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Tag: Emmanuel Agbale

  • Cult members invade Edo school, injure students

    Academic activities were disrupted at the Oba Akenzua Secondary school and the Ihogbe College when suspected cultists invaded the school and injured many students with knives and cutlass.

    Ihogbe College and Oba Akenzua are adjacent each other and located along ICE Road off Wire road in Benin City.

    Teachers and students scampered for safety when the cult members started shooting and attacking students.

    Witnesses said the suspected cultists were heading for a target in the area some students who are members of junior rival cult group started throwing stones at them.

    READ ALSO: Police arrest two suspected cultists for ‘chopping-off man’s wrist’

    The witnesses said the cult members stormed the school and started inflicting injuries on any student.

    One of the students was said to have been fatally injured and was rushed to the hospital.

    When our reporters visited the school, there was heavy security presence. Two of the suspected attackers that were arrested by the police were crying insisting that they were innocent.

    A resident in the area said activities of cult related attacks have been on the rise in recent times.

    Edo State Commissioner for Education, Mr, Emmanuel Agbale, said no student was killed in the attack.

    Agbale said policemen were quickly drafted to the area and the cultists were chased away.

    He said both students of both schools have always been engaging in fight.

    Agbale said security would be beefed up in the area and that plans were on to merge both schools as one.

    The Commissioner said the schools would not be shut down due to the attack.

  • Fake news: Edo distances self from error-ridden document

    The Edo State Government has advised the public to disregard the error-ridden statement on minor changes in the calendar of the 2018/2019 academic session, said to have emanated from the Ministry of Education, noting that the error-ridden document, which is making the rounds on social media is the handiwork of mischief makers, and not the approved document earlier released by the ministry.

    In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Education, Hon. (Barr.) Emmanuel Agbale, the state government said that though the ministry made an announcement regarding the minor changes in the calendar of the 2018/2019 academic session, “the version being circulated on social media is different from the one issued by the Ministry of Education.”

    According to him, “Our attention has been drawn to an error-laden announcement supposedly emanating from Edo State Ministry of Education on social media. Our initial reaction was to ignore it and not dignify the author with a response. It has however become expedient that we respond and set the records straight with facts.

    “We want to state clearly that while it is true that the Ministry did make an announcement as regards minor changes in the calendar of the 2018/2019 academic session, the version being circulated on social media is different from the one issued by the Ministry.

    “This obviously is the work of mischief makers bent on rubbishing the image of the Ministry and this administration’s huge investment in the education sector which has made our educational system one of the best in the country.”

    He said that when the fake document being circulated on social media is placed alongside the original copy of the announcement signed by the Honourable Commissioner, the following discrepancies stand out: “The date on the original copy is handwritten while the date on the circulated fake copy is type-written; in line with the official format of writing memos and government announcement, the paragraphs in the original copy are numbered as against the unnumbered paragraphs in the fake copy; there is a discrepancy in the signature in the fake copy and that of the Honourable Commissioner. You can check other documents signed by the Honourable Commissioner to further confirm this.”

    Others are: “The original announcement used a paper with black and white logo of the Ministry while the fake one in circulation used a coloured logo; and there are no errors in the spellings in the original version. ‘Holiday’ and ‘Tuesday’ are well spelt and the sentences are well structured.”

    The commissioner stressed that, “from these, it is obvious that the fake document is the handiwork of mischief makers and enemies of the state, who are disgruntled with the progress being made in the education sector in the State.”

  • Obaseki tasks secondary school teachers on ICT-oriented teaching method

    Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has charged teachers in secondary schools in the state to embrace his administration’s reforms in the education sector designed to leapfrog them into the Information and Communication Technology ecosystem.

    Obaseki gave the charge in Benin City at the official flag-off ceremony of a 3-month Information Communication Technology (ICT) training organised for public secondary school teachers by the Post-primary Education Board (PPEB) in collaboration with Azeessworld Technology Ltd.

    The governor who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Emmanuel Agbale, stressed that “the Edo State government will continue to develop the competence and capacity of public-school teachers in the state through training and retraining so as to better position them for the discharge of their duties.”

    He maintained that teachers at all levels in the state remain the primary concern of his administration, and assured that “all policies being implemented in the education sector are designed for the benefit of the students as well as teachers, who are drivers of the ongoing reforms.”

    “This government believes in developing our teachers. We believe that the Edo teacher is the best anywhere in the world and we will continue to train and retrain them on best teaching practises,” he assured.

    Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Post-primary Education Board (PPEB), Rt. Hon. Gabriel Oiboh, said “the three months training will help bridge the gap between teachers trained in an era when ICT was not available and their students born in the digital era driven by ICT.”

    He emphasised that the training aligns with the scientific approach of the current administration to governance, as demonstrated by its adoption of ICT-driven reforms especially in the education sector.

    Hon. Oiboh noted that the training will not only help them to easily comprehend the language of their students via ICT innovations like Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and others, but would also assist them in preparing their reports and capturing the data of their students.

    He commended the governor for his passion for result-oriented reforms in the education sector, noting that 500 teachers and over 130,000 students of public schools were earlier trained on coding at the ICT centre.

    According to the Post-Primary Education Board, “all public secondary school teachers in the state are expected to benefit from the three months ICT training scheduled to hold from 3pm-6pm daily.”

    In his goodwill message, the representative of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, (ANCOPSS), Comrade Evbayayiro Taye, commended the governor and the board Chairman for their passion for education reforms that have transformed the sector and equipped the Edo teacher to be abreast of best practice in the teaching profession.

  • Examination malpractice: Edo suspends principals of 28 public schools

    The Edo State Government has suspended 28 principals of public senior secondary schools over their involvement in examination malpractice in the 2018 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    Commissioner for Education, Hon. Emmanuel Agbale, in a memo to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Edo State, said the decision to suspend the affected principals followed the receipt of “report of investigations on the issue, carried out and decision reached by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) cancelling the results of affected candidates, and recognizing the schools for a period of two years, with effect from the WASSCE for school candidates, 2019.”

    For private schools, Hon. Agbale ordered that a query be sent to 28 private secondary schools to explain in 72 hours, why they should not be deregistered/de-recognised for involvement in examination malpractice in the 2018 WASSCE.

    He said this was after receipt of the report of the issue and a decision reached by WAEC to cancel results of the affected candidates in the 2018 WASSCE and derecognising the schools for a period of two years, with effect from the WASSCE for school candidates, 2019.

    He directed that a strong warning and reprimand in writing be issued to proprietors of affected private secondary schools for complicity in examination malpractice in their respective schools/ institutions in the WASSCE for school candidates.

    The commissioner said that seven other principals of public senior secondary schools in the state were warned and reprimanded for complicity in examination malpractice in their schools in the 2018 WASSCE for School Candidates. A total of 16 private and secondary schools got warning letters for complicity in examination malpractice.

    On the suspended principals, he said they will “remain suspended as principals pending their arraignment before the Teachers Disciplinary Committee to determine their culpability.”

    The public secondary schools whose principals were suspended include Ikpeshi Grammar School, Ikpeshi, Edo State (Centre: 4130101); Evboesi Mixed Secondary School, Evbeosi, Edo State (Centre: 4131303); Obanosa Secondary School, Evbuobanosa, Edo State (Centre: 4131306), Igbanke Grammar School, Igbanke, Edo State (Centre: 4131307); Iru Grammar School, Iru, Edo State (Centre: 4131323); Osasinmwin-Oba Secondary School, Osasinmwin-Oba, Edo State (Centre: 4131716); Government Science and Technical College, Benin, Edo State (Centre: 4132063) and Ojirami Mixed Secondary School, Ojirami, Edo State (Centre: 4130111).

    Others are Dagbala Secondary School, Dagbala, Edo State (Centre: 4130134); Uma Secondary Commercial School, Imoga, Edo State (Centre: 4130105); Asoro Grammar School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4130210); Opoji Secondary Commercial School, Okhore-Opoji, Edo State (Centre: 4130301); and Afuda Secondary School, Afuda-Irrua, Edo State (Centre: 4139324).

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    More public schools, whose principals were affected include Anegbette Secondary School, Anegbette, Edo State (Centre: 4130704); Oguola College, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131107); Urhokuosa Mixed Secondary School, Urhokuosa, Edo State (Centre: 4131820); Egbede Community Grammar, Uvbe, Edo State (Centre: 4131816); Obadan Mixed Secondary School, Obadan, Edo State (Centre: 4131814); Ugiamwen Secondary School, Ugiamwen, Edo State (Centre: 4131813); Umagbae Grammar School, Adumagbae, Edo State (Centre: 4131803); Ikpiti Grammar School, Gelegele, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131748); Ugbine Secondary School, Ugbine, Edo State (Centre: 4131708) and Uzebba Grammar School, Uzebba, Edo State (Centre: 4131509).

    Others are Ozalla Secondary Commercial School, Ozalla, Edo State (4131503); Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongida-Ora, Edo State (Centre: 4131502); Esigie Comprehensive College, Abudu, Edo State (Centre: 4131344); Oza Grammar School, Oza, Edo State (Centre: 4131310); and New Era College, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131213).

    The public school principals who were issued strict warning include Ore-Nolomi Secondary School, Iguosodin, Nebudin, Edo State (Centre: 4131707); Mixed Secondary School, Ugboko Numagbae, Edo State (Centre: 4131305) and Osomhe Secondary School, Osomhegbe-Ekperi, Edo State (Centre: 4130713).

    Others are Iruekpen Grammar School, Iruekpen, Edo State (Centre: 4130614); Ujoelen Grammar School, Ekpoma, Edo State (Centre: 4130606); Akugbe Secondary School, Emuhi-Ekpoma, Edo State (Centre: 4130603); and Uhiele Grammar School, Ekpoma, Edo State (Centre: 4130602).

    Agbale said that private schools whose managements were queried are Federal Staff Business College, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4130272); Zenith Model Education Centre, Igbogiri, Edo State (Centre: 4131830); Hizbullah Secondary School, Auchi, Edo State (Centre: 4130961);   Calvary Secondary School, Ekpon, Edo State (Centre: 4131016); Gracious Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131138); Eden City College, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131147) and  Lilmak Secondary, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131268).

    Others are Jobamoh Uni. Secondary School, Itsukwi, Edo State (Centre: 4130825); Jubilee Academy Secondary School, Isihor, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131733); Gabmay Secondary School, Benin, Edo State (Centre: 4130239); Ultimate College, Benin, Edo State (Centre: 4130236); Gentry National High School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4130270); Excel Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131124); Oman Christian Academy, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131193) and Ceta International Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131240).

    The other private schools that received queries include God’s Favour Secondary School, Abudu, Edo State (Centre: 4131341); Oje Reliance Secondary School, Avbiosi, Edo State (Centre: 4131512); Highers Wisdom Academy, Igue-Iheya Qtrs, Isior, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131736); Leaders College, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131743); and Mcmidas Comprehensive School, Isiohor, Benin City Edo State (Centre: 4131753).

    Others are Paulson Foundation Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131824); Rising Hope Academy, Ugbor, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4133025); Ralph Education Centre Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4132042); Powerline Academy, Uselu, Benin City, Edo State (4132025); Christ The Winners Schools, Benin-Auchi Road, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131827); Ogunbor Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4131112); God’s Grace Educational Centre, Evboriaria, Edo State (Centre: 4132932); and Winners Foundation Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4133001).

    The private secondary schools whose management were warned are Zanna Royal Academy, Ekpoma, Edo State (Centre: 4130617); Simbridge College, Benin, Edo State (Centre: 4130268); St. Mathias Group of School, Ewohimi, Edo State (Centre: 4130536); Napoly Secondary, Ihievbe-Ogben, Edo State (Centre: 4131417); Imperial College, Benin, Edo State (Centre: 4131244); Excellent Education Centre, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4132057); Enina Secondary School, Ogida Quarters, Benin, Edo State (Centre: 4132066); Royal City College, Benin, Edo State (Centre: 4131293); and Oxonian Grand Academy, Benin City, Edo State (Centre: 4132040).

  • Edo, WAEC train teachers to improve learning outcomes

    The Edo State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Emmanuel Agbale, has said that the Governor Godwin Obaseki led-administration will continue to focus on improving the capacity of teachers in the state, to improve their competence.

    The commissioner disclosed this while declaring open a three-day seminar themed: “The 21st Century Teacher and Pedagogical Shift in Basic and Secondary Education,” which was held across the three senatorial districts of the state and organised by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).

    Agbale charged the participants to demonstrate commitment to the training as it was geared towards equipping them with up-to-date knowledge, adding that participants stand to gain tremendously from the event.

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    In his presentation, Prof. Francisca Aladejana of the Institute of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, said the essence of the training was to ensure improved students’ performance in schools.

    Aladejana urged the participants to share their knowledge and experience with their colleagues in their respective schools after the training, to extend the gains to more teachers.

    She further said that factors such as the home front, peer influence, environment, facilities in schools, teacher factor in the classroom, could affect the overall performance of children in schools.

  • Edo intensifies promotion of local languages

    …concludes summer school for 100 children

     

    As part of efforts to promote and preserve the identity and heritage of the Edo people, the Edo State Government has deployed 253 teachers to teach Edo languages in schools across the state.

    Commissioner for Education, Hon. (Barr) Emmanuel Agbale, disclosed this during the closing ceremony of the first Summer School on Edo Language for children organised by the Benin Cultural Heritage Centre.

    He assured the President and members of the Benin Cultural Heritage Centre of the ministry’s commitment in ensuring knowledge of local languages by Edo children.

    Read Also: Abducted Edo APC chieftain released

    He said the centre’s willingness to partner with the state in ensuring the continuity of Edo languages is laudable and expressed appreciation for the feat achieved in the provision of free language lessons for Edo children.

    He further mentioned that as part of steps taken to actualize the objective, the state government has trained 253 in-service teachers and posted them to schools across the state.

    In his address, the President of the Benin Cultural Heritage Centre, Edi Ighile said the centre successfully trained over 100 children in speaking, writing, teaching of history, culture and conversation in Edo language.

    He also said that in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the programme will be an annual event and assured that future programmes will be done in more locations.