ issues in the classroom.

    “Since it is research-based, ECAN will provide inductees with  research, while ACEP would avail them with contemporary emerging issues in the classroom. This we have done in an attempt to uphold Article 3 of the Child Right Convention which is in the best interest of the child,” he said.

    Daodu, who spoke on the topic: “After NCE certificate, what next?” encouraged the inductees not to lose hope as more opportunities abound on their field.

    She said the commission would look into how to forge a synergy with the college to enable its ECE products enjoy some benefits.

    Earlier, Bashorun admonished the them to strive to be true caregivers.

    As professionals, Bashorun said: “You are expected to allow those skills you acquired enable children and the society see the difference in professional practice in adult/children interaction.

    “In an attempt to hide their ignorance of the rudiments of child care, the unskilled nanny employs unconventional means to curtail the seeming excesses of children in their care by either administering drugs to force them to sleep, or tying them to objects to prevent their movement, among others.

    “These, indeed, are bad practices in child care. The society may be quick to ignore and forgive these unskilled cheats. However, the child and the society will neither forgive nor ignore a caregiver, who cannot add value to the child by allowing them enjoy and explore facilities in their environment.”

  • AOCOED Entrepreneurship Centre showcases talents

    Over 800 students of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education Otto/Ijanikin (AOCOED) participated in the college entrepreneurship development exhibition, last week.

    The students, who are in 200 Level,  displayed various items at the CECADEP Annex, venue of the exercise, wooing prospective customers  to patronise their wares.

    Some of the items on display included clothings, cosmetics, hair and body creams, beads and other fashion accessories. There were derivatives from coconut, sport mattress, artworks, baskets, mats, beads, various local soaps, palm oil and shoe polish.

    The exercise, which started eight years ago, forms part of the institution’s objectives at empowering their students and making them self reliant upon graduation.

    According to two key lecturers handling the course, Layiwola Lateef and Olawole Isiaka,  students are beginning to believe more in themselves with respect to self empowerment.

    “It (entrepreneurship programme) has brought about attitudinal change among the students towards appreciating entrepreneurship education,” Lateef said.

    He continued: “It has also made them tap on their innate creativity. Some of them didn’t realise they can create something from their talent until this programme started.”

    The students, he said,  were  made to choose any vocation that interests them, while the centre helps them to perfect their various skills in addition to teaching them on how to repackage their products to have consumers’ appeal.

    “They (students) brought in products, which they decided  to do. So an avenue such as this (exhibition) gives them a platform for competition, marketing and negotiation as well as customers’ acceptance of their products,” Lateef said.

    The duo are, therefore, appealing to the college management for more time as entrepreneurship teaching,  which comes up once in a week, now appears more time consuming. They are also pleading to have a more befitting centre for the programme.

    “The teaching only comes up once in a week. It is actually more theoretical in content, but along the line, we fashioned practical into it, which now makes the whole exercise more demanding and time consuming,” Isiaka said.

    The duo, while thanking the management for its continued support,  called on the government to support entrepreneurship education in colleges of education nationwide.

    “It is so sad that there is no special funding or grants for entrepreneurship education in colleges of education nationwide. We strongly feel there is need for a direct intervention impact from National Council of Colleges of Education (NCCE) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund)  because what we are doing has a multiplier effect,” the duo said.

    Teacher education, they added,  is pivotal to addressing Nigeria’s empowerment programme. “As teachers, we train them every year, therefore neglecting teacher education especially in the area of self empowerment, may spell doom for the country,” they argued.

    Lateef explained that the achievement recorded by the centre  cannot be separated from the college.

    “As the college aims to be one of the best three nationwide and a world class teacher education institution globally, this entrepreneurship centre dreams to be a model that other colleges will emulate.

    “Here, we align our objectives with that of the college. What we started eight years ago is already yielding fruits. Many of our students are already into one enterprise or the other and the various reports we receive encourage us to want to do better,” Lateef said.

  • AOCOED Staff School relaunches Yearbook

    Two years ago, the Yearbook of the AOCOED Staff School (ASS), Otto/Ijanikin, Lagos was launched, but due to some reasons, it could not fly.

    However, the repackaged edition of the Yearbook, which was merged with the school graduation/prize giving day at the school premises penultimate week, was a welcome development among parents and teachers as it generated generous donations from invited guests.

    Amid fanfare, parents praised the management for the initiative which the headteacher Mr Ogunmade Sunday Adetayo, believed would kick start another phase in the 22-year-old school’s quest into building a more befitting alumni base.

    The Yearbook is a 15-page glossy colour package comprising pupils name and data across board, including teachers and other personalities invited during each graduation.

    Hear him: “The idea of the relaunch of the Year Book is simply for Posterity. Henceforth the Year Book will contain pictures and data of all the pupils across board with a special page dedicated to graduands each year.

    Adetayo continued: “Three years ago, we celebrated our 20th anniversary amid pomp. By October 13, we will clock 23. Therefore its about time we commenced consolidating on our alumni base. Many of our products are doing well in or outside the country. These are the one we still depend on to continue to launder the good image of the school. We are hoping to see them return to their alma mater to give talks to pupils they left behind.”

    The head teacher thanked parents, teachers and the owner of the school, Adeniran Ogunsayan College of Education for their support, belief and dedication in ASS.

    The Chairman, Otto/Awori local council development area Bolaji Kayode Roberts who was also honoured at the occasion said his administration would continue to support the school as it has always done.

    “Our administration has been equally supportive and very passionate concerning the rapid growth of this school. We have always been very responsive to all the demands that impacts positively in the lives of the children as well as the school in general. I want to assure you that we shall not relent in providing all the needed support as at when due” he assured.

    Roberts expressed hope that 65 graduates would make their alma mater proud as they proceed to secondary school.

    The event was spiced with dance, plays and cultural performances by the pupils.

     

  • AOCOED wins award

    The Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education Otto/Ijanikin (AOCOED) Otto/Ijanikin, Mr Wasiu Olalekan Bashorun, has thanked the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola for recognising the efforts of the college in the state’s tree planting exercise which started seven years ago.

    On Monday, Fashola presented the college with the ‘Best nurtured tree’ award (tertiary Institution Category).

    Bashorun received the award on behalf of the college at Alausa secretariat, Ikeja.

    Addressing the workers and students same day during the tree planting exercise, Bashorun who was represented by the Dean, School of Vocational and Technical Education, Oluwole Isiaka Adeshina, said the award is a challenge to do more.

    “It is a good one for us. It simply means government recognises us for what we have been doing. Therefore, we see this as a challenge for us to improve on our performances,” he said.

    Bashorun said tree planting has become a culture at the college and is done outside the designated date.

    He said: “AOCOED in the last six years has taken tree planting exercise beyond being a yearly thing; It has become more of a ritual. We have started to mark significant occasions and ceremonies with planting of trees and this is evident in the various trees that dot the college premises and serve as rendezvous for numerous students of our great college.

    In his speech, Fashola who was represented by the Deputy Provost, Mr Wole Ajose, said through the tree planting campaign, Lagos is playing its little role to protect the earth.

    “It is not news that the global environment has been ravaged by eco-degradation leading to climate change. This is a cumulative effect of years of environment negligence on man’s part. It is therefore expedient that we put in our best efforts to rehabilitate the environment.

    “Apart from the aesthetic value of the trees, the health and environmental benefits are also innumerable. This exercise has also generated 75, 168 employment opportunities for horticulturist, pruners, gardeners, welders, tanker drivers, security personnel, down to water boy, all of who help to keep the trees alive,” he said.

     

  • Health Centre relocated

    Health Centre relocated

    The Health Centre of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Norforija-Epe, in Lagos State, has finally moved to the new medical complex located behind the AOCOED International School.

    The college’s Theatre Arts Department which was razed by fire last month will now operate from the old medical centre.

    All activities, enquiries, consultation, among others at the old building have ceased.

     

  • …As AOCOED Provost urges students to renounce cultism

    …As AOCOED Provost urges students to renounce cultism

    Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, AOCOED, Bashorun Olalekan, has called on students who are members of cult societies to renounce it.

    He spoke at the matriculation of 1,600 students of the School of Part-Time Studies.

    He said: “Do not take up membership of any secret cult, illegal/unregistered society throughout your studentship. If you are already a member of any cult, go and renounce it.

    “It is also fundamental that you do not engage in conduct that could implicate you in examination malpractices. You are not being asked to do what is impossible. Thousands of students before you have been given this same charge, they have obeyed and today are better off it.

    “Such former students have built on the solid professional, moral and professional disciplines received in the college and are today successful academics, leading technocrats, eminent politicians, outstanding entrepreneurs, in fact a former deputy governor of Lagos State.”

    He said the matriculation is an opportunity for the institution to appraise its activities, reiterate common vision and indicate directions for collective growth and development in the years ahead.

    He said the institution’s major challenge is funding. “Education is capital intensive, however, education is still very cheap when put side by side ignorance. I appeal to our proprietor and other proprietors in tertiary institutions in the country to provide the funds needed to run these institutions. The return on investment on education is forever. With good education, we can be sure that those matriculating today would be assured of a worthy future,” he said.

    He said the college is currently working things out with the Lagos State Pensions Commission to ensure that the latter discharges its obligations to retiring staff as at when due.

    “We are working with our staff unions who have been most reasonable and constructive in recent times as well as with the Lagos State government to ensure payment of the balance of 18 months arrears. College would also make good its promise to pay its own part shortly.