It was a day of honour for seven candidates who distinguished themselves in the June/July 2015 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) during the national category of the Learn Africa/NECO Excellence Awards held at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos recently.
The three candidates with the best result in examination, as well as four others who excelled in specific subjects were rewarded with cash and prize awards at the well-attended event sponsored by the Learn Africa Education Development Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Learn Africa Plc.
For recording the best result nationwide, Alabi Philip Toluwase of Our Lady & St. Francis Catholic College, Osogbo, Osun State, was rewarded with N100,000, a laptop and a plaque. Second placed Justin Nwaoha of Isolog College, Ojodu, Lagos State, got N80,000, a plaque and laptop, while David Babalola of Oritamefa Baptist Model School, Ibadan, Oyo State got N80,000 and a plaque for coming third.
The schools of the top three winners, as well as their teachers were rewarded with books and cash awards by the foundation.
A cash prize of N50,000 and laptops were presented to each of the four candidates who won the four subject awards (biology, history, English and Mathematics).
Nanpon Sodhan of Government Secondary School, Kamkun (Plateau State), won the New Concept Prize for English Language; Oseghare William Herbert from O.A.U. International School, Ile-Ife (Osun State), won the New Concept Prize for Mathematics; Keziah John of Imperial High School, Bauchi-Wunti Dada, Bauchi State, received the Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh Prize for Biology; while Muhammad Ishaka got the J.F. Ade-Ajayi Prize for History.
All the winners, who from their citations that was read, had proven to be excellent in their academics, were full of praise for the foundation, their teachers and parents for achieving such feat on a national stage.
Over all best, Alabi, who has been offered admission to study Medicine at the University of Ibadan said: “I really appreciate God because it is not just by reading. I thank my parents and others who helped me. This award has come at the right time and I pray Learn Africa will continue to grow from strength to strength.”
Keziah, the only female among the winners, was emotional about her award, which she said was unexpected.
“Words cannot express the joy in my heart. I never expected it because it hasn’t been easy for me. But thank God. I will not let your flag down,” said the nursing student.
Chairman of Learn Africa, Chief Emeke Iwerebon, said the candidates and their teachers were worthy of reward because they decided to work hard.
He called for more avenues for rewards like the one sponsored by Learn Africa to inspire pupils and schools to do things the right way.
“I wish to admonish us all that all hands must be on deck to encourage the school teachers, schools and students to do the needful, so that this great country can continue to grow in leaps and bounds. The talents in our children will largely remain uncultivated and untapped until necessary steps are taken by all stakeholders to discover them and help them to be what they need to be,” he said.
Six students of St. Marks Anglican High School and Adenle Middle School in Osogbo, Osun State capital, have appeared before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court, for allegedly attacking their teachers and colleagues with cutlasses and clubs.
The police and men of the Department of State Service (DSS) were said to have gone to the schools on a tip off to arrest the students.
The suspects were charged with breach of peace for disturbing school activities on December 7, 2015 at St. Marks Anglican High School, Osogbo.
The accused persons whose age were said to be 18 years are: Adewunmi Olusegun, Ajibola Toheeb; Ganiyu Sodiq; Adegbite Femi; Atoyebi Nurudeen and Adepoju Yusuf.
The charge sheet reads: “That you (accused persons) and others now at large on 7th day of December, 2015 at St. Marks Anglican High School, Osogbo in the Osogbo Magisterial District did conspire together to commit misdemeanour to wit conduct likely to cause breach of the peace by disturbing the school activities.
“That you (accused persons) and others now at large at the same date, time and place aforementioned did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by disturbing the school activities with sticks and cutlasses.”
The police prosecutor, Taiwo Adegoke, said the pupils had committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517(d) and 249(d) of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Vol. II, Law of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003.
However, the six accused persons pleaded not guilty to the two counts pressed against them.
The defence counsel prayed that the court grant the pupils bail in a liberal term.
The presiding magistrate,Mrs Adejumoke Olowolagba, granted the six accused persons bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each in the sum.
The judge, who ordered that one of the sureties must provide tax clearance certificate, adjourned the case till February 15, 2016 for mention.
Meanwhile, the Osun State government has shut down six public schools in Osogbo, the Osun State capital over rise in the violent cult clashes by the students.
In the last one week, series of violent clashes in some schools have been recorded with many teachers and students seriously affected.
It was further gathered that a member of Peace Corps posted to one of the schools was axed on the head during the attack which occurred on Tuesday in one of the schools.
It was also reported that a student identified as Toheeb ordered a female Home Economics teacher out of class.
The student, whom a reliable source said had been coming to school with a dane gun, rebuffed the members of Peace Corps asking him to behave.
The source, who preferred anonymity, disclosed that some boys suspected to be members of his cult group, stormed the school and attacked both the police and other students.
The source said: “When the police arrived, some people who were not in school uniform mobilised and launched attack on them. Two teachers, one female and male, were injured during the crisis.
“Again on Monday when we arrived school, some policemen were sighted in the school and students and people in mufti mobilised against them. But some of them were arrested by the police. This forced the closure of the schools indefinitely.”
No fewer than 1,125 teachers were inducted at the Federal College of Education (FCE) in Eha-Amufu, Enugu State by the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
The inductees are graduates of Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) and Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE).
Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, TRCN, Prof Mark Wokocha, said the event was a rite aimed at ensuring qualified teachers were recruited, stressing that teaching was no longer a profession for all-comers.
Represented by TRCN’s Director of Operations Alhaji Ibrahim Roni, Wokocha said the oath-taking was a prerequisite for professional practice and legal basis for admitting teachers.
He said: “The oath administration is meant to symbolise induction of all graduates into the teaching profession. By this event, all inductees are accepted into the profession without having to go for another professional examination. This is to encourage young and fresh graduates into the profession.”
Wokocha, however, cautioned the inductees against breaching the oath of professionalism, saying anyone who acted contrary to the oath would be sanctioned. He said that some regulatory mechanisms, such as Teachers’ Investigative Panel and Teachers Tribunal, had been set up to investigate and try any teacher that engaged in unwholesome practice.
He congratulated the college management for ensuring quality teachers’ training, praising the Director of PDE programme, Dr Cecilia Obioma Eze, for making the induction successful.
The Commissioner of Education, Prof Uche Eze, said good teachers remained crucial in the implementation of education policies and programmes. Noting that emphasis was no longer on certificates, the commissioner urged the inductees to rise to the challenge of updating their knowledge regularly in line with the requirement of the profession.
He said: “Every teacher is a learner. The day you stop learning is the day you stopped being a teacher. Teaching strategies and techniques change every day, and every teacher must always be abreast of development on the field.”
The ceremony featured a lecture titled: Professionalisation of teaching in Nigeria: The role of TRCN. It was delivered by the Dean, School of Education, Dr A. B. Ugwu. He lamented that, despite the importance of the profession to nation building, TRCN was slow in flushing out unqualified teachers and prosecuting teachers who contravened its regulatory laws.
The Provost, Prof Benjamin Mbah, hailed TRCN for what he called positive development in teaching, saying the body had exposed teachers to international best practices by its membership of the International Federation of Teachers Regulatory Authorities.
He said the council had set the standards and raised the bar of excellence among teachers to enable them gain international acceptance.
Mbah said: “This induction is special to us. The college expects that all inductees will be instrument to bring about the needed change in the nation’s education.”
Former principal, King’s College (KC), Lagos, Otunba Oladele Olapeju has called for a review of teachers’ retirement age to align with that of university professors and avoid waste of intellectual resources.
He made the call after completing a one-hour session of teaching English Language to SS 2 pupils in a ‘back to class’ engagement as part activities to mark his retirement from the school.
Many retired and serving principals of KC and Queen’s College (QC) participated in the special ‘back to class’ day and taught different senior classes on the college’s main campus at Tafawa Balewa Square.
He said: “As a teacher, you must continue to learn. Students put you in your toes so you are forced to add more knowledge consistently, and this challenge is what I would miss the most about teaching. Which is why I think it is a waste of resources for teachers to retire at age 60, whereas, in the university, a professor now retires at 70. Some teachers might still be needed in the system by using their experience and exposure to mentor others. I think there should be a review in the retirement age of teachers.”
Mrs Mojisola Abolade, 69-year old 2006 retiree of QC, said teaching again brought back memories.
“The experience was just the same. The pupils were very responsive, eager to learn and participatory. It was just like a question and answer session. To get that effect from them, I had to relate with them in a friendly manner. I got to know them; I moved round and showed interest in each pupil. I even saw a boy with a boil in the eye and I asked him about it. Then I began the teaching session, as I taught them about ‘the disequilibrium in the balance of payments’ in economics,” she said.
Prior to the session, emeritus professor of education, University of Ibadan (UI), Michael Omolewa called for the restoration of privileges and incentives enjoyed by teachers before independence as a way of building sustainable societies.
He faulted politicians and government for the poor regard for teachers as well as poor wages and urged the present administration to make a change.
Omolewa said: “The story of teacher incentives has not produced a straight graph of adequate reward and compensation. At independence, teachers were mostly members of parliament combining law making with their jobs. They were well-paid… This arrangement was to change at independence when teachers began to experience the increasing loss of status and wages as the new political leaders began to complain about the attractive conditions of the staff of the University College at Ibadan… Thus university teachers began to lose their initial advantage in terms of wages, salaries and emoluments. The teaching load of staff had also thus increased with minimal economic compensation.”
He stressed that empowerment of teachers must consistently remain a priority to any nation that was genuinely interested in national development.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has criticised the government for failing to employ more teachers.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Steve Otaloro, said if steps were not taken by Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the educational system would collapse.
The statement said despite the National Certificate of Education (NCE) holders withdrawn from local councils and deployed to schools, there still remained a wide gap to be filled.
It said: “The number of such ‘hurry-hurry’ teachers can be likened to a situation when a spoon is used to fetch water into the Atlantic.
“In most of the schools only the headteachers and some three or four teachers are available in schools where there ought to be between 15 and 21 teachers. One would then wonder what kind of knowledge is being imparted on these pupils.”
On the N3,000 levy imposed by the government on the pupils of the mega schools, APC called for its cancellation, saying such a step negated its so-called “Caring Heart” slogan.
Teachers in primary and junior secondary schools in Kwara State have decried the nonpayment of their salaries for three months by the state government.
The teachers under the umbrella of ‘Concerned Teachers in Primary and Junior Secondary Schools in Kwara,’ urged the government to effect the payment of their salaries to enable them meet their financial needs.
In a statement by their co-ordinator and secretary, Alhaji Bello Isola and Mrs Dorcas Iyanda, the teachers said they are facing hard times.
“The inability of the state government to pay our salaries has impacted negatively on our obligations to our family as most of us cannot afford to pay our children’s school fees, talk less of paying our house rents,” the statement noted.
Reacting to their plea, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede attributed the difficulty in paying salaries to reduction in allocation to the state.
“The state government is committed to the welfare of its teeming workforce including the teachers, but the dwindling federation allocations from N2.7billion to N1.2billion has affected so many financial obligations,” he said.
He noted that a committee of stakeholders is looking into how to distribute the allocation.
Akorede urged the affected teachers to take it easy with the government as the process of paying their salaries had commenced.
Who will rescue two teachers, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member and a labourer kidnapped at Rundele High School in Agba -Ndele in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State? The abductors have reduced their ransom from N25 million to N6 million. But, their rescue and the reopening of the school, the only one in the community, remain uncertain, reports PRECIOUS DIKEWOHA.
It’s been 31 days since their abduction and there is no trace yet of them. Two teachers, a corps member and a labourer were kidnapped from Rundele High School in Agba Ndele Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State on October 12. The incident is still fresh in the memory of Mr. Sylvester Awute, a teacher, who escaped being taken away because of his injury.
The school was in session when the kidnappers came through a river linking the community to Abuah and Abonnema. The teachers, Christie Mbadigwe and Martha; Mr. Joseph Wofurum, the labourer, and Duru Obinna Chizitere, the Corps member, fondly called Azubuike, were abducted in a commando style. Azubuike’s service year ended two weeks ago.
• Awute
Though Awute is still nursing the wounds he sustained in his attempt to escape, he is happy that he was not abducted along with the others.
“At the time they surrounded me with their arms, they told me not to run. I made an attempt to run through the window. When I got to the other side I met another person. The one that told me not to run became angry and hit me with his gun and I fell down. He told me to follow them. On getting to the water side where they had their speed boat ready, their leader saw how I was bleeding and became angry over how I was treated. He told them to search me and take away everything I had. So, they took away my phone, my money and asked me to go. And they took the other victims, entered the speed boat and left. I think the community needs to do something about insecurity if teachers are to continue teaching in that community.”
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Rivers State and the Ministry of Education have pleaded with the victims’ families to be patient for security agents to fish out the kidnappers.
The gunmen reduced the initial ransom from N25 million to N8 million; and then to N6 million last week. Members of the community say the victims cannot even afford N1 million. The school has been shut since the incident.
Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Elder Ikechi Chimezie, said everything is being done to rescue the victims. He urged the government to assist the community to rescue the victims so that the school can be reopened.
He said if nothing is done to rescue the teachers, the community would stage a protest on the East-West Road in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Chimezie is worried that the school, the only government presence in the community, has stopped classes. He added that teachers were relocating out of fear.
“That school is the only thing we have in this community and now that the school has been shut down. All the teachers are packing out of the community; the community cannot get anything good again. Imagine, since the incident took place, the school automatically closed down and the children are no longer going to school. And if the gunmen succeed in closing down this school permanently what would be the hope of our children? They will have to trek from this community to the next which is about three or four miles away. For children to go to school with that distance is not possible,” he said.
Chimezie said the ransom reduction to even N2 million would not make a difference because the community lacks the capacity to pay. The best option is to release the victims unconditionally, he said, adding: “We cannot afford the N8 million ransom, which the gunmen have insisted is the lowest they can negotiate or they close down the school permanently. But we are pleading with them that we cannot pay such amount. The two teachers receive meagre salaries. The poor labourer’s condition is the worst; so where do we get the money.
“The community has sent letters to Governor Nyesom Wike, Rivers Police Command, the Department of State Service (DSS) and the school board begging them to assist us but as I am talking to you none of them had replied us. So, we have decided to carry out a peaceful protest to create awareness over our plight. Though we got a signal that our delegation is going to brief us at the weekend on their discussion with the Ministry of Education, we will no longer sit on the fence and watch our school close down and children suffer because of the development; we must do something about our plight.”
Some corps members in the state lamented that the rate of abduction of corps members was becoming alarming. They demanded the unconditional release of their colleague.
One of them, Emmanuel Baba, an Accounting graduate, said: “I felt so sad when I heard about his (Azubuike’s) kidnap. We were doing counting and everybody was jubilating when the news broke. We are praying to God and calling on the kidnappers to release our colleague unconditionally.”
Another corps member, Ononogbo Chibuike, a Mathematics graduate, said: “The government should provide adequate security in all the Corpers’ Lodges. Sometimes, they post us to places where we cannot understand their security challenges. I want to beg the government to assist in the release of the kidnapped corps member.”
The Nigerian Democratic Awareness Forum (NIDAF), a non-governmental organisation, claimed that the NYSC has not done enough to get the corps member freed.
Its leader, Comrade Obiajunwo Paul, said: “We are not happy over the nonchalant attitude of the NYSC State Coordinator. They have done nothing to create awareness to the public on how the kidnapped corps member would regain his freedom. We will not take it for granted if NYSC fails to show serious concern.”
But, NYSC Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Violet Apolo, said NYSC could not be accused of not showing concern about something directly related to it.
Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mohammad Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the command was doing everything to rescue the victims.
•Worluh
Mr. Lucky Worluh, a former member of Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), is worried by the implications of the school’s continued closure.
He said: “The same community, Agba Ndele, has produced prominent personalities. The worst thing now is that if teaching and learning are not going on there then, there will be crisis. There will be a break down of law and order.
“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. If the children don’t go to school they will look for another school whether formal or informal. They will learn how to steal which for them is part of school; even learning how to kidnap and rob. I have spoken before that this institution shouldn’t be brought down, we are putting more concentration on Boko Haram. What is happening in Rivers state today and in my community is worse than Boko Haram.
“The former administration in Rivers State did so well in building schools. Governor Rotimi Amaechi left office not longer than six months ago and now they are kidnapping teachers. Any society that kidnaps a teacher is a gone society. What is happening here in Rivers State is not happening anywhere in the world even in Iraq. Go and check all the bombings and killings going on; they did not touch teachers. It is a noble profession and teachers are noble people.
Worluh called for improved security, noting that insecurity had made teachers victims to kidnapping.
“Because of the oil and gas deposit in Rivers State, the Federal Government owes us a responsibility to provide security. This is not the first time kidnapping is taking place in that same community and nobody has come to our aid. I’ve not heard that there was the presence of the security agency in that community. Two nights ago, another teacher was kidnapped from her house, there was no presence of security agency trying to find out from the royal highness and support them,” he said.
Osun State government has warned teachers against acts that can adversely affect the future of their pupils.The government urged them to ensure their students perform well morally and academically.
The deputy governor, Chief Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, spoke at the flag off of the distribution of instructional materials to over 300 Middle Schools across the state. The occasion was held at the premises of the Osun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) along Gbongan Road, Osogbo, the state capital
According to her, government would no longer tolerate absenteeism and laziness among teachers in public schools
The deputy governor, who also doubles as the Commissioner for Education, said government had resolved to restore sanity to public schools across the state
Laoye-Tomori noted that the performance of pupils in examinations must henceforth reflect the huge resources the government is committing into the education sector
She said: “If you collect money for a service, people must be made to render such service to the public. A situation whereby teachers are absent from schools will no longer be tolerated by this administration. We have 35 payment vouchers for drawing salaries from the coffers of the government but only 12 teachers are actually coming to school. This indecency in the education sector must stop because this is the only way sanity could be brought to the sector. Teachers and principals will also be rewarded when their students and schools perform very well in their exams.”
Laoye-Tomori announced that the Aregbesola’s administration is planning to introduce teachers housing scheme programme where teachers estate would be constructed by the government, especially for those posted to rural areas
She also said government would soon introduce Unified Joint Examination Scheme for pupils in public schools in order to access them for external examinations
She appealed for the cooperation of the civil servants to the government so as to deliver good governance to the people.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prince Felix Awofisayo, said that the provision of instructional materials was meant to improve teachers and students’ performance.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Fatai Kolawole, said: “The materials are educational inputs that are of vital importance to teaching and learning. It has been observed that their availability in schools will go a long way in assisting principals and teachers in delivery of knowledge and curriculum controls; hence efforts of this government to make the materials available in spite of paucity of funds in the state.”
The Abia State Polytechnic chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has begun an indefinite strike to protest unpaid salary arrears.
Some lecturers expressed disappointment that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu did not fulfil his promise of paying the arrears by October.
The teachers suspended the marking of exam scripts and supervision of projects, threatening that they would not be part of any academic activity as long as their agitation remained unsolved.
“We are on strike because the Federal Government gave bailout based on debt. Abia Poly was in arrears of six months, which amounted to N900, 000,000 but the government and the committee argued that the N2 billion the school owed banks had been acquired by the state and instead gave Abia Poly a subvention of six months instead of paying salaries from the bailout. The subvention amounted to N300,000,000, making the school to source money elsewhere to pay us three of the six months.
“To worsen the situation, the government went on air to say it paid Abia Poly seven months arrears from the bailout. So, we are on strike to tell the world it is a lie and to tell the state to complete the payment.
“It is a unanimous agreement that until the salary arrears are paid, we won’t come back to work,” the workers said.
Acting Rector Prof. Uche Ikonne could not be reached for comments and Governor Ikpeazu’s Chief Press Secretary Mr. Godwin Adindu was yet to respond to messages sent to his phone as at press time.
DELTA State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has challenged lecturers in polytechnic nationwide to lay emphasis on multi-disciplinary research and practical life skills to ensure that their products are job-creators.
Okowa, who spoke on Tuesday while inaugurating the Governing Council of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, observed that the current education system where graduates look for paid employment is wrong.
“We are deeply convinced that the solution to the massive youth unemployment that we are facing in the country, and especially in our state, lies not with certificate acquisition, but with skills building through technical cum vocational education,” Okowa stated.
Okowa continued: “Students must be taught and equipped with entrepreneurial skills, problem-solving abilities, principles of personal effectiveness, leadership development, business and crisis management, as well as current trends in business and ethics.
“The development of technical education is at the core of our S.M.A.R.T agenda because we believe that until we get our youths to acquire the requisite technical and vocational skills, we are not building a future for them.”
The governor said to this end, his administration has prioritized technical education.
“No meaningful national development can be achieved without sound, qualitative technical education and in Delta State, three of our technical colleges are currently being rehabilitated and refocused to equip students with the knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for business, trade and commerce,” he said.
He challenged the Governing Council and management of the institution to pay attention to improved curriculum and quality of teaching so as to equip students with the requisite mind-set and knowledge to excel in today’s rapidly changing world.
Funkekeme Solomon is the Chairman of the Governing Council; while Mr Joe Adigwe, Mr Gabriel Alebe and Mrs Oti Agoba are members.
In his response, Solomon thanked Governor Okowa for constituting the council. He assured that members would carry out their functions with diligence.
