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Tag: school

  • Alumni reunion for school’s 35th anniversary

    Oshodi Comprehensive High School (OCHS) Alumni Association will on Saturday, hold its first national reunion as part of events to celebrate the school’s 35th anniversary.

    Old boys and girls of the institution in Nigeria and the Diaspora have expressed interest to attend the event, which holds inside the White House Hall in Oshodi.

    The event would serve as a platform for members to refurbish major infrastructure and raise fund for the maintenance of projects, OCHS Alumni, President, Ganiyu Hamzat, said.

    Hamzat said 10  members of staff would be honoured for their services to the school and their contributions to the community. Past students of the school would also receive recognition for their achievements in and outside Nigeria, he added.

    He said Lagos State Education District VI Permanent Secretary/Tutor-General,  Alhaja Amidat A. Anifowose, would be the special guest of honour, while Dean, Faculty of Political Science, Edo State University Prof Stephen Omodia, would be the Keynote Speaker.

    According to him, the event with the theme: Many paths, one spirit would be an opportunity for the alumni to give back their God-given resources to their alma-mater.

  • Cleric underscores need for History in schools

    The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Southsouth Zone, and President of Niger Delta Bishops Forum, Archbishop Goddowell Avwomakpa, has called for the reintroduction of history in secondary and tertiary education. The Archbishop made the call during Delta State’s 25th anniversary celebration in Asaba.

    History is taught as part of the Civic Education Curriculum at primary level, and offered as an elective subject at secondary school level.  At tertiary level, History is not taught generally.

    Avwomakpa, said if the Buhari administration with its change mantra cannot use its political will to introduce history into school curriculum, then the government should stop marking the army remembrance day as well as other historical events in our nation’s national calendar.

    He said: “Why has the nation named some institutions, streets and buildings after some prominent Nigerians who have contributed to nation building? History teachers are going into extinction in Nigeria while the rest of the world is teaching school children history about their country and leaders.”

    The cleric warned that denying the young generation any written records of past events is tantamount to allowing foreigners who keep such records to write it, a situation he described as dangerous.

    He called Christians to continue to pray for Nigeria and her leaders, adding that if people who are faithful and righteous stand in the gap to pray for Nigeria, the country will rise again, but if those who should stand in the gap fold their hands in lamentation, worse things will happen.

  • Agric school graduates 2,065

    The Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology (OYSCATECH) in Igboora has marked its 10th Founder’s Day, which coincided with its seventh convocation. MOROUNFOLU ADENIYI reports.

    It was all celebration at the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology (OYSCATECH) in Igboora as the school graduate its seventh set of students. The graduating students were joined by their parents and guardians to receive their certificates.

    The convocation, which coincided with the college’s 10th Founder’s Day, featured conferment of fellowship awards on notable individuals, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Governor Abiola Ajimobi; founder of BOVAS, Mrs Victoria Samson; Alhaji Adesope Fasaasi of Owotutu Group and Alhaji Raman Alayande.

    Graduates numbering 2,065 were awarded Diploma at the event held on the campus field. The event started with music performance by choristers of the Department of Music and Technology of The Polytechnic, Ibadan (IBADAN POLY).

    The Provost, Prof Gbemiga Adewale, said the college had bridged the gap of practical knowledge in the area of intensive agricultural technology training for the youth. He noted that the college was fulfilling its mandate as a special school for training students in modern farm practice, vocational skills and agricultural technology.

    Adewale said the college had contributed to nation building through teaching, research and community service. He highlighted some of the college’s achievements to include training of students in modern agricultural practice, computing, food processing, fish breeding and poultry keeping, among others.

    The provost revealed that the college embarked on research and collaborations with national and international agencies, which assisted the college in facilitating several community service programmes in its host communities, including integrated fish farming, cassava production and distribution of Vitamin A cassava stem to farmers free of charge.

    Adewale maintained that the feats were achieved because of the foundation laid by the founding fathers of the college. He congratulated the graduates, urging them to apply the knowledge gained in elevating modern farm practice and entrepreneurship to create job opportunities for their peers.

    The provost hailed the Visitor to the college, Gov. Ajimobi, for his “unflinching support” towards the college.

    Ajimobi, represented by Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Adeniyi Olowofela, renewed the commitment of his administration towards elevating standard of teaching and research in the college.

    The governor advised managements of the state-owned tertiary institutions to raise the bar of excellence in order to attract research grants and funding from international education agencies.

    Ajimobi praised the OYSCATECH management for its efforts at promoting the college and for its contribution to the success of Oyo State Agricultural initiative (OYSAI).

    In her goodwill message, the college’s interim Governing Council Chairman, Mrs Aderonke Makanjuola, who is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, appreciated Ajimobi’s vision, saying the governor provided facilities which raised the standard in the college.

    The Best Graduating Student, Miss Damilola Adepoju, who spoke on behalf of others,  thanked the management and lecturers for imparting “quality knowledge” on them. She promised to be good ambassador of the college.

    Speaking on behalf of fellowship awardees, Mrs Samson thanked the college management for recognising their selfless efforts with the fellowship awards. She pledged commitment to the development of the college.

  • Students go fishing as flood overruns school

    Students go fishing as flood overruns school

    The premises of Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Warri, literally became a fish pond, following an early morning downpour that flooded the school. Students plunged into the pool on walkways to catch fish brought by the flood. UGOCHUKWU SOSTHENES (Petroleum Engineering and Geo-science) reports.

    Students of Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun, Warri, Delta State, woke up last Tuesday in a pool. The campus was flooded, following hours of an early morning downpour, which did not stop the ongoing second semester examination. Students were seen wading through the water-logged pathways to their examination halls.

    The heavy rain started at 4am and lasted two hours. Many students were trapped in classrooms where they went to study at night ahead of Mathematics examination to be written the following morning. The two-hour downpour unfortunately resulted in the flooding of their classrooms.

    The school library, which has a well-constructed drainage, was equally flooded. The flood carried  in its rage, a heap of debris to the school gate messing up the entire area. Some areas on the campus could not be accessed owing to the flood.

    The flood, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, might have been caused by the nearby Effurun River, which overflowed its bank. Different live fish were seen swimming in the flood on the campus. The roads leading to the campus stadium and the main Laboratory Complex were unpassable as many feared dangerous reptiles might be in the flood.

    To the students, the fish were manna from heaven. Some, who were not writing examinations that day, waded through the flood to catch fish. None of the students who went “fishing” returned empty handed; they all went back to their hostels with their catch.

    Describing the flooding as unprecedented, a lecturer, who did not want his name in print, said: “Ever since I started teaching in this school, I have not witnessed this magnitude of flood on the campus.”

    Sunday Egon, an ND 1 Science Laboratory Technology student, who went for night reading before the rain, said: “When water started flowing into the classrooms, everybody started packing their books. Then, it became unbearably cold. We were all trapped and could not return to hostels, because the flood covered every pathway. It was difficult to distinguish the drainage from the pathway. We ended up going late for our papers,” he said.

    It took more than 12 hours before the flood receded. A management source blamed the flooding on poor drainage in the town. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that drains in Effurun had been blocked for years, because of poor construction and blockage by waste materials. The source said PTI may continue to experience flooding until a cleanup exercise is carried out to through the drains and canals in the town.

  • Minister inaugurates school as council marks 100 days

    Minister inaugurates school as council marks 100 days

    The FCT Administration would continue to support and encourage any Area Council in its domain which initiates people-oriented projects.

    FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello gave this assurance while commissioning a primary school in Iddo-Ma’aji, a village located along Airport Road.

    The new school was constructed by the Abuja Municipal Area Council chaired by Abdullahi Candido in his 100 days in office.a

    Bello said that what the people in the rural areas need is thae basic necessities of life and insisted that the Area Councils that are closer to the grassroots must strive to achieve more of such laudable projects.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the Minister emphasized that his Administration will continue to provide the enabling environment for all the Area Councils to perform optimally.

    He reminded the council officials that the people were anxiously watching how they would fulfil the campaign promises they made.

    The Minister, who lauded the AMAC chief for bringing education to the doorsteps of the people that genuinely desire it, also urged other Area Council chairmen not to betray the confidence reposed in them by the voters.

    Bello remarked that education remains the bedrock for any meaningful development; adding that the choice of the project embarked upon by the AMAC Chairman will go a long way in liberating their minds.

    The Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abdullahi Adamu Candido appreciated the kind gesture of the Minister who took time out of his busy schedule to personally commission the school.

    “This shows that Malam Muhammad Musa Bello is truly with the people despite his exalted position in the society,” he added.

    Several APC leaders in the Federal Capital Territory like Hajiya Ireti Kingigbe, Hon. Tanko Abari and a host of others also attended the ceremony.

     

     

  • ‘Councils should not pay primary school teachers’

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has called for the removal of salaries of primary school teachers from local government allocations to ease  councils’ funding challenges.

    Ahmed said there was need to review national laws inhibiting states from playing majorly in telecommunications, energy, aviation, exploitation of mineral resources.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, said the governor spoke during a meeting with Muslim scholars during a  “State of the State” meeting; a platform for interface between the government and faith leaders, women and youth groups.

    According to the governor, primary education is too important to be left to the councils, which are becoming incapacitated financially.

    He advocated an expansion of states’ sources of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by removing telecommunications, energy, aviation, exploitation of mineral resources, from the exclusivity of the Federal Government.

  • Buhari to inaugurate Aregbesola’s mega school today

    President Muhammadu Buhari will today inaugurate Osogbo Government High School, one of the 20 schools being constructed by the Rauf Aregbesola administration.

    The state-of-the-art schools demonstrate Aregbesola’s commitment to providing quality education for Osun State youths.

    The 3,000-capacity complex has 72 classrooms of 49 square-metre, each capable of sitting 49 pupils; six offices for study groups; six laboratories, 18 toilets each for girls and boys, a science library, an arts library, facility manager’s office, bookshop and sick bay.

    Osun is also building 100 elementary and 50 middle schools. Of these, 14 elementary schools, 15 middle schools and 11 high schools, including the one to be inaugurated today, have been completed.

    Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, said in a statement that the upgrade of schools followed recommendations of a summit at the start of Aregbesola’s administration in 2010.

    He said: “The administration took some drastic steps in addressing the menace in the education sector and the first assignment was to convene an education summit with a view to reviving and making it a major contributor to the development of individuals and the society as a whole.

    “Before the administration came on board, many had complained about the quality of infrastructure in public schools being in total shambles, including the state-owned tertiary institutions.

    “In fact, critics lamented that most of the schools were turned into mere certificate awarding centres, with the state becoming one of the least performing states among its peers in educational affairs, as only three per cent of its candidates in the 2010 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) had five credits including English Language and Mathematics.”

    Since the government stepped in to improve infrastructure, provide two pairs of unified school uniforms to all public primary and secondary school pupils, provide tablets (Opon Imo) as composite study devices for final year students, and introduce school feeding programme, tagged O Meal, there have been successes.

    The Deputy Governor, Madam Grace Titilayo-Tomori, who doubles as the Commissioner for Education, said through the Opon Imo, the government reduces the burden of buying multiple textbooks.

    “The equipment, designed as a stand alone tablet, called ‘Opon Imo’, contains the entire senior school syllabus, including Yoruba traditions, past questions of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and Joint Administration and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for 10 years in the software design for the system.

    “All these are focused on reducing the phobia associated with learning and increasing students’ interest in learning; and completely turn learning into play in schools and at home,” she said.

    The ‘O’ Meal, which costs the government N3 billion annually, reportedly increased primary school enrolment by 40 per cent in the last academic session.

    Aregbesola also reduced the school fees paid by students in all the five state-owned tertiary institutions. Students at the polytechnic and College of Technology, now pay N25,000 from N42,000; while those at the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) pay N100,000 for Law and Medicine from N205,000; and N75,000 Sciences, Social Sciences and Art from N155,000 and N130,000.

    Also, the government offered scholarship to all 98 UNIOSUN medical students for their clinical courses in far away Ukraine.

    The intervention was said to have gulped N146million at the rate of $7,000 each, comprising the cost of training, accommodation and other sundry matters.  Parents are responsible for feeding only.

     

  • School honours special SS3 set

    For being well behaved, studious, and contributing to the development of Festac Senior Grammar School, this year’s SS3 set got a well-deserved sendoff  from the school.

    Principal of the school, Mrs Omotunde Lawson, who gave a report on the school’s progress since assuming duties three years ago, capped it up with praises for the 110 SS3 pupils for being so good,  expressing hope they would perform well in their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

    “We are here to celebrate our outgoing SS3 students.  This is a set one would not want to miss in the school because of the great value they have added through a dint of hardwork and collaboration among themselves.  They are such an amiable set made up of individually talented and collectively articulated students.

    “I am confident and looking forward to yet the best WASSCE result within the last five years, and that you will find yourselves in various higher institutions within a short time and excel in your various choice of vocations in future.  I wish you well dearly beloved children,” she said.

    Mrs Lawson, who is also the Chairman of the All Conferedation of Principals of Secondary Schools in Lagos State, expressed joy that the school’s performance had improved tremendously under her watch.

    “Performance of our SS3 students in WASSCE improved progressively with the percentage of students with minimum of five credits including English and Mathematics rising from 39.7 per cent in 2013 to 41.3 per cent in 2014 and 71.7 per cent in 2015.  Undoubtedly this percentage will increase to a minimum of 80 per cent in 2016 considering the effort put in by the teachers and the determination and hard work of the students,” he said.

    In her speech, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Education, Mrs Biola Seriki-Ayeni, who was the guest of honour, advised the graduating pupils to stay on the straight and narrow path so they do not derail their future.

    She said: “I charge you therefore to be focused; don’t rest on your oars. You have just started and you have a long way to go. Distance yourself from all social vices like crimes, terrorism, cultism, gangsters, rape, stealing, examination malpractice, etc. They can only cause disruption to your education and ruin promising futures. Examples abound all around you. Beware.”

    Mrs Seriki-Ayeni also counselled the pupils to remain studious, and the teachers and school administration led by Mrs Lawson to keep up the good work that has improved academic performance in the school.

    “I want to further urge the principal, teachers and other staff of the school to keep up the good work of contributing positively to the development of education in the state as this is the bedrock of any developmental process, be it social, economic or political life of any nation and I assure you that government on her own part will continue to provide conducive environment for the attainment of the lofty goals,” she said.

    Highpoint of the event was the presentation of awards to supporters of the school, handover of baton to new prefects, the launch of the graduands year book, and the presentation of their farewell gift to the school.

    Awards were presented to Ms Yetunde Ogedengbe, who furnished and equipped the school’s sickbay while undergoing her national Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the school (2014/2015); Mr Olayemi Ajibola, who donated a school gate in memory of his late mother, Florence, who taught in the school; Lions Club for building a security house for the school, among others.

    The outgoing pupils presented the school with white chairs and tables.

  • Osun gains from free school feeding

    The free feeding and health programmes introduced by the Osun State Government to encourage school enrolment  and attendance as well as enhance pupils’ health has not only become a model for the federal and state governments, but also a platform for agricultural development  and food production. SINA FADARE reports.

    At the outset, the primary objectives of the free school feeding programme introduced by the Osun State Government was aimed at increasing school enrolment, encourage attendance as well as enhance pupils’ health in all public primary schools.

    Farmers appear to be the major beneficiaries of the programme, as they embark on massive food production far which there is ready market.

    The programme has also enhanced the income of local farmers; thus reducing poverty level as all goods are sourced locally.

    On weekly basis, no fewer than 40 heads of cattle; 10,000 crates of eggs; 20,000 chickens, over 400 metric tons of fish are needed to feed the pupils.

    About 500 unemployed youths were trained and empowered for mass fish production under Osun Fisheries Out-Growers Production Scheme (OFOPS).

    The scheme supplies well over 400 metric tons of fish regularly for the school feeding, while cultivation of cocoyam through a cocoyam rebirth programme was also encouraged.

    Over 1,000 cocoyam farmers (selected across the nine federal constituencies) were trained and assisted to mass cultivate pink cocoyam for inclusion in the school feeding menu.

    Today, the number has risen to over 15,000, as more women and young adults have taken to farming; cultivating cocoyam, vegetables, tomatoes and melon.The programme, which began in 2006, has become a success story and indeed a reference model for many states and countries as pupils from kindergarten to primary four in public primary schools are fed daily with balanced foods such as fish, meat, vegetables and fruits that are rich in protein.

    The pupils are de-wormed twice a year. A comprehensive menu which, among other things, would help to develop the brain capacities of the growing children in their formative years was drawn up by stakeholders in the education sector. The team argued that a well-fed pupil is likely to be healthy and more attentive in class than those on empty stomach.

    Addressing delegates from all the states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the school feeding programme, Osun State Deputy Governor, who doubles as the Commissioner for Education under whose supervision the school feeding is carried out, Mrs. Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori noted that the programme began in 2006 as one of the 13 pilot states (Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, inclusive).

    She explained that the Aregbesola-led administration extended the beneficiaries of the school feeding programme in 2012 to primary four pupils and rechristened it Osun School Feeding and Health Programme (O-Meals).

    Mrs. Laoye-Tomori maintained that the free meals in public schools has led to sharp increase in enrolment from 155,318 to 194,253 after four weeks of its implementation, saying that currently over 252,000 pupils are being fed while they remain in school until closing time.

    She said: “According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics Report of 2013, Osun State has the highest primary school enrolment rate in the country and the lowest number of children of school age being out of school.”

    Mrs. Laoye-Tomori said that through the programme, the state was able to capture the actual figures of school pupils being fed under the programme which costs the government the sum of N18 million a week.She said a total of 3,007 food vendors were engaged, trained, kitted with uniforms and made to undergo medical screening.

    The vendors, according to her, were given loans to procure cooking utensils and organised into 124 functional co-operative investment and credit societies for effective administrative purposes.

    Mrs. Laoye-Tomori noted that the success of the programme has attracted compliments and accolades from both local and international forums.

    In 2014, the British Parliament invited the Governor Rauf Aregbesola to talk on the implementation of the school feeding programme for which the Parliament praised him.

    She explained that commendation also turned in from government of South Africa which sponsored her visit to the country.

    While praising the delegates for the visit to have a requisite insight into the dynamics of the school feeding programme, Mrs. Laoye-Tomori advised them to sit back and fashion out what will work for their respective states and people.

  • Ambode names school after Ajomale

    Ambode names school after Ajomale

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has named Olokun Primary School, Ilasamaja in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) after the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) party Chairman Otunba Henry Ajomale.

    The event was attended by party faithful, monarchs, community leaders and government officials.

    Ajomale, The Nation learnt, built a block of six classrooms and donated it to the government in 2015.

    It was commissioned by former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.

    An elated Ajomale thanked the governor for honouring him while he’s still alive.

    Such initiative like this, he said, is done after the demise of an individual, but “to have considered me worthy of this gesture while I am still alive, is a great gift from the government. I am also very grateful to the people of Ilasamaja. It is an edifice that would live after me.

    “The situation in the school was very pathetic; hence I decided to give it a facelift to rival any private school. I am happy to hear the head teacher saying the children’s results have improved greatly.”

    He promised to equip the school with computer systems so that the pupils can match their peers in any private school.

    Chief Ajomale called on well-meaning Nigerians to take interest in assisting school pupils.

    “We cannot leave everything for government, individuals, groups and corporate bodies need to come on board to ensure brighter future for our children,” he said.

    The council’s Sole Administrator, Ms Abimbola Oshikoya, said Ajomale deserved the honour.

    She promised that the council would maintain the infrastructure in the school and appeal to individuals to invest in children’s education.

    He described Ajomale as a wonderful and nice person.

    “I am really proud of him and happy to associate with him,” he said.

    She urged the school management to maintain the infrastructure.

    The school Head Teacher, Mrs Rabiat Adebayo, said the pupils now concentrate more on their studies and are learning very fast.

    “Come during the school hour, you will see the children learning in a conducive atmosphere. They are happy to be in the new block. With my dedicated teachers, we can boast of good results”, she said.