The Nation Newspaper

Tag: pupils

  • Six pupils chase ICT title in Dallas

    Six pupils chase ICT title in Dallas

    There were upsets at this year’s national finals of the Certiport Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Competition with new schools challenging the dominance of long-standing champion, Thomas Adewumi International College, Oko, Kwara State.

    The Certiport MOS World Championship is organised to encourage students to be proficient in the use of Microsoft office suite, namely Word, Excel and PowerPoint (2010 and 2013 versions), which are used by most business concerns worldwide.  They earn certificates that can be used for work.

    This year, Adewumi International College, which has claimed the most titles since ReadManna Ventures Limited started organising the competition in Nigeria in 2009, as well as earliest rival, Regent International School, Abuja, were surprised by new comers such as Aduvie International School, Abuja, British International School, Lagos, Bellina College, Akoka, and Holy Child College, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Both schools did not win the top slot in any of the six categories, which would have qualified their representatives for the world championship holding in Dallas, United States in August.

    Those that will represent Nigeria on the world stage include: Elizabeth Ochanya, Aduvie International School (PowerPoint 2013; 985/1000); Bendre Sidhant, British International School (PowerPoint 2010; 979/1000); and Clever Nabai, Aduvie International School (Word 2013; 963/1000).

    Others are: Adebusola Babington, Holy Child College (Word 2010; 954/1000); Oluwatinuke Griffin, Bellina College, Akoka (Excel 2013, 868/1000); and Abure Atafo, The Childville School, Ogudu, Lagos (Excel 2010; 925/1000).

    Their flights, and those of two accompanying teachers, would be sponsored by the Delta Airlines.

    Mrs Edna Agusto, CEO, Readmanna said the stakes have become higher as more schools join in the race.  She gave credit to ICT teachers who were committed to innovative learning of the subject as well as principals and school owners who provided resources to support them.

    “One thing I have to say about this competition is that it depends on the commitment of the computer teachers.  They are the ones actually pushing it,” she said.

    Mrs Agusto also said she was particularly happy that no school dominated the top spot for each of the categories and urged participating schools to work harder for the next edition.

    To excel in Dallas, like happened last year when Olubunmi Agusto of Day Waterman College, Abeokuta, came second in Microsoft PowerPoint (2007 version) in California, Mrs Agusto, said the six pupils would be groomed before departure.

    “We have entered a partnership with Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi.  They would host us for some days so we can put together the team.  It will allow us to prepare them appropriately and get experts to touch them up,” she said.

    The pupils will be accompanied by two teachers, Mr Timothy Osaigbovo of Aduvie International School, Abuja, which recorded the highest score in the competition, and Mrs Cynthia Ebelebe of Holy Child College, whose school had the highest number of pupil participation.

    Mrs Ebelebe, who was ecstatic about the trip, said she was inspired by the quest to make her pupils better.

    “The first thing is the quest to see how I can improve my students.  Then Readmanna also came to our school to advertise for the 2015 championship. The girls worked hard.  That I can say.  Because I have somebody in JSS3, who is doing the BECE; and I have somebody in SS3.  They are also here.  So they combined this particular training with reading their books,” she said.

    The top three winners in each of the six categories would be rewarded with Microsoft XBOX One games at a national awards ceremony to hold later this year.

  • Bayelsa ministry, pupils partner on environmental sustenance

    Bayelsa ministry, pupils partner on environmental sustenance

    Among all the states in the Niger Delta, Bayelsa has one the most difficult environmental challenges. It is always said that the state has more rivers than Rivers State and is more Deltaic than Delta State.

    The state’s environmental challenges are compounded by incessant oil spills, gas flaring, flooding, reckless sand excavation and improper waste management system. To tackle the challenges, the state Ministry of Environment headed by Mr. Iniruo Wills, is leading a campaign for sustainable environment.

    Wills is worried by the future of the state’s environment. He, therefore, believes that for the environment to be guaranteed, child education on dangers faced by the environment and measures that must be adopted to preserve it should top the agenda of his ministry.

    No wonder the ministry decided to celebrate this year’s World Environment Day with the pupils of the Cedar Court British International School located in Yenagoa, the state capital. The Lead Administrator and founder of the School, Mrs. Wealth Obibi, is also in her own right an environmental activist.

    She initiated involvement of children in the celebration by sending a proposal to Wills who did not hesitate to accede to her request. It was amazing to see the brilliant well-fed children exchanged knowledge and ideas on environmental preservation with Wills and the directors from the ministry.

    The Director in charge of Petroleum and Control, Engr. Japheth A. told the children some aspects of the environment that can be polluted. “Don’t play with batteries. They can kill”, he told the children. He educated the children on the activities of oil companies in the state and the Niger Delta region. He said oil spills occur in the environment and cause environmental damage and hazards.

    He further named illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and illegal refineries as some of the disturbing environmental challenges in the state. “People break pipe, take crude and cook. It is dangerous”, he said adding that such evil practices pollute the environment and the fish consumed by people.

    Similarly, Judge Kingsley, a Director in charge of Environmental Health, educated the children on waste management and the health hazards of disposing refuse recklessly. He appealed to the pupils to safeguard the environment by properly disposing waste.

    According to Wills, the theme for the year’s celebration, “Seven Billion Dreams, One Planet, Consume with Care”, is apt. He said apart from June 5 set aside to celebrate the environment, everyday is an environment day.

    “The environment is so important that we must do everything possible to protect the environment”, he said. But the children took the centre stage. In breathtaking performances they demonstrated their vast knowledge of environmental issues. In one accord, they chorused the year’s theme as the raised their clinched fists to add momentum to their determination.

    Each of the kids selected for the presentation spoke on an aspect of the environment. They narrated the history of the environment day, climate change and its effects, place of animals and plants in the environment and sustainable lifestyles to safeguard the environment.

    They spoke on importance of biofuel as alternative source of energy. To reduce effects of light, they advised that people should learn to go to bed early.

    After their enlightening performances, the ministry took time to further give the pupils tips on healthy living and environmental sustainability. In a power-point presentation, Augustine, who works in the advocacy department of the ministry spoke of population increase and its pressure on environmental resources.

    “The resources are depleted, the environment is increasing. How then do we survive?” He queried. But he asked the children to stop the practice of cutting down trees. “Trees take carbon dioxide from the environment and give us oxygen. Instead of cutting trees, we should plant more”, he said.

    He further warned the children against cooking of rude oil, reckless dumping of waste, breaking pipelines and sand excavation.

    The curious pupils did not spare the environmental experts. They asked intelligent questions and received answers on issues bordering on oil spills, felling of trees and others.

    Also, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Social Media, Dr. John Idumange, emphasized the environmental dangers faced by people in the region. He said oil companies have devastated the state’s environment through their exploration of crude without corresponding action to reclaim the environment.

    “The first person that will kill us is the oil company. The crude oil that is providing money to the country comes from the Niger Delta. We still have gas flaring and it is very toxic. We have crude oil wells all over the place”, he said.

    The children shuddered at Idumange’s explanations that in the rural areas people defecate into the water they drink from. He said cancer abounds because of of unhealthy food consumed by people.

    The highpoint of the event was the presentation of paintings illustrating the year’s environmental theme to the commissioner by the pupils.

    After receiving the artwork, the commissioner said: “This is one of the most important gift we have ever received. Cedar Court is now a partner of the Bayelsa State Ministry of environment. The artwork will be framed properly and it will be in prominent position in my school”.

    He declared the school, the most environmental-friendly school in the state. Dr. Obibi who was accompanied by her husband said the pupils were initially taken on tour to the Bayelsa Palm and that they would proceed to some parts of the city to engage in environmental sanitation. She promised to upload pictures of the event to the school’s global website and thanked the commissioner for his warm reception.

  • Lagos SUBEB registers primary one pupils

    The Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Gbolahan Daodu, has urged parents to participate in the ongoing registration of pupils into Primary One classes in the 1001 public primary schools for the 2015/2016 academic session.

    Mrs Daodu, who flagged off  the registration at the Local Government Primary School, Ikeja, on Children’s Day, last Wednesday, said children who are six years and above would be admitted into primary one, while those below would go to the early child care classes.

    She said the exercise would be  carried out in all divisions of the state and urged parents to complete the registration forms and attach three passport photographs and birth certificate of the child and return to the Head teacher of the school where it was obtained before the July 15 deadline.

    She advised parents to benefit from the state’s free education policy by ensuring that their wards complete their education up to JSS3, which is the Universal Basic Education (UBE) benchmark.

    “It is important that we ensure that our children go to school. The Universal Basic Education Act makes it compulsory to register pupils into a school of their choice,” she said.

    A parent and business man, Mr. Azuma Amos, urged parents to encourage the government by being responsible for their wards. He lamented that some parents send wrong signals and create a negative impression of public schools in the society.

    “It is our duty as parents to raise our children to a standard and not see government school as a dumping ground where you lay off your problems.

    There are things the government cannot provide for them. Keep your children neat and attractive.  Why should they look tattered going to school all the time? Some would wear torn uniforms for years with slippers on their feet. Were their parents asleep when they left home? All these send negative signals of public schools,” he said.

    Speaking on behalf of children at a parade to celebrate the Children’s Day earlier at the Police College Parade Ground, Ikeja,  Chinaza Adiogwu of Agindigbi Senior Grammar School, Ikeja, praised the Babatunde Fashola administration for his commitment to education and hoped that the new government would do more. She also called to mind the plight of children in the country which should be addressed.

    “I urge the government to use the occasion of Children’s Day to not only celebrate us for who we are but to bring awareness to the plight of children around the world as we are victims of violence in form of abuse, exploitation and discrimination among others,” she said

  • District rewards teachers, pupils

    Teachers, principals, vice principals, administrators and pupils that were outstanding in 2014 were celebrated during the 9th Annual Merit Award of the Lagos State Education District I recently.

    They were presented with certificates and gifts such as freezers, washing machines, flat screen television, among others at the well-attended event held at the school hall Government Senior College, Agege.

    Tutor General/Permanent Secretary of the district, Mrs Florence Ogunfidodo, said the programme was a platform to reward deserving workers and pupils who had excelled to motivate them to do even more.

    In an interview with The Nation, she said the workers were deserving of reward for contributing to the laurels the district won in the past year, including producing the One Day Governor and the winner of the Lagos State Spelling Bee Competition, Idowu Sonoiki.

    She urged the winners to mentor others to be like them.

    “We are rewarding some of them that have been excellent.  The reward of hard work is more work.  They should work harder so that we remain on top and never go down as the district of excellence in the centre of excellence.  For those not rewarded, I can only tell them to emulate the good works the others are doing.  The awardees of today should mentor those ones that are not awarded today,” he said.

    Chairman of the occasion, Mrs Bolajoko Falore, who is the Education Director of Mind Builders School, Omole, praised the workers for bringing honour to the district.  She urged teachers present to do their work with excellence and sincerity.

    “What kind of teacher are you?  Are you one that does eye service and only works when the principal is around? When I was in the inspectorate, I told teachers that though their children may not be in their schools, they (the children) would meet teachers with their kind of attitude,” she said.

    Mrs Falore instituted a prize of N20,000 each for the best non teaching staff in junior and senior secondary schools.  She also promised to reward Sonoiki, an SS2 pupil of Ikotun Senior High School, Ikotun for winning the spelling bee.

    Winner of the best principal (senior school category), Mr Emmanuel Adebiyi of Lagos Baptist Senior College, Ile-Epo, said he was not new to winning awards because of his consistency and passion for the job.

    “I am a consistent manager.  I have won many awards both at this local level, and the national level. I was conferred with a national honour last August – National Productivity Order of Merit – the only person from Lagos State.  And since then I have been working assiduously to maintain that tempo that I have been maintaining for the past three or four years,” he said.

    Best Teacher (senior secondary category), Mrs Kafilat Salaudeen of Sasa Senior High School, described her award as a great accomplishment.  She attributed her win to good results of her pupils in Commerce, the subject she teaches.

    “I won because of the performance of my students and my commitment to the job that I am doing.  I make the subject to be real to the students, which assisted them a lot,” she said.

     

  • Corps members give pupils vocational training

    Corps members give pupils vocational training

    National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State have trained secondary school pupils in  vocational skills at Education Fare and Empowerment Scheme organised by Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Community Development Service (CDS) group.

    CDS President Damilola Ayodele said the scheme was aimed at empowering the beneficiaries with basic knowledge of vocations for personal development and self-reliance.

    The three-day event, attended by NYSC Inspector in the council, Mr. Sauki Maulon and Benue State MDGs Schedule Officer Mr. Theophillus Danjuma also featured a quiz to assess the pupils’ understanding of the training.

    He hailed with the CDS’ initiative, adding that the community would remember them. He reiterated the MDG goals, saying Corps members should strive to touch members of their host communities with positive impacts and sustainable development.

    Seven schools, including Government Secondary School, Royal Secondary School, Divine Wisdom Academy, Sugh Aneke Academy and Tombo Community Secondary School, participated in the training. The training and empowerment sessions were held for the first two days, while the quiz competition was held on the last day.

    Participants were asked to join class of their interest in bead making, barbing, weaving and soap making.

    The competition was held for pupils in junior and secondary school categories.

    Pupils of Divine Wisdom Academy took the first position in the junior category, with 115 points. Royal Secondary School and Government Secondary School took the second and third positions.

    In senior category, Royal Secondary School won the first position after a tie with Government Secondary School.

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, Isaiah Aunde, a participant from Government Secondary School, said: “I am happy to take part in the training and I appreciate the Corps member for their impacts.”

  • 2,000 pupils for Project Capable summit

    Celebrities in the entertainment industry will mentor over 2,000 pupils drawn from both public and private secondary schools during a summit titled: ‘Project Capable’.

    The theme of the programme scheduled to hold at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Wednesday next week, is: ‘YES! -Young, Empowered and Succeeding.’

    The annual event is organised by Rubies Ink Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation that helps secondary school age pupils to discover themselves through programmes and life coaching sessions.

    The guest speakers are Waje, Seyi Law and Mannie, all popular entertainers.

    Team Leader and Project coordinator, Esther Ijewere-Kalejaiye, said of the project: “Our aim is to influence the lives of teenagers by being part of their growth process and activities through out-of-class educative programmes and to make the role of celebrities and youth advocates more useful in their everyday contribution to the growth of the nation’s teenagers by sustaining them as behavioural and attitudinal change agents of our society”.

    Rubies Ink held its first summit in 2009 where Nigerian celebrities and youth advocates such as, Mi Abaga, Desmond Elliot, Kate Henshaw, Jimmy Jatt, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, Tolu Sangosanya, Praise Fowowe and Uti Nwachukwu among others counseled pupils.

    Project Capable is endorsed and approved by the Lagos State Ministry of Education.

  • Celebrities mentor pupils

    Celebrities mentor pupils

    About eight celebrities mentored pupils of Eko-Akete Senior Secondary School, Lagos Island during the school’s career awareness programme last week.

    The two-day event, held at the Sahara Guidance and Counselling Centre of the school, was organised by Sahara Group Foundation and Kasher Trading Company.

    The pupils, who were counselled in batches, had fun receiving tips from icons of their chosen fields.

    In the sport segment, Chioma Ajunwa- Opara, who became the first female athlete in Nigeria to win an Olympic gold medal in Atlanta ’96, underscored the importance of education to a fulfilled life.

    The Police Officer serving in Ogudu/Ojota in Kosofe Local Government Area, recounted her challenges as an Ordinary Level certificate holder who was scorned and sidelined in almost every area of her life.

    She said her poor background made it difficult for her to acquire a university education. Notwithstanding, sport had been her passion since her tender age

    Mrs Ajunwa-Opara said despite the hardship, determination, discipline and dedication in sport were key to her success.

    “I urge you to combine education and sport so that you will have something to fall back on. Some of us that left the international scene fell by the road side because we do not have our certificate. I passed through intimidations, dehumanisation. I started like anybody; I never knew Achunwa’s family would become a household name. Today, my name is used to set exams, used to play quiz, all these are because of that sport I gave my all to.

    “Never see sport as a waste of time, put your interest in it. I want you all to go back and think about the course you are going to choose because of your future so that you will not become a liability. Remember, if you are not educated, there is no future for you, you will end up doing menial jobs” she said.

    In the music segment mentored by Bez Idakula, a music artiste who graduated from Covenant University in 2005 with a B.Sc in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the pupils showcased their skills in Rap, Blues, RnB, Gospel, among others.

    He advised them to be self-confident and purposeful in life. He urged them to be unique in their styles and always think out of the box.

    Idakula said: ‘’You need to understand that there is enough space for everyone to excel in life. If someone tries to show off himself before you, look out for something worth it to add to your own knowledge rather than brag with him.’’

    He charged them to do music that could add value to the society as well as work hard and smart, rather than be “jack of all trade and master of none.” The pupils also learnt more from Nollywood’s Kate Henshaw on ICT, Finance, Engineering, Human Resources and Law.

    An SS1 pupil of the school, Lawal Yusuf, said after listening to Mrs Ajunwa-Opara, he was inspired to be focused as he aspires to be a renowned footballer.

    Another pupil Akinbode Gbolahun, who wants to be a footballer, said he never intended to further his education after having his school leaving certificate but that the counselling had made him to understand the relevance of school.

    Principal of the school, Mrs Silifa Ibrahim commended the programme, saying it would enhance the pupils’ knowledge of their careers.

    Tomiwa Adesida, Sales/Corporte Social Responsibility Manager, Sahara Group, said youths were faced with making a right career choice and if not well-guided would end up choosing a wrong choice which prompted the organisation to help provide guidance to the youths.

  • Poverty no excuse, pupils told

    Poverty no excuse, pupils told

    Poor learning environment, socio-economic background, among others, have been dismissed by some experts as factors inhibiting success in life.

    They spoke at the Beyond the School, an initiative of Nigerian Breweries Plc, which held at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    About 250 pupils drawn from five public schools in Lagos, namely: Oregun Senior Secondary School, Oregun; Vetland Senior Secondary School, Agege; Government Senior Secondary School, Ikoyi; Baptist Senior High School, Obanikoro and Eric Moore Senior High School, Surulere attended the career counselling event.

    They were told that their successes in life depended on the choices they make.

    The Coordinator of the programme, Mrs Clementine Vervelde, said: “Poverty is no excuse. Being African is an advantage, not a disadvantage. Respect who you are.”

    Rather than focus on their unfortunate situation, she counselled the pupils to cultivate the habit of reading wide, discover their abilities, talents and be ready for career opportunities when they come.

    Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Thistle Praxis, Mrs Ini Onuk, said she was the daughter of a roadside watch repairer and attended a public school with five siblings. But because she was brilliant and focused, she excelled.

    “It is not about your background; it is about you.  It is about what you want to be.  You can be anything you want to be if only you just focus. I attended Badagry Grammar School.  I was Senior Prefect (Girl) from SS1-SS3.  It was not because there were no SS3 students, but I was hot.  Never allow anything to be a limitation.  One of the rules of my life is that nothing is impossible,” she said.

    Regional Programme Coordinator of Junior Achievement Nigeria, Mr Abiodun Adegbola, who addressed the pupils on “Growing your money”, said poverty should not push anyone to crime.

    Adegbola, who said he lost his father early and had to sponsor himself through the university, said: “Because your parents are not well to do does that mean you should become a nuisance tomorrow? No!”

    He also gave tips on financial discipline, advising the pupils to cultivate a savings and investment habit early in life.

    The Corporate Affairs Adviser, NB, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, noted that it was the first time more than one school was brought to the event.

    He explained that a financial segment and competition were added to the programme to prepare the pupils to manage their careers successfully.

    “Some of you may end up running your own business enterprises at the end of your academic pursuit.  You should, therefore, not neglect any new information that you gather at an event like this,” he said.

    In the Monopoly competition segment, Alabi Samod of Government Senior Secondary School, Ikoyi,Lagos won the first prize and went home with N500, 000 and a cash prize of N100, 000. Emmanuel Peter of Oregun Senior Secondary School, Oregun came second and got an educational fund of N250, 000 and N50, 000 cash prize.

    The five winners in the third, fourth and fifth positions got N60,000, N50,000, and N20,000.

    All the pupils also got take-home packs of Monopoly game.

  • Senator Tinubu counsels pupils on leadership

    Senator Tinubu counsels pupils on leadership

    The management of Dansol High School, Ikeja in Lagos has held its sixth annual leadership lecture of the school. The lecture with the theme: Becoming 21st Century leaders of value and integrity, gave tips on good leadership. The event was held last Saturday.

    The school hall venue of the event was filled to capacity. It also featured events such as cultural activities, beauty pageant and award presentation.

    The guest speaker,Senator  Oluremi Tinubu, who spoke on: The need for Godly leadership in 21st century, admonished the pupils on the kind of lifestyle they must adopt to become leaders of value and integrity. According to Mrs Tinubu, sound leadership skills do not necessarily have to be innate, but can also be learned.

    “One of the myths surrounding leadership is that it is determined by distinctive dispositional characteristics. However, it is important to note that leadership also develops through hard work and careful observation”, she said.

    Challenges of leadership is the perception of weakness among female folk, which to Tinubu, is not true because the feminine race is strong and capable of delivering. She, therefore, urged the female folk to not limit their achievements as a result of gender reasons.

    “Females are built so strong yet we think we are weak; we have to find that inbuilt energy. Stop pushing women backward, we can do more,” Senator Tinubu added.

    She also urged the students to start developing themselves from their present stage.

    “You cannot learn everything in the tertiary institution. For the fact that you are the architect of your life and fortune, you must try to develop yourself. Develop yourself with things around you. The essence of this programme is to prepare you for leadership position in future and enable you to plan ahead of your ambition.”

    A cultural troupe thereafter mounted the podium and thrilled the audience to endless applause. Senator Tinubu was honoured with Dansol Leadership award while Miss Ifeatu Nwosu in Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 was also given an award for being an epitome of wisdom for 2014/ 2015 session.

    Also speaking, Special Adviser (media) to Senator Tinubu, Mr Maxwell Adegbenro said such forum would expose pupils to good leadership traits early in life, adding that this would ultimately benefit Nigeria in future.

    Principal of the school, Mr Esan Oladapo, told reporters the rationale behind the annual event. He said: “We see our students as future leaders and yearly we get people that are doing well in the society to come over and talk to them. We believe that they will be able to learn one or two things from their personal life. Mrs Tinubu’s speech today has really inspired them.”

    Also present at the event were Hon Lola Akande, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa (Secretary to Ogun State Government), Mr Tunde Akinmiju and parents.

  • Julius Berger teaches pupils to write

    Julius Berger teaches pupils to write

    The World Poetry Day took on a special meaning for pupils of Bwari Government Day Secondary School, Abuja, last Thursday as they spent the day reviewing and writing poems.

    The programme, organised by members of the Julius Berger Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team as part of the company’s Literacy Campaign, was facilitated by renowned Nigerian poet, Dike Chukwumerije.

    Chukwumerije, an author of eight books and the winner of several Performance Poetry Competitions in Nigeria, made the pupils to read works of several Nigerian poets, and learn to write their own poems using poetic literary devices.

    The workshop was the firm’s way of teaching the pupils new literacy skills, public speaking and self-confidence.

    The CSR team also donated 600 books of mixed genre to the school’s library.