The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • NANS upbeat on ASUU, FG standoff

    NANS upbeat on ASUU, FG standoff

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) says it is looking forward to the resolution of the standoff between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government.

    NANS’ President, Mr Chinonso Obasi, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, urged both parties to engage in constructive dialogue as they meet over the strike.

    ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike on Aug. 14 to demand the implementation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government on conditions of service, funding, university autonomy and academic freedom.

    The students association had given the Federal Government a 21 days ultimatum to resolve the issues to enable students return to school or face a total shut of activities across nation.

    “As the Federal Government plans to meet with ASUU on the ongoing indefinite strike, NANS is calling on the parties to engage in constructive engagement.

    “`Such engagement will enable both parties to resolve the lingering issues that led to the declaration of the strike, save the education sector and the future of Nigerian students.

    “Incessant and prolonged strike is one of factors responsible for the falling standard of education in Nigeria apart from the attendant untoward hardship to the students and their parents.

    “Though ASUU had called for an emergency Senate meeting to deliberate on the strike and the way forward before the Federal Government’s call for a meeting with the union, NANS will await the outcome of the meeting to determine the next line of action,’’ it stated.

    The statement urged both parties to put the interest of education and the students at heart as they meet. (NAN)

  • Buhari welcome rally shuts down Ado-Ekiti

    Buhari welcome rally shuts down Ado-Ekiti

    …APC, Civil Society groups slam Fayose for “Death Wish”

    Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, was at a standstill for about two hours on Monday as residents under the aegis the Coalition of Civil Society groups staged a solidarity rally to weclome President Muhammadu Buhari back from his medical vacation.

    The coalition which includes the All Progressives Congress (APC), Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), labour leaders, youths, artisans, students, market women, commercial drivers and other interest groups slammed Governor Ayo Fayose for “wishing the President dead and making comments that could set the country on fire.”

    The rally which started at about 9.00 am at Okeyinmi Roundabout proceeded to Ijigbo before terminating at Mobil area in the city. Many of those who participated in the rally carried placards with various inscriptions.

    Some of the placards read: “Welcome Back Buhari, Shame On Fayose,” “On Buhari We Stand, Corruption Must Go,” “The Lion Is Finally Back Home,” “Fayose, You Are A Disappoinment To Ekiti People,” “Fayose Must Commit Suicide Now As Promised,” “Welcome Back, Baba, African Champion of War Against Corruption,” among others.

    The rally which was supervised by officers and men of the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) caused a traffic snarl on the major highway in the city.

    Protest leaders who took turns to address the people expressed satisfaction with the Saturday’s return of Buhari to the country saying his return will add bite to the anti-corruption crusade and economic recovery.

    Ekiti APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, said Buhari’s return has exposed what he called “the unending lies of Fayose” who he said never wished the President to come back home alive.

    Awe who accused Fayose of playing God on the health of President advised the governor to emulate his Rivers State counterpart Nyesom Wike whom he said displayed maturity by joining other governors to welcome Buhari despite belonging to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said: “God has put Fayose to shame on Buhari, God has silenced him for his lies on the President’s health. We appreciate the people of Ekiti State for their good wishes and prayers for our President throughout the time he was away.

    “Anybody wishing Buhari dead will go before him, we rejoice with our President that he arrived safely and this has put an end to all the lies of Fayose.

    “We urge Fayose to honour his promise, let him be man enough to commit suicide if Buhari returns alive as he had earlier promised.

    “Ekiti people are tired of is one-day-one-trouble government and one-day-one-propaganda government and we want to assure our people that Fayose’s day of reckoning is very near.”

    Coordinator of Progressive Youth League (PYL), Adeoye Aribasoye, berated Fayose for “raising false alarm” on the health of President by threatening to release eleven damaging pictures of Buhari on life support.

    Aribasoye: “God is greater than men, Fayose said he has eleven damaging pictures of Buhari. We want the whole world to know that whatever he says does not represent the view of Ekiti people.”

    Labour leader, Kolawole Olaiya, urged Buhari to probe how the proceeds of Paris Club refunds to Ekiti was spent by Fayose regretting that workers are suffering.

    “Olaiya said: “We want President Buhari to revisit the issue of the Paris Club refunds to Ekiti State. Local government workers in Ekiti have not received salaries for about nine months.”

    CNPP Chairman Tunji Ogunlola said: “Nigeria’s collective destiny cannot be aborted by a tiny group of crooks whose survival depend on the looting of our commonwealth.

    “It is on this strength that we believe the President’s return presents a fresh hope for the accomplishment of our collective dream for a great nation as he settles down to work.”

  • NANS happy over Buhari’s return, calls for cabinet reshuffle

    NANS happy over Buhari’s return, calls for cabinet reshuffle

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has expressed delight over the return of President Muhammadu Buhari to the country after a medical vacation in London.

    A statement by NANS’ President, Mr Chinonso Obasi, on Sunday in Abuja, said students stood with the President through the difficult times and would continue to stand with him in prayers.

    He prayed God to grant Buhari more wisdom; understanding and energy to enable him provide the necessary leadership needed to move the nation forward.

    “As Mr President settles down, I will, in the spirit of comradeship and solidarity, mobilise the leadership of Nigerian students to pay a special welcome back solidarity visit to him.

    “We will intimate him of certain developments in the nation’s educational sector and other issues of critical national importance.

    “We urge the President to use the opportunity of his return to quickly introduce a new sense of vigour into his administration by re-positioning his cabinet for effectiveness and efficiency.

    “There is need to bring on board, cerebral, competent, vibrant, contemporary and dynamic young people to stimulate the administration and revive the ailing economy,’’ he said.

    Obasi also condemned the recent murder of lecturers of the University of Maiduguri and others who embarked on oil exploration in the Lake Chad region.

    He appealed to Buhari to use his broadcast, scheduled for Aug. 21, to address the indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities so that students could return to school soon.

    Obasi, however, noted the critical challenges of the Nigerian universities and stressed the need to include Nigerian students in the recently launched Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

    He also called for the inclusion of students and youths in decision-making process on issues that concerned them, to enable them actively participate in such process and contribute to national development.(NAN)

  • Marie Performing Arts Academy trains students

    The Marie Performing Arts Academy has trained over 40 students for the 2016/2017 session.
    The proprietress of Marie Performing Arts Academy, Marie Bassey disclosed this during the graduation ceremony held  at Igbinedion Education Centre over the weekend.
     
    Giving her opening address, she said the summer camp is the future of performing arts in Nigeria and urged parents to as a matter of necessity, ‎ nurture their children’s various talents with the aim of helping them to stand tall in a competitive society.
     
    According to her, the creative activities and special tutoring at the camp included dance, music, drama, fine/visual art, instrumentation, spoken words, poetry, entrepreneurial classes, and leadership classes.
     
    The graduate of Industrial Chemistry while reiterating the successes and achievements recorded by her academy, cited that two winners of the Nigeria Got Talents show, little Amarachi and robotic dancing sensation, the Robots for Christ were tutored at the academy.
     
    “Winners of Nigeria Got Talent show in 2012 and 2014 are from this academy which is why I want people to know about the achievements of the academy and also encourage younger generation to take to dancing as a career. Dancing is a huge venture waiting to be harnessed,” she said.
     
    Bassy further mentioned that her love for dancing began at age seven when she joined other kids to dance in the church which later helped to develop her dancing skills; hence the establishment of the academy at age 17.
     
    One of the graduands, Emmanuel Osahon who was third runner up at God’s Children Great Talent (GCCT) season 7 thanked the academy for the amazing opportunity to have enhanced his dancing skills.
     
    The graduation ceremony also featured a creative art concert titled “Diary of a Talented Child” while  the graduands displayed various talents learnt throughout the two weeks camping.
    The ceremony which was well attended by parents and well-wishers had several colourful activities which included the presentation of awards to deserving students, amongst several others.
     
  • Senate to ASUU: Go back to class

    Senate to ASUU: Go back to class

    The Senate on Wednesday appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU), to  call off its nationwide industrial action in the interest of the country.

    The indefinite strike action embarked upon by ASUU members entered its 4th day on Thursday.

    The upper legislative chamber described the strike by the University teachers as a surprise to it having intervened earlier in the year when ASUU embarked on warning strike.

    It said that its intervention facilitated renegotiation of some outstanding issues between ASUU and the Federal government on the implementation of the 2009 agreement.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Senator Jubrin Barau who made the plea at media briefing in Abuja said ASUU needed to call off the strike for renegotiation proper to commence between it and the Federal Government.

    Barau noted that the industrial action should not have been the first option by the university teachers since the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly, has shown tremendous concern to the resolution of the disagreement between ASUU and the Federal Government.

    He said, “This strike action by ASUU is as a result of not having confidence in  the committee set up by the federal government to renegotiate the 2009 agreement. But we in the Senate are surprised that ASUU did not report back to us on problems being encountered with the executive on the agreement before embarking on the strike.

    “The committee therefore calls on ASUU to reconsider its position, shelve the strike action and return for renegotiation with the federal government on the said agreement. “

    Barau said that the committee and its counterpart in the House of Representatives will monitor the renegotiation by ensuring that the needful was done for ASUU and the universities by the federal government.

    He said that ASUU should go back to class while renegotiation of the 2009 agreements continues.

     On the rush for acquisition of university education abroad by children of the rich said that the trend cannot be outlawed.

    He noted that no matter how detrimental the trend might be to the growth of universities in the country, it would difficult to outlaw it.

     He insisted that outlawing going outside the country for university education would amount to turning Nigeria to an Island unto itself.

    He said, “Outlawing such a practice has never been done in any part of the world, meaning that no matter how detrimental it may be to our own university system or standard, it has to continue and be embraced by those who can afford it.

    ” What the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly can do and in fact have been doing, is to continue collaborating with the executive and in particular, relevant bodies regulating  our education sector, to put it in proper shape as a way of making our universities more attractive to Nigerians at home and even those abroad.”

  • Students lock down Bayelsa varsity over fees’ hike

    Students lock down Bayelsa varsity over fees’ hike

    The Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, was, Monday, shut down by students following what they described as outrageous increase in all categories of fees in the school.

    The aggrieved students were said to have shut the gate to the main entrance of the school in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw, stopping vehicular movement into the campus.

    The protest, which coincided with an indefinite strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) reportedly, crippled academic and social activities on campus.

    The students were said to be angry over hike in school fees, electronic course registrations and non-inclusion of students’ representation in decision-making.

    The demonstration, which was led by the President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Mr. Kemes Mitin, was said to be peaceful without skirmishes.

    The students lamented that the school authority was gradually turning the state university into a private institution in its quest to raise revenue.

    For instance, they cried out that the electronic registration per course which was hitherto N1000 had been increased to N4200.

    The demonstrators carried placards with messages such as, “NDU is not a private institution”, “we say no to increment of course registration” and “return e-pin for course registration to N1000”.

    Confirming the demonstration, Mitin said the action was to peacefully tell the school management to halt the increase because the students could not afford them.

    On the strike declared by ASUU, the Port-Harcourt Zonal Chairman of the union, Prof. Beke Sese, confirmed that the zone including NDU fully complied with the nationwide action.

    Sese said: “My immediate job is make sure that all chapters join in the strike action.

    We in the Port-Harcourt zone have intermittently warned government in the past of some gross inadequacies in remunerations and infrastructural development of the universities, including non-payment of salaries.

    “Just like the national body said, there shall be no teaching, no examination and no attendance of statutory meetings of any kind in any of our branches till government meets the union’s demands.”

     

  • Police arrest 15 students for ‘colleague’s death’

    Jigawa State Police Command has arrested 15 students for the death of their colleague in Yankwashi Local Government, spokesman Jinjiri Abdu told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

    He said the suspects, all students of Government Science and Technical College, Karkarna, were arrested on August 8.

    Abdu said the students, aged 17 and 19, were suspected to have killed their colleague after they beat him up with sticks.

    He added that the suspects allegedly took the deceased to a bush close to the school on August 6 and beat him up about 2.30 a.m.

    ‘‘The suspects were said to have formed a disciplinary committee to deal with the deceased after they suspected him to be a homosexual.

    ‘‘So on that fateful day, they decided to deal with him by allegedly taking him to the bush and beating him up with sticks.

    ‘‘After the beating, they brought him back to school, and it was only his body that was found the following morning.

    ‘‘He was taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead,’’ Abdu said.

    He said investigation into the case has begun, adding that the suspects will soon be arraigned.

    The spokesman said the body had been handed over to his family for burial.

    NAN recalled that the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) recently arrested four students of the same school for allegedly stealing 18 mini Samsung laptops.

    The students allegedly stole the items from the college’s computer room.

    NAN also recalled that the Federal Government donated 25 laptops to the college, out of which the suspects allegedly stole 18.

  • How we select film students for scholarship, by AFRIFF Founder, Chioma Ude

    How we select film students for scholarship, by AFRIFF Founder, Chioma Ude

    Founder/ CEO of the popular Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Ms Chioma Ude has shed light on the process of selecting film students as beneficiaries of the festival’s annual scholarship scheme overseas.

    Ude, while addressing a press conference at the new AFRIFF office at CBC Building, Lekki, Lagos on Wednesday said the segments of the festival are run by experts  from different fields, making the selection of 20 students from the 200 who attend the annual Talent Development Workshop a thorough and professional exercise.

    “AFRIFF is not a one-man show. We have different people and organizations handling different segments of the festival. For the training segment, the teachers handling the courses are involved in the selection. Last year, we had about three thousand entries and we had to select two hundred for thye training.”

    To underscore the democratic nature of the selection, Ude said, “The selection of the 20 students who get further training abroad is done by the different lecturers, some of them provided by Ford Foundation, some provided by other sponsors like African Magic. The lecturers choose a student based on their own professional criteria. That way, the festival team has nothing to do with the selection. However, because this is my brainchild, they always leave three spots for me. So, I come, watch these students on the last day of their training, interact with them, ask some questions and then pick three of them that I find exceptionally brilliant. Most of the times, I ended up picking students that the lecturers already selected. For example, last year, the three names I chose had been chosen by the lecturers.”

    Ude disclosed that while some of the teachers came from abroad, some are Nigerians with proven record of achievements in their fields. They include Script Writer Tunde Babalola and actor Segun Arinze. “For script writing, I know there is a template internationally, but the students connect better with the Nigerian teachers. So, we had to find one with very good repute and we stuck with Tunde Babalola. For the acting class, we started off with Segun Arinze and later paired him with a foreign teacher. Then, last year, popular actress, Hilda Dokubo, who has a training and vocational school in Port Harcourt took over the Acting class from Segun Arinze. For the Cinematography class, last year, we had Cannon bring in their experts to handle the classes.”

    On her staying power despite the challenges of organising the festival and seeking sponsorship yearly, Ude said, “For AFRIFF generally, my staying power has been the training. And the training, for me, is just knowing that a complete package for the ecosystem is here. We train them in different aspects of filmmaking. It’s important we do this because we need our films to improve, we need our stories told well. When we were coming out with the plan, we hoped that we will impact on the industry and the society at large and move from that to actually seeing them make such impact.”

    Out of the 20 film students on scholarship at CineF’ Abrique, a film school in Lyon, France, Ford Foundation will cater for 10. How does the festival make up for the remaining 10.

    “AFRIFF has other sponsors. We have other people and institutions backing us. They include Access Bank, Air France that will be flying the students, Alliance Francaise that will be offering the requisite intensive tutorial in French language before they travel, and several others. It is important to know that this French lesson is pertinent to the students even though they will be taught in English language when they get to Lyon. The French are very big in art and culture, so for them it goes beyond just training in the classroom. They’ve created a two-week program for them. They will also go on a tour of Paris and its beautiful sites,” she explained.

  • NGO decries poor reading culture among pupils

    A Non-Governmental Organisation, Private Schools.ng, has lamented the decline in reading culture among students and youths in Nigeria.

    The body spoke in Port Harcourt on their planned mobile library for pupils in Rivers State during ongoing long vacation. The body noted that there is need to encourage youths to take reading seriously.

    The founder of the group, Xolomon Uche, said students sometimes develop less interest in reading either when they do not have books to read, or have money to buy.

    He said when launched, the mobile library would provide avenue for books for youths within secondary school age bracket, primary school children as well as unemployed youths to access books free for their studies.

    Uche added that the mobile library would provide a platform where people can freely give books that they no longer need for people who need them.

    He, however, urged scholars to buy into the drive by bringing readable books for the scheme in order to tackle the poor reading culture in the society..

  • AFRIFF students set for scholarship in France

    AFRIFF students set for scholarship in France

    The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is set to send another set of film students on scholarship – this time, to CineFabrique, a film school in Lyon, France.

    The scholarship is the third in the series, whereby 20 students are selected from the 200 that participate in the AFRIFF Talent Development Workshops annually for further training abroad. The talent workshop is an intrinsic part of the festival programmes that has held sway for seven years.

    Unveiling the next set of beneficiaries at a press conference attended by representatives of partner institutions – Ford Foundation and Alliance Francaise on Wednesday, AFRIFF Founder/CEO, Ms Chioma Ude said all is set for the 20 students selected from last year’s workshop to embark of the training – a six-week summer course in the French city.

    The initiative, she said, provides beginners and intermediate courses for young people in their choice areas of filmmaking.

    Shedding light on this, Mr. Paul Nwulu, Program Officer at Ford Foundation said the scholarship scheme, meant to advance the aspirations of these burgeoning talents, is an intensive hands-on training camp on various aspects of filmmaking.

    “What we have done for the last two years was to use the AFRIFF to select young filmmakers who went to Montana State University in the U.S. to do an extensive course on documentary filmmaking, focusing on social justice documentaries. And that focus was because that is what Ford Foundation is interested in. We are looking at issues that make the lives of human beings better, so, the young people went there to learn these issues.”

    He said Ford Foundation will only cater for 10 of the students who are females because the previous editions had more male participation, adding that his institutions is also concerned with advancing the career of women.

    “One of the things that make this year unique is that we actually asked AFRIFF to focus on young women to tell these stories and why we did that is because we looked at the data for the first two years, we trained about 36 young people over the first two years and women were ‘marginalized’ in that process. We had less than half of women and we felt like, if we look at our society today, women are the most ‘marginalized’ groups in our society. Even though they make half the population of this country, they are nowhere in our parliament in this country; we have less than five percent of women there. Also, look at governor’s appointed positions; we have a lot less women than any other country in the region.”

    The last two seasons had Ford Foundation bankrolling the scholarship at the prestigious Montana State University, United States. Nwulu said the Foundation is encouraged to support AFRIFF on the scholarship because feedback from previous efforts has been laudable.

    “This year, we have decided to move the location from Montana to Lyon, France to give a different type of experience, and for Ford Foundation, one of the reasons why we decided to partner AFRIFF is because, if you look at very viable partners that are dealing in the space of storytelling, AFRIFF is one of them, with their film festival and their engagement in trying to get African stories out to a global audience. We could not ask for a better partner to work with.”

    As a prerequisite to the six-week summer course in France, the students from the 2016 AFRIFF class will be exposed to a requisite French language tutorial at the popular Alliance Française in Lagos.

    According to Mrs Emmanualle Ravot, Deputy Director/Director of Studies at Alliance Francaise, the French lesson is expected to prepare the students in the areas of French courtesies and cultural background, even though the students will be taught filmmaking in English language.

    After the course, they are expected to be taken on a tour of Paris and its beautiful sites, including France 24 where plans are on to make them go through brief internship.

    Ude said the scholarship is one in a series of other talent development initiatives of the seven-year-old festival, adding that the skill acquisition and youth development initiative was designed to use filmmaking as an authentic vehicle for youth empowerment.

    “AFRIFF’s vision is to raise awareness about African cinema, its vast potential and the tremendous socio-economic impact of creative professionals in Africa. The first four years of the festival were strategically intended to build the AFRIFF brand and gain the brand notoriety that has now earned us partnership with global brands like Access Bank, Air France, Ford Foundation, Relativity Media, British Council and Alliance Francaise among others,” she said.

    The beneficiaries include 18 Nigerians – Linda Omena Sodje, Adejumoke Aderounmu, Tosin Adeyemi, Hannah Babatunde, Jennifer Eneanya, Olubunmi Ajiboye, Lois Burutu, Cynthia Okoroafor, Olaniran Adedapo Aisida, Marvellous Michael, Bolaji Adelakun, Moyo Shomade, Chisom Ifeakandu, Ekene Nwonye, Ngozi Emmanuel, Obodoakor Emelie, Demola Adedoyin, Vivian Ubochi, and two Ghanaians – Joseph Otsiman and Richard Ofoe.