The Nation Newspaper

Tag: College of Education

  • College workers pass vote of no confidence on institution’s governing council

    THE workers at the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, yesterday passed a vote of no confidence on institution’s governing council.

    The workers, under the aegis of Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education, Nigeria (SSUCOEN), Ikere-Ekiti branch, alleged that Chief Afolabi Ojuawo-led Governing Council had engaged in alleged actions, which were capable of destroying the institution.

    The union described the alleged unlawful disengagement of five Senior Staff without any justification as  ‘outright illegality’, saying such decision negates the principle of justice and fairness.

    They gave the governing council a seven-day ultimatum within which to rescind its decision and failure to comply will propel the union to embark on industrial action and litigation process.

    A communique made available to reporters in Ado-Ekiti yesterday by the Chairman Mr. Oluwole  Olusona stated that the decision was reached after the union congress held on April 9, 2019 at the College Hall.

    The union said there was no reasonable justification for their premature retirement, other than their positions had been scrapped on the recommendation of the visitation panel constituted by the state government.

    They said there was nothing unconstitutional in the promotion, saying the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), had in 2016, elongated the Administrative Officer and Accountant’s cadres to level 15 and which was approved for implementation in the college by the then governing council.

    The union added that the affected staff were consequently promoted to the position of Senior Deputy Registrars and Senior Deputy Bursar.

    The affected members of staff were in the rank of Senior Deputy Registrar and Senior Deputy Bursar and they included R.S Omole, Mrs. B.S Momoh, J.O Onifade, Mrs F.A Adeusi and Francis Adebayo.

    It called on the government to investigate the frivolous spending of 34m on sitting allowance and feeding within two months by Ojuawo-led Governing Council in spite of the 11 and five months unpaid cooperative deduction and salary arrears respectively.

    The union, however, expressed worries that the best hands and highly experienced staff had just been sent packing without committing any offence.

    But, the Acting Provost of the College, Dr. Victor Kehinde, said the Governing Council had not done any illegality but acted based on the report of the visitation panel, which was accepted by the government and later released as white paper.

    Dr. Kehinde said the white paper recommended that those in the position of the same Deputy Registrar and Senior Deputy Bursar should be scrapped because the position does not exist.

    “Dr. Fayemi in an attempt to reposition the institution inaugurated a visitation panel in November 2018 to look at certain things in the college.

    “And people submitted petitions, including members of the Senior Staff Union, which were carefully considered.

    “And the panel came out with that recommendation scrapping the positions.

    “So, if they came out with recommendations and government accepted them, then, the new council had no choice than to implement it,” he said.

     

  • Gov. Bagudu approves N400m for indigenous students in tertiary institutions

    Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi has approved over N400 million for the payment of 2017/2018 registration fees for indigenous students of the state in various tertiary institutions across the country.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Alhaji Abubakar Dakingari, made this known on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi.

    Dakingari said that about N111 million would be spent for students in Federal University, Birnin Kebbi for the 2017/2018 session.

    He added that N149 million would also be used for the payment of fees for students in Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, for the  2017/2018 academic year.

    Read Also: Igbinedion University student wins N100,000 in Spot Kick challenge

    Dakingari said that approval of N107 million was also given for the payment of registration fees for indigenes of the state in Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu for the same session.

    “While N2.7 million is for our students at the Federal College of Technical Education, Gusau; another N2.5 million will be paid as fees for students in Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State.

    “A similar gesture of N2.5 million has been offered to students of the state’s origin in College of Education, Minna, Niger State,’’ the governor’s spokesman added.

    He said that N25.7 million would be for those in College of Basic and Advanced Studies, Yauri and N7 million for students in Federal College of Education, Kontagora in Niger.

    According to him, the governor also approved N600, 694 for students in Federal College of Education Zaria, Kaduna State.

  • College of Education to graduate 124

    The College of the Education, Ikere-Ekiti, has graduated its first set of students of its newly-introduced Certificate and Diploma programmes.

    The Provost, Prof. Mojisola Oyarekua, said the programmes were introduced to give artisans, craftsmen and other professionals the opportunity to acquire knowledge to increase their productivity.

    One hundred and twenty four students graduated in 13 courses, covering Woodwork, Library Studies, Music, Tourism and Hospitality Management.

    Other courses are Transport Management, Electrical Electronics, Computer Studies, Painting and Decoration, Automobile Mechanics, Plumbing, Metal Fabrication and Agricultural Mechanics.

    The Provost said the programme was prepared to make the participants relevant, add value to them and give them edge over their peers.

    She said: “The College is indeed proud to be producing vibrant men and women who have been certified worthy in learning and character to meet the country’s manpower requirements.

    “Since I assumed office, the college has grown in leaps and bounds. Major innovations have been recorded in academics, research and physical infrastructure.”

    The don urged the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the College and worthy citizens of Nigeria.

    “I challenge you to strive for the top; do not limit yourselves as you can still explore any respectable path of the world to greatness like many before you did. I enjoin you to make good use of the opportunities your certificate will avail you,” she added.

     

     

  • Police arrest OPC member over alleged murder of student

    Police arrest OPC member over alleged murder of student

    The Police have arrested and detained a chieftain Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Dele Olorunfemi, over alleged murder of a student, Faramo Tope in Ikere-Ekiti.

    The deceased, who was said to be a student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti Campus, was said to have been killed at about 9.30 pm on Wednesday, February 28.

    Tope was being conveyed with another passenger by a commercial motorcyclist when he was hit by bullets allegedly fired by some OPC men on patrol led by Olorunfemi.

    The shooting incident reportedly took place along Winners’ Chapel Road in Oke Osun area of the town but the corpse of the deceased was dumped in a bush at Ona Owuro Road behind College Demonstration School.

    The Nation gathered that the commercial motorcyclist who witnessed the killing of his passenger and identified the suspects reported the incident at Anaye Police Station in Uro Quarters of the town.

    The report of the alleged murder led to the arrests of Olorunfemi and another suspect who was simply identified as “Bebe.” Another suspect identified as “Abule” is presently at large.

    Residents of the area where the corpse was dumped also reported the killing at the same police station.

    The corpse of the student has been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital, along Ise Road, Ikere.

    Chairman of the Landlords Association of the area, Pastor David Owotobi, said the corpse was dumped when members of his church were having all night prayer.

    “After our programme in the church, our members were going back home and they came back to report that a corpse was dropped very close to our church.

    “I went there when and I saw the corpse there; on the second day very early in the morning, I went to the police station to report what happened on our street.”

    Confirming the incident in a telephone chat, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdullahi Chafe, said only one person has been arrested.

    Chafe said: “I can confirm that such an incident occurred, one person has been arrested and he will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.”

    Read Also: OPC warn IPOB chief stop attacking Obasanjo, Tinubu

  • Kano State Assembly calls for removal of abandoned toll-gate in Kano

    Kano State Assembly calls for removal of abandoned toll-gate in Kano

    The Kano State House of Assembly has called on the state government to remove the uncompleted toll-gate on Zaria Road, in Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

    The assembly made the call on Monday following a motion of urgent public importance moved in the house by the member representing Tarauni Constituency, Alhaji Abubakar Zakari.

    According to Zakari, the abandoned toll-gate located close to the state’s College of Education, has become a death zone for motorists, especially those coming from outside the state.

    Read also: One NDLEA operative killed, three others injured in Kano

    Zakari said that during the Christmas break, 11 people were killed in the area as a result of the structure.

    He said that the call had become necessary to avoid reocurrence of such accidents.

    “I lost 11 people from my constituency as a result of accident at the toll-gate, therefore, there is need for its removal, since its presence has no benefit to the state and the residents,” Zakari said.

    The motion was seconded by the member representing Kibiya Constituency, Alhaji Maifada Bello and adopted by the house.

    The assembly, therefore, urged the state government to remove the structure to allow free movement by motorists and to avoid further loss of lives.

    The plenary session, presided over by the Speaker, Alhaji Abdullahi Ata adjourned till January 16 for further legislative functions.

    NAN

  • Defunct college’s workers cry out over ‘systematic sack’

    Defunct college’s workers cry out over ‘systematic sack’

    The College of Education, Ekiadolor in Edo State has been phased out.  However, the Tayo Akpata University of Education, which is to replace it, has not started, leaving the workers confused and jittery,  reports OSAGIE OTABOR.

    About 800 members of staff of the defunct College of Education, Ekiadolor, in Edo State are worried about their jobs.  The institution ceased to exist since 2014, when the Edo State government replaced it with the Tayo Akpata University of Education. It stopped admitting new students for the National Certificate on Education (NCE) programme in 2015. Currently, it only has 300-Level students in the final year of their NCE programmes.

    With only one of three levels of students in school, the academic and administrative responsibilities of the workers have become lighter.  But, they are being owed salaries of up to three months, causing them to fear that they would be sacked eventually.

    At a briefing in Benin this week, Fred Omonuwa, chairman of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) of the defunct college, alleged that Governor Godwin Obaseki planned to sack them by systematically grounding academic activities in the institution.

    Last July, by which time the workers were being owed three  months salary, the Pro-Chancellor of the Tayo Akpata University, Mr. Thomas Okosun, a former speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, said the college would be phased out in two years.

    He said the workers did not belong to the new university, adding that they would all have to reapply and only those found to be qualified would be employed.

    “There is currently no professor there. We are going to advertise and many of the staff cannot be part of the university. Those already working are free to apply and we will employ them if they are qualified.

    “They are not presently staff of the Tayo Akpata University, so we don’t owe any body salaries. The state government will decide what to do with those that failed to gain employment into the university,” he told The Nation then.

    But the lecturers accused Okosun of not following a report on the transition documented by a committee headed by Prof Dennis Agbonlahor.

    They said the report recommended that 120 lecturers, who had been screened and found qualified, could be absorbed into the new university provided they upgraded their credentials.

    Okosun also said the new university would admit its pioneer set of students last November and would run alongside the college until the last set of NCE students graduated.  However, that did not materialise.

    In contrast, the Edo University, Iyamho, which was conceived at the same time as the Tayo Akpata University by the Adams Oshiomhole-led administration, is enjoying the government’s support, and it was provided the requisite infrastructure and manpower to admit its first set of students in 2016.

    Omonuwa said there was nothing on ground in the college, including infrastructure, that showed a new institution was starting.

    There may never be.  Last December, when he visited Ekiadolor, Governor Obaseki spoke of building Tayo Akpata University of Education as a brand new institution of world class status from the scratch with the help of the World Bank and other international organisations.

    He said the institution would begin this year with three faculties and would focus on training teachers especially in the areas of industrial and agricultural technology.

    Though the university is yet ot start, Okosun said the government had purchased 500 hectares of land for its campus.

    He said: “We advertised for contract to rebuild that university. We have opened the bid and we are at the stage of awarding the contract. It will span through many facilities including roads within and outside the campus. We have a new design for the hostel, classroom. We have acquired 500 hectares of land.

    “The governor led us to the NUC where we obtained approval to commence academic activities. Academic activities will commence immediately. Staff will come from the public. We will place advert.”

    Omonuwa accused the government of reneging on its promise to refocus the College.

    He warned that the workers would go on strike if the issues were not addressed

    He said: “I am here today to express some fears and worries.  For some time now, we have been very quiet to give the Obaseki-led government some little time but we have seen that there is nothing happening at all. The problem of the College is the problem of government. It seems to us now that Edo State government is not sincere about the College. They are not sincere to the extent that when they converted the College to a university, there is no law backing it as we speak.

    “The school authority told us to stop admitting students; in fact there is no substantive provost for the College. They told us that admission should stop forthwith because they are converting to University.

    “The implication is that there are no first or second year students.  Now there is neither university admission nor NCE admission so if the present final year student leaves who are you going to teach?

    “As we speak, we are owed three months salaries without justification and Edo State government has not been able to pay the gratuities of retirees from the institution, so there is no sincerity on the part of the government. By not admitting, it means that they are trying to shortchange the people and Edo workers.  We expect that when we are talking to a technocrat he should understand.”

    Omonuwa also lamented that the government retired workers at 60 years of age instead of 65, which is the norm nationwide.

    “There are document to show that the retirement age of colleges of Education across the country as enacted by the law is 65 years for academic and non-academic staff.  Now the state government came with a plan that all staff should retire at the age of 60 years for higher institutions. We are very disappointed,” he said.

    When contacted, Commissioner for Communication and Orientation Mr. Paul Ohonbamu said there were no plans to sack workers of the defunct college.

    Ohonbamu said Obaseki was committed to equipping the new university by doing things systematically.

     

  • Nasarawa tertiary institutions suspend strikeNasarawa tertiary institutions suspend strike

     

    The Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions in Nasarawa State has suspended its two weeks indefinite strike.

    The state’s Chairman of the union, Mr Ariks Bashayi, announced the suspension on Wednesday in Lafia, shortly after the union’s emergency meeting.

    According to him, the suspension of the strike is due to the commitment shown by the State Government through the authorities of the three tertiary institutions owned by the state.

    “Though all our demands were not met, the union has shifted ground for now.

    “The State Government and other stakeholders appealed to the union to call-off the strike to pave way for further negotiations.”

    Bashayi said that the government had agreed to grant 75 per cent of the union’s demands, resulting to the suspension of the strike.

    The chairman called on members of the union to resume work immediately, pending further directives from the union.

    On April 5, the union embarked on an indefinite strike, citing government’s refusal to address welfare-related issues.

    The institutions involved in the strike are the College of Education, Akwanga, College of Agriculture, Lafia and the Nassarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia.

  • Nasarawa tertiary institutions suspend strike

    The Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions in Nasarawa State has suspended its two weeks indefinite strike.

    The state’s Chairman of the union, Mr Ariks Bashayi, announced the suspension on Wednesday in Lafia, shortly after the union’s emergency meeting.

    According to him, the suspension of the strike is due to the commitment shown by the State Government through the authorities of the three tertiary institutions owned by the state.

    “Though all our demands were not met, the union has shifted ground for now.

    “The State Government and other stakeholders appealed to the union to call-off the strike to pave way for further negotiations.”

    Bashayi said that the government had agreed to grant 75 per cent of the union’s demands, resulting to the suspension of the strike.

    The chairman called on members of the union to resume work immediately, pending further directives from the union.

    On April 5, the union embarked on an indefinite strike, citing government’s refusal to address welfare-related issues.

    The institutions involved in the strike are the College of Education, Akwanga, College of Agriculture, Lafia and the Nassarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia.

     

  • Nasarrawa: Students seek truce between labour unions, government to end strike

    Nasarrawa: Students seek truce between labour unions, government to end strike

     

    Students of tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State have called for truce between the state government and labour unions of the three higher institutions currently on strike.

    Some of the students told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Keffi on Wednesday that both sides must take step to end the strike in the interest of the students.

    NAN reports that the Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions had embarked on an indefinite strike on April 5, demanding for promotion, payment of their annual increment and other entitlements.

    The institutions involved in the strike include the College of Education, Akwanga, College of Agriculture, Lafia and Nasarawa State, Polytechnic, Lafia.

    The students called for understanding between the state government and the union in resolving the industrial action, so that it would not have adverse effect on the education sector.

    Mr Thomas Bulus, a student of Computer Science at the state Polytechnic in Lafia, said the strike was a set back to education.

    “The ongoing higher institutions workers strike has affected our education negatively as academic activities had stopped in these institutions.

    “The strike is unfortunate. No student will be comfortable staying at home, That is why, I want to use this medium to appeal to the state government and the organised labour to dialogue in order to end the strike in our interest.”

    Another student, Sarah Ali of College of Education, Akwanga, also appealed to the government and union to dialogue so as to end the strike.

    She noted that the strike had not only crippled economic activities but also affected the education sector negatively.

    “No nation could achieve speedy development without sound education; the strike has affected the state socio-economic development and our education negatively,” she said.

    Ali reminded the government and the union that the future of the state and the country at large lied on the proper education given to the youths.

    Mr Haruna Mohammed of College of Agriculture, Lafia said “we are still at home because of the strike and this is not fair.

    ‘‘Government should do something about it and the union should also have understanding with the government in order to end the strike,” he said.

     

  •  Al-Makura dissolves governing council of tertiary institutions

     Al-Makura dissolves governing council of tertiary institutions

    Gov.Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has approved the dissolution of the governing council of the three state owned tertiary institutions.

    Mohammed Abdullahi, the Secretary to the State Government, announced this on Friday in Lafia.

    He listed the affected institutions as College of Education, Akwanga, College of Agriculture, Lafia and Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia.

    Abdullahi thanked the chairmen and members of the councils for their services and wished them well in their future endeavours.

    He said that the dissolution of the councils took immediate effect.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the institutions are currently on indefinite strike to press home their demands for better welfare packages.