The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • Students urged to target excellence

    Students urged to target excellence

    Former Vice-Chairman of Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Pastor Joseph Adeniran has urged students to aim for excellence.

    He was addressing students of McPherson University, Seriki-Sotayo, Ogun State, during the maiden Students’ Week.

    Adeniran, a journalist, said Nigeria remained backward because excellence had been sacrificed for mediocrity. In his presentation entitled: Excellence: The relationship matrix, he said excellence could be achieved by devotion to study, stressing that students must be the driver of their destiny.

    “You can become an expert in anything you can devote 10,000 hours of practise to. The 10,000 hours are a great wand for expertise, greatness and excellence,” he added, urging them to be leading lights as pioneer students of the faith-based university by sticking to excellence and doing a common thing in an uncommon way.

    He, however, cautioned the students against vices that may terminate their academic pursuit.

    Other speakers at the event included the university Chaplain, Reverend Ezekiel Abikoye; Deacon Bisi Afolabi and Dr Abikoye Aderounmu.

    Afolabi spoke on Academic excellence: Pathway to greatness while Aderounmu lectured the students on You and your health.

    Elijah Fadare, 100-Level Accountancy, said the Week was impactful. His colleague from the department of History and Diplomatic Studies described the programme as worthwhile.

     

  • Students complete teaching practice

    Final year students of the Faculty of Education, University of Calabar (UNICAL), have rounded off their 12-week teaching practice exercise in various secondary and primary schools in Cross River State.

    The exercise took the students a semester as against the six-week period being used for the exercise in the past.

    One of the students, Jacob Uwen, who was posted to Emilis Secondary School, said the exercise got him acquainted with the teaching profession.

    While receiving the student-teachers at the faculty complex, the Dean, Prof Florence Obi, congratulated them for successfully completing the exercise. He urged them to be good ambassadors of the institution.

    In his remark, Teaching Practice Coordinator in the faculty, Dr C. A. Agbor, warned that students who failed to report to their station would repeat the exercise.

     

  • UTME centres not changed – JAMB

    UTME centres not changed – JAMB

    Contrary to speculations that some centres have been changed ahead of this Saturday’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME),  the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said no such alterations have been made.

    Some candidates have received emails claiming that their centres have been changed and  should reprint their photo cards online.
    When contacted for confirmation JAMB’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Fabian Benjamin said centres assigned when candidates registered for the Paper and Pencil Test (PPT) option examination remain the same.

    However, he said the only change that has been made is the date of the Computer-Based Test (CBT), from April 18-May 5 to between May 18 and June 1 because the former clashed with the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the NECO version.

    He said CBT candidates have been directed to reprint their photocards to reflect the adjusted date.
    “We did not change any centre. We only rescheduled the dates for the CBT to May 18 because the initial date was clashing with the WAEC and NECO exams. We have sent SMS to CBT candidates to reprint their documents to reflect the new date,” he said

  • UI students beg for break

    UI students beg for break

    Students of the University of Ibadan (UI) have asked the management to extend their first semester examination by two weeks.

    Our correspondent gathered that some students were yet to settle for lectures after five weeks of resumption, a situation allegedly caused by the no-cooking policy in the Halls of Residence, which made many students to seek accommodation off-campus.

    During a congress held last week, President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) Babatunde Badmus was asked by students to present their cases before the management. Students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, said the two weeks break would enable them prepare adequately for their exams.

    Our correspondent gathered that the union and management had agreed to a week’s break at a meeting of the two parties recently.

     

  • ASUP strike paralyses academic activities in polytechnics

    ASUP strike paralyses academic activities in polytechnics

    The seven-day warning strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), which entered its third day on Wednesday, has continued to paralyse academic activities in the institutions.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), students at the Ikorodu and Isolo campuses have resorted to roaming.

    Mr Kehinde Olofintuyi, Speaker, LASPOTECH’s Students’ Union Government, told NAN in Ikorodu that although the strike was effective, it was not in their best interest.

    He appealed to the Federal government to look into the demand of the striking lecturers, while another student, Miss Jesica Chimezie, urged the need for the government and ASUP to reach an agreement.

    However, Mr Chibuzor Asomugba, the National President of ASUP, told NAN that the strike would continue until the Federal Government considered their demands.

    “We have not heard anything from the Federal Government; the strike still continues,” he said.

    Mr Dimeji Macaulay, Coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) in Niger, has appealed to the federal and state governments to immediately meet all the demands of ASUP.

    Macaulay made the appeal in a statement, a copy of which was made available to NAN in Lagos.

    According to him, the series of strikes rocking the nation’s education sector are signs of “the resistance building up against government’s neglect of public education and its poor education policies’’.

    Macaulay claimed that at the university level, both academic and non-academic staff workers had numerous grievances that could lead to a series of strikes very soon.

    “This is aside brewing anger of mass of students at fee hikes and poor condition of hostels and teaching facilities which unfortunately, cannot find organised expression only because of the lack of a fighting students’ leadership.

    “Following closely on the heels of an ongoing strike action declared by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and ASUP means a total shutdown of all academic and administrative activities in the nation’s Polytechnics and Monotechnics.

    “To avoid a total strike, we call on the federal government to see to the demand of the lecturers,” he said.

  • Urhobo students get leaders

    The National Association of Urhobo Students, Delta State University (DELSU) chapter, has inaugurated its new executive to pilot the affairs of the association for another academic session. Members also welcomed freshers into the association.

    At a colourful ceremony attended by old and new students of Urhobo extraction, the immediate past president of the association, Ernest Igbighogho, 500-Level Law, who was recently elected the national president of the association, crowned the new king that will be in charge of the association.

    The new Okobaro, title for president in Urhobo dialect, Onovwotafe Newton, 500-Level Electrical and Electronics Engineering, thanked Earnest for his doggedness and desire for excellence, which, he said, had yielded good result in making him the national president.

    He also appreciated some of the outgoing members, such as Samuel Akpimegi, Lucky Chughiefe, Morris Iwhiwhu for their efforts to take the association higher.

    The highpoint of the ceremony was when the freshers were called to dance to the tunes of Urhobo music. Many of them could not dance to the music.

    Some of the new students promised to be good ambassadors of the association. Okpoji Rukeme, 100-Level Law, said she was not expecting the type of reception accorded the freshers, saying she was honoured to be among her kinsmen.

  • VC warns lecturers, students against sexual harassment

    VC warns lecturers, students against sexual harassment

    Prof. Oluyemisi Obilade, the Vice-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education(TASUED), Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, has warned lecturers and students against sexual harassment.

    Obilade gave the warning while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ijebu-Ode.

    The vice chancellor said the management of the university was passionate about the issue of sexual harassment and would evolve relevant regulations to tackle it.

    “Sexual harassment is a no go area for both the students and lecturers of this noble institution.

    “We will not tolerate such attitude.

    “ We will not in any way cooperate with the harassers and we are going to make sure that we invoke all regulations in the university against sexual harassment,’’ she said.

    Obilade said as part of measures to check the menace, a Centre for Human Rights and Gender Education has been established in the university.

    She said any persons being harassed sexually should report through e-mail to the centre for the management to investigate and take a prompt action.

    The vice chancellor further said: “ This is part of the thing that we do. We know sexual harassment is not limited to our university alone.

    “ But we don’t want to pretend that it does not happen because where men and women interact, you will see some men who will not abide by the normal codes of decency and behaviour in the society.

    “ But when such cases are reported, management will not hesitate to take a very serious action against the offenders.

    “ We are also trying to look at the different types of sexual harassment, whether verbal, touching or by comments about somebody’s physical attributes.

    “ You know when the hand shake is going beyond the elbow between a person in position of authority and a person at a lower position and it has sexual motive, that is sexual harassment.

    “ These are the different areas we are looking at.’’

    Obilade also said the university, being the only education-biased institution in the country, had become a reference point in terms of academic excellence.

  • African students honour Maigari, NFF

    African students honour Maigari, NFF

    The African Students Union Parliament on Thursday in Abuja, honoured NFF President, Aminu Maigari and the Federation as a corporate body for Nigeria’s triumph at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    As explained by the Speaker of the African Students Union Parliament, Rt. Hon. Addei Mohammed from the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology, Maigari’s capacity, courage and character has singled him out as an exemplary Pan-Africanist whose style of leadership can be likened to the former Ghanaian President, late Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah.

    “It is no longer news that in African countries, football serves as a basic unifying factor and whoever contributes to the development of football in any country of Africa is contributing to, not just the unity of such country, but also to the development of the youth,” he said.

    “Aminu Maigari’s energy and dynamism has driven Nigeria football from a low point to a very high level, and alongside his Board and Management, he continues to work very hard to take it to the highest point.”

    Describing Maigari as a visionary leader, icon, charismatic personality and epitome of development, the Students Parliament conferred on him the ASUP 2012/2013 Kwame Nkrumah Exemplary Leadership Merit Award.

    The ASUP Executives then presented a plaque of the same award to Maigari, while it presented a certificated Corporate Merit Award to the NFF, which was received by 1st Vice President, Mike Umeh.

    Apart from Rt. Hon. Addei Mohammed who flew in from Kigali, there were also Hon. Alao Assoua Walakaye Elias (Majority Leader, from University of Cheik Antar Diop, Senegal); Comrade Saint Solomon (Chief Whip, from University of Ghana, Legon); Comrade Nseh Donald (Director of Programs, from University of Uyo); Comrade Nwankwo Henry Nkem (Nigerian Coordinator, from Nasarawa State University); Comrade Baba Adamu (Deputy Nigerian Coordinator, from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria) and; Comrade Joy Onuora (Deputy Director, Gender Matters).

    NFF President Aminu Maigari was joined at the Federation’s Boardroom by Umeh (1st Vice President), Emeka Inyama (Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee), Hon. Shehu Adamu (Chairman, Finance Committee), Barr. Musa Amadu (General Secretary), Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme (Director of Technical), Mr. Idris Adama (Director of Marketing), special assistants Taiwo Odebunmi, Ibrahim Gusau and Tunde Aderibigbe, assistant chief legal officer Barr. Okey Obi and principal sports officer Dr. Christian Emeruwa.

  • 127 indigent students get scholarship

    No fewer than 127 students from poor backgrounds have been given scholarship in Awka, the Anambra State capital, by a group known as Ambassador’s Club.

    The club said its decision to help the students was inspired by the developmental strides of Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, with whom the group said it was in talks to build a recreational club in the city.

    This was made known in the state capital when the member representing Awka South I, Hon Kenechukwu Chukwuemeka, of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) hosted the club members.

    The chairman of the club, Collins Ben Iloanya told reporters that the discussion with Governor Obi for the provision of land for the project had reached advanced stages.

    He said: “We want to build a legacy in this town for the future generation and that is also why we have been giving scholarships to indigent students up to university level.

    “Presently, we are building a hall in the town worth N500m, so what we want is a place where people can go, look around  and enjoy themselves especially during festive periods.

    “The club has respected members of the society as its patrons like Sen. Ben Ndi Obi, Lt-Gen. Isaac Obiakor (retd), among others,” Iloanya said.

    Furthermore, he said that the Ambassadors had spent more than N50 million in the scholarship scheme, adding that they want to extend it to other states in the near future.

    Also speaking, the state coordinator of Transform Nigeria Movement, Comrade Obi Ochije told reporters that what they are doing is in line with the policy of the Obi administration in developing the state.

    He said, “All hands are on deck to give Awka capital city a facelift and moreover, the less privileged people in the society will not be left out and not only indigent students but also the widows’’.

    The ACN lawmaker, Hon Kenechukwu Chukwuemeka, told reporters that the aim of the 22-year-old club is to bring enduring peace and unity not only in Awka but the entire Anambra State.

    “I am interested in peace, unity and development of this town; since our childhood days, we have never had it so good like this for like-minds coming together to lift the city,” the lawmaker said.

     

  • VC admonishes students on vices

    The Vice-Chancellor Prof Femi Mimiko, has admonished the fresh students of the university to be civil and shun any form of vices that could hamper their studentship.

    Mimiko gave the admonition last Monday at a three-day orientation programme organised by the university for the new students.

    He said: “Civility is the golden rule in the university system. Deadline is sacrosanct. Shun all forms of anti- social vices and you must do everything possible to keep focus on your academic pursuit, which is the core reason you are here.”

    The VC, who congratulated the new students on their admission, noted that the programme was inevitable as it would provide basic information that would help integrate them into the university system.

    The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rotimi Ajayi, encouraged the students to see themselves as agents of change and be in constant search of knowledge so as to key into the university’s vision and mission.

    The Dean of Students, Prof Oluyemisi Adebowale, advised the new intake to maximise the liberal opportunity provided by the university to achieve their goals in life.