Education

UBEC Tasks SUBEBs On Assurance Training

Published

10 years ago

March 21, 2016

Deputy News Editor Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Reward Akwu in a group photograph with His Glory Basic Foundation School Igwuruta, Port Harcourt during excusion visit to the Corporation, recently.
Photo: Prince Dele Obinna.

Executive Secretary of
the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Alhaji, Dikko Suleiman has called on all state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEBS) to complete the series of trainings earmarked for their Quality Assurance Officers since 2014 towards attaining the aims and objectives of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Programme in Nigeria.
Alhaji Suleiman, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Quality Assurance, UBEC, Mr Sylvester Eyinnaya who made the call at the closing of a five-day training programme for Quality Assurance officers on Friday, organised by the Rivers State UBEB, said the training is intended to have lots of positive impact in school’s inputs, processes and outputs.
Quality Assurance,” he said, is committed to improving all aspects of educational quality, recognised and measurable learning outcomes as well as contributing to the achievements of acceptable standards that are maintained and enhanced through human and materials resources of good quality.
“This training, with the theme: “Strengthening the Capacity of Quality Assurance Officers for Effective Service Delivery”, is coming up at a time that it has become imperative that we must improve on our service delivery and that our service should have quality in terms of classroom practice and school management”, he said.
He noted that although the training was supposed to be held in 2014, that it has been held in 2016 does not make much difference since the same results will be achieved.
“I, therefore wish to seize this opportunity to call on all SUBEBs to expedite action to complete this series of trainings without further delay”, he urged.
Suleiman used the opportunity to commend Rivers UBEB for commencing the programme “It is heartening that Rivers UBEB has finally keyed into this training of its Quality Assurance Officers with part of the Teachers Professional Development (TPD) fund despite the delay”, he concluded.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary Rivers State UBEB, Dame Roseline O. Chukwuigwe, noted the importance of education.
According to her, “education is the key to sustainable development and it has been widely acclaimed that no nation can develop without giving quality training to our teachers.
“It is in recognition of this that the UBEC commenced series of intervention programmes in the areas of basic education to ensure that the citizenry improves’, she said.
The Permanent Secretary, however, noted that the education sector has key challenges of inadequate funding, inaccessibility to human capital development, proper coordination and monitoring in system.
She explained further that it was in a bid to address this incoordination that the UBEC urged states UBEBs and FCT to priorities the capacity building programmes for Quality Assurance officers.
At the end of the day, it was expected that UBEC should be able to ensure three key things: that there is an increased budgetary allocation for evaluators; that the Capacity of Quality Assurance officers are strengthened through training and retraining programmes; and that there is an increased incentives for teachers.
She, therefore urged participants to take the training very seriously and ensure that your participation will bring about better attitude to work ethics, promote teacher quality, and reposition the education sector in Rivers state.

Sogbeba Dokubo

Education

RIVCHPP Set To Take Health Insurance Scheme To Tertiary Institutions In Rivers State

Published

4 hours ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), the state health insurance agency, is set to take the health insurance scheme to schools, especially tertiary institutions, in the state.

This disclosure was made by the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala, when she led a team from RIVCHPP on an advocacy visit to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education on Friday, 16th January 2026.

Dr. Agala, who solicited authorisation from the Ministry for RIVCHPP to write to the institutions under Ministry’s mandate so as to begin enrolment of students in the various schools , said that for the health insurance agency to expand universal health coverage of the state, then students need to be enrolled into the programme.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary announced that the agency has also started talks with the State branch of Nigeria Association of Proprietors of Private Secondary Schools (NAPPSS) to ensure that no one in the state is left out from having the opportunity of accessing quality healthcare services without passing through financial hardship.

Dr. Agala also commended the innovative policies that the Permanent Secretary have brought to bear towards improving the educational exploits in the state, saying that the changes align to the interest and mandate of Governor Siminialayi Fubara stance on education.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary appreciated the Permanent Secretary for giving the team audience, pledging her team’s dedication and commitment to clients’ satisfaction, calling on schools to embrace the S-SHIP package dedicated for the well-being of students in Rivers State.

In her remarks and response, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr.(Mrs. ) Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, who warmly welcomed the RIVCHPP team, promised to share with and disseminate all information about RIVCHPP to all public schools in the state so that the schools will be willing to give RIVCHPP opportunity to sensitise them on what RIVCHPP is all about and the benefits of signing up with RIVCHPP.

Dr. Uzoma-Nwogu advised RIVCHPP to be proactive and consistent in the mandate of providing affordable and quality health care to Rivers residents.

The visit witnessed a presentation of RIVCHPP’s sensitisation/campaign materials to the Permanent Secretary by RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary

Education

University Don wants AI to be made compulsory course

Published

4 hours ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

A university don, Prof. Sunday Olatunji, has argued that Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be made a compulsory course for all students in higher institutions across Nigeria, irrespective of their field of study

He also called on Nigeria and Africa to build an intelligent, inclusive and technologically sovereign future to elevate human potential through artificial intelligence.

To achieve these goals, the Professor of Artificial Intelligence urged the nation and continent to: institutionalize capacity building for AI excellence; develop functional policy and ethical frameworks for responsible AI; build artificial intelligence literacy and workforce development; make AI a general course in all higher institutions; promote no-code

AI and machine learning pathways for beginners; develop public-private-academic partnerships; and build inclusive and culturally grounded AI.Prof. Olatunji, who is ranked by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as the Best AI Researcher in Nigeria (2025), made these statements on Tuesday, while delivering the 53rd Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, held at the University Multipurpose Hall.

The lecture was titled, Symbiosis of Mind and Machine: Harnessing AI for National Development.He stressed that artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction but a reality that permeates every stratum of human life. “Just as Computer Appreciation became a national requirement decades ago, the time has come for AI Appreciation as a compulsory General Studies (GST) course.

This course should introduce all students, regardless of discipline, to aspects of AI including: AI fundamentals, machine learning concepts, applications of AI in their respective fields, ethical implications of AI, and its role in national development, among others,” he said.

The lecturer called on governments to establish AI innovation hubs in all tertiary institutions and research centres; promote cross-disciplinary collaboration integrating computing; provide national research grants focused on AI solutions for local challenges; and recruit and train faculty specialised in AI, machine learning, data science, robotics, and computational intelligence.

Prof. Olatunji allayed fears that AI could replace humans or end humanity, positing that, “Many fear that the rise of artificial intelligence signals the decline of human relevance – that the machine might replace the mind. But history teaches otherwise. Every technological revolution – from the printing press to electricity, from the internet to AI – has not diminished humanity but rather redefined it.

Today, AI diagnoses diseases, predicts the weather, translates languages, and protects nations.

Prof. Olatunji has garnered from far and wide and commended his role in setting up the Faculty of Computing and for doing a yeoman’s job as its founding Dean.

The Vice Chancellor also noted that Prof. Olatunji is a well-respected and accomplished academic and researcher who has carved an enviable niche for himself in the digital world of computing and artificial intelligence.

Education

FG, ASUU Set Date to Sign Agreement

Published

1 week ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government is set to formally sign an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities following weeks of negotiations.

The development may be linked to the 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff proposed by the FG last month and accepted by the union.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Education invited Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of federal universities to witness the signing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Conference Hall, Abuja.

The circular, dated January 5, 2026, and referenced FME/IS/UNI/ASUU/C.11/Vol.V/82, was signed by the Director of University Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, on behalf of the Minister of Education.

It was titled ‘Invitation to the Ceremony for the Signing of Agreement Between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.’

The circular was sighted by our correspondent on Saturday and confirmed by the Ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

“This signing represents a critical milestone in promoting industrial harmony and improving teaching and learning in our universities.

“It also reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to the sustainable development of education in line with the Renewed

Attendance at the ceremony was declared mandatory for all invited university administrators, highlighting the importance attached to the agreement and its implementation.

Last month, the industrial crisis that had burdened Nigeria’s university system for 16 years following the 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement saw the union accept the Federal Government’s proposed 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff.

It was reported that the deal, effective from January 1, 2026, would be reviewed after three years

Why FG Shouldn’t Be Blamed for Non-Implementation of Council Autonomy

Under the new terms, professors will earn a pension equivalent to their final annual salary upon retirement at age 70. The agreement also provides for the establishment of a National Research Council to fund research with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.

Other provisions include improved funding for libraries, laboratories, equipment and staff development, greater university autonomy, and the election of academic leaders, with only professors eligible to serve as deans and provosts. The pact also guarantees that no staff member involved in past industrial actions will be victimised.