The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Education

  • Buhari lauds Nigeria’s educational ties with Belarus

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said that education is the veritable doorway through which the boundless potentials of youths can be positively harnessed for the benefit of society, and the country.

    He made the declaration at the State House, Abuja, while receiving the outgoing Ambassador of Belarus, His Excellency Vyacheslav Beskosty, who has spent over six years in Nigeria as the pioneer Ambassador of his country.

    Read Also:Buhari commissions Abuja light rail

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said “I am impressed by your successful tour of duty, particularly in the area of educational ties between our countries. Over 600 young Nigerians are in your country, trying to guarantee a better future for themselves through education,”

    He said that the relationship between Nigeria and Belarus was sure to grow stronger in the years ahead.

    Ambassador Beskosty said Nigeria had “big potential for economic cooperation” with his country, adding that military and technical ties were equally proceeding satisfactorily.

    Noting that agricultural development was on the priority list of the Buhari administration, he added that Belarus, as the world’s biggest producer of fertilizers, and a giant in production of tractors “has a great role to play in the bid to achieve food self-sufficiency” in Nigeria.

    The outgoing Ambassador commended the Buhari administration for its service to the nation, noting that people were already seeing significant changes in the country.

  • Education official arrested for accepting bribe

    A high-ranking official of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology was arrested Wednesday for allegedly accepting a bribe in exchange for a personal favour, Tokyo prosecutors said.

    Futoshi Sano, the director-general and former deputy vice minister, is alleged to have received a bribe from a private university in Tokyo to accept his child, in return for supporting a project at the university.

    The special squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office said Sano allegedly received the bribe from the university in May 2017.

    They also said Sano’s child passed the university’s entrance examination in February.

    Sano has held the post of director-general of the Science and Technology Policy Bureau at the ministry since July 2017. (Xinhua/NAN)

  • UNICEF seeks education for one million girls

    The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) hopes to attract additional one million girls in the north to school under its Girl Education Project 3 (GEP) phase 3.

    UNICEF’s Education Specialist Azuka Menkiti spoke at a two-day media dialogue on Girls for Girls (G4G) Initiative, organised by the Child Rights’ Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in Gusau, Zamfara State.

    The G4G project is a component of the Girls’ Education Project (GEP) phase 3 being implemented in Bauchi, Katsina and Zamfara States.

    According to her, about 15,303 girls have been enrolled under the project in the three states.

    About 4,339 of the girls are from Zamfara, a state with the poorest enrolment rate.

    She said UNICEF is targeting to retain girls who have been enrolled in schools in the north in class.

    Menkiti said: “Within the Girls Education Project 3, the goal is to bring additional one million girls to school. We also hope to create an environment where girls will be supported to live above the poverty line for themselves and for their communities.

    “This programme is to look for those who are in schools and ensure they remain there. In the last six months that this initiative started, a lot of changes have happened in schools.

    “Our target is to have an increase in demand and support for girls’ education, increased retention for girls in schools, enhance self appreciation and self esteem for girls and increase transition of girls from lower primary to higher primary.

    “The G4G addresses demand barriers to girls’ education by affecting attitudes and barriers that keep girls out of school. It assumes that increased demand for and understanding/value of basic education by parents, financial support to parents will have positive impact on girls’ enrolment.”

    “Now we have 15,303 girls who have been enrolled in 813 G4G groups in 300 schools across 18 councils in three states. For us, it is about helping these girls to remain in school and complete at least primary education.”

  • Yabatech acquires software for detecting plagiarism

    The Governing Council of Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) on Wednesday said it had acquired a world-class security software capable of detecting any act of plagiarism in write-ups submitted by students and lecturers.

    Mr Lateef Fagbemi, Chairman, Governing Council of the college stated this at the 11th International Science, Technology, Education, Arts, Management and Social Sciences (iSTEAMS) Conference in Lagos.

    Fagbemi spoke on “Plagiarism and Its Legal Implications Within Academic Environments: Consequences On The Institutions And Offender”.

    The three-day conference organised by the Research Nexus Africa Network, in collaboration with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ends on June 29.

    Fagbemi said the software would detect the slightest act of plagiarism and copyright.

    According to him, with the software, the college is confident that products, are now better secured and their final works, much more reassuring.

    He said the conference was apt as it brings to the front burner, the unfortunate situation of plagiarism.

    “Educational institutions must step up the quality control mechanisms and academic papers submitted by writers must be thoroughly checked to detect a possibility of plagiarism.

    “Yabatech has now acquired world-class security software that can detect even the slightest act of plagiarism in write-ups submitted by our students and lecturers.

    “This is where the deployment of technology comes in.

    “Relevant software must be acquired by our institutions to detect any possible case of plagiarism and be able to nip it in the bud,’’ he said.

    Fagbemi further remarked that plagiarism was prevalent, not only in tertiary institutions but also in science, journalism, literature, film creation and other areas.

    He said that in the academic and intellectual industry, plagiarism was a serious ethical offence.

    According to him, plagiarism cases could be detected even in works of famous writers, songs, filmmakers, philosopher, scientist, and public workers, among others.

    “Plagiarism is not in itself a crime, but can constitute copyright infringement.’’

    Fagbemi recommended that institutions must step-up the quality control mechanisms, while government must set up legislative intervention in curbing the problem of plagiarism.

    “ Our laws must be re-jigged to cater for the menace as a specific problem.

    “A specific problem deserves a special and deliberate solution.

    “The legislature must promulgate laws that specifically and pointedly address plagiarism, and all its variance, taking it away from the adaptation of the copyright laws, under which it is currently treated.’’

    Also speaking, Dr Obafemi Bank-Olemoh, Leadership/Business Intelligence expert at Caleb Business School, Lagos urged the Federal Government to develop the human resource capital to achieve industrialisation.

    Bank-Olemoh said the three tiers of government needed to re-access and reinforce the implementation of Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) policies.

    He spoke in a paper titled: “Nigeria’s Industrialisation Drive cannot succeed if not anchored on the Investment and Development of Human Resource Capital; particularly on Technical Vocational Education (TVE)”.

    He said the success of Free Trade Zones hinged on addressing infrastructure deficit by appropriate funding.

    He noted that sustainability of Nigerian Industrial Zones could not be achieved if the expatriate quota abuse is not controlled.

    According to him, the integration system pathway should be adopted to bring together TVE curriculum, academic and applied curriculum, the labour market demands, institutions and the society at large.

    “The focus now should be on the development of a viable natural system of a vocational and technical education programme that will have easy access and exit learning pathways.

    “It must be validated by accredited learning that will lead to work or continued progress along another learning pathway.

    “This will help ginger youths and adults to see TVE as challenging and worthwhile,’’ he said.

    Mr Obafemi Omokungbe, Rector, Yabatech commended iSTEAMS for organising the conference and urged participants to be active in all sessions.

  • Don urges support for education

    Professor of Guidance and Counseling, Lagos State University (LASU), Ayodeji Badejo, has urged individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to support government to move the education sector forward.

    Addressing reporters at the 66th Founder’s Day Anniversary of Reagan Memorial Baptists Girls Secondary School, Yaba, Lagos, she said government alone could not shoulder education’s responsibilities.

    She said: “The society should contribute its quota because government alone cannot do all for the people. The government has a lot on its hand to take care of. They have to take care of all the social amenities, health, roads and other issues. If saddled with all functions, how many can government do to make things better?

    “That is why in our own little way, the old girls of the school decided to mark the anniversary by ensuring that we make some impact. The landmark event is to mark years of great things in this noble school.

    “We understand that we have to give back to the school because it impacted much on us. We decided to renovate the first building in the school, which now serves as the school hall.”

    Badejo credited the school for making them and imbuing in students core values.

    “Without the school, we would not be what we are today. We would not be here doing what we are doing for the school. This is our own little way of giving back to the school and society. The school on its part has made laudable impact on the society.

    “The school produced great professors, engineers, doctors, bankers etc. It is not even a matter of what we are in term of our professions, but the school taught us the core values of life.

    “We have been taught to uphold the core values, about the dignity of labour, honesty and integrity. So wherever you see ROGA old girls, these are some of the most important things the school has been impacting on the society,” she said.

    Badejo maintained that most schools degenerated when the government took them over from the missionaries, stressing that things had improved with the return of schools to their owners.

    “Most mission schools actually fell when they were taken over by the government.

    “Whether it was a Muslim or Christian school, those who took over the management of the school did not deem it fit to continue to tow the path of the founding fathers.

    “They ran the school like any other school without giving attention to the core values for their establishment.   With the handing over back to the missionaries, the situation has changed and that is why we can come back to give whatever we can back to the school,” she added.

  • Value of education in modern times

    In early stage of my teenage years, I remember there were numerous quotes that I learnt from classrooms and these sweet quotes sounded comforting. Such quotes included: education is the best legacy; children of today are leaders of tomorrow; study hard so you may have a brighter future, and so on.

    But to be candid, it appears the sweet wisecracks were composed to give false hope to children. Till today, I still can’t be convinced that these quotes are true. How can anyone convince me that the future leadership belongs to children of yesterday when the old people still cling to leadership like their lives depend on it?

    Today, youths have lost interest in school and hard work. Others who want to work hard are held back by numerous man-made factors instituted by today’s leaders. Gradually, the values placed on education and hard work are fast eroding, giving rise to triviality.

    Few weeks back, there was a television show that was characterised by immorality and indecency in which all sorts of shameful, terrible and ungodly habits were displayed to the world audience. After the so-called TV show, the winners were honoured with huge amount of money and other cozy material property.

    A few questions arise: where is our morality as a people? What is the value of education in today’s Nigeria? When will the future be delivered to the beleaguered children of yesterday who clamour for better days?

    In the past, innovative, creative, intelligent and hardworking people were the most commonly celebrated. This is not the same in present world, where immorality is the order of the day. Today, lazy lads are rewarded and celebrated for participating in immoral activities. To such an extent that one would think that these individuals have achieved some laurels and awards for innovation; or have introduced a new technology that could help solve the world problem.

    Yet, what is baffling is the ordeal of many brilliant students who are performing excellently in their various fields of learning. Imagine the best graduating student of a higher institution being offered N10,000 as a reward after four or five years of rigorous studies and hard work!

    Some are presented with N1,000 after graduating as the best students in their department. Is that the value of education?

    One major characteristic of brilliant students is their astonishing endurance and perseverance to achieve, attain and maintain excellence. Many of them pass the night with empty stomach; they use their stipends to buy books and read almost throughout their days in school. They don’t spend leisure time; if they are not engaging in tutorial activities, they are silently conducting personal research in their disciplines.

    I know of a friend who finished with a First Class in his Bachelor’s degree level and also has a Master’s degree but he is being paid N12,000 monthly as a teacher. This is truly an indication of a state of the absurdity and dwindling value of education. What will convince children of today of a rewarding future if they study hard and achieve excellence?

    There are many research works published by brilliant scholars and whose results are beneficial to mankind. But, these works ended up in the trash bin because to lack of value for erudition. What about the talented young indigenous engineer, who have innovative ideas and are able to invent technology that can change our history; they lose motivation because of there is no support for their genius and creativity.

    As a saying goes, “good deserves good”. Individuals who are performing wonderfully and excellently in their academic areas are supposed to be venerated and honoured by the society, than shameless lads flaunting obscenity and inconsequential material wealth. In today Nigeria, we hold immoral people as role models and they are employed to talk to youths. This way, our education suffer because we have placed values on what can never benefit us.

    One key to attainment of success in life is motivation. It plays a major role in stimulating people to get into action, work hard and achieve success. It initiates, controls, guides, maintains and stimulates goal oriented behaviours. Hence, rewarding immoral individuals will drive and stimulate indecency and immorality.

    If excellent people are motivated by receiving meritorious awards and education support, generations coming after would surely be mentored to see values in hard work and academic excellence, which will give hope to them in this changing world.

    We must discourage immorality and support life of purpose. As youths, we shouldn’t waste our time watching other people’s lifestyles. We must fight for ourselves so that, one day, we will surely be who we want to be and make our marks.

    Malcom X said: “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

    It is high time we supported education and restored its values. This is to make coming generations prepare for the future and make them believe in education. If we didn’t take right steps, indeed, future generations would suffer from our today’s actions.

    • Mubaraq, 500-Level student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto

  • ‘Invest in education’

    Government, the private sector and individuals have been urged to give more support to the education system in the country.

    The Project Coordinator, Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI), Taiwo Adekomaiya, said the support would help develop the educational sector, and produce quality youths to lead the nation.

    He spoke at the yearly Senior Secondary School quiz competition, organised by the Mushin Zone of AEI in Lagos.

    Adekomaiya described as unfortunate a scenario where private sector and individuals would rather support reality shows instead of education.

    He urged the pupils never to engage in examination fraud, noting that the future of Nigeria is in their hands.

    He said the competition is targeted at improving the level of education in the country; adding that the winners- first, second and third were given prices that would be of benefit to their education.

    A representative from Education District 4, Mrs Taiwo Lola-George, urged the pupils to study hard, noting that the competition would enable them work harder.

    “With this competition, the pupils would realise that they need to put in more efforts in their studies. They need to sit down, read, work hard and spend less time on frivolities.  They need to get close to their teachers. Parents should also assist in ensuring their children come out in flying colors and be of benefit to the society,” she said.

    At the end of the contest, Ransome Kuti Memorial Senior Grammar School emerged first, Metropolitan College and Ansarudeen Senior High School were first and second runners ups.

  • Obaseki to PDP: I will not compromise my vision for education

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said he would not compromise his  vision for educational institutions in the state over what he termed ‘ranting of a dying Edo PDP’.

    Obaseki, who was reacting to condemnation by the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) over the sacking of employees of the College of Agriculture, said students of the institution were thankful to him for intervening in the affairs of the institution that was notorious for abuse of procedures.

    The governor, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said an ineffectual party  should not speak when efforts to revamp institutions of higher learning were discussed.

    He noted that a report of the committee he set up to audit activities of the institution, revealed heartbreaking and irritating details.

    Obaseki said: “Edo people and residents have not forgotten what educational institutions, from primary, secondary to tertiary levels, looked like when they held sway. While some of the schools were set up as conduits to siphon public funds, others were grossly mismanaged, which explains why the federal government regulatory agencies denied them accreditation.

    “But convinced that good leadership can turn the story of the institute around for the better, Governor Obaseki has since sent students of the institute, to the various world class agricultural institutes and companies in the state, namely; the Nigeria Institute of Rubber Research, Okomu Oil Palm Company Nigeria plc, Presco plc, amongst others, to learn the nuances of agriculture.

    “The Obaseki administration is consolidating on the red roof classroom building revolution of his predecessor, by embarking on teacher training and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based teaching for better learning outcomes.”

     

  • Obasanjo, Gowon hail ABUAD’s revolution in education, health

    Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo have hailed  the Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) for its contributions to education and health sectors within eight years of its existence.

    They spoke yesterday at the inauguration of four multi-billion naira projects that will add value to the university and its teaching hospital.

    Gen. Gowon and Obasanjo said ABUAD, founded by eminent lawyer and educationist Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has shored up Nigeria’s image abroad and given Nigerians opportunities to receive quality education and healthcare delivery in the country.

    The leaders said with the establishment of ABUAD, Nigeria was gradually regaining its pride of place  scholarship.

    The projects inaugurated are Dome Planetarium for Exploratory Trip for Space, Tele-medicine equipment at the teaching hospital, the multi-billion naira Postgraduate Hall and the Social and Management Science building.

    Visiting the 400-bed ABUAD Teaching Hospital for the first time, Obasanjo noted that every Nigerian, including the rich, has no reason travelling abroad for medical treatment.

    Obasanjo said: “ABUAD is gradually transforming Nigeria. When I reappointed Chief Afe Babalola the Chairman and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, he was determined to turn things around but that environment did not permit him.

    “I want to thank God today that he has started translating those dreams to reality. So, with the aesthetic structures I am seeing, I can say that ABUAD has become a huge blessing to Nigeria.”

    Gowon described ABUAD as a 21st century university with the culture of learning and morality, saying the university has become a cynosure of all eyes and investment that is fast radicalising the country’s education system.

    He said: “This university is becoming a trail blazer in all aspects. The development is attracting global bodies to invest and the product is what you are seeing in the memoranda it was signing with big educational and health institutions across the globe.

    “ABUAD is doing well in academics, morality and in agriculture. Look at the farm set up by the founder, Chief Babalola. It has offered employment and it is increasing food production in Nigeria.

    “The benefit of this institution will be exceptionally tremendous. The founder has done well for himself in life by setting up an institution that has widening Nigeria’s recognition and contributions to scholarship across the globe.”

    Babalola said with the establishment of ABUADTH, Nigerians do not need to travel abroad for medical treatments, adding that the university was set up to correct perceived imbalances in the education sector.

    He said: “This university was set up to be a real example of 21st century university. A modern university that can compete with any university in advanced nations.

    “This university was established eight years ago and it was ranked to be between one and four in Nigeria. By the time we will be 10, it will be number one in Nigeria and this will make it a formidable force in the global scene .”

    On the new university teaching hospital, Babalola said the expatriates brought in from Aster Hospital in Dubai have been exposing experts in the university to various fields that can make treatment of any ailment easy in the university.

    The ABUAD founder expressed optimism that the university would become the number one in Nigeria in the next two years with giant strides being recorded.

    Babalola added that ABUAD would be one of the 100 best universities globally.

  • Buhari urges priority for education

    •Inaugurates tractors, Air Force hospital in Bauchi

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged Nigerians to give priority to education and send their children to school to enable them work and become self-reliant and to contribute to the growth and development of the country.

    He also assured Nigerians that he would continue to fight corruption, saying the government would protect lives and properties of the people.

    Speaking in Bauchi during a visit, he joked that if he did not go to school, he could have been one of the herdsmen terrorizing the people.

    He inaugurated some projects undertaken by Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar including 500 tractors and other farming tools to boost agriculture.

    He also inaugurated a 60-bed Reference Hospital constructed by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) at its 251 Special Operations Command in Bauchi.

    Before kicking off the distribution of the tractors and agricultural implements and farm inputs, the president told the people he was interested in seeking reelection.

    Governor Abubakar commended the President for his giant strides in the areas of agriculture.

    President Buhari also spoke on his resolve to ensure the recovery of looted resources, saying his administration would ensure the judicious utilization of the funds.

    Addressing a big crowd at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, the president said.

    “Any person that loots government’s fund will be made to return it to the treasury for utilization on the education, health and security sectors, among others.

    “The present administration has reduced the price of fertilizer and provided agricultural loans through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which improved farm yields in the recent past.”

    He said as a former military Governor of the North Eastern State that comprised the entire North-East sub-region about 42 years ago, he was conversant with the challenges of the area.

    Governor Abubakar said the state government was committed to boosting agricultural activities and reducing unemployment among the teeming youth in the state.

    The President commended the Air Force  for reviewing its order of battle in respect of the current and emerging threats facing the country while inaugurating a 60-bed Reference Hospital constructed  by NAF at its 251 Special Operations Command, Bauchi.

    He said that the establishment of the command located within the hospital was the most recent testimony by NAF.

    “The initiative confirms our collective commitment to tackle any threat to the security of our country.

    ” The Air Force remains a key component of the Armed Forces in its constitutional role of providing aid to civil authorities across the country.

    “These services are: normal surveillance, security at airports, emergency assistance and resettlement of displaced persons,” he said.

    He said the hospital was part of the growing commitment to enhance the welfare of troops in the Theatre of Operations.

    He commended the Service Chiefs and military commanders for ensuring that the welfare and well being of the troops were given priority at all times.

    Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar  appreciated the support NAF had enjoyed saying, “it has positioned the service to effectively discharge its statutory responsibility.”

    “In the North-East alone, NAF has flown 14,803 flying hours, 29 minutes providing close air support, logistic re-supply, combat racce/patrol, battle interdiction and ISR rules to create enabling environment for our ground troops to undertake their operations with little or no hindrance, “he said ”