The Nation Newspaper

Tag: LAGOS SUBEB

  • Education: UBEB chief assures Lagosians of new dawn

    Education, they say, is the only legacy that safeguards the future of children across socio-economic, ethnic and religious lines.

    This was the position of the sector’s stakeholders in Lagos State who gathered at NECA House, Ikeja, during the formal presentation of the Report of Monitoring Implementation of the years 2016 and 2017 Lagos SUBEB Action Plan in nine local government areas.

    Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin, stated that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration has committed to taking education in the centre of excellence to an enviable height.

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    He applauded Human Development Initiative (HDI), the non-governmental organisation that accomplished the study for a job well done.

    The SUBEB chief advocated nationwide disgrace as a penalty for contractors find culpable of inflating project cost or using substandard materials.

    In her own comment, the Executive Director of HDI, Funsho Owasanoye, stated that education sector in Nigeria will surmount its challenges when Nigerian government prioritises and commits more resources to education.

  • SUBEB secretary, parents praise placement test

    The Board Secretary, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Foluso Ajimoti and some parents of pupils who sat for the Unified Examination for admission into secondary schools across the State have praised its organisers for a hitch-free examination.

    Mrs Ajimoti  said the smooth conduct showed that the State Government made adequate preparations for the examination.

    Ajimoti who addressed journalists after a tour of some of the examination centres in Mainland, Somolu and Kosofe areas said that the huge number of pupils who sat for this year’s edition of the annual examination shows the wide acceptability of government-owned schools.

    She disclosed that 160,000 primary six pupils from both public and private schools sat for the examination in 348 examination centres across the six Education Districts in all the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas of the State.

    According to her, the state government also made special provision for physically challenged pupils.

    “Going by my assessment of the schools visited thus far, it is evident that the pupils were well attended to in a conducive examination environment, there were enough examination papers and this is an improvement on what we have experienced in the past,” the Board Secretary stated.

  • Lagos SUBEB to education secretaries: be diligent

    Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Chairman, Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin has told Education Secretaries to be diligent in running their Local Government Education Authorities (LGEA).

    Speaking at a meeting with the 20 Education Secretaries at the Lagos SUBEB headquarters in Maryland, Sopeyin said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu desired progress in the sector. He said the governor and his deputy, Dr Olufemi Hamzat, had been visiting schools to ensure repairs of facilities.

    Sopeyin said in an interview after the meeting: “The Governor (and the deputy governor) since he assumed duty has shown a lot of passion for education – particularly in the area of provision of infrastructure for children in our schools – also to ensure that things go on as expected in schools. We have no choice than take a cue from his feelings, it is a riot act to Education Secretaries to do what is expected of them as managers of education in their various LGEAs to go back to hold meetings with various staff, let them know what is expected of them towards promoting basic education in Lagos State.”

    The SUBEB chair said the Education Secretaries were reminded of laws governing the regulation of education in the state, and urged them to ensure they were kept.

    “We discussed zero tolerance to illegal fee collection; keeping adequate sets of records;                      and submission of data on time anytime data is required as a matter of urgency,” he said.

    He added that the Education Secretaries have been told to direct schools under them to beautify setbacks around their fences to check use of the spaces by criminals; check excesses of teaching and non-teaching staff on discipline in schools, saying some workers beat children excessively; and address problem of insecurity.

    Regarding improving infrastructural facilities in schools, Sopeyin told The Nation that the government would soon carry out repairs, starting with schools where there are urgent needs.

    “The governor and deputy governor have been going round to have first-hand information on the situation of schools, especially with the infrastructure. He is working assiduously that after the long holidays. I believe the projects will cut across the state,” he said.

    Asked what government plans to address the shortfall of teachers in the state, Sopeyin said the board was gathering data to know where teachers are needed.

    “First we need to gather data of teacher population in our primary schools. We want to see whether we have them more than necessary in some areas. When we have been able to get this data, we will make appropriate recommendations to His excellency. We have started gathering the data,” he said.

    Sopeyin also spoke of an upcoming under-13 football competition for primary and junior secondary school pupils in the 20 LGEAs.  He said a committee had been put in place to organise the competition which would help discover talents in the sports who can be groomed for national duty in future.

  • Lagos SUBEB chair sponsors cancer screening

    The Onigbongbo Health Centre was transformed into a classroom of sorts last Saturday for a cancer screening sponsored by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Chairman, Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin.

    Dr Femi Olaleye of the Optimal Cancer Care Foundation took residents of the Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) on an awareness talk on breast, cervical and prostate cancers before screening all participants for same.

    Sopeyin had made provision for the screening of 300 residents of the council aged 40 and above.

    The women were taught how to do self-breast examination, while the men learnt the warning signs of prostate especially difficulty emptying the bladder.

    Olaleye underscored the importance of early detection and treatment to overcoming the cancer scourge. He said breast and cervical cancers were the two most prevalent killers of women in Nigeria, adding that one of 10 women screened for cervical cancer are found to test positive to the human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer.

    To avoid a lifetime of suffering, Olaleye counseled the participants to go for regular checks and start treatment early once cancer is detected.

    “Cancer can affect various parts of the body. Cancer occurs when dead cells fail to leave the body.

    “Cancer starts small – as small as groundnut. It then grows to size of TomTom candy, then golf ball size; then mango, then it becomes an open wound.

    “Learn to do self-breast examination. Check your nipple for the discharge Do it monthly after your period.

    “We should work towards prevention of cancer. Add fruits and vegetables to your diet and exercise regularly. Smoking is not good for you,” he said.

    Were they to pay for the screening, Olaleye said the breast/cervical checks could have cost N5,000 each, while the men would have paid N10,000 for the prostate check.

    Chairman of the occasion and member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Tunde Buraimoh, praised Sopeyin for initiative.

    “What he has done doesn’t come cheap. Screening for cancer is very expensive. If we have public spirited individuals who have endowed such screening, we should be grateful.

    “What Dr Sopeyin has done today is a hallmark of exemplary leadership. It should be commended. He thought it fit that he should give back to the community he came out of,” he said.

    Regent of Onigbongbo Alhaji Takudeen Irawo, said he was glad to have attended as he had some of the symptoms Olaleye spoke about.

    “I thank Dr Sopeyin for this initiative. This is because what the doctor talked about is affecting me. Now that I have learnt about this, it is indeed important. What you don’t know can kill you. I thank Governor Ambode for putting the right person in the right hole who knows the needs of the people,” he said.

    Chairman of Onigbongbo LCDA, Mr Babatunde Okeowo, said the screening would be replicated in all six wards of the council.  He thanked Sopeyin for reducing the burden of the government.

    “We wanted to do this in all six wards of the LCDA. But the bill they gave us was too high. That is why I was happy when Dr Sopeyin came up with this programme,” he said.

    Dr Sopeyin in his speech said the wellbeing of the populace mattered for them to exercise their constitutional rights to vote for a performing Governor like Akinwunmi Ambode.

    “His Excellency’s performance has given us the needed tonic to ask him for a second term so that he can indeed take us to the promised land. We cannot do this without being healthy that is why I have personally taken up the challenge of making us fit as a fiddle,” he said.

  • Lagos SUBEB trains Registry staff

    The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has organised a three-day training for its workers in the Registry of its Local Government Education Areas (LGEA)

    Speaking at his first official assignment, the Executive Director, SUBEB, Mr Ganiyu Sopeyin, who was inaugurated on November 2, said the workshop intended to “improve the skills and competences of the registry staff, upgrading them for better performances, strengthening them to discover hidden talents and refining them for creative work.”

    He said the key role of the registry, which is to keep and receive policies, confidential and staff files on the organisation’s behalf, made the training necessary .

    Sopeyin said the commission would priortise the exercise to make trainees more professional in their tasks. He advised participants to update their knowledge so as to remain relevant in the service. He also advised them to be attentive to facilitators so that they can replicate all that they have learnt.

    Meanwhile, the trainees were taught how to be aware of their responsibilities to the organisation; effective record keeping in public institution; how to be aware of career opportunities available to registry staff, as well as to differentiate between documents and records and know the stage at which the former transforms to the latter among others.

     

  • Lagos SUBEB honors 500 septuagenarian retirees

    The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has honoured 500 septuagenarians for meritoriously serving the state while in active service. The retirees were chosen from across the 20 local government education authorities.

    The retirees who served the state meritoriously before leaving service were presented with bags filled with welfare packages such as clothes and provisions.

    Speaking at the ceremony which held at the SUBEB multipurpose hall, Maryland, the chairman, Lagos SUBEB, Mrs Abosede Adelaja congratulated the celebrators who were honoured by the Lagos State Government. She said the gesture is an avenue to support them as they age gracefully and to cherish their immense contribution to the state.

    “This welfare package is to show gratitude and support them in their old age. It is to cherish their immense contributions to the development of the state during their active service years,” Adelaja said.

    Adelaja implored civil servants who are still in active service to show devotion and be truthful to themselves and God.

    She added that the event, which was seventh in its series since 2009, has continued so as to show government’s unreserved commitment, care and compassion for the aged above 70.

    One of the beneficiaries, Pastor Femi Obanla, who was once the sport officer for Alimosho local government, charged the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode to concentrate on policies that have been forgotten such as sourcing for young but talented youths so that they can be encouraged and trained.

    “I am very grateful for this kind gesture that has been extended to us but I want our governor to focus more on the youths. You know we have young pupils who are talented but they have not been given opportunities to showcase their talents,” Obanla said.

    Another beneficiary, Mrs Caroline Aniunoh, who retired 2005 as a head teacher in Anglican Primary School, Apapa, said she was amazed that they could be remembered years after they signed off from service.

    “I am quite amazed and indeed very happy to be honoured in this manner. I give glory to God and thank the Lagos State government,” Aniunoh said.