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Tag: exams

  • Exams at OAU despite ASUU strike

    Despite the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, the second semester examination for the 2017/2018 session has begun at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State. Students are complaining of being tested on courses they were hardly taught. The school, backed by the rival Congress of Nigeria University Academics (CONUA), are insisting on the exams, reports FAROMBI OLUWASEUN.

    The Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, is conducting examinations for its students despite the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

    The university commenced the second semester examination for the 2017/2018 session began on Monday – 71 days after the ASUU strike  started.

    However, some departments at OAU are carrying on with academic activities because their lecturers have renounced ASUU membership.

    A parallel union, the Congress of Nigeria University Academics (CONUA), was born in OAU last March after lecturers broke away from ASUU following some disagreements.  They claim the industrial action is not binding on them.

    While lecturers loyal to ASUU have not been working, their CONUA counterparts have been attending classes.  This has caused confusion among students who are now sitting for examinations in courses for which they were not well prepared.

    A 400-Level Law student, who pleaded anonymity, said since the beginning of the semester, they only had an introductory class for a maritime law course he offered as most of his lecturers belonged to ASUU. He said students did not even have an outline for the course.

    “I was shocked when the examination date for the course was fixed, which was released less than 48-hours to the exam day,” he said.

    Another student, Dauda Nahimot, studying Botany, lamented that there was not enough time to study before the examinations were fixed, despite not having regular classes.

    She said: “We should be given at least two weeks extension to cover up what we missed.  Even two weeks won’t be enough; we cannot cover up for the practicals anymore. We missed more than five weeks of practicals which span three hours every week.”

    Another student, simply called Tayo, faulted the organisation of examinations despite regular classes noy taking place.

    “I am in my final year at Electrical and Electronics Department and we did not have the minimum of 12 weeks teaching and one compulsory lecture free week before we can proceed to examination as provided in the university regulations. The management should not in the name of stable calendar jeopardize the lives of students.

    “Some departments have fixed lectures for Saturday and Sunday. Yet, students are expected to be in the examination hall the next day,” he said.

    Chairman, CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, said the group was not on strike and would continue running the day-to-day activities in the school.

    “We cannot generally be part of what we are not privy to. We were not taken into consideration; we were not approached on the issue. So, we can’t be part of the strike. Our members still respect statutory duties,” he said.

    CONUA Secretary, Henri Oripeloye, added:  “We are bound by the university rules. So if the university says exams will hold, so shall it be.”

    Commenting on the allocation of some ASUU lecturers’ courses to CONUA lecturers, he said there was nothing wrong with it, so far it is the decision of the management.

     

    ASUU OAU: exams null and void

    ASUU on its part has declared the ongoing examination invalid.

    The union called the attention of both parents and students to the criteria for conducting examinations.

    In a statement signed by its chairman, Adeola Egbedokun, and the general secretary, Kayode Atilade, the union faulted the decision of the school management to coerce students to sit for examination in courses where the required minimum of 75 per cent attendance as stipulated in the school regulations had not been reached.

    The release further stated that the school was operating against the university regulations by organising examination after barely five weeks of lectures instead of 12 followed by a lecture-free week, and two weeks for examinations, making a total of 15 weeks for the semester.

    “The current rain semester of 2017/2018 session commenced 2nd October 2018 while ASUU strike commenced on the 4th of November.

    “Consequently the semester was barely five weeks at the time lectures stopped, with the implication that courses have not been fully taught,” ASUU said.

    The union described as illegal, the reallocation of courses by the management to lecturers with low expertise, stating that courses were allocated based on lecturers’ areas of specialization and experience.

    The union said the Vice Chancellor, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, as well as the Deans and Head of departments should be accountable for the implications of this action.

     

    OAU Students’ Union Action Committee Petitions NUC

    The Action Committee of OAU Students’ Union has petitioned the National Universities Commission (NUC) as regards the conduct of examinations, which has been kicked against by some students.

    The Action Committee was set up after the suspension of the students’ union activities and its executives in 2017.

    The petition, released by the committee and signed by the pro-tem chairman, Gbenga Oloniniran Von, said: “We wish to clearly state that upon resumption of the 2017/18 Rain semester in the university on the 2nd of October, lectures barely began at various faculties and departments until the third week of resumption.

    “Since the commencement of lectures in the semester, by the virtue of the ongoing nationwide industrial action of the Academic staff union of universities, ASUU, certain courses in various departments, particularly in the departments of Botany, Zoology, English, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Agriculture, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Geography, Arts and Social Sciences Education, Facility of Administration (Departments of International Relations, Public Administration, Local Government Studies), just to mention a few, have not held a single class till this moment for some of their courses.

    “It became a shock to students upon realization that these same courses which lectures have not held, have equally been included in the examination timetable.

    “This development is out rightly contrary to the university regulation guiding the conduct of examinations and the qualifications of students to sit for it. According to the regulation of Obafemi Awolowo University, a semester requires about 12 weeks of lectures and a lecture free week before examinations.

    “Contrary to this, in this semester, some lectures have barely held for more than five weeks. Seventy five percent of students attendance is also required before students are qualified to sit for examinations, this has not been the case for this semester.”

    NUC was also briefed on how the lecture-free week has also been filled with classes and the steps that have been taken to communicate the danger of the decision to the management.

    The committee also made recommendations to the NUC as regards this issue and the educational sector.

    “In lieu of this, we use this medium to call the attention of the National Universities Commission, as a responsible body and arm of the government, to immediately probe this academic irregularity that is ongoing in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife before situations get out of hand.

    “We wish to also use this means to state that the NUC should not just stop at conducting accreditations exercise in universities, but should always table the reports with adequate recommendations to the responsible quarters of the government for swift intervention to save public education from emptiness and total ruin that is fast encroaching them.”

     

    OAU insists on exams

    Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation university Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that the management is undaunted by the threats of the lecturers and that the examination would hold as scheduled.

    “Some lecturers from the CONUA have been working while some of the ASUU counterparts have refused to attend classes. It is not possible for us to boycott exams because some lecturers have decided not to go to class,” Olarewaju said.

    Speaking on ‘illegal’ reallocation of some courses to other lecturers who have no expertise in them as alleged by ASUU, Olarewaju said that the ASUU lecturers had decided to withdraw their services and the management sought for alternatives.

    Giving an analogy of a driver that has refused to drive a car, he said; “the fact that one is not driving a car does not stop others from driving it. Let them see if the car will not move.”

    Olarewaju, who described the ASUU members as ‘being threatened’ also condemned the instruction of boycotting examination given, saying the union is not authorised to declare such in the university.

    Also, in a statement, the university Public relations officer said the university was behind in the academic calendar and yet to complete the 2017/2018 academic session when some others had started the 2018/2019 academic session.

    He said: “A rebranded OAU that will no longer graduate students with many extra years, who have never failed any course but simply suffered the misfortune of incessant strikes.

    “OAU is running a Senate approved calendar and this cannot be jettisoned based on the whims and caprices of a very insignificant number of academic staff.

    “As of today in 2019, OAU is still in the 2017/2018 academic session and yet to commence the 2018/2019 session not to talk of the 2019/2020 session which should be the ideal.

    “Our esteemed parents, guardians and other stakeholders should please note that it is no longer the intention of OAU to cancel academic sessions as had been in the practice in the past.

    “The University authorities will like to implore ASUU to join this progressive movement and think of a proper and better way of resolving differences other than truncating the academic progress and future career of hardworking students.”

    Also, the university management through the Dean Of Students Affairs, Prof Aransi reminded the students that the rules and regulations guiding examinations remained sacrosanct.

    “The University regulation stipulates that failure to sit for any examination in any course for which a student has registered for attracts a score of OF (Zero-/F).”

    Prof. Isiaka Aransi further assured students that adequate measures had been put in place by the university management to ensure a peaceful conduct of the Examination.

  • Fear of exams grips OAU students

    Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile Ife have expressed fears over the exams date for the rain semester of the 2017/2018 academic session.

    They told our correspondent the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike will impact negatively on the examinations slated for January 14, 2019.

    In separate interviews, they appealed to the institution’s authorities to postpone the exams to give enable the lecturers prepare them for the exams.

    The students complained the strike has not enabled lecturers to cover many grounds or allowed them to prepare well.

    An OAU student Ilara John said: “For over 5weeks that the strike has been commenced, I have never had any lectures.

    “All our lecturers are part of ASUU and they have not been coming to classes at all.

    “I am afraid as I don’t even know maybe we would do exam or not because I don’t even understand the materials given to us before the commencement of the strike.

    “I have just been staying in my hostel, without going for any classes.”

    Another student Ayanfe Temiloluwa said: “This ASUU Strike has caused a lot of harm.  I have just been sitting at home not going for any classes.

    “I am almost forgetting everything we have been taught.  How are we going to do exams for the classes we have not been going?

    “How does the school wants us to pass when we don’t have anybody teaching us?”

    “I implore that the school management should do something about this and that the Federal Government should heed to the call of Academics Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and give them what they demand so that we can have better educational system.”

    Adejare Oluwatobiloba said: ” The ASUU strike here has not been that effective due to non- compliance of some lecturers.

    “Nevertheless, students have been thrown in a state of dilemma as to whether the rain semester academic calendar will be extended”

    “Academic activities in some departments especially some science related course have been on hold right from the beginning of the strike while in other departments, the strike has been partial.

    “The truth is that students have been at the receiving end of strike. The management should therefore consider us students by extending the school calendar.”

    OAU vice chancellor however maintained the exams will hold as scheduled on Jan, 14 2019, insisting the academic calendar will not be extended.

    He said: “We have had several senate meetings and it has been going on well.

    “We have ordered our lecturers who want the progress of the academic calendar to take up the courses been taken by the ASUU members.

    “There is nothing like shifting the academic calendar. They are rumours.”

     

     

  • 150 federal deputy directors fail promotion exams

    150 federal deputy directors fail promotion exams

    No fewer than 150 federal civil service deputy directors, who sat for promotion examinations, failed the test, it was learnt yesterday.

    Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita broke the news at a quarterly meeting with organised labour, conducted by her office in Abuja, on Wednesday.

    Mrs. Oyo-Ita also announced that a court injunction on the promotion of the 2014 batch of directors in the administration cadre of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies has finally been lifted.

    She said the lifting of the injunction would enable the civil service administrative positions, which were filled by officers in acting capacity, to be filled by substantive directors.

    “I am particularly delighted to inform you that the issue of promotion for the 2014 batch of directors in the Administration Cadre has been finally resolved.

    “The lifting of the court injunction on this issue also led to the conduct of examinations for 2015 – 2017 batch of directors in the same cadre.

    “Over 290 Deputy Directors sat for the examination out of which only about 140 were successful. I am certain that going forward, the civil service will ventilate itself and officers will be rewarded for hard work.

    “With this, we now have a solution to the issue of dearth of Directors of Administration in MDAs. Departments, which were hitherto manned by officers in acting capacity, would now be manned by substantive directors,” she said.

    Mrs. Oyo-Ita also addressed the issues of service delivery and a conducive working environment for staff.

    “The issue of a conducive working environment for staff that has been raised by organised labour is very dear to my heart.

    “To achieve this, I have set up a committee on office allocation and expansion with a focus on maintenance, rehabilitation and expansion of office allocations to MDAs,” Mrs. Oyo-Ita said.

  • JAMB assures of smooth conduct of exams, transparent admission

    JAMB assures of smooth conduct of exams, transparent admission

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has promised to build on the successes it recorded last year by conducting a better and hitch-free examination this year.

    The agency’s Head of Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    He also said the board would ensure a transparent admission process in 2018 as it did in 2017.

    He commended relevant stakeholders who assisted the board in the smooth conduct of its examinations and activities in 2017.

    The statement reads: “In 2017 the Board conducted one of the most transparent, inclusive, acceptable examination with the least incidence of malpractice and malfeasance.

    “The entire progress made in 2017 will be sustained and made better in the 2018 and beyond. One of the greatest celebrated innovation in the 2017 is the democratization of admission by the introduction of CAPS.

    “In 2018, we hope to surpass our achievements in 2017. This means that we shall conduct a better examination, more transparent admission and make more remittance to government.

    “We will continue to do everything possible to support the drive of this administration towards excellence from our end.”

    He advised candidates hoping to write this year’s unified tertiary matriculations examination (UTME) to register on time.

    “As we prepare for the 2018 examination beginning with the optional mock in January, we urge candidates to ensure that the register on time, make informed choices of institutions, disciplines and examination towns.

    “They are to note that their first choice can be a College of Education, a University, an innovation Enterprise Institution, a Polytechnic/Monotechnic, the Nigerian Defence Academy or the Police Academy. These choices are at the discretion of the candidates,” the statement added.

  • We may reduce duration of exams, says registrar

    We may reduce duration of exams, says registrar

    •300,000 to sit for mock exams on April 8

    Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB) Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede has said the agency may reduce the timeline for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) from three hours to two hours.

    He said the question papers would be uploaded five minutes to the examinations to check malpractice.

    The registrar, however, confirmed that about 300,000 candidates may sit for the mock UTME examinations on April 8, which will be used to test-run its new technology to make its examinations easier for students.

    Oloyede unfolded the plans at a Strategic Planning retreat on Supervision and Evaluation of 2017 UTME examinations.

    He said: “As for the 2017 UTME, it is likely we reduce the duration of the examinations. We are looking at two hours for the examinations instead of the present three-hour timeline. This is in line with international best practices.

    “As for the candidates, for their age, the maximum time they can sit for examinations is two hours. Even in terms of international standard, for primary school pupils, the maximum time for examinations is between 45 minutes and one hour.”

    The registrar said the “questions will be uploaded in about five minutes to the examinations” to check any leakage or malpractice.

    He said JAMB has embraced new technology, which will make the UTME comfortable to write by students in privileged environment and those in rural areas.

    He added: “On April 8, we are going to do the rehearsal of the technology through mock UTME, which we are going to conduct.

    “From the general feedback on the adoption of the Computer-Based Test mode, we have noted the challenge of computer low level literacy of some candidates, especially with the phobia for the mouse. This has been responsible partly for the call by some people for reversal to the Paper and Pencil Test mode.

    “To ensure equity and level playground for all candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, the board has designed a system that will allow candidates use only eight (8) keys without the use of the mouse.

    “All the candidates need to do is to press the letters A,B,C,D for responses (answer) to questions and keys 😛 = Previous question; N = Next question; S = Submit responses when candidate has finished examination and  R = Reverse (do not intend to go further to submit again).

    Oloyede, who assure that JAMB will make a change with 2017 UTME, clarified that students awaiting results can sit for the UTME.

    He added: “For the umpteenth time, I would want to use this opportunity to emphasize that awaiting result candidates are eligible to register and sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

    “However, they would not be considered for admission on awaiting result status. The Board urges all candidates desirous of admission to upload their O’ level results on the Board’s portal the moment they receive them and before the commencement of admission exercise as their O’ level results would form a crucial part of their registration requirements.

    “We are determined to make a change with this examination as we are aware of the strategic role our examination plays in deciding the direction of tertiary education in Nigeria. We appeal to you all to give us the required support.”

  • Why many fail Bar exams‘

    Why many fail Bar exams‘

    Why do many students fail the Bar examination at the Nigerian Law School?  Director-General Olanrewaju Onadeko tells Eric Ikhilae how to improve performance and plans to modify the school’s curriculum.

    What is your assessment of the performance of students in this

    year’s Bar examinations?

    The results of the Bar examinations were released last Thursday. There were two examinations. One was held in April. That was the Bar re-sit examinations. The second was Bar examination for the April 2014 set.

    The two results came out the same day. The re-sit students recorded 60.2 percent outright pass, 3.6 percent conditional pass and 36.2 percent were unsuccessful. This is a great improvement from what we had last year.

    What was responsible

    for the improvement?

     

    One factor that we believe had contributed to this improvement was the mandatory eight-week revision course. The Council of Legal Education (CLE) prescribed that every student, willing to undertake the re-sit examination, should come back to school and go through the eight weeks’intensive coaching period.

    That was held between February and April of this year, before their examination. I think the result was because of the intensive training for those who are yet to pass the Bar final examinations after one or more attempts.

     

    What are the details

    of the results?

     

    For the regular students, that is, those who came in April 2014, their performance was 68.5 per cent outright pass, 2.9 per cent conditional pass, with 28.6 percent not making it.

    The total number of those who sat for the examination is 2,852. Of that number, four made First Class, 109 Second Class Upper, 418 came out with Second Class Lower and 1, 422 passed. Eighty-three had conditional pass, while 815 were unsuccessful.

    That is a good result. Put together, a little over 70 percent passed. We are happy for the First Class candidates in particular and other candidates that passed the examinations.

    Their Call-to-Bar will be held here in Abuja from October 20 to 22.  Interestingly, of the four First Class candidates, three are women. So, it appears the women are doing better than the men at the top level. We hope the men will not allow the women to overtake them outrightly in the near future.

     

    What major innovations have you introduced in the training of students since you assumed office as the DG?

     

    Yes, we have put in place several improved mode of training. There is what we called class room solution, which is being put in place for us by the Nigerian Communication Satellite,which is a parastal of the Federal Government, to enable us have total link with our campuses.

    That means, no campus will be deprived of the expertise of the members of the profession, who may come to the school, in a structured manner. We plan to do it to interact with the students. The presentation will be held and the students from all the campuses can be part of it, no matter which of the campuses, irrespective of the campus the programme is being beamed out.

    Now, that is going to be useful for us. Hitherto, some campuses have been at a disadvantage, while others are so lucky. Expectedly, Lagos and Abuja campuses have always had the benefit of the senior members of the profession, either from the Bar or the Bench coming to share ideas with our students.

    Other campuses have not been so lucky. Though they do have their own fair share. Most law firms in Nigeria are located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Hacourt and Kaduna. It is always easier for practitioners and other members of the profession to be in Lagos and Abuja for obvious reasons.

    So, we are bridging that gap now, in which case, all students of the Nigerian Law School will have the same level of exposure to the expertise of these senior members of the profession.

     

    Are there plans to modify

    the school’s curriculum

    as well?

     

    Yes, we are also restructuring our curriculum, to enable the students to benefit more. The important thing is that, we want to ensure that those lawyering skills, which they need to function as legal practioners are transferred to them. This is now being done in a manner that involves them.

    We are going to enhance the internship period, during which they are assigned to law firms and courts to understudy the rudiments of the profession in a manner that can be considered as practical. You will find out that it is useful.

    We are doing it in a more structured manner, with adequate supervision, to be sure that those three months, within their programme here at the Law School, is productive.

    We have, during debriefing exercise, which we conduct after the period of internship, found that there is a disparity in the level of exposure that our students get when they go out.

    For the courts, it is easier to monitor. We must commend our judges; most of them have been very wonderful. They take on the students. They even pause to explain to them what is going on in the courts and they ask them questions at the end of the day. Some even set examinations for them.

    The same goes for law office attachment. We commend the law firms for their input and cooperation.

    We have now decided to engage law firms to know what they expect of our students at the point of leaving the law school. This came about when we realised we are doing what the law wants us to do. We feel we should not cut out the recipients of our products.

    There is a committee in place to engage law firms in Nigeria. They have been divided into three tiers. Specifically, we are looking at the expectations of the law firms about our students after their call to Bar. When we get the information, we will come back to the drawing board to analyse them.

     

    Parents are concerned that their wards do not do well in Bar exams, whereas the same students came tops in their universities’examinations.  Are differences in the mode of learning at the universities and the Law School?

     

    I don’t think there is really any disconnect between the performance of a student in the university and the Bar vocational training stage at the Nigeria Law School.

    Indeed, if you take a look at our top students here, they take a similar pedigree from their universities. And if you go further to their secondary school, you will discover it is a consistent pattern of self-evolution and development in the legal studies.

    In the university, questions are asked in ambivalent manner, they (students) may be given a particular scenario or event and be asked to comment or discuss.

    But here, the questions come in a way to draw your knowledge to solve problems.  You must understand the principles and then, of course, the relevant case law and statutory law to proffer logical answers that will stand you in the good stead.

    So, if you don’t migrate from the ambivalent way of answering question in the university, where you can regurgitate what you are taught in the classroom, it may be difficult. From the regurgitation, the examiner in the university can find some answers relevant to the questions, but here, it is very empirical and the marking scheme is there to guide us. We have a standard marking scheme that is prepared by the examiners. That is what every marking script uses.

    So, if you are off point, or you do not understand what the question is or your response is devoid of the content expected, you are not likely to do well. Here, you must acquire the knowledge. It is not a matter of crash programme or working on past questions.

     

    What other factors, do you think, hinder students’performance here?

    You will see some students, who, rather than reading legal books or literature, go about with past questions and answers. By that, you are already limiting your scope of advancement.

    What this has shown us is that some students decide to rewrite questions; they answer what they have already ingested. You know, when you are dealing with an examination that is empirical in nature, you are going to run into challenges. I think that is one of the reasons that affect the students at that stage.

    The first thing we advise them, when they are coming in, is the difference between the approach in the university and the approach in the Law School. When you comprehend that, the rest will be smooth sailing.

    You must work hard. You cannot shy away from that. You must understand what you are taught, to give solutions to any given problem. Every examination at the Nigerian Law School is akin to a lawyer sitting down with a client and listening to the client’s story and proffering solutions to get relief for the client.

    As much as possible, we ensure that students understand what they should be doing well before examinations.

     

    What is your reaction to the observation in some quarters that the standard of legal educations is falling?

     

    Well, that is correct. We heard commentaries and other suggestions in like manner. I think there is no doubt that, when we look at the past, we are likely to conclude that the standard is falling. I will not contest that totally.

    Whichever way we look at it, the lawyers of today have access to more information and knowledge than those that preceded them for obvious reasons. It easier now to undertake research in Law, materials are available online. You can visit several legal platforms from where you can garner knowledge. And it is so easy; even cases decided in our courts here in Nigeria are available on some of these platforms almost immediately.

    Knowledge has become common place and copious in nature than what it was in my own time. To that extent, and for those who are hardworking, diligent and interested in learning, the horizon is very broad and they have all at their disposal.

     

    Are there challenges that inhibit the school’s effective performance?

     

    There are a lot of challenges. Funding is there; we love to have uniform infrastructure in all our campuses, but that is something we are yet to achieve.Some campuses, especially the younger ones still need to be assisted to come up.

    In the last 12 months, we have had to focus on security in our campuses, especially Yola and Kano campuses. I am happy to tell you that the two campuses are now fully fenced and we have adequate security now.

    We need more infrastructure. Apart from Lagos and Yenagoa, most of our other campuses are not located in the heart of the city. It is a distance to law courts and law firms. We have lost a number of students to road accidents, which we are not happy about.

    So we encourage our students to avoid moving around, except it is necessary. Accommodation in the campuses far away from the city becomes imperative. We need more vehicles for our students. Water supply is another problem. Poor staffing is another issue.

    Our new campuses started without recruitment of new staff and that meant we have to deploy staff in existing campuses. There are manifold issues to discuss in this realm.

     

     

  • JAMB shifts Ikoyi Prisons exams to March 17

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) yesterday shifted the 2015 Computer-Based Test (CBT) for Ikoyi Prisons inmates.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 28 inmates are among candidates scheduled to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 400 centres nationwide.

    Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Public Relations Officer (PRO), told NAN on telephone that the postponement of the test was to ensure effective monitoring.

    He said all logistics to ensure the successful conduct of the examination at the prison had, however, been put in place, adding that it would now hold on March 17.

    Benjamin said reports reaching the board showed that no hitches had been recorded at other centres in Lagos.

    He said over 1.4 million candidates are participating in this year’s examination, which is fully computer-based.

    Deputy Controller of Prisons Ikoyi Prisons, Mr Aliyub Usman, told NAN that the 28 candidates writing the examination were ready to go.

    He said that before the news of the postponement reached the prisons, the candidates were all seated in the hall fully prepared, only to be told that the examination would no longer hold.

    According to him, the inmates are not deterred by the postponement as they are focused and determined to excel.

  • 1,917 civil servants pass directorate exams

    1,917 civil servants pass directorate exams

    A total of 1,917 civil servants passed a directorate level promotion examination recently conducted in the civil service, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Deaconess Joan Ayo has said. Ayo stated this at a press briefing in Abuja where she pointed out that a total of 3, 273 wrote the examination. She said those who passed have already been promoted, stressing that the exercise would be conducted annually to discourage stagnation in the civil service.

    Candidates were drawn from the administrative officers’ pool of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Office of the Accountant General, Auditor General and Surveyor General of the Federation and professionals in other agencies of government as well as state counsels in the ministry of justice.

    The FCSC chairman said Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Nigeria Institute of Management along with proven retired and serving officers served as resource persons to set and mark the “professional questions, while FCSC commissioners set and marked the civil service and current affairs questions.”

    She said to maintain the integrity of the process, strict measures were employed including the introduction of biometric accreditation by the Department of State Security, customised answer sheets, invitation of the police, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps for monitoring.

  • Poor reading culture cause of low performance in exams – Wike

    Poor reading culture cause of low performance in exams – Wike

    Supervising Minister of Education Nyesom Wike on Tuesday in Abuja blamed the poor performance of students in public examinations on poor reading culture.

    Wike said this at the opening of a four-day workshop for English Language teachers in secondary schools in Abuja, organised by the National Action Committee on Read Campaign.

    Represented by Mrs. Bridget Okpa, Director, Education Planning, Research and Development in the ministry, the minister said the Federal Government was worried by the declining standard of education in the country, particularly at basic school levels.

    “The importance of reading among students and teachers to unlocking any form of knowledge and information can never be over-emphasised.

    “As we all know, the falling standard of education in Nigeria has become a topical issue of national dimension.

    “It is in recognition of the importance of reading that the Federal Ministry of Education has accorded the Read Campaign recognition.

    “It is a central place to chart the course of reading and inculcating reading culture among Nigerians,” he said.

    Wike said that government was stepping up its campaign to address poor reading and comprehension competencies among teaching personnel.

    The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr MacJohn Nwaobiala, said that reading was a valuable asset through which national and international development could be attained.

    “Reading is the means by which people gain access to the vast and varied supply of knowledge and experiences that are preserved in written form.

    “It is also an outlet for relaxation and enjoyment.

    “As the saying goes, knowledge is power, and it is through reading good books that one acquires knowledge,’’ he said.

  • NECO seeks support to reposition

    Now that the National Examinations Council (NECO) is not among the parastatals to be scrapped by the Federal Government, stakeholders have recommended ways to reposition the body for greater effectiveness.

    Participants who attended a stakeholders’ forum organised by the council for the Southwest zone in Lagos last Friday suggested that leveraging on technology to ease the conduct of examinations; improving the integrity of the examinations by checking malpractices; involving stakeholders in its quality drive as some of the steps that would help transform the agency into a world-class examining body.

    Leading the call for transformation was Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon Aminu Suleiman who said the Council should aim to add value in line with the theme of the forum tagged: “Repositioning NECO for more effective service delivery: A collective task.”

    He said: “NECO is a national pride of the country with huge nationalistic benefits. I sincerely believe that efforts should be intensified by the government and other stakeholders to reposition the council for optimum performance, because the issue is really not in the number but the value addition and service delivery.”

    Chairman of NECO’s Governing Board, Dr Paddy Njoku, said the forum was organised to seek ways to inject vigour into the council’s activities. He listed some of the council’s challenges with the hope of finding solutions to them.

    “I am gladdened by this unique opportunity to set the ball rolling in our collective quest towards generating solutions to the challenges afflicting the maximum goal attainment of our council. The challenges include: logistic and examination materials supply chain; ICT development; infrastructure and facilities management; human capacity; exam malpractices and fraud; and capital funding,” he said.

    Tackling the theme in his address, the lead paper presenter and Vice-Chancellor, Sokoto State University, Prof Nuhu Yaqub, praised NECO’s achievement since inception, especially in the timely release of results and adequate monitoring of the examination.

    However, he urged the council to be at the vanguard of moral rejuvenation of the society so as to restore the integrity of public examinations.

    “If we do not tackle this most fundamental issue, we may install the best technology to handle our examinations, it is we the morally bankrupt people that will turn around at the next corner to compromise the ideals we set out to achieve,” he said.

    Discussing the topic further, Prof Pai Obanya said when examinations are regarded as a part of the process to determine how much students have learnt, what knowledge gaps they have and how they can be addressed through targeted expenditure and responsive pedagogy, and not just for certification, then passing will not be a do-or-die affair.

    “Exams must die the way we see them in Nigeria. Exam the way it should be is to enrich your system for better performance. It should stimulate you enrich your curriculum, respond to the individual needs of learners, and help target expenditure to areas of needs,” he said.

    Another speaker, Dr Chigbo Okolie, recommended that NECO improves its ICT infrastructure to enable it deploy exam questions online rather than distribute hard copy materials from place to place.

    He added that NECO should explore ways of gaining the loyalty of Nigerian families, perhaps by introducing awards for the best candidates in its Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), instituting clubs for best candidates from each state and giving scholarships to the best in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) that is written by JSS3 pupils for their senior secondary education.

    “NECO needs to do something new, something populist to attract the attention of families. For instance, the council could invite the best candidates to the NECO headquarters in Minna as part of the prize for excelling in the examination,” he said.

    Other participants that made contributions at the event included representatives of the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), All Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), representatives of state ministries of education, and teachers and pupils of select secondary schools.