The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • College matriculates NCE/PDE students

    Eighty-FIVE NCE and 15 Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) students took the oath of matriculation at the Topmost College of Education, Ipaja Lagos.

    It was the sixth set of NCE students and fifth for the PDE to be admitted by the college.

    Provost of the college, Dr Odunayo Olufunmilayo, told the new students to hold their heads high despite the lack of regard for teachers.

    She said: “Teachers hold the aces to the future development of this country, nay, the world. We are in the most noble profession. Do not be shaken in your resolve to be builders of tomorrow’s leaders and society. You have begun the journey into becoming professionals in the art of human development and nation building. ”

    She also congratulated those that enrolled for the PDE for choosing to become certificated teachers. Odunayo who noted that the society needs to encourage more people to enter the teaching profession, called on the government to increase sponsorship of student-teachers through bursaries and scholarships, while appealing to JAMB to do all it can to refer more students especially for private colleges of education.

    She appealed to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to extend its gesture to private colleges.

    “Even if TETFUND cannot give financial assistance, (to private colleges), it should help in infrastructural development. There must be concerted efforts to arrest the huge shortfall in professional teachers so that the gains of MDG will not be eroded.”

    Director, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) Lagos chapter Mr Gbolahan Enilolobo, who represented the council, lauded the partnership between the two bodies, adding that it has helped in presenting new entrants for induction.

    Enilolobo described the PDE as a well thought out initiative.

    “Let me also emphasise that PDE is not inferior to PGDE (Post Graduate Diploma in Education), but only an alternative route to professionalisation. In essence, any individual who possesses HND, first degree, master or PhD is eligible to read PDE or PGDE as each of these qualifications meet the minimum standard,” he said.

    Upon graduation, Enilolobo said, the TRCN would issue certificates and licences that would certify them as professionals.

    Chairman, Topmost Governing Council, Mr Adewale Odunayo, announced that the new students would get their identity cards after the matriculation.

     

  • Rector laments suicide rate among students

    The Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Dr. Taiwo Akande, is concerned about the rate of suicide among students  which, she said is being triggered by bottled up emotion.

    Mrs. Akande, who spoke last Friday during the matriculation of 3,690 new students admitted into the polytechnic for the 2015/2016 academic session, advised them to always open up when passing through difficulties.

    She said some students committed suicide because they couldn’t share their emotional trouble with the right people who could help them overcome their challenges.

    The Rector urged the students to approach the counsellors or any other senior official in the polytechnic who are professionally trained to handle such problems rather than resorting to self-help.

    Urging the students to face their primary assignment in the institution, the Rector said the school would not condone vices like cybercrime, cultism and illegal sale of bed spaces.

    “The management has put in place a vigilant security network to closely monitor students and sniff out the bad eggs. Such unscrupulous elements will not be allowed to tarnish the hard earned image of this institution. Anybody caught will be made to face the full weight of the law.

    “It is most disturbing these days to discover that students sell their bed spaces at exorbitant amounts to fellow students after being allocated bed spaces in the hostel.  If detected such students would be not only be rusticated he will be prosecuted as well,” she warned.

    For those who excel in their academic pursuits, the Rector said they will be rewarded, to encourage others.

    She advised the students to be security conscious considering the prevailing insecurity in the country.

    “Be security conscious; don’t walk or read alone at night; read in group . If anybody gives you unsolicited money or gifts, ask questions, because this might be a ploy to lure you into cultism. Don’t truncate your future or give your parents everlasting sorrow by your conducts”, she said.

    The matriculation oath was administered on the students by the Polytechnic Registrar, Mrs. S.O. Adediran.

  • Academy admits students for security course

    Academy admits students for security course

    FOURTEEN students have been admitted by Risk Control Academy, a security institute, to be trained in security management. The Rector of the Ajah, Lagos-based academy, Mr Olufemi Ajayi, who spoke at the school’s second matriculation ceremony, promised to train experts that would use their skills to solve security challenges.

    Ajayi said: “We are determined to train and produce men and women who will be at the forefront of assets protection in Nigeria in the 21st century. The security personnel stationed at strategic assets in the country may not have had necessary security training to protect the assets. We want to train experts that would provide adequate security to protect our national assets.”

    He said the academy was in collaboration with security industry regulators and practitioners to raise standards of professionalism in the nation’s security architecture and to make security a preferred career choice.

    Ajayi said the academy would expand its reach and curriculum in partnership with international organisations to ensure that youths are trained to manage security in aviation, maritime and financial industry. He added that the students would be taught courses in entrepreneurship and business management.

    A fresher, Husein  Adekoya, admitted into the Department of Information Technology Networks and Electronic Security, said he had hoped to become security and safety professional, saying: “The academy is purposefully established for youths like me to explore our talent in security sectore. This is a dream come true for me.”

  • Five students killed in Makurdi

    The police in Makurdi have confirmed the death of five students of the University of Agriculture (UAM), Makurdi, who were killed by unknown gunmen.

    Police spokesman Moses Yamu, who confirmed the incident, said the bodies have been deposited in the mortuary.

    Yamu said investigations have begun.

    Student leader of the deceased’s hostel Damian Ajodo, a 400-level Electrical and Electronics student, said the gunmen first came on Saturday and asked after a student but did not find him.

    They returned yesterday and went straight to D block, Room 2 and the occupants opened the door probably because they recognised the voice at the door.

    “As the door opened, four students were playing a game and the gunmen again asked after a student and threatened to killed them but one of them pleaded for their life and he was shot.

    “As the gunmen made to escape, they shot the security man and also killed another student who may have recognized them,” Ajodo said.

    Information and protocol officer of the University, Mrs. Rosemary Waku, also confirmed the death but said their identities will only be revealed after their parents had been contacted.

    At press time Vice Chancellor Prof Kucha Emmanuel was locked in an emergency meeting with the management over the incident.

  • 200 UNN students acquire skills

    ABOUT 200 undergraduates of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) benefitted from a five-day vocational training organised by vocation institution, Gazzelle Academy in partnership with Fidelity Bank.
    The students learnt tailoring and stoning design, as well as make up artistry. They were also exposed to knowledge about branding, finance, marketing, and other business skills.
    Founder of the institute, Muna Onuzo, said she was impressed with the students’ quick learning, especially as they had got no prior training in those areas.
    “The students impressed us with their quick and intuitive learning, which further justifies and reinforces the fact that Nigerians are gifted. Though it was an accelerated learning process, the beneficiaries finished their projects in time. We were pleased with their creativity, discipline and thirst to learn. When we saw what they produced after just two days of practical skill training, it became an emotional journey for my team; the Fidelity bank representatives who were our sponsors and the beneficiaries,” she said.
    Onuzo advised all tertiary students to learn a vocation before graduation to help them survive if they don’t get ready-made jobs.

    “With retrenchments all over the corporate community, we believe the youth should be equipped with at least one practical skill that would give them a fighting chance to survive if they are not able to find a job after graduation,” she said.
    The students were given sewing machines, pressing irons and makeup kits at the end of the training.
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  • Students seek funding for colleges of agriculture

    Students’ leaders at the Federal College of Agriculture in Akure, the Ondo State capital, have appealed to the Federal Government to fund agricultural institutions. Students’ Union Government (SUG) president Sunday Balogun, and Chief Judge Tobi Adewole, said agricultural colleges should not be excluded from the fund being given to higher institutions by Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFund).

    In a joint statement, the students’ leaders described agriculture as the bedrock of developed nations. They advised the government to focus more on training of professional farmers to make the nation the food basket of Africa.

    The statement reads: “Since the primary aim of the President Buhari led administration is to develop the economy through diversification, agricultural institutions should be adequately funded to train youths in modern farming. Federal Government’s educational agencies, such as TETFund should include agricultural colleges in its projects to boost the economy.”

    “If the country is planning to solve the problem facing agriculture, adequate funding of and support for specialised colleges must be encouraged to proffer solution to problems facing the nation. Doing so would improve economy and bring about youth development, which will in turn solve insecurity ravaging the nation.”

    The students’ leaders said there had been no new structure and facility since the government stopped intervention projects in all the 47 colleges of agriculture in the country.

    They said: “It is our belief that TETFund projects would help to improve learning. We want President Muhammadu Buhari to know that best education in agro-economics will help his administration to achieve its objectives.”

  • 95 Auchi Poly students remanded in prison

    Ninety-five part-time students of the Federal Polytechnic at Auchi in Edo State, have been remanded in prison custody.

    They were reportedly arrested last Thursday during a riot in the school, where 141 vehicles were allegdly destroyed, 48 computers atolen and other school property of vandalised.

    The vehicles belonged to the lecturers, who reportedly  scaled the fence to escape being beaten up by the students.

    Many of the students were not allowed into the examination hall, following the school’s “no school fees, no examination policy”.

    The students allegedly became riotous after police shot tear gas canisters to disperse their protest over the “no school fees, no examination” policy.

    Those arrested were arraigned for allegd conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting,robbery, stealing and malicious damage.

    Police Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, who visited the institution yesterday to assess the damage, described the incident as unfortunate and highest order of impunity.

    Ezike said the school library and computer laboratory were destroyed and vandalised.

    The police chief pledged to arrest other students who vandalised the school property.

    He said those charged to court would be remanded in prison custody till June 29, adding that the police had to fire teargas canisters to disperse the students when they set bonfire on the highway.

  • Students’ group seeks local govt autonomy

    The leadership of the National Association of University Students (NAUS) is seeking the autonomy of local governments to enhance their efficiency and service delivery. The association also demanded scrapping of the Joint Allocation Accounts Committee (JAAC) to allow direct disbursement of allocation to councils.

    Its national president, Jonathan Adekunle, a student of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), said councils are conceived to offer effective service delivery and promote development of communities. Their closeness to the people, Adekunle said, should make them more effective than any other tier of government, but lamented that councils lacked autonomy to carry out their constitutional functions.

    He condemned the habit of state governors to use councils for political patronage, saying many states had refused to conduct council elections because of governors’ habit to reward political associates by making them caretaker chairmen. Such practice, he said, is inimical to the smooth running of the council and hinders their performance over the years.

    He said: “NAUS demands that, state governments must stop the deliberate killing of the local council system. Periodic elections must be held to install democratically-elected officials. We also want scrapping of the state electoral commission and transfer of power to the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct local government elections.

    “We urge the Senate and House of Representatives to support council autonomy in constitution amendment to bring about efficiency and development.”

     

  • Lagos, Google to train 50,000 students

    Lagos, Google to train 50,000 students

    The Lagos State government has announced a collaboration with Google to provide digital skills training for 50,000 students of Lagos State tertiary institutions.

    Announcing the pact in his office, the special adviser on education, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said the three-month training would be open to students of the Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu; Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Epe; Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin; and the Lagos State College of Health Sciences, and other interested members of the public.

    “We are trying to position our students to function in the 21st Century and digital skills are important to us. The number of students we will be training is 50,000. We are confident that if we give Lagosians skills to complete, they’ll do wonderful things,” he said.

    Bank-Olemoh added that students that do very well in the training would be selected as Google trainers and would help the communication company to implement future training programmes.

    Country Manager for  Google, Mrs Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor said the training is coming at the right time given the potential of the Internet to generate income.

    “Everyone needs digital skills. It is really important that tertiary institutions incorporate digital training into their curriculum.

    “A recent McKenzie report states that from 2013 to 2020, the Internet would contribute 300billion dollars to the GDP.  This training will span three months leveraging on the ICT facilities in the various institutions,” she said.

    Mrs Ehimuan-Chiazor said the modules will focus on gaining the basic digital skills, how to run a business online, social media, online marketing, and the like.

    Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google, said free registration is open for the training on a designated website, www.digifyafrica.com.

  • Understanding students’ protests

    Recent events in our tertiary institutions have not been palatable. Many school are currently shut down due to protests resulting from face-off between their managements and students. Tertiary institutions that have recently witnessed such organic crisis include the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUUNAB), University of Ibadan (UI) and University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT), among others.

    Curiously, all these tertiary institutions and others were shut down as a result of misunderstanding between the management and students. Students of these schools raised concerns on issues of dilapidated infrastructure, epileptic power and water supply, increase in school fees, perceived management victimisation and official negligence just to mention but a few.

    However, after a critical perusal and dispassionate analysis of these crises, one would discover that the protests are avoidable if the right things had been done. Let me note that the first on the list of the right things to be done is the deployment of the right pattern of communication.

    A renowned Mass Communication scholar, Prof Ralph Akinfeleye, noted that even though there are three patterns of communication, one of them is always the best. The patterns of communication he endorses are the vertical pattern, horizontal pattern and the horizo-vertical pattern.

    The vertical pattern of communication entails a downward approach in communication. This is when the leader or management dumps information on the follower based on personal conclusions. Here, there is no room for followers’ engagement. What the management says is final, and no one can question it. Generally, in a vertical pattern of communication, there is always a superior and an inferior. However, the inferior has little or no right in the communication process. He is passive.

    The horizontal pattern involves two or more superiors or two or more inferiors. Both participants in the communication process are within the same wave length. None is superior. Therefore, the communication here is always tilted towards dialogue.

    However, the horizo-vertical pattern, as conceptualised by Akinfeleye, is a mixture of both the vertical and the horizontal patterns. It is a systematic and conscious abridgement of the two patterns for optimum result. In this pattern, there may be a superior and an inferior, but they both communicate with mutual respect with each participant knowing his level of authority.

    Even though the superior may want to be vertical in his pattern, he swallows his pride and comes to the level of the inferior for dialogue. He only strictly applies the vertical pattern when that seems to be the only option left for him.

    Considering these communication patterns with relations to the existing pattern of relationship between managements and students in our tertiary institutions, recent events suggest that the reigning management pattern is the vertical. The managements seem to have little or no regard for the opinion of students who are the primary stakeholders, and thus fail to communicate with them as expected of a partner sensitive to the plights of the other partner.

    When there are inadequacies in an institution, everyone would be aware, including the management. Sadly, in most occasions, the management doesn’t update students and other stakeholders on its own disposition to the subject matter. Since lack of plain communication gives room for assumptions, students would start assuming that the management is not concerned about their welfare. Most times, these assumptions are an offshoot of ignorance of efforts by the management to address the situation. All these boil down to lack of communication.

    Most of the protests recently witnessed by our institutions and the closures that followed would have been averted if the managements have called for dialogue with students. A short text message or a news release from the management showing its concern on the subject matter and making known its efforts at addressing issues would have saved us from the embarrassments our institutions have recently witnessed.

    It is high time the management woke up to the reality that its success in this age cannot be achieved on the altar of coercion. Proper communication is the way out of this quagmire. Students’ Union leaders should also push for dialogue rather than resorting to avoidable protests that would end in paralysis of academic activities, and by extension constitute public nuisance.

     

    Godwin is a graduate of Mass Communication, UNILAG