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Tag: resume

  • Sacked Abia Labour Party Assembly candidate vows to resume sitting

    Sacked Abia Labour Party Assembly candidate vows to resume sitting

    Destiny Nwagwu, the Aba North State Constituency House of Assembly member recently ousted by the Court of Appeal in Lagos state, has pledged to resume his legislative duties.

    The judges at the Lagos Appeal Court ruled in favour of Hon. Aaron Uzodike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him a Certificate of Return.

    However, despite the court’s decision, the leadership of the Abia State House of Assembly, under Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa has refrained from swearing in Hon. Uzodike.

    The refusal to recognize Uzodike as the Aba North State Constituency lawmaker, even after INEC issued him the Certificate of Return, has drawn criticism from political observers and the PDP leadership in the state for failing to comply with the court’s orders.

    Nwagwu, explaining his determination to return to the State House of Assembly, pointed out that the Supreme Court’s ruling, which upheld Governor Alex Otti’s election, also affirmed his victory.

    Read Also: APC leader purchases WAEC, UTME forms for 600 Osun students

    He maintained that he still holds the position as the representative of Aba North State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly.

    Nwagwu expressed surprise at the outcry from the PDP regarding the Court of Appeal judgment in Plateau State, which resulted in the dismissal of 11 of their members.

    He criticized the PDP for pressuring the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly to swear in their member, citing it as hypocrisy.

    He said: “Injustice anywhere is Injustice everywhere.”

    Destiny vowed to resume legislative sittings in a few days.

  • Health workers resume suspended strike over service conditions

    THE Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has directed its members to shut down services in federal health institutions beginning from midnight today.

    The directive followed government’s alleged failure to honour its agreement reached with the union  in September 30, 2017.

    According to the workers, government was playing politics with health professionals’ welfare and taking sides with the doctors.

    They accused the government of helping to “spread half-truth” that they were “demanding equal treatment and salaries with the doctors”.

    The unions said what they were demanding was equity and not equality.

    Addressing a workers’ rally in Abuja, JOHESU National Chairman Biobelemoye Joy Josiah said the unions suspended their indefinite strike action on September 30, 2017, after signing a memorandum of terms of settlement with the government, which was to be implemented within five weeks.

    He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the issues among others are the upward adjustment of CONHESS salary scale, arrears of skipping of CONHESS 10, employment of additional health professionals, the implementation of court judgements and upward review of retirement age from 60-65.

    “However, it is disheartening to note that after six months of the suspension of our last strike and still counting, the Federal Government has not done anything tangible over the pending issues, especially on the flagship issue of CONHESS adjustment and payment of arrears of CONHESS 10 skipping.

    “JOHESU, as a mature and responsible organisation, gave 21 days’ notice on February 5, 2018, in the first instance to enable the Federal Government do the needful.

    “At the expiration of the 21 days’ notice, the leadership of JOHESU reconvened to reappraise the situation on ground and noted the lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Government towards the implementation of the memorandum of terms of settlement signed on September 30, 2017.

    “In furtherance of our mantra as peace lovers, who have the interest of the masses at heart, another 30 working days ultimatum was issued to the Federal Government on March 5, 2018 to alert the government of the impending nationwide strike.”

    He added, however, that on Thursday April 5, the Minister of Labour and Employment invited the leadership of JOHESU to a meeting where he told them that their issues were still being looked into.

    “Consequent upon on this therefore, JOHESU has no other choice than to proceed on an indefinite nationwide strike as from midnight of Tuesday, 17th April 17, 2018 when the 30 working days is expected to expire.”

  • Okorocha, Araraume: old foes resume rivalry

    The battle line is drawn between Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume. The governor has anointed a successor. But, the senator, who is eyeing the seat, is kicking against it. Who blinks first? Correspondent Okodili Ndidi writes on the succeession battle in the Southeast state.

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume have resumed their hostilities, ahead of the governorship primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The rivalry may create crisis for the party, unless the national leadership intervenes to avoid doom for the platform.

    Araraume wants to succeed Okorocha. But, the governor has a preferred candidate. The senator is asking for a level playing ground at the primary, which he believes Okorocha cannot guarantee.

    The two have been locked in antagonism for a long time. But, they mended mences during the 2015 general elections when dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), following the alleged manipulation of the governorship primary in favour of the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha.

    Araraume helped the APC, a party he had dumped earlier to win the election in his Okigwe Zone against the PDP. Shortly after the 2015 elections, the two political heavyweights became friends and as predicted, Araraume teamed up with Okorocha.

    In appreciation of the role played by Araraume in his re-election bid, Okorocha appointed his son, 30 year-old Ifeanyi Ararume (jnr) as a commissioner.

    To many observers, the appointment of the ex-senator’s son was a settlement meant to compensate him and dissuade him from joining the governorship race in the future.

    However the relationship later turned sour. Okorocha and Ararueme are strange bedfellows. Both went their seperate ways last year.

    The first sign that the relationship was heading for the rock was the removal of the senator’s son as a commissioner. Sources said the  senator rejected the re-appointment of his son, following the dissolution of the State Executive Council, to drum home the point that he was not placated by the appointment.  Instead, Araraume expected the governor to reciprocate the support he gave him during his re-election by supporting his governorship ambition.

    Okorocha had told party chieftains that he will support the  senator for any other political office, except that of the governor. But,  Araraume had remained resolute on his ambition.

    In Imo politics, Araraume enjoys a rich and enviable followership, an advantage he has always used to scuttle the plans of his party whenever he is denied or robbed of the governorship ticket.

    The battle line between him and Okorocha is drawn. Following the governor’s blunt refusal to support his ambition, Ararume is gathering his armies. The senator is even being supported by some members of the governor’s camp.

    The last straw that broke the carmel’s back was Okorocha’s endorsement of his Chief of Staff and son in-law, Chief Uche Nwosu, as his successor. This has rekindled the anger of the senator against the governor.

     Why they fell apart:

    Many believe that Okorocha and Araraume fell apart because of the governor’s refusal to support the senator’s ambition to achieve his age-long dream of governing the state. Araraume has been a victim of several betrayals in the past.

    Some people believe that Okorocha has a pact with Araraume to hand over power to him at the end of his tenure because of his earlier support for his re-election bid.

    But, no sooner has the governor got a second term than he stunned the senator with his declaration that anyone above 5o years will not succeed him in 2019.

    Araraume believed the age ceiling was targeted at him. He is in his late fifties. He wanted the governor to shift grounds, but without success. An adamant governor advised Araraume to return to the Senate, promising to support him.

    But, the senator is unperturbed. He summoned his loyalists, most of who were serving in the Okorocha administration. He directed them to pull out of the governor’s camp.

    Since then, the duo have been locked in endless diatribe. Irked by the confrontation, Okorocha  swore that Araraume will never succeed him.

    The governor’s supporters also denied any succession pact between him and the senator. However, they acknowledged that Araraume was among party stalwarts who contributed to the governor’s campaigns in 2015.

     Apprehesion in APC:

    The face-off between Okorocha and Araraume can be best described as the war of two elephants, which makes the grass to suffer.

    The APC is bearing the brunt of the clash, which has polarised the party to the extent loyalists of the   governor and the ex-senator have become sworn enemies.

    Some members of the State Executive Committee of the party are allegedly on the payroll of the senator. Sources said they no longer  attend meetings convened by the  chairman, Dr. Hillary Eke, who is perceived to be the governor’s staunch supporter.

    The governor was accused of plotting to sack those loyal to Araraume in the committee before the recent elongation of their tenure by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. The tenure extension was wildly celebrated in the senator’s camp as a boost to  his ambition.

    The fear of party leaders is the antecedents of the senator, who often works against his party whenever he loses at the primary.

    Although the governor had reassured the APC family that the party will do better without joiners like Araraume, but his strength cannot be ignored.  He contributed to the electoral misfortune of the PDP during the 2015 polls.

     OKorocha’s counter-plan:

    Okorocha is not being ignorant of Araraume’s style of politics. He has set up many  structures that are continuously serviced across the state. The governor is mobilising and empowering many youths who are active players in the electioneering process.

    The governor has also ensured that key positions are given to those who can deliver the party in their respective areas.

    A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, dismissed Araraume’s threat as inconsequential.

    He said the party is aware of the senator’s antics, adding that he will be contained.

    Despite these assurances, observers believe that the APC will be facing the battle of its life in next year’s elections, if the governor and the senator are not reconciled.

  • EKSU students told to resume

    The Management of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, has urged all new and returning students to resume for academic activities.

    A statement by the Director, Information and Corporate Affairs, Mr Ajibade Olubunmi, noted that the directive came from the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Samuel Oye Bandele.

    The statement reads: “The Ekiti State Univ?ersity wishes to inform students that full academic activities have resumed on campus. The students are also to note that lectures and tests are ongoing.

    “The Vice- Chancellor of the university, Prof Samuel Oye Bandele, observed that some students are yet to register, pay the necessary dues and attend lectures. He therefore directed that all students should resume immediately, complete their registration processes in order to join their colleagues who are already attending lectures.

    “The Vice-Chancellor appealed to parents and guardians to advise their wards to heed the directive of the university management to the necessary dues and attend lectures.”

  • ‘Why we will never allow firm to resume oil production’

    ‘Why we will never allow firm to resume oil production’

    The National Coordinator of Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, Chief Gani Topba, has disclosed why Ogoni people will never allow Robo-Michael Ltd to resume oil production in Ogoniland’s four local governments of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.

    He accused the oil company of lack of capacity, while its association with Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), the oil production arm of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), would be to its disadvantage. Topba said SPDC would not be allowed to return to Ogoni through the backdoor.

    He spoke yesterday at a thanksgiving service at Calvary Army Ministry International (Emmanuel’s Ground) headquarters, at his Zaakpon-Ogoni hometown in Khana Local Government of Rivers State on the group’s protest against Robo-Michael Ltd at NNPC headquarters in Abuja on January 4, which coincided with Ogoni Day.

    The officiating minister, Pastor Fred Egarakam, hailed Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates for the just cause and for the intellectual fight to end injustice and neglect in Ogoniland, urging the members and other Ogoni people to put God first and continue their non-violent struggle.

    SPDC was sent packing from Ogoniland in 1993, while a renowned environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists, were hanged at the Port Harcourt Prisons on November 10, 1995, during the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.

    Topba said: “Some people, who were given money by Robo-Michael Ltd, made attempts to sabotage the process. They did not want the January 4 protest at NNPC headquarters in Abuja to hold, but to the glory of God, the protest was successful. Over 150 Ogoni people, who travelled to Abuja for the protest, are back in Ogoniland. That’s why we are thanking God.

    “Robo-Michael has operatorship for Shell and NPDC. The firm was not given licence for Oil Mining Lease (OML)-11. It was a fraud to deceive Ogoni people and it will be cancelled by the Federal Government. We want an oil company with capacity to resume oil production in Ogoni, but not Robo-Michael, SPDC or NPDC.

    “Shell’s licence in Ogoni’s OML-11 will expire next year. The oil company (SPDC) cannot return to Ogoni through the backdoor, after polluting Ogoni environment since 1958, when it began oil production in Ogoniland. The pollution is yet to be cleaned and Ogoni people are suffering, they lack drinking water, the air is polluted and the people can no longer farm or fish. We are continuing with our local and international campaigns against Shell, Robo-Michael and NPDC.”

    The national coordinator said security agents were no longer the enemies of Ogoni people, considering the support received and understanding displayed on January 4 by fully-armed security personnel at NNPC headquarters in Abuja, who had Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and patrol vans, but never harassed Ogoni protesters.

    He noted that he and other members of the group depended on God, declaring that nothing would stop their non-violent struggle for justice and fairness.

    Topba said: “If SPDC does not apologise to Ogoni people, it cannot penetrate Ogoniland. Robo-Michael Ltd cannot tap Ogoni oil, because the oil company does not have capacity. Ogoni oil is not a curse, but a blessing. Powers of darkness have turned the crude into a curse. God will deliver Ogoni people and Ogoniland. Nobody can deceive us anymore.

    “We will continue to move round Ogoni villages for enlightenment, for the people to kick against saboteurs, who may want to cheat or deceive them. We will go to churches in Ogoniland, so that devilish people will not control Ogoni people and Ogoniland.”

    He said in the next two weeks, 150 Ogoni women would each be empowered with N50,000 through a microfinance bank, which would be repaid, to enable other women benefit, while 15 Ogoni students in each of the six kingdoms would each be given N10,000 as bursary, through the National Union of Ogoni Students, to support their education, with 15 youths in each of the kingdoms to also benefit from empowerment and skills’ acquisition programmes.

    Topba warned them against cultism.

  • Ibadan Poly’s striking workers won’t resume work

    Ibadan Poly’s striking workers won’t resume work

    Despite the purported announcement of resumption by the management of The Polytechnic in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, its striking workers yesterday insisted that the gates of the institution should remain shut until their demands are met by the state government.

    The management, at the weekend, directed all students to resume yesterday after about nine weeks of strike by the academic and non-academic workers’ unions in the state-owned six tertiary institutions.

    By the weekend’s directive, the management urged new students to begin payment of acceptance fee from yesterday while January 15 was announced as the date for the resumption of the 2017/2018 academic session.

    But the Chairman of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the trade unions of the six tertiary institutions Mr Babatunde Adeniyi said the services of its striking workers remained withdrawn.

    Some students, who had stormed the school to resume found members of the striking non-academic workers’ union, who reportedly ensured that the student and the workers did not enter the institution.

    It was learnt that although some students were bitter about the situation, NASU officials were on hand to explain the implications of government’s decision which led to the strike, to the students.

    On why the workers’ union picketed the institution and shut its gates, Adeniyi said the state government must settle their salary arrears before the unions would call off the two-month-old strike.

    He said: “We picketed The Polytechnic, Ibadan, because members of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) had withdrawn their services and we are here to ensure that the gate remains shut.

    “What the two unions –NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) – are saying is that their services still remain withdrawn as long as the strike declared by the six institutions following the reduction of salary to 25 per cent by the Oyo State government still remains.

    “They can’t resume until we suspend our strike. The six unions declared the strike on November 2, 2017, and this remains. Their services stay withdrawn and the strike continues until the government of Oyo State does the needful.”

    Also, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Adeniyi Olowofela, maintained that the state only gives monthly subvention to the tertiary institutions.

    The commissioner said there was no month the institutions did not get “something” from the state government but in varying amounts.

    Olowofela, who spoke yesterday in Ibadan, said the state was not owing tertiary institutions’ workers.

    He said it provided subventions to the institutions as it paid out workers’ salaries.

    The commissioner recalled that the government only supported the institutions since they generated some revenue on their own and spent same without government interference.

    He urged the management of the institutions to be ingenious about generating revenue internally and prioritising how they expend the subventions they get.

    Olowofela added that the state government will soon name the governing councils for the state-owned tertiary institutions to permanently resolve the current impasse.

     

  • ‘Why we will never allow firm to resume oil production’

    The National Coordinator of Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, Chief Gani Topba, has disclosed why Ogoni people will never allow Robo-Michael Ltd to resume oil production in Ogoniland’s four local governments of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.

    He accused the oil company of lack of capacity, while its association with Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), the oil production arm of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), would be to its disadvantage. Topba said SPDC would not be allowed to return to Ogoni through the backdoor.

    He spoke yesterday at a thanksgiving service at Calvary Army Ministry International (Emmanuel’s Ground) headquarters, at his Zaakpon-Ogoni hometown in Khana Local Government of Rivers State on the group’s protest against Robo-Michael Ltd at NNPC headquarters in Abuja on January 4, which coincided with Ogoni Day.

    The officiating minister, Pastor Fred Egarakam, hailed Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates for the just cause and for the intellectual fight to end injustice and neglect in Ogoniland, urging the members and other Ogoni people to put God first and continue their non-violent struggle.

    SPDC was sent packing from Ogoniland in 1993, while a renowned environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists, were hanged at the Port Harcourt Prisons on November 10, 1995, during the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.

    Topba said: “Some people, who were given money by Robo-Michael Ltd, made attempts to sabotage the process. They did not want the January 4 protest at NNPC headquarters in Abuja to hold, but to the glory of God, the protest was successful. Over 150 Ogoni people, who travelled to Abuja for the protest, are back in Ogoniland. That’s why we are thanking God.

    “Robo-Michael has operatorship for Shell and NPDC. The firm was not given licence for Oil Mining Lease (OML)-11. It was a fraud to deceive Ogoni people and it will be cancelled by the Federal Government. We want an oil company with capacity to resume oil production in Ogoni, but not Robo-Michael, SPDC or NPDC.

    “Shell’s licence in Ogoni’s OML-11 will expire next year. The oil company (SPDC) cannot return to Ogoni through the backdoor, after polluting Ogoni environment since 1958, when it began oil production in Ogoniland. The pollution is yet to be cleaned and Ogoni people are suffering, they lack drinking water, the air is polluted and the people can no longer farm or fish. We are continuing with our local and international campaigns against Shell, Robo-Michael and NPDC.”

    The national coordinator said security agents were no longer the enemies of Ogoni people, considering the support received and understanding displayed on January 4 by fully-armed security personnel at NNPC headquarters in Abuja, who had Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and patrol vans, but never harassed Ogoni protesters.

    He noted that he and other members of the group depended on God, declaring that nothing would stop their non-violent struggle for justice and fairness.

    Topba said: “If SPDC does not apologise to Ogoni people, it cannot penetrate Ogoniland. Robo-Michael Ltd cannot tap Ogoni oil, because the oil company does not have capacity. Ogoni oil is not a curse, but a blessing. Powers of darkness have turned the crude into a curse. God will deliver Ogoni people and Ogoniland. Nobody can deceive us anymore.

    “We will continue to move round Ogoni villages for enlightenment, for the people to kick against saboteurs, who may want to cheat or deceive them. We will go to churches in Ogoniland, so that devilish people will not control Ogoni people and Ogoniland.”

    He said in the next two weeks, 150 Ogoni women would each be empowered with N50,000 through a microfinance bank, which would be repaid, to enable other women benefit, while 15 Ogoni students in each of the six kingdoms would each be given N10,000 as bursary, through the National Union of Ogoni Students, to support their education, with 15 youths in each of the kingdoms to also benefit from empowerment and skills’ acquisition programmes.

    Topba warned them against cultism.

  • Four of six ‘abducted Igbonla pupils’ resume

    Four of six pupils of Lagos State Junior and Senior Model College, Igbonla, who were released by kidnappers on July 28, have resumed.

    The pupils, Judah Agbaosi, Faruq Yusuf, Isoaka Ramon and Peter Jonah, were in high spirits yesterday when a team of Lagos State Ministry of Education, led by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi, visited the school.

    Agbaosi, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said they had put the ugly incident behind them and were happy to be back in school.

    He said: “I resumed yesterday.  I feel very happy to be back in school. I can tell you that I’m okay. I know that nothing bad will happen again.”

    Agbaosi said the school authority had put security measures in place to boost their confidence.

    Asked if he would change school if given the opportunity, he said: “I will not because I really like the standard here. Besides, the school encourages pupils to have relationships with teachers. We can always go to them when we have any problem.”

    Agbaosi said the other two pupils are expected to resume this week, adding that there is no reason for any pupil not to resume.

    “God is the only guarantee for security. If those of us kidnapped are here today, there is no reason for any pupil not to resume.”

    Although less than half of the school’s population had resumed, Odeyemi hoped that the pupils would resume before the end of the week.

    Of 700 pupils the junior school can accommodate, 225 JSS2/JSS3 have resumed. Only 20 of 245 new

    JSS1 pupils have resumed.

    In the senior school, 205 SS2/SS3 have resumed out of 431. SS1 pupils are yet to resume.

    The permanent secretary said the government had raised the school’s fence, built a watch tower, fixed floodlights and ensured that security operatives were stationed in the school day and night.

  • Bank-to-bank forex deals resume

    Bank-to-bank forex deals resume

    Banks can now directly sell foreign exchange (forex) to one another, without prior Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approval, The Nation has learnt.

    The policy shift became exigent following the improvement in forex supply to key segments of the market, a development that has shored up market confidence.

    A top manager in one of the Tier-1 lenders, who disclosed this at the weekend, said the CBN had in the heat of the forex scarcity stopped commercial banks from selling foreign exchange to one another, unless they had its approval.

    But the regulator has in the last few weeks reversed the policy. It now allows lenders to sell foreign exchange to one another. But there is a condition:  ”In bank-to-bank forex deals, the buying bank must not resell to another lender, except to end-users”.

    The source, who spoke anonymously because she was not supposed to disclose such development to the public, said: “The CBN has lifted restrictions on banks not to sell forex to one another except it is approved by the regulator. Today, banks can sell forex to one another, but the buying bank cannot resell to another lender, except to an end-user”.

    According to the source, the CBN has since January, spent over $7.7 billion to stablise the forex market. The Investors’ & Exporters’ FX Window currently records about $80 million daily turnover, with the CBN contributing about 15 per cent of the transactions.

    The Investors & Exporters Forex Window was introduced by the CBN on April 24. About $3.83 billion has been traded through the window since inception. The window has impacted positively on the naira. The window, where buyers and sellers are free to agree an exchange rate, was introduced to attract foreign investors and boost the supply of dollars.

    Traders said $407 million was traded last week as against $354.8 million in the previous week, indicating a gradual return in investors’ confidence in the forex market.

    There has been continuous improvement in dollar inflow into the market from offshore investors, a trend that has also reflected in the volume of transactions at the equity market. Before the window came on board, the CBN was the main supplier of hard currency on the interbank forex market, after foreign investors fled naira assets in the wake of an oil price slump in 2014.

    Aside establishing the Investors’ & Exporters’ FX Window, the CBN also opened a special forex window for SMEs. The window, which allocates $20,000 per business per quarter, helps the SMEs import “eligible finished and semi-finished items” needed for their businesses. The CBN said the bank’s special intervention was necessitated by its findings that many SMEs were being crowded out of the forex space by large firms.

    “The sum of $20,000 per SME customer per quarter can be done through telegraphic transfer, subject to completion of Form ‘M’ supported with a pro forma invoice and the importer’s Bank Verification Number (BVN),” it said.

    All the processing banks are to ensure that the importers submit shipping documents not later than 60 days from the date of the transfer.

  • Lagos schools to resume April 18

    Lagos schools to resume April 18

    The Lagos State Ministry of Education, on Thursday, announced that public and private primary and secondary schools operating in the state would resume on April 18.

    Dr Idiat Adebule, the Deputy Governor of the state, who is also  the Commissioner for Education, made this announcement in a statement in Lagos.

    Mr Adesegun Ogundeji, Assistant Director, Public Affairs Unit in the ministry signed the statement.

    In the statement, Adebule said that private and public schools must adhere strictly to the 2016/2017 academic calendar.

    The deputy governor sent a goodwill message to all pupils and parents, wishing them Happy Easter, following the successful completion of the lent.

    She said that the 2016/2017 academic calendar was jointly agreed upon at the state education stakeholders’ meeting before the commencement of the academic year.

    According to her, the adoption of a uniform calendar will enable proper planning and ensure that pupils and students attend school for the number of days required per term.