The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pupil

  • Pupil dies after falling off mango tree in Akure

    THE Senior Prefect of Ijo Mimo High School in Akure, Ondo State capital, died at the weekend after falling from a mango tree within the school premises.

    Sources said the incident was the fourth time a pupil would be falling from the mango tree whenever they are sent by their teachers to pluck mango for them.

    The deceased, identified as Temitayo Oluwole, was said to have been sent by one of his teachers to pluck a mango after a weekend tutorial class for Senior Secondary 3 students.

    One of his classmates said: “We all came for tutorial on Saturday. After the tutorial, one of our teachers asked him to pluck mango. It was while he was on the tree trying to pluck the mango that he fell and died immediately.

    “This is the fourth time a pupil would die after falling from that particular tree in this school; and our teachers don’t hesitate to send us to pluck mango for them despite the danger and our cries that the tree is evil. But we can’t disobey them whenever they send us to climb the tree to pluck mango.”

    A family source said since the incident happened, none of the teachers nor the principal could be reached as they have all gone into hiding, switching off their phones.

    The deceased boy’s father, Bode Adegoke, a cleric, confirmed the son’s death.

    He said: “My son went for tutorial and after the closing hour around 1.30pm, one of his teachers asked him to pluck mango for him. But his leg slipped off the tree and he hit his head on the ground.

    “Temitayo was rushed to Abitoye hospital from there he was referred to the state hospital and again referred to trauma centre, where he died by 6.52pm”.

    The bereaved father appreciated the Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Femi Agagu, for instituting investigation into the incident.

    Agagu, who confirmed the incident, said government was poised to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.

  • 15-year-old pupil wins slot to speak in UK

    A fifteen-year-old girl Nyankaniya Garleya, has emerged the winner of African Young Orators (AYO), a public speaking competition organised by Peat Philip’s Foundation (PPF).

    Garleya, a Senior School 1 (SSI) pupil of Princess Adeja International College, Gboko, Benue State, beat 13 contestants from five states in the second edition of AYO, which  theme was: Nature is a common language.

    She will represent Nigeria at the world  finals of the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC), in May, this year.

    The Taraba State indigene said she was excited that she did not let her school and family down.

    Garleya said she prepared by reading hard for the competition and went for coaching.

    “I knew I was going to win because I prepared hard for the competition. I am preparing harder and still going for coaching because I will be representing my country. I need the support and prayers of all. I will do my best to make Nigeria proud,” she said.

    She urged government to improve education  and create more platforms that will help students showcase their talents to the world.

    “Education should be made more interesting. We all have talents and abilities, and instead of letting them die, we should show it to the whole world,” she said.

    PPF Executive Director, Akin Olu-Philips, said the programme was established to unveil the hidden leadership potentials in youths.

    He said AYO is targeted at students between the ages of 15 and 21 years old in Nigeria, noting that the winner will go on a trip to London to represent Nigeria at the world finals of the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) May this year.

    “AYO, a public speaking competition, is the local version of the IPSC. IPSC is run annually by the English Speaking Union (ESU), a charity registered in the United Kingdom to promote international understanding through the use of English throughout the world.

    “In the course of selecting those that made it to the grand finale, we came across great talents that gave us an assurance that from their tender age, there is no doubt that we have quality minds that will help shape the society from now into the future.

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    We shortlisted from the 13 participants we have today from short video clips sent by the pupils. They will all be given consolation prices and certificate of participation will be given to those who made it to the final stage, while the winner is to represent Nigeria at IPSC,” he said.

    One of the judges, Tunde Alabi, said the programme was to raise good communicators.

    “Leadership is about communication, it is a sacrifice and you have to inspire people and make impacts in them. Many kids speak but are faceless, we are here to out their faces, to imbibe in them good communication skills and make them the future generation of great leaders for the country,” he said.

  • Pupil nabbed with gun

    A 15-year-old Senior Secondary School 2 pupil was yesterday arrested with a locally-made pistol in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    The Nation learnt that the suspect was nabbed during school hours at Akenfa-Epie in Yenagoa.

    It was gathered that the teenager is a pupil of Community Secondary school, Akenfa-Epie.

    He was apprehended while in uniform by indigenes of Akenfa community, led by vigilance group members.

    A source said vigilance group members, who suspected the pupil, accosted and searched him.

    But another source said the boy was nabbed in the classroom after a tip-off by his school mates.

    The suspect has been handed over to the Akenfa Divisional Police Station for investigation.

    Police spokesman Butswat Asinim confirmed the arrest.

    He said investigations showed that robbers last weekend attacked a corps members’ lodge in Angalabiri, Sagbama.

    The hoodlums cut off the left hand of a corps member, Luntis Julius.

    Asinim said the indigenes assisted the police to arrest two suspects linked to the incident.

    He identified them as Mosan Moses Youdougha, 22 and Godswill Vincent, 21.

     

  • I will only return to that school if Buratai is the gateman, says pupil

    I will only return to that school if Buratai is the gateman, says pupil

    The Boko Haram attack on Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, may have created a setback for the efforts to get girls to remain in schools in Yobe State.

    One of the pupils, Faiza Mohammed, said yesterday that she would not return to school except Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai is the gateman.

    The attack on the school has also caused some level of panic across the northern part of Yobe State which witnessed fewer attacks of the insurgents in the last seven years.

    Faiza, who gave a graphic account of the pupils’ experience while avoiding the marauding terrorists, said one of her classmates was bitten by a snake as they tried to escape through the bush in the night; others broke their legs.

    Faiza praised the efforts of “our teachers who tried to keep us together”. “They tried their best to control us not to scatter into the bush but some stubborn students started jumping the fence to run into the bush. There were some of us that hid in nearby houses from the school.”

    She said the Vice Principal (Academics) and the Vice Principal (Admin) were monitoring the movement of the Boko Haram men around the school.

    “I told my mother that I will not go back to that school again, except Buratai is the gateman. But my sister’s daughter told me that my demands are impossible because Gen. Buratai cannot come down to Dapchi to become gateman in my school. What I simply want is for government to provide for us enough security.

    “Because of what my sister said, I will go back but if I see no security, I will just come back and study at home and write my final exams and my JAMB,” Faiza said.

    The state government closed down the school for one week. The Army has launched a search and rescue operation for the missing students.

    Some of the parents have taken to the social media to demand explanation on the missing girls.

    One wrote on his faebook page:

    #Tragedy #Disaster#Trauma #Emergency 

    Where are our Girls?

    Following the attack on Dapchi my hometown by suspected Boko Haram members and their penetration into the Government Girls Science and Technical College in the town on Monday 19/2/2018. A lot of families are left in confusion and trauma of not knowing the whereabout of their daughters and the authorities concerned did not give any genuine  feedback to the people.

    The Authorities insist the  Girls are missing while parents of the Girls and Community members including myself have established that those girls were abducted by the insurgents just as the widely  publicized Chibok Girls.

    I am by this urging the Government at all levels to be sincere with us and let us know and possibly participate in any effort put in place for  finding  the “missing “ girls. To the  media also, your investigative reportage  should not just stop at political wrangling, this  is a time  the  helpless community people need your  services.  

    So far, within Dapchi town alone, nothing is heard of over forty girls and no Authority consoled their families after almost 48hrs. Haba!

  • Pupil gets six strokes of the cane for stealing

    A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, has ordered that an 18-year-old pupil, Victor Obadiah, be given six strokes of the cane for stealing a phone.

    Obadiah, who lives at Kado village, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to a count charge of theft.

    The Judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, gave the order after the convict pleaded guilty, and begged the court to temper justice with mercy.

    He said the court might not be lenient with him  next time.

    The prosecutor, Mrs. Florence Avhioboh, had told the court that the matter was reported by Deyoung Ikpi of Dape village, Abuja, at Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on February 10.

    She said the convict on that day snatched  the complainant’s phone at Angwa Cement bus stop, Abuja, while going home.

    Avhioboh said the convict was chased and caught, while the complainant recovered his phone.

    The prosecutor said during investigation, the convict confessed to the crime.

    She said the offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.

  • 3m pupils enjoying free meal, says Presidency

    3m pupils enjoying free meal, says Presidency

    The Presidency on Sunday said that the Buhari administration is now close to its target of feeding three million primary school children under the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, which is one of the four on-going Social Investment Programmes (SIP).

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, a total of N6,204,912,889 has been paid out to 14 states during the school year ending August 2017.

    He listed the 14 states covered under the School Feeding programme as Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta, Abia, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba and Kaduna.

    He said “So far, a total of 2,827,501 school children are currently benefiting from the School Feeding Programme, which is well on course to achieve the Federal Government’s projection to feed over three million pupils this year.

    “In total, 33,895 cooks have been engaged in the communities where the schools are located across the 14 states.

    “Anambra state received a total of N693,013,300, while a total of 103,742 children have been fed thus far, with 1,009 cooks paid.

    “Enugu state got a total of N 571,877,400 and 108,898 children have been fed so far, with 1,276 cooks paid.

    “In Oyo state, a total of N490,296,800  was released by the FG for the feeding of 107,983 children, with 1.372 cooks engaged.

    “Osun state received a total of N1,000,394,888 for the feeding of 151,438 children. A total of 2,863 cooks were engaged in the state.

    “Similarly, Ogun state received a total of and N1,042,217,400 for the feeding of 231,660 schoolchildren, while a total of 2,205 cooks were paid.

    “For Ebonyi state, a total of N344,633,100 has been released for the feeding of 163,137 pupils so far, with a total of 1,453 cooks paid.

    “In the same vein, Zamfara state received a total of N402,295,600 for the feeding of 107,347 schoolchildren, while 1,127 cooks were engaged.

    “Delta state received a total of N225,896,300 for the feeding of 141,663 pupils. A total of 1,364 cooks were engaged in the state.

    “Abia and Benue states received a total of N128,763,600 and N337,157,800 respectively to feed a total of 61,316 and 240,827 pupils respectively. In Abia state, a total of 750 cooks were engaged, while 3,344 cooks were paid in Benue state.

    “Similarly, Plateau and Bauchi states received a total of N133,187,600 and N214,909,101 for the feeding of a total of 95,134 and 307,013 pupils respectively in the states. Also, 1,418 cooks have so far been engaged in Plateau state, with 3,261 in Bauchi state.

    “For Taraba state, a total of N120,284,500 was paid and 171,835 pupils have thus far been fed, with a total of 2,596 cooks paid.

    “Kaduna state received a total of N499,985,500 while 835,508 pupils have been fed so far. Also, a total of 9,857 cooks were paid under the programme in the state.” he said

    According to him, more states and primary school pupils across the country are expected to benefit from the feeding programme by the time schools reopen next month for a new session.

  • Lassa Fever kills pupil in Jos

    One pupil of the Federal Government College, Langtang, Plateau State, has died of Lassa fever. Two others have been hospitalised.

    Commissioner for Health Kuden Deyin, who confirmed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, said: “Yes, there was an outbreak of Lassa Fever at the Federal Government College, Langtang; it has claimed one life, while two others are in the hospital.”

    According to him, four pupils were rushed from the school clinic to the Jos University Teaching Hospital.

    “The pupils showed symptoms of Lassa Fever and we immediately took their blood samples to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where three tested positive.

    “One of those who tested positive is dead, while the other two are still on admission at JUTH,” he said.

    Deyin said the government had met with the school principal and advised her to halt resumption from the mid-term break.

    The commissioner advised families with children in the school to observe them and report any symptom to JUTH, Plateau Specialist Hospital or the Bingham University Teaching Hospital.

    “Any child, who manifests symptoms of fever and bleeding from any part of the body, should be rushed to any of these hospitals for prompt evaluation,” he added.

  • Education District trains 500 pupils

    Five hundred pupils attending secondary schools under the Lagos State Education District II will resume this month, boasting of new vocational skills, courtesy of the district’s yearly Summer School Vocational Skill Acquisition Programme.

    The programme exposed the pupils to skills in tie and dye, fashion design, hair dressing, cobbling and shoe making, catering, soap making, event and interior decoration, bead making, barbing, make-up and gele tying in three centres in Kosofe, Ikorodu and Somolu.

    Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary of the district Mrs Margaret Solarin, said the programme was the government’s way of showing commitment to raising the bar of education service delivery.

    She therefore, thanked Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, and his Deputy Dr Idiat Adebule, for their commitment to education thus far.

    “The students have more to offer than classroom activities and that is why they are here today to showcase and exhibit the other skillful part of them that will be effective in nation building,” she said.

    Mrs Solarin said the skill acquisition training would help the young ones to be independent, beome employers, contribute financially to their family and achieve all-round education.

    She, however, frowned on after- school hour vocational activities, urging parents to stop such training so their wards can concentrate in school.

    “I am not in support of after school vocational training, because it will derail the attention of the students from meditating on home work.  As a matter of fact their brain might be congested,” he said.

     

  • Honour for pupils in Microsoft competition

    Katherine Eta of The Childville School, Ogudu, Lagos, was the 10th best student in the world in the use of Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 version during the 2016 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championship held recently in Orlando, Florida, United States of America.

    The competition challenges students aged 13-22 to demonstrate their proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel -Versions 2010 and 2013.

    Katherine qualified to represent Nigeria in the competition when she recorded a perfect 1000/1000 score in the Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 category of the national MOS championship organised by ReadManna Ventures Ltd, an ICT educational services firm, in July.   Atafo Abure of Childville School, Ogudu, and Abdullah Usman of Aduvie International School, Abuja, also represented Nigeria in Excel 2013 and Word 2013 categories.

    Readmanna Ventures Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Edna Agusto, praised the 15-year-old SS2 pupil for getting that far in a competition involving students from 50 countries.

    “We congratulate Katherine Eta who came 10th in Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 category at the 2016 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship for Students held in Orlando, Florida, United States of America in August 2016.

    “The top three scorers in the 2016 National MOS competition – Katherine Eta, Atafo Abure and Abdullah Usman and two ICT teachers, Mrs Rukayat Adebayo and Mr Timothy Osaigbovo, formed the National Team,” she said.

    Nigeria, represented by Olubunmi Agusto, won second prize in the Microsoft Word category of the international competition in 2014.

    Katherine, Atafo and Abdullah would be honoured along others at a national awards programme holding October 5 at the City Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos, by sponsors of the competition -UBA Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Agusto Consulting Ltd.

    Others are: Ochanya Elizabeth Idoko of Aduvie International School (Excel 2010); Nkpolara Munachi, Louisville Girls High School, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State (PowerPoint 2010); and David Adeyinka of Faith Academy, Ota, Ogun State (Word 2010).

    Over 300 pupils across 22 secondary schools in Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Rivers, Osun, Niger States and the FCT entered for thecompetition from which 70 of the 97 students shortlisted from the first stage passed the final examination.

    Also to be rewarded at the event are: Jacinta Oguejifor, Holy Child College, SW Ikoyi, and Oluwakoyinsola Abel Emordi, The Childville School, Ogudu, for winning the 2nd Readmanna Under 13 National Computing Fundamentals Competition.

    Jacinta won the Computing Fundamentals category with a score of 978/1000 in a time of 10 minutes 48 seconds; while Oluwakoyinsola won the Key Applications  category with 956 in 29 minutes 31seconds.

    Mrs Agusto said the prizegiving ceremony would also feature an ICT exhibition where firms would display ICT solutions for interested schools and parents.

  • Pupil commits suicide

    A Junior Secondary School 2 (JSS 2) pupil of Gyegeh Memorial College, Logo, Makurdi, Benue State, has committed suicide.

    She was said to have taken  a substance believed to be posion.

    The pupil was taken to a hospital in Akpehe, a suburb of Makurdi, where doctors confirmed her dead on arrival.

    Her friend, who pleaded for anonymity, said she committed suicide  because her partner, Labi, a pork meat seller at Wurukum Market, abandoned her after putting  her in the family way.