The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Education

  • Sultan urges Muslims to invest in education

    Sultan urges Muslims to invest in education

    Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on wealthy Muslims to commit their wealth in educating younger adherents as a way of propagation Islam.

    Sultan Abubakar, who spoke at the graduation of Qur’anic students at Iman International Schools, Arkilla, Sokoto, said there is no gain for a Muslim who expends his wealth in a course other than Islam.

    Ninety-six students comprising 69 males and 27 females graduated from the school established for both conventional and Qur’anic studies.

    “Instead of expending your wealth on artists, praise singers and sponsoring of political or individual songs on CDs, invest in the propagation of Islam,” said the revered monarch who expressed satisfaction with the graduands’ knowledge of the Holy Qur’an, sermons, songs and drama presentations.

    “This will surely fetch you an everlasting positive rewards from Allah against that which will not profit you,” he added.

    He described education especially Islamic education as weapon and strength for survival on earth and the hereafter.

    “This is the kind of foundation our children should be built upon as future leaders for an egalitarian and God fearing society,” he said.

    Abubakar, who also noted the morals, quality and standard of both learning and structural innovations put in place by the schools, urged the management not to compromise its quality which he said reflects in the students.

    The Sultan presented Shadda and textile materials to each of the graduands and cash prizes of N50,000 each to Tahir and the drama group, while N100, 000 went to the group that presented Islamic songs in his honour.

    Earlier in his welcome address, the Sokoto North Local Government Chairman and Proprietor of the school, Abdullahi Hassan, said thought of establishing the schools in 2008 after visiting a private school in Egypt.

    “I was impressed with the in and out structural design and beauty of the school which has numerous modern facilities. This motivated my curiosity to develop and establish the schools in 2010.

    “Today, the school has the capacity of serving its over 200 staff, 966 (day and boarding) students with adequate learning, hostel and recreational facilities as well as modern library, mosque, classes, electricity, ICT network facility, water, among others.”

    He praised the state government, which donated N1 million at the event, for sponsoring the Qur’anic education of 70 per cent of the pupils.

    Dignitaries at the ceremony included Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Sahabi Isah Gada, Speaker Of the House of Assembly, Lawal M. Zayyana, Commissioners, Council chairmen, among other top government functionaries.

  • Education commissioners seek security in schools

    Education commissioners seek security in schools

    The State Commissioners for Education Forum in Nigeria has called on the government to provide adequate security in schools, especially in the northeast, until the Boko Haram insurgency is fully crushed.

    They also sympathised with the parents of the abducted Chibok girls urging them to be patient with the Federal Government as it makes efforts with the international community to rescue the girls.

    A statement by chairman of the forum, Prof Offiong Offiong, also urged all concerned should intensify efforts in securing the release of the abducted Chiboks girls without any further delay.

    Offiong, who is also commissioner in Cross River State, said: “The forum urges provision of adequate security in all our schools to prevent future reoccurrence of this unfortunate act as it appears no student is safe in the country until this insurgence is crushed totally. Accordingly we enjoin all parents of the girls to exercise patience as the federal government in collaboration with her allies carries out rescue mission and the girls are safely back to the comfort of their homes.

    “This, indeed,, is a trying period for the nation’s education sector and the casualties of this dastardly act are not the girls alone, though they are directly the victims; not the parents alone, who have been waiting endlessly for the news of the release of their daughters and not the Borno State Government alone.

    Although this inhuman act was perpetrated on its soil. We are all collectively victims as Nigerians because the victims are Nigerians, they are our children and our jewel, the future mothers of the nation. All hands must be on deck to ensure their release.

    “The forum is, particularly, worried over the plight of education in the northeast geopolitical zone in general and Borno in particular. The need to restore law and order in the region has become more urgent chiefly as there is a high rate of out- of-school children there. Continuous closure of school gates against our children in the region due to insecurity would continue to adversely affect the future of education in the north east and Nigeria as a whole.

    “It is against this background that the forum welcomes the assistance offered by the nation’s international friends towards ensuring the release of our children. We cannot afford to wait helplessly as our children our being degraded.”

  • Memo to confab: Saving education from decay

    That a whole lot is wrong with education in Nigeria today is an understatement and a nation that denies education to its people denies them and their country a future; denies them civilization and optimum utilization of God-given human resource, which is a key factor in individual, entrepreneurial and national development. There is therefore urgent need to save Nigerian education from its current stupor before we drift permanently into the lonely and terrible abyss of ignorance that would probably lend credence to the aphorism that “where ignorance is bliss: it is folly to be wise”.

    There is organized chaos in the country for the benefit of those who reap out of chaos, so our educational institutions are caught in the Sisyphean web of myriad manifestation of corruption and politicization of every aspect of the Nigerian life. Wise nations keep politics away from the ivory tower, hence the name, but unfortunately in Nigeria we merge the sacred with the profane, so all is soiled. Some patriotic alumni of historically great institutions in the country, in a patriotic bid to save the fast fading glory of their alma mater, have mooted the idea of individual restoration of such institutions through voluntary contributions but there is obviously not much that can be done singly or at institution levels because individual efforts in this regard would simply be a tiny drop of water in an ocean and moreover, even the academia has joined the political bandwagon for its selfish pecuniary gains and may likely sabotage such noble efforts.

    Education used to be for those who have professed the ability and the interest to read and write but these days, even parents in their misguided parental love are keen to pay bribe to get their lazy kids to “pass” exams; worse, teachers are even more keen to record good pass marks at WAEC or similar for the students they did not teach, so they write the answers and pass to their students at examinations; the school authorities themselves aspire to have astounding records of good performance at external examinations as this will bring good patronage of more students to their schools with proprietors smiling their way to the bank, so what do they do? They discuss with the external invigilators that their students are willing to play ball and with mutual consent, collect agreed sums of money per student for the invigilator, so he looks the other way when the mass cheating is being organized by the school principal or the proprietor himself.

    Gone are the days when students are made to repeat a class because they did not do well in their promotional exams. What then is the outcome of this organized educational crime? Candidates who are “ready” for the higher institution without any iota of readiness for, or any appreciation of, the rigours of higher educational pursuit. Same scenario is only but predictable at the higher schools, and so there must be a way to survive and graduate from the university – either by bribing the lecturer, some of who are ready to be bribed or by sleeping with others if you are female and the lecturer is male, randy and dirty; or a combination of these and more means of getting grades you did not work for.

    I believe we should be looking at raising the consciousness of Nigerians and our politicians to the sacred nature of education rather than making an isolated attempt at turning around a particular institute or university because the forces that prevail against good education in the country are pervasive and a behemoth.

    There is therefore need for the national conference to discuss and ratify measures against politicizing education, making government to fund education and academic research directly and adequately, and interfere less in academic institutions and matters of academia such as appointment and removal of VCs; compelling our society through the legislature  to encourage the making of laws aimed at challenging the influences of corruption and bribery in educational matters particularly and punishing same; getting the National Assembly to pass a bill with severe punishments for academic and exam malpractices, including aiding and abetting these, with such punishments as closure of schools that aid and abet exam malpractices and jail terms for officials who do so entrenched in such laws.

    Nigeria must redesign her educational system by removing all forms of politicking from education and its administration in Nigeria; by making laws that separate education from all forms of manipulation or political influences; by creating huge budgetary allocation up to 40% of national budget through the legislature as educational fund that will not lend itself to government agents’ further approval processes; making laws criminalizing any attempt or support for any attempt that aims to lower educational standards in any form or guise; restoring hitherto pre-civil war international standards of education in Nigeria as per structure, syllabi. Infrastructure, admissions, teacher engagement, accreditation, board supervision; by reviving the teacher middle class status in society through proper and regular salaries and perks designed to make teaching a worthy profession; and other measures with similar motives of aiding revival of education in Nigeria, including free and compulsory education for Nigerian citizens up to Senior Secondary School level, establishment of a professionally oriented education commission and board with powers to oversee full implementation of all aspects of educational processes and practices, especially any form of corruption such as stealing or diverting of funds meant for education, etc.

    The next challenge is to sending hawking professors to the laboratory. We should tackle this problem, which is gradually and steadily killing the future of Nigeria, at its holistic and general level and with a sincerity of purpose that is fast fading from Nigerian leadership. This if truly pursued will take the hawking professors off the street, where they are selling away their future and God-given intelligence as baked bread, to the research laboratory where they will be manipulating cassava by-products for global food supply from Nigeria. This is fact as so many of us, including most conference attendees are beneficiaries of standard and affordable education in this same Nigeria 30 to 50 years ago and would have otherwise been hawking bread on our streets or engaged in some other menial tasks generally undertaken by undeveloped intellect. To the National Conference attendees, I must ask, who would have known that you have something upstairs to give your nation if you did not have the opportunity given by this same country to go to school and develop yourself?

    This is the question your conscience must answer before the sitting of this conference is over or you would indeed be hollow men masquerading as patriots, feeling nothing, seeing nothing, thinking nothing and doing nothing. This issue of reviving education should not and must not be our typical business as usual affair – it must haunt us, pervade us, terrorize us, even more than Boko Haram and should have pride of place in the hierarchy of issues being currently discussed, for the growth and stability as well as sustenance of tomorrow’s Nigeria. It is not an overstatement to assert that this is the greatest issue of importance in the ranking of the affairs of state on the agenda of the National Conference, for a properly educated and usefully engaged populace equals a civilized and progressive-minded nation.

     

    • Onyechi is a public affairs analyst
  • JAMB fixes May 17-31 for UTME

    JAMB fixes May 17-31 for UTME

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday fixed May 17 to 31 for the conduct of 2014 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) through Computer Based Test (CBT).

    This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Fabian Gabriel, the Head of Public Relations of the board, and issued to newsmen in Abuja.

    According to the statement, the CBT will take place in over 163 centres in Nigeria and abroad, saying the date was sacrosanct.

    The statement also described CBT as the best mode of examination.

    It, however, urged the candidates to reprint their e-slip in the event they missed or misplaced their schedules.

    “Over 616,000 candidates are expected to sit for the examination with over 250 prisoners in Kaduna and Ikoyi prisons,” it added.

    “The CBT remains the best mode as it provides better platform for the candidates to articulate their educational pursuit.

    “It eliminates result black-out or incomplete results and eliminates examination malpractice and enhances prompt release of scores two hours after the examination, among other benefits too numerous to mention,” the statement said.

    It added that the board was determined to go full-blown with CBT in 2015 UTME, owing to success recorded in 2013 and the quests to sanitise the education sector.

    The statement said that CBT was introduced in 2012 while the maiden edition was conducted in the 2013 UTME alongside the conventional Paper Pencil Test and Dual Based Test.

    The statement reported Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, Registrar of JAMB, as saying that the desire to go full swing with CBT in 2015 was non-negotiable.

    It urged Nigerians to see it as a revolution in the examination industry. (NAN)

  • Education students elect leaders

    Education students elect leaders

    The Nigerian Universities Education Students Association (NUESA) at the Delta State University, (DELSU), Abraka, has elected new executives for the 2013/2014 academic session.

    The election, which was held at the Site II of the main campus, witnessed a large turnout of students.

    Pandemonium, however, broke out when students of the Continuous Education Programme (CEP) were prevented from casting their votes without a reason. This led to a protest by the students. Some of them, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, wondered why the school management would not allow them exercise their fundamental rights to vote, noting that they paid the same  dues as the regular students.  It took the intervention of security operatives and the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof Timi Akporunor, to calm them. CAMPUSLIFE investigation revealed the CEP  had produced the Vice president of the association in the last two sessions.

    Julius Asuai, a 400-Level student of the department of Physical and Health Education emerged president. He beat his rival, Emmanuel Iyoma, 400-Level,  Guidance and Counselling, by 26 votes. Others included Faith Benson, 400-Level Library and Information Science, Vice President; Callous Nwoel, Secretary General; Chinwendu Ofoeke, Financial Secretary and Alex Eriga, Social Director.

    Julius thanked his fellow students for choosing him as their leader, urging  those who lost  to join him to take the faculty to a higher level.

  • International education good for cultural identity

    International education good for cultural identity

     A professor of Geography from the University of Georgia, United States, Kavita Pandit, was the lecturer at the joint convocation of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education(AOCOED), Otto-Ijanikin, Lagos, where she spoke on  “Internationalisation of higher education: Opportunities and challenges”. In this interview with ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, she speaks on how students  in the Diaspora can benefit from international exposure without losing their cultural identity.

    STUDYING abroad is supposed to be beneficial to both staff  and students, especially those on exchange programmes. But there are reported cases of maltreatment of Nigerians studying  abroad. What is your reaction to this?

    I wished in some way it is not only about campuses, but the society at large. Around the world, when economic condition declines, then you look for scapegoats. ‘Oh these people are taking away our jobs, they are taking away our culture’. I think this, to some extent, is a global phenomenon. I also think sometimes that the phenomenon comes out of lack of education. It  is the people who sometimes don’t have that respect. They are scared, they think you are different from them and then there is an attack.

    Again, internationalisation is to make people behave as if they have a lot in common. Though there is need for government to punish those who perpetrate these crimes, what I think is the solution is for us as educators to push these people to realise that they a have a lot in common than their differences.

    How can a national identity be defined through international engagement considering cultural imperialism?

    Absolutely!  The generally accepted idea is that when you go out of your country, you lose your culture. You become westernised and forget your root. I can give you my example and examples of others. It is very true that my spoken English is fluent and I learnt some American accent, but I would say I learnt more about my home country after I went abroad.  When you are growing up in your country, there are lots of things you take for granted.  I grew up in a small Arasian community where we often celebrate festivals. But once I went to America, people, for example, would ask me: ‘Why do they worship cows India ?’ And I would begin to rack my head because I never thought about it though I had lots experiences with it back in India. So, I began to read about the religion. People would ask me questions about Indian government doing certain things and I would say I do not know why they just came up with that. And I began to discover more about my own national identity up to when I went abroad and this is very true of many international students. But as a foreigner, when you go out there to represent your nation, that is when the reality stares you in the face.

    What  should African tertiary institutions look for before partnering with international institutions?

    I think for any university in Nigeria wanting to partner abroad, the very first thing is to be clear on the need for such partnership. I think many universities are just deciding that. They are saying let us partner with that university; let us sign an MoU; but I think that is wrong. You have to begin by having a clear  idea of what to do.

    A key factor, which must be emphasised, is equality between the two institutions. The collaboration is not going to work if one is superior to the other. For instance, in the University of Georgia we teach some African languages. It is in our interest to have specialists in those languages. So, what I’m saying generally is that any institutions in Africa should first look out for what is good for us, and the partnership must not be lopsided.

    What inspired the topic of your lecture and what conclusions are derivable from it?

    The topic is solely my suggestion. AOCOED invited me and they gave me that liberty to discuss any topic of my choice. Now to your second question, I would like to think that there is a positive conclusion, and I indicated some of that. I am someone who feels internalisonalisation really helps students’ thinking to be broaden. To me, that is the bottom-line and not about money coming to an institution. And maybe not about national development,  but ultimately human beings developing their minds. I also think internationalisation, whether you travel abroad or read about another country, helps each of us to learn about ourselves, learn about the world and become better citizens regardless of our financial or cultural differences.

    From you experience how would you describe Nigerians scholars abroad?

    First, Nigeria is a great country and one of her resources is her people. Nigerian students come to the United States, say University of Georgia where I teach for example, and they are good materials and you can easily tell that their preparations is outstanding. I can say some of our best faculties (from University of Georgia) are Nigerian-born. The reputation is very high. We have a Nigeria from AOCOED, who is now working at the Institute of African Studies at the university. We also have another Nigeria, who was formerly a director of that institute. Nigerian scholars are very committed.

  • Retreat seeks quality education for pupils

    How to meet the knowledge need of Nigerian children with quality educational materials formed the crux of Learn Africa Plc’s training session and retreat in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, for its workforce.

    Over 50 of the publishing firm’s sales persons and senior managers gathered at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, on Monday.

    They brainstormed on how to enhance Nigerian secondary school pupils’ chances of gaining knowledge and also passing their examinations in key subjects such as mathematics and English Language via quality books.

    The participants went home with the conviction that those who impart knowledge must themselves be knowledgeable and that teachers, schools, policy makers on education among others, who would also make use of the books, are adequately reached and informed about the availability of such quality books.

    Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Learn Africa, Mr Segun Oladipo, said the meeting was to sharpen and broaden the mind of the sales operatives to enhance their capacity to respond to the market demands.

    Oladipo noted that as more children are being born, they would be sent to schools for training and would need quality educational materials for sound intellectual development, which is why Learn Africa is in business.

    He explained that the firm’s New Concept Mathematics and New Concept English have been assessed and adopted by many states including Ogun, Oyo and Kwara for use by their schools and students.

    Oladipo said: “As people are giving birth to children and they are being sent to schools, so also we need to train them, we sell knowledge and for you to sell knowledge you must be knowledgeable, we are training to sharpen the skills of our sales team on yearly basis,” he said.

    With books meant to be reviewed every three years, Oladipo said the workers need to be on top of their game.

    “The National Council on Education recommends that books must be reviewed every three years, that means as a publisher, you must come up with new books every three years and those books must be in line with the school curriculum, if you don’t do that, it means we are selling obsolete knowledge. For you to remain in business, you have to review your books,” he said.

     

  • Group advocates christian education to raise godly generations

    Group advocates christian education to raise godly generations

    Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) stood firm Tuesday on the need to raise godly generations through proper christian education.

    Christian education, according to the international body is a panacea to bring back the lost moral values and fear of God to the universe.

    The international body held a press conference in Lagos occasioned by a one-week West Africa Roundtable themed Raising Godly Generations to Transform Nations held at Redemption Resort, Redeemed Christian Church of God camp, Ogun State.

    Speaking on the importance of christian education in a child’s life, International President of ACSI, Dan Egeler said rising ‘Tsunami’ wave of christian education is sweeping the world. “Potential of christian education has a potential to transform the world.”

    Egeler used his experience as a child to prove the fulcrum of christian education: “I went to a very small rural school in Tanzania. No running water, no electricity. There were no books; nothing in terms of facility but I received a top flight education.”

    He attributed his achievement, despite lack of facilities, to “the power of a teacher. A teacher who had taught for 30 years came from the United States and taught us. I had that same teacher for all five years in primary school. We want to see the power of Christian schools in hundred countries we are,” he stated.

    Earlier,  the ACSI’s Director for West Africa, Mrs Adun Akinyemiju spoke on the efficacy of christian education in creating a society void of corruption and its cohorts. She said “there is a need for all christian parents and adults to bring back godly education back into christian schools. Teachers should also be resource personnel that are devoted to those children and there must be integrity in those schools.

    “For us at ACSI, through Christian schools we believe that the brain that a child has is that of excellence. The spirit of excellence should be in the life of every child. For s school to be called a Christian school, the pupils must be trained — spiritually they must be developed.

    “Our goal is to raise new generation of children that will have the mind of Christ, serve God with humility and take their place as ambassadors of God’s kingdom here on earth… as ambassadors, when they grow up they will do it right. In the media, they will not report in accordance with the pattern of the world, they will report in a godly way. In politics, they will go out having the mind to serve the people because Christ came as a servant. They will be children who after graduation from school would want to serve not wanting to steal or cheat. They would want to go all out and do things right.”

    Mr Samson Makhado, Africa Regional Director for ACSI also addressed the press at the briefing; he admitted that “Africa is changing economically but we continue with corruption, and maladministration. We need to prepare the next generation through christian education. We want to prepare for the best Africa. The Africa we can be proud of. It is coming, coming with good economy. We want to deepen and produce the right people for this continent. Our values were stolen now it is found. We can change if we do this together. We need to do it together,” he urged.

    ACSI, headquartered in Colorado, USA, is an interdenominational Christian body that seeks, among other things, to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide to prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Christ.

  • Konga takes e-commerce education to radio

    Konga takes e-commerce education to radio

    •Partners Lenovo for phone launch

    This year has seen confidence in online shopping grow among Nigerians with more Nigerians shopping online. But to sustain this trend, there is a need for more education on the benefits and ease of shopping online.

    This is why Nigeria’s Largest online mall and marketplace, Konga.com is partnering with the producers of dusnumberries, a show on Cool FM radio station every Monday and Friday mornings for a special section called “the Konga Marketplace”. Every week, Nigerians will have the opportunity to win shopping vouchers in fun and informational games like tongue twisters while also getting online shopping tips and exclusive discounts available on Konga.

    Konga has also entered into a partnership with global computer makers, Lenovo, to launch a new range of mobile phones and tablets all running on the android platform. The Lenovo S650 phone come in great colours and friendly prices for the Nigerian market.

    Commenting on the partnership and the launch, Head of Marketing Konga.com, Gabriel Gab-Umoden said: ”We are excited about the different partnerships we have lined up this year. Every new step we take is part of our goal to create happy experiences for every one of our customers. A big part of our mission this year is to educate more Nigerians about the joys and benefits of shopping online and we believe this new partnership with Dusnumberries will help achieve this.

    ”Lenovo is a recognised device maker and we are happy they have chosen Konga as the platform to exclusively launch their new devices.’’

  • ‘Inconsistency of curriculum stunts education’

    ‘Inconsistency of curriculum stunts education’

    The inconsistency of school curriculum has been attributed to the problem facing the education sector in Nigeria.

    The General Manager, Extension Publications Limited, Mr Ademola Abesin, stated this during the company’s 10th anniversary and dedication of office complex, held at Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Speaking with The Nation, Abesin noted that frequent changes in school curriculum has adversely affected Nigeria’s education system.

    He said:”A student should be able to enter the school with a particular curriculum and follow that curriculum till the end of the programme.

    “But in a situation whereby, curriculum changes repeatedly, it means learning process will be distorted along the line. Therefore, there should be consistency in the education policy of the government so that students, parents and even publishers who are key investors in the production of education books will not be running at a loss.”

    Earlier in his own remark,the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Elder Sunday Obiyinka, said:”The journey has been a story of God’s grace. Those with whom we started together are nowhere to be found. We started as a one shop affair with N12,000 and by God’s grace here we are today dedicating our office complex. It is marvelous in our hearts”.

    Present at the occasion were the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists Oyo State Council, Comrade Gbenga Opadotun, Cardinal James Odunmbaku who cut the tape of the facility and host of other dignitaries.