The Nation Newspaper

Tag: schools

  • More TVE schools coming, says Wike

    More TVE schools coming, says Wike

    Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) schools are expected to spring up in the Southsouth and Southeast geo-political zones before the end of this year, the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike has said.

    Wike, who made this known while unveiling plans for education in the year, noted that the schools are part of plans to improve the education sector.

    In a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, his Special Assistant (Media), the minister said Nigerians should expect the consolidation of the gains of the investments of the Jonathan administration in the education sector during the year.

    “Nigerians should expect a development-filled 2014 as the Jonathan administration intends to religiously execute all programmes outlined in the Four-Year Strategic Plan of the Education Sector,” the Minister said.

    Wike said the TVE schools are to boost the enrolment of the boy-child, who dropped out of school in the two regions. He said similar results have been achieved with the Almajiri and girl-child schools in the north.

    He said: “We are looking forward to comprehensively addressing the issue of access to quality education for less privileged Nigerians. We are working towards ensuring that majority of the out-of-school children have access to education. We are going to build on the gains that we have already attained in the construction of Almajiri and girl-child schools.

    “To buttress this point, by the end of January 2014, the Jonathan administration will kick off the construction of the Technical and Vocational Schools for the Boy-Child in the Southeast and Southsouth. We intend to deliver on these schools by the end of 2014, like we did with the Almajiri and girl-child schools.”

    This year, Wike also promised training for teachers and the rehabilitation of facilities in public universities in line with the government’s agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    “The complete overhaul of the universities will be on the fast lane, while the Needs Assessment reports of Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education would have been submitted and the reports acted upon. The training of teachers of basic education sector and the lecturers in the tertiary education sector will receive the deserved attention in the course of 2014,” he said.

    The Minister added that the administration will also work towards resolving the industrial disputes with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union.

     

  • Rape: Schools urged to check workers

    With the incidence of rape on the increase, the Director, Private Education and Special Programmes, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Sewanu Amosu, has urged private school proprietors and administrators to double check their workers.

    Mrs Amosu spoke at the Schools Prayer Summit 2014 organised by the Standard Mandate International (SMI) last Friday to seek God’s face for the New Year at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja.

    She recounted cases of rape that occurred last year which involved male and female teachers who abused young pupils in their care.

    To check rape, she advised proprietors to be sure of the background of their workers.

    “There was an increase of rape in our schools last year. Our school owners should watch their members of staff. Try to get close to them and know their background,” she said.

    Mrs Amosu also spoke on the status of school buses and the school environment; poor remuneration of teachers, which she condemned, and the grading of schools.

    On safety, the director counselled school owners to ensure that their school buses are road worthy, drivers trained at the Lagos State Drivers Institute, and that each bus has a minder who ensures that the pupils are delivered safely to their homes.

    On the payment of workers, Mrs Amosu urged the proprietors to pay regularly.

    “Proprietors should have a fair deal with their employees. We have heard cases of people who pay N5,000, yet not pay regularly. Teachers should also give their best,” she said.

    In light of the government’s stipulation of uniformed resumption date for all schools, Mrs Amosu warned proprietors to be wary of fake officials purportedly sent from the ministry to collect fines or taxes, noting that they should report such people to the police.

    “Government has not sent anybody to ask for money or fine anybody for resuming early. When people come to your school and ask for money, they are not from the government. Anybody who asks you for money, call the police. Help us to bring corruption to an end,” she said.

    During the summit, prayers were offered for pupils, teachers, non-teaching workers, school owners, parents and peace in Nigeria by various school owners.

    Mrs Adun Akinyemiju, Proprietor, Dansol Primary School and Dansol High School preached.

    Quoting various scriptures, Mrs Akinyemiju urged proprietors, school heads and teachers to live righteously and train pupils well. Failure to do so, she warned, would attract God’s wrath.

    “When you run a school and you cheat those children; and you organise results for them, you are going against God; you are destroying destinies,” she said.

    Chief Yomi Otubela, Lagos President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), and Dr Femi Ogunsanya, President, Association of Private School Educators of Nigeria (APEN) also gave goodwill messages.

    In an interview, Mr Nelson Ayodele, Chief Executive Officer, of SMI, said the event was organised to seek God’s guidance and protection for schools in the year.

    “We know that we cannot do anything without God; and since His name is known as Alpha and Omega, before we start anything, we want to start in His name,” he said.

     

  • Firm to help schools meet safety standards

    Firm to help schools meet safety standards

    A firm, InSight Health Consulting Limited, is seeking to work with private school proprietors to certify their school premises safe for teaching and learning activities.

    The firm, working with the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), has developed a school safety certification programme called SafeZone, which can help proprietors and school management to identify inherent hazards and proffer reasonable, practicable interventions aimed at controlling their effects.

    The Associate Consultant, InSight Health Consulting Limited Bolaji Akala, said the SafeZone programme is a school health and safety accreditation system that provides a vehicle for assessing the level of compliance to health and safety standard in schools.

    “The SafeZone programme has eight components, which include school health; teaching safety; community involvement; safety management systems; general security; access and transport; fire-risk assessment and recreation.

    “The SafeZone advantages include ensuring safety of the student population and employees; provide a uniform accreditation template for schools in Nigeria, thereby being able to view the ranking of a school in line with others across Nigeria,” he said.

    Given the firm’s collaboration with RoSPA, Akala said certified schools will get international recognition.

    Principal Consultant, InSight Health Consulting Limited, Mrs Nnenna Oduwusi, added that the rating system will define the level of safety available during the evaluation, and spell out the eligibility criteria for upward and downward progression across this designed rating system.

    “The certification is aimed at increasing the consciousness and awareness of health and safety among the management of schools in Nigeria. In the course of the certification, we aim to work with management of assessed schools in putting in place controls and interventions capable of mitigating the identified health and safety shortcomings and gaps,” she said.

  • 25 schools for Innovate Lagos

    25 schools for Innovate Lagos

    No fewer than 25 secondary schools in Lagos Island Local Government of Lagos State, participated in the second stage of the Innovate Lagos Competition held at the E-learning Centre Lagos Island.

    The pupils presented different innovative ideas on some identified problems of agriculture, security, education, energy, housing in their communities and Lagos state at large.

    The competition is an initiative of the Lagos State government to provide platform for pupils to showcase their creative and innovative ideas that will bring about development and innovation across all the sectors in the state.

    According to the InnovateLagos representative, Miss Remi Owadokun, the pupils’ ideas or presentations would be uploaded on the state’s website for members of the public to vote the best 10 ideas that will qualify for the final stage.

    She added that five schools would be selected for the final stage.

    “The top 10 ideas with the most votes will proceed to stage three where a select panel of judges and sponsors, including MTN Nigeria, Consol Nigeria Limited and FCMB will select the five best ideas,” she said.

    Owadokun said that the best school would visit an innovation centre outside Nigeria, while consolation prizes such as laptops, ipads, smart phones and MTN golden bags will be given to other winners.

    Speaking at the event, a JSS3 pupil of King’s College, Lagos, Master Ibrahim Jonathan, who presented on ‘the use of plastic bottles in building houses in Lagos’, expressed his optimism in qualifying to the final stage.

    ‘I think my school will be voted for the next stage, because the idea I presented is a good method and I believe if Lagos State government can adopt this method, hundreds of thousands of Lagosians without houses can have comfortable places to live’, he said.

    Some of the schools that participated in the competition included: Lafiaji Junior Secondary School, Epetedo Senior Secondary School, Okesunna Senior Secondary School, Girls’ Senior Academy, Ebute Elefun Senior Secondary School and Eko Akete Secondary School.

     

  • Govt okays journalist’s novel for schools

    A novel, The Young Boy and the Island, written by a journalist, Mr. John Ighodaro, has been approved by the Federal Government for use in primary schools.

    In a statement in Calabar, the author said the novel would henceforth be used by all public primary schools in the country to develop pupils interest in literature and teach them life’s lessons. The book, published by the West African Book Publishers Ltd, has been described in superlative terms by editors.

    One of them, Mr. Hyacinth Egbulem, said of the novel: ”It is a seminal book, very rich, accessible and easy to understand. It is a rare book, rare in the sense that you can’t compartmentalise it and say it is meant for a particular group only.

    “It is a book that every shade of society will enjoy reading irrespective of one’s education or calling in life. It can be read in the primary, in secondary schools or even at the university. It speaks to everyone.”

    Another editor with the publishing house, Mr. Samson Akindoyo, described the novel as ”an unusual way of handling rejection, hatred and ugly relationships. This is a story for all and sundry. It teaches us that no matter the condition, there is always a way out and many of our so-called problems are not really beyond us as we may think, as the solutions are usually in us. Self discovery is all that we need. Many awhile, our challenges are taken past their usual limit but they are not outside the realm of possible resolution.”

    Ighodaro is also the author of Milikoos Island and Placards, which he revealed was inspired by the subject of the Christmas message to Nigeria by the former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Sunday Mbang in this year 2000.

    The author, a journalist, playwright and short story writer, hails from Edo State.

     

  • Aliyu promises more money for schools if stealing is checked

    Aliyu promises more money for schools if stealing is checked

    •Governor pleads with govt/ASUU to make sacrifices

    The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has attributed the underdevelopment of the education sector to stealing of public funds.

    Aliyu, who spoke at the first national convention and election of executive council of the Bayero University Kano (BUK) Alumni Association, also said the Federal Government should be sincere in tabling the facts as contained in the 2009 Agreement it signed with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The governor, who is an alumnus of BUK, said less stealing of public funds would make free education possible.

    ‘’I have been asking myself when I look throughout the parts of the world, it is only in Nigeria where you have strike in the universities; why? And I have also found that if Nigerians desist from stealing, we should be able to provide free education from primary school to the university level,” he said.

    Aliyu also urged the Federal Government and ASUU to make sacrifices, towards an amicable resolution of the lingering strike crippling the university education sub-sector.

    The governor, however, admitted that though strike is old fashioned in the settlement of disputes globally, it is the only language the government seems to understand.

    For the viability of universities, Aliyu counselled all major stakeholders to contribute their quota towards the funding of universities through their alumni associations, pointing out that famous universities in the world, like Oxford , Harvard universities, among others, are great, primarily due to their financial contributions made by the alumni associations.

    He called on the various alumni associations to emulate the good gesture of the foreign-based universities by exploring other sources to generate funds to develop and equip their alma mater.

    On the occasion, the BUK Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdulrasheed Aabubaka, praised members the university’s alumni association, especially Aliyu, as well as Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, former Zamfara State governor for their support for the infrastructural development of the university.

     

  • Western Union, others donate books to schools

    , DOAM Foundation and some financial institutions donated books and study materials worth N6million to boost learning.

    The donation came as part of the Project read to succeed initiative by the collaborating partners.

    In Edo State, Idia college, Benin benefited from the project, while Owerri Girls Secondary, Imo State and Ahiaba High School, Abia State were beneficiaries in the Southeast.

    They had their school library blocks renovated – with ceramic tiles fitted on the floors. The libraries were further equipped with 30 ceiling fans, 283 reading chairs, 51 reading tables, 20 computers, four UPS, 40 computer tables, six librarian tables and 31 shelves stocked with books across various disciplines.

    The project was executed with a $114,114 grant coutesy of Western Union, a money transfer and global payment services firm, in partnership with Access Bank, Diamond Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, GTBank, Skye Bank, and United Bank for Africa- six Western Union agents.

    While inaugurating the libraries, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole said the event was timely and in line with the goals of the government in making public schools not only attractive but amply equipped with materials that will help develop the student’s capacity.

    Oshiomhole, who was represented by the Commissioner for Higher Tertiary and Technical Education, Washington Osifo, promised to partner with the DOAM Foundation to develop education further

    Western Union Regional Vice-President for North, Central and West Africa, Aida Diarra, said: “The basic ability to read is what makes the ability to learn possible. It is also the way we are able to seek out and acquire information ourselves, without relying on biased viewpoints. At Western Union, we believe that education, access to financial services and economic opportunity go hand in hand – to advocate for a world where economic opportunity is in reach for everyone.”

    Patrick Gaston, President of Western Union Foundation, said the initiative aims to make an impact in underdeveloped schools in Nigeria through distribution of the afroementioned items.

    The principal of Idia College, Mrs. E.H. Ogbebor noted that although the library had been renovated by the state government, there had been no materials in it, thereby compounding the problem of reading among students. She promised that conscious effort would be made to maintenance the facility.

    On his part, the principal, Edo College, Benin City, Deacon Idahosa Godwin Osawonmwann said the gesture would afford students a competitive advantage over their peers in both public and private schools, not only in the state but at the national level.

    The Project Manager of DOAM Foundation Mrs. Clare Henshaw, said the library should be used to developing students’ intellectual skills, noting that with books they can explore the world right from the library.

     

  • ‘Headteachers blamed for poor performance in Unity schools’

    Headteachers of federal Unity schools should be blamed for the poor performances of pupils in examinations.

    This is the view of the Supervising Minister for the Ministry of Education, Mr Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, who spoke at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the headteachers of federal Unity schools in Akure, Ondo State.

    He said a new the measure was in place where selection and retention of headteachers in Unity schools would henceforth be based on competitive examinations and other performance evaluation processes.

    Wike, who was represented by the Special Adviser on Political Matters, Mr Ayebanesin Beredugo, said besides the dearth of critical teaching and learning infrastructure, lack of quality management was another deficit undermining effective teaching, learning and pupils performances in the Federal Government schools.

    He noted that Unity schools are among the best in the country, yet most of their headteachers failed to lift them to enviable heights.

    Said Wike: “I do not see any reason the best performing students all over the country should not come from the Federal Government schools.

    “It is for this reason that we have moved to a merit-based system of selecting and retaining headteachers only through competitive examinations and other performance evaluation processes.

    Wike said the government is making progress in its determination to restore Unity schools to their rightful positions as centres of academic excellence in secondary education in Nigeria.

    He said the Federal Government is addressing some of the challenges facing Unity schools.

    According to him, some of the challenges include regularisation of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) teachers, recruitment of more teachers, equipping laboratories, and rehabilitation of classrooms and hostels.

    Wike said the theme of the AGM- ‘Strengthening the institutional management of Federal Government Unity schools to enhance performance’, was in line with what needs to be done to deliver quality education and enhance the performance of students in the colleges.

    The Chairman of the Conference of Principals of Federal Government Colleges, Mrs Ijeoma Efobi, said statistics emanating from colleges showed that yearly, the number of available staff continued to diminish, as many retire due to old ages.

    According to her, this happens without any corresponding replacements, as many colleges are in need of teachers of Mathematics, English, ICT (information and Communication Technology) as well as others in trade subjects.

     

  • NDDC’s quest for ‘quality’ schools

    NDDC’s quest for ‘quality’ schools

    There is still hope for Nigeria. By refusing to overlook poor quality jobs, the NDDC has set a good example for other agencies of government in the country.” That was how Comrade Ibinabo Robinson, a Buguma youth leader, captured the botched inauguration of three projects in his community.

    The elders and youths of Buguma in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State had gathered for the inauguration of the projects executed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Kalabari National College, Buguma. Smiles froze on their faces on being informed that the ceremony because the Acting NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Christy Atako, was not impressed with the job done. She told the Buguma chiefs and the pupils that NDDC would not be associated with projects of questionable quality.

    “We pay attention to quality. So, we will not commission any project that does not meet our standards. If we hand over a sub-standard project, it means that we are defrauding the people,” she said.

    NDDC, she said, would stop contractors who try to deny pupils the benefits of the quality of facilities put in place for them. The community elders saw reason with her. Speaking on the community’s behalf, Chief Daar George praised NDDC for insisting on quality job. He said though his people, especially the pupils, were eager to take charge of the facilities, it was better to wait for the contractor to deliver on quality.

    “We agree that the contractor should come back to finish the job to meet the standards set by NDDC,” he said.

    The school principal, Dr. Gibson Sokari-George, said NDDC gave them a sense of belonging by rehabilitating the school’s dormitory, dining hall, kitchen and the principal’s quarters. Despite the deferment of the inauguration, he said, they were still happy and hopeful.

    In Akwa Ibom State, Dr Atako also refused to inaugurate a laboratory, an assembly hall and classrooms for the Community Secondary School in Ikot Ubom in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, because they were sub-standard.

    Dr. Atako also declined to inaugurate a solar powered water project at Ikot Ekpan also in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.

    She said: “I was meant to commission this project today but I am disappointed at what I saw. I didn’t believe that contractors could deceive NDDC into inaugurating projects that were so shoddily done”. A visibly angry Dr. Atako added: “I was given the impression that the projects were properly done but what I saw is a far cry from the high standards for which the NDDC is known. I have told the contractors that they must complete these projects according to specifications.” She warned that the contractors stood the risk of being blacklisted if they failed to adhere to the directive.

    The commission, she said, had set standards which it was not prepared to compromise. The need to maintain the standards, she said, made the commission to inspect its projects regularly to confirm the contractors’ claims before payments. “We will always make sure that we inspect every project even if they tell us they have done 100 per cent of the job, we will go there and inspect it before we pay. We also encourage contractors that are doing well,” she said. Despite the development, the village head of Ikot Ekpan, Chief Sunday Emmanuel, said they thought that the contractor had completed the job when they were invited for the ceremony. “We are surprised that the commissioning was stopped because of some deficiencies. Since the Acting MD is not satisfied, we are willing to wait for the contractor to do what is required of him,” he said.

    At the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) in Imo State, where the NDDC modern hostel complex is awaiting commissioning, the students’ joy was cut short following a pre-commissioning inspection by Dr. Atako who was not impressed with what, she saw. She ordered the contractor back to site.

    She said NDDC’s main concern was the delivery of projects that would make the Niger Delta people happy, adding that the commission would “enforce strict adherence to standards and project specifications. We will not tolerate contractors doing shoddy jobs.”

    Dr Atako expressed dissatisfaction with some aspects of the hostel’s finishing, asking the contractor to rectify the defects within two weeks.

    A major contractor said Dr Atako had woken many of the contractors from slumber, noting: “Some of us are doing our best to meet her expectations. However, it has not been easy as we are also battling with the challenges of funding.”

    Things are looking up as NDDC inaugurated 60 projects in the last three months, indicating that many contractors are getting it right.

    Dr Atako is the happier for it. At the inauguration of the University of Benin hostel, she expressed happiness after going round the complex.

    The modern office and detention complex built for the State Security Service, SSS and the orthopaedic and general surgery complex at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, also got the thumbs up from Dr Atako for being well executed.

    The FMC’s Medical Director, Dr. Leo Erhunwunsee, thanked the NDDC for the complex, which he described as a magnificent edifice that would aid the work of the medical personnel.

  • Why we established Ibadan Business School – Ex-Head of Service of the Federation Prof Afolabi

    Why we established Ibadan Business School – Ex-Head of Service of the Federation Prof Afolabi

    Professor Oladapo Afolabi, one-time Head of Service of the Federation, is the Chairman, Board of Advisors of the newly-established Ibadan Business School (IBS). He spoke with reporters recently on the vision and character of the school

    What is the vision of IBS?

    The IBS is out to focus on development needs of public sector being the drivers of the economy in the developing world and address the capacity needs of micro, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs who represent the agents of sustainable growth in any economy.

    Are there peculiar attributes that distinguish IBS from other business education institutions across the globe?

    Yes. There are four distinct features of IBS that make it appeal to the prospective market.

    About 75% of its courses would be run online through electronic learning (e-learning). This provides both convenience and access to many who have longed to improve on their capacities, but were unable to do so due to busy schedule, geographical consideration and even costs.

    Two, IBS prides itself on being the first business school in Africa to provide a double platform of e-learning for its students. Apart from the use of laptops, desktops and tablets to receive lectures, students would also enjoy the rare convenience of also being able to receive their lectures on-the-go through their mobile phones, such as Nokia, Samsung, Blackberry, Tecno and so on. With these technologies, no prospective student should have any excuse, based on convenience and access, not to improve on his or her human capital potential.

    Three, is the universality of IBS faculty. Prospective students would have the rare opportunity of benefiting from the immense wealth of experience of its resource persons who are domiciled in various parts of the world.

    For instance, a Nigerian resident student in our programme could receive lectures from lecturers located in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, United State of America, Ghana and so on. This unique feature offers every enrolled student to benefit from contemporary best practices and experiences.

    Four, all our courses are market-driven. The various courses we would be running are identified through market needs analysis. This would make the school attractive to all who sincerely desire to better their human capital capacities.

    Who are the promoters of IBS?

    A 21-year old Supreme Management Consultants Ltd (SMC) is the chief promoter of IBS. SMC has been a foremost management institution with operational network that cuts across all the seven continents in the world.

    A critical body of promoters of IBS is also found in its Board of Advisors that is made up of very distinguished and accomplished Nigerians and expatriates, namely:

    Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, former Head of Service of the Federation, Chairman; Chief Wole Olanipekun ,

    former National President, Nigeria Bar Association, former Chairman, Governing Council, University of Ibadan, V/Chairman; Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, former President, Nigeria Institute of Management, Member; Prof. Pikay Richardson, Leading Faculty Member, Manchester Business School,Member; Mr. Bayo Jimoh, Group Managing Director, O’dua Investment Company Limited,Member; Dr. (Mrs) Sally Adukwu-Bolujoko , former President, Nigeria Institute of Management, Member; Mr. Yinka Fasuyi, foremost management consultant,President

    What is the operation profile of IBS?

    Basically the board provides the policy direction for the school through regular appraisal of global business environment and its consequences for business education requirements.

    The school would also rely on the global tested skills of its president who has earned his respect in management consultancy both in Nigeria and outside.

    The day to day operation of IBS, however, resides with its Registrar who doubles as the Chief Operating Officer of the school. The school is blessed to have a foremost and tested administrator , Chief Mojisola Ladipo, as its Registrar\COO.

    The Registrar/COO, who is a former two-term registrar of the premier university in Nigeria, University of Ibadan, is expected to leverage on her international network and exposure to make IBS a foremost business education institution of first choice.

    Does it mean IBS would not run a face-to-face, conventional classroom system at all?

    What I said was that a large percentage of our courses would run online, while about 25% of the programme would still employ the conventional face-to-face approach.

    From the third quarter of 2014, most of the face-to-face programmes would draw participants from sub-Saharan African countries whereby participants would enjoy the benefits of sharing contemporary experiences

    How adequate are IBS infrastructure facilities to meet this goal?

    The taste of the pudding is in the eating. So also is the validity of the old adage that says: “Seeing is believing.”

    I am happy to share with you that IBS has a world-class infrastructure facility located in a very serene environment, most conducive for learning. The standard and features of the learning rooms, syndicate rooms, plenary halls, library and parks can conveniently match those of its contemporaries anywhere in the world. Even in spite of its existing infrastructures, the school still keeps expanding its infrastructures ahead of its future needs.

    The general belief of the public is that business schools are desirable but expensive. What is your reaction to this?

    Anything that is desirable certainly has value.

    Ignorance is far more expensive in terms of socio-economic implications to individuals and the organisations they represent, compared to what it costs to empower.

    In answering your question, I think the issue you should consider is cost vs benefit,and not cost in absolute terms. Inasmuch as the value the participants derive from the course in terms of benefit outweighs the monetary cost, then such resource spent or expended on the programme is both effectively and efficiently utilized.

    In the case of IBS, what we have done is to pass the savings made from costs of logistics you incurred in a conventional face-to-face programmes to a reduced course fee for online participants.

    In the case of face-to-face programme, you have to factor the cost of meals, training materials, venue, training aids, physical transportation of faculty and so on into building your cost template.

    But in the online courses, participants do not have to pay for all these, hence the savings made from this is transferred to the participants. So the average course fee of N19,900 for a one-month online course is as a result of this. Payment of N19,900 to receive lectures from renowned professionals and experts across the world is certainly a welcome relief for all prospective participants who genuinely desire to enhance their human capital capacities to meet their respective business challenges.