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Tag: Unity schools

  • Fed govt directs re-opening of 47 Unity Schools

    Fed govt directs re-opening of 47 Unity Schools

    The federal government has directed the re-opening of the 47 Unity Colleges closed down as a result of rising insecurity. 

    The government made the announcement in a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Boriowo Folasade, on Thursday in Abuja. 

    The government reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding students and ensuring the continuity of education across the country.

    The statement said, “After the strengthening of security architecture within and around the affected schools, academic activities have fully resumed. Students have returned safely to their campuses, with many currently concluding their December academic programmes, while others have successfully completed their examinations.

    “The Federal Ministry of Education assures parents, guardians, and the general public that the safety, welfare, and well-being of students remain a top priority. The Government continues to work closely with relevant security agencies to sustain stability and restore normalcy within school environments nationwide.

    “The Federal Government remains resolute in its responsibility to protect every Nigerian child and to uphold their fundamental right to education in a safe and secure environment.

    “This administration places strong emphasis on human capital development and recognises education as a critical pillar for national growth and development. Accordingly, it remains determined to prevent any disruption to the academic calendar. The safe return of students and the successful conduct of examinations in several Unity Colleges underscore the Government’s resolve to keep learning on track despite prevailing challenges.

    “The Federal Ministry of Education appreciates the cooperation, patience, and support of parents, school administrators, and students, and reiterates its commitment to sustaining a secure, stable, and uninterrupted education system across the nation.”

  • FG allocates N80bn for infrastructure upgrade in 100 unity schools

    FG allocates N80bn for infrastructure upgrade in 100 unity schools

    The Federal Government has allocated N80billion to upgrade infrastructure in 100 Federal Government Colleges known as Unity Schools across Nigeria.

    Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, made this known on Friday in Kano during an unscheduled inspection at Federal Government College, Kano.

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    The minister explained that the visit was aimed to evaluate infrastructure, leadership, and student welfare.

    Ahmad further said the visit was also aimed at assessing the teaching and learning environment as well as fostering effective service delivery in the school.

    She noted that the interaction would enhance collaboration between policymakers and school management in addressing challenges and providing the necessary facilities.

  • FG allocates N80bn for infrastructure upgrade in 100 unity schools

    FG allocates N80bn for infrastructure upgrade in 100 unity schools

    The Federal Government has allocated N80 billion to upgrade infrastructure in 100 Federal Government Colleges known as Unity Schools across Nigeria.

    The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, made this known on Friday in Kano during an unscheduled inspection at Federal Government College, Kano.

    The minister explained that the visit was aimed at evaluating infrastructure, leadership and student welfare.

    Ahmad further said the visit was also aimed at assessing the teaching and learning environment as well as fostering effective service delivery in the school.

    She noted that the interaction would enhance collaboration between policymakers and school management in addressing challenges and providing the necessary facilities.

    “The federal government is committed to ensuring quality education and building teachers’ capacity to achieve set objectives,” she said.

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    According to her, the ministry is developing a digital platform to facilitate teacher training nationwide.

    “The digital platform will enhance teacher capacity and improve the quality of education in Unity Schools. It will also allow teachers to access training and resources irrespective of their location.

    “This investment will provide modern infrastructure and a conducive learning environment for students,” she said.

    The minister also visited the Federal Government Girls’ College, Kazaure, as part of efforts to ensure quality education across Unity Schools.

    She said the inspection visits were in line with the government’s agenda to revitalise Unity Schools and create an enabling environment for effective teaching and learning.

  • Fed Govt to unbundle 115 unity schools, colleges

    Fed Govt to unbundle 115 unity schools, colleges

    • Plans to free up more funds for basic education

    The Federal Government has said it is holding talks with relevant stakeholders to unbundle the 115 Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) into basic and secondary schools.

    The government said the unbundling of the colleges would attract more funding to improve infrastructure, address teachers’ welfare, and create jobs in the colleges.

    The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, announced this at the opening of the annual general meeting (AGM) of Principals of Unity Colleges with the theme: Entrepreneurship Education: A Panacea for Self-Reliance and National Development, yesterday in Abuja.

    He said the plan to unbundle the unity colleges was in line with the National Policy on Education (NPE).

    The minister said the ministry, with support from relevant agencies of government, would achieve the objective at the shortest possible time.

    He added: “We want to split the Federal Unity Colleges into two – basic education and secondary school education. This is in compliance with the National Policy on Education. It will also allow us to have more funds going into our basic education level, which is the basic foundation for learning.

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    “As of today, the money accruing to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is not being enjoyed by the Federal Unity Colleges.

    “But the unbundling will allow them (Unity Colleges) to have the basic education component, which will be funded through UBEC. It means more money will go into our basic and secondary education, unlike what is currently happening where more money is going into tertiary education.

    “We are in negotiations with the HoS and the Federal Civil Service Commission to get more hands. As soon as we conclude it, we are going to unbundle the colleges.”

    Sununu underscored the need for head teachers to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset in their students.

    He said: “I want to emphasise the significance of fostering an entrepreneurial spirit in our youths, a spirit that will propel them towards self-reliance and contribute meaningfully to our nation’s development.

    “Unemployment remains a pressing concern. It is our collective responsibility to equip our students with the skills and mindset necessary to succeed.

    “Entrepreneurship education offers a solution to this challenge as it prepares students to think creatively, innovatively, and develop the confidence to take calculated risks.”

    Also, the Chairperson of Principals of Federal Unity Schools Colleges, Dr. Idowu Akinbamijo, said the meeting was meant to set the agenda for the coming year and build capacity for the task ahead.

    The Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), Dr. Iyela Ajayi, said the commission had, in the last two years, trained over 600 SSS teachers of English language and Mathematics to enhance pedagogical skills with a focus on the perceived difficult concepts.

  • Gowon: Unity Schools experiment not in vain

    Gowon: Unity Schools experiment not in vain

    Former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has described establishment of Federal Government Colleges (Unity Schools) as a success.

    Writing in the foreword of  Coral Beads, a book published to mark 50th anniversary of Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC) Benin, this week, Gowon said the schools have promoted friendship among young people.

    The establishment of 12 additional Unity Schools in 1973, started when Gowon visited one of the first three Federal Government Colleges in Sokoto in 1970, soon after end of the Civil War. At that time, only three unity schools existed.

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    He described that visit as momentous and life changing.

     “The story of Government Colleges later referred to as ‘Unity Schools’ is fascinating, and I have fond memories of the beginning of establishment of Federal Government Colleges for Girls’’ he wrote.

    “I keenly observed the sense of unity and camaraderie among the students, how they related with one another in such a joyful and cordial way regardless of ethnic or religious backgrounds, so soon after the Civil War as though nothing so traumatic had happened. I salute the courage of those young returnees and the warm welcome of their other colleagues. It taught me a long life lesson of reconciliation. My personal experience and encounter from that visit was what inspired establishment of more unity schools across the then remaining 12 states.”

  • USOSA laments state of Unity Schools

    The Unity Schools Old Student Association (USOSA) has expressed concerns about the state of facilities in the 104 Federal Government Colleges (a.k.a Unity Schools) nationwide.

    Speaking at a briefing to announce the association’s 35th Plenary session coming up on Saturday at the King’s College Annex, Victoria Island, President General, USOSA, Lawrence Wilbert lamented the poor facilities was among the factors responsible for the unimpressive performance of the schools in public examinations, sports and educational activities.

    He said: “As a coalition of Alumni associations, we are definitely not pleased with the level of decadence of the infrastructure even for the newer schools, the level of infrastructure that is in place right now.

    “One thing you will come to understand is wherever you put somebody, the quality of the environment impacts on the upbringing of that person, grooming leaders for Nigeria, you put them in classrooms where the roof is leaking, the chairs are nonexistent; I wonder what kind of leaders we are breeding for this great country. So it impacts on the quality of the education; it impacts on the quality of the outcomes of the students through the schools.”

    During the association’s Plenary, Wilbert said the old students will discuss the theme: “Harnessing our diversity for national security”.

    National President, King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA), Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim, is to deliver the Keynote Address.

    Wilbert said it had become necessary for USOSA tp address the problem of insecurity given that alumni of the unity schools come from all nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

    “We acknowledge the efforts of the governments at all levels to respond to this growing sense of uncertainty and fear to ensure the security and welfare of citizens, but we also recognize the need for us, the custodian of Nigeria’s unity, to reassure Nigerians that we can harness our diversity to overcome our present challenges in our country,” he said.

    Prior to Saturday’s Plenary, the association will hold a ‘meet and greet’ session tomorrow.

  • Fed Govt releases common entrance results for unity schools

    The Federal Government has released the results of the 2019/2020 National Common Entrance Examination conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) for admission into the 104 Unity Schools nationwide.

    The entrance examination took place on April 27.

    The results were presented yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, by NECO’s acting Registrar, Abubakar Gana.

    He said the admission would begin on May 14 with the first batch of admissions coming as from the first week of June.

    The minister said supplementary admissions will take place between July 13 and 20.

    He said the government was mindful of the anxiety by parents to get admission for their wards into the colleges.

    Adamu promised to ensure that the admission process is given the maximum attention it deserves.

    He said: “On our part, we shall ensure that the admission process is given the maximum attention it deserves. We are mindful of the anxiety on the part of parents to get admission for their wards into our schools.

    “We are equally conscious that some of our competitors (private schools) are ahead of us in terms of the conduct of their 2019/2020 admissions.

    “The good news is that our schools have an edge over most of the private schools in terms of qualified teachers and facilities, among other variables. Even at that, we are not taking anything for granted.

    “For next year’s admission, we shall adjust the examination schedules to ensure that children get their admission letters before the end of April.

    “In terms of the admission, it will commence on May 14 with the first batch of admissions coming as from the first week of June.

    “Supplementary admissions will take place between July 13 and 20. By the second week of September, the gates of all our 104 Unity Schools will be opened for resumption.”

    The minister explained that 60 per cent of this year’s admission would be based on National Merit, 30 per cent on equality of states and 10 per cent on other factors.

    He added that candidates who applied for schools outside of their states of origin would be given priority in line with the ideals of the founding fathers of the unity schools.

    “This is in line with the ideals of the founding fathers of our unity schools. It is the hope of government that every graduate of our unity schools should be able to speak at least one Nigerian language outside his/her mother tongue in the course of his/her six year programme,” Adamu said.

    The minister assured Nigerians that the unity schools remained the best destination for quality secondary education.

    According to him, the government was doing more to ensure the rehabilitation and landscaping of the schools, provision of qualified teachers, librarians and laboratories.

    NECO’s Acting Registrar said 73,347 candidates, of the 75,832 registered, sat for the entrance examination in 583 centres nationwide, including one centre in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.

    He added that 18 blind candidates wrote the examination.

     

  • FG begins rehabilitation of 104 unity schools

    The Federal Government has begun the renovation and rehabilitation of 104 unity colleges in the country, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has said. He said the rehabilitation exercise includes replacement of broken toilets, ceilings, creation of additional classrooms and the renovation of existing ones. The minister said the renovation, directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, is aimed at expanding access to education in the country.

    He stated this during the monitoring of 2019 common entrance examination organised by the National Examination Council, in Abuja, on Saturday. The minister said about 25, 000 students would be given admission into the colleges nationwide. Adamu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Sonny Echono, disclosed that the government had already begun recruitment of teachers to carter for the new intake next term.

    He said: “We have a challenge of access to education in this country, as part of our interventions to ensure that we bring more children into the school system and reduce the number of kids who are out-of-school. We are having so many programmes. One of it is to increase the spaces available in our unity colleges. You are aware that each time we do this there are other consequential interventions that are needed. You need to have additional classrooms. You need to have additional teachers.

    “We are pleased that Mr. President graciously approved that we should begin to rehabilitate many of these unity colleges. Besides the security infrastructure, we are now providing both new classrooms and as well as rehabilitating the dilapidated ones and we are also dealing with the libraries, laboratories and so on. We are recruiting additional teachers for the unity schools as we speak. Both the regularisation of PTA teachers and new recruitment are ongoing at the Federal Civil Service Commission as we speak and they will come in early enough for them to be inducted, trained, given some kind of preparation ahead of the opening of the schools next term.”

    He said the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has already approved four interventions in some unity schools in Abuja.

  • Unity schools not affected by elections shift, says Fed Govt

    THE Federal Government yesterday stated that the 104 unity schools are not affected by the shift in the dates of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The government explained that students of the schools are expected to resume from their midterm break today.

    Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono made the clarification in a telephone interview with The Nation in Abuja yesterday.

    Students of the unity colleges embarked on their midterm break on the 15th of this month.

    There were reports that the pupils may be affected by the shift in the dates of the general elections by INEC.

    But, Echono said all the unity colleges are expected to resume their normal programmes today.

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    He said: “Unity schools are not closing. We only did our midterm because it was coinciding with the previous date.

    “The postponement of the election has nothing to do with our midterm break.

    “Our schools are resuming tomorrow and they are running our normal programmes. Our midterm break is over.

    ”They are resuming after the midterm and they will be in school.”

  • Unity schools’ admission results released

    THE Federal Government has released the results of admission into the 101 unity schools.

    In a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, said the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu approved the release of the admission results.

    It followed the 2018 selection exercise for placement of qualified candidates into Junior Secondary School One (JSS1), which took place in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

    The statement said the selection exercise employed the national merit criteria of 60 per cent with a cut-off score of 146 and above, and equality of state of 30 per cent of the colleges’ carrying capacity.

    The statement reads: “Due to the effect of insecurity in the Northeast and Northwest zones of the country, which affected the filling of the colleges capacity, the minister has also approved for supplementary examination to be held tentatively on August 11, 2018, for such colleges to enable them fill their vacancies.

    “Candidates are, therefore, requested to check their result at the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, all Federal Government Colleges and also online at http://www.education.gov.ng .”