Education

Education: NUT, ASUP Laud NEC, Want Speedy Implementation

Published

7 years ago

October 22, 2018

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has commended the recommendation of the National Economic Council (NEC) that state governors should declare ‘state of emergency’ in the educational sector.
The decision was reached at the just-concluded NEC meeting in Abuja chaired by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
NEC also recommended that the Federal and State Governments should allocate 15 per cent of their allocation to education.
Mr Adedoyin Adesina, Chairman, NUT, Lagos State Chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that the recommendations should be speedily implemented.
Adesina said that the declaration of state of emergency in the sector was long overdue, taking into consideration all the challenges confronting education.
He said the recommendation was timely; adding that government at all levels should prioritise their needs.
“Education is the bedrock of any economy; any country that fails to take its education seriously will have itself to blame.
“The recommendation is a welcome development because that is what we have been advocating for, that government at all levels should allocate 26 per cent of their annual budget as stipulated by UNESCO standard.
“In 2014, when the National Education Summit Group met, they told the government then that for the economy of this nation to grow, we must invest heavily on our teachers.
“If you want to get a Banker, Doctor, Nurse, Lawyer, Journalist, Engineer and others, who are suppose to create wealth and boost the economy, they are to pass through teachers at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
“The 15 per cent recommendation is not yet there, but it is better than what we have now. UNESCO recommended between 15 and 26 per cent. To set a good standard, it must not be less than 15 per cent.
“In the 2018 budget, only Lagos State allocated 12.07 per cent to education others including the Federal Government are single digits,” he said.
Adesina said the state of emergency should focus on curriculum planning, policy somersault, frequent change of textbooks, poor remuneration, training of teachers and infrastructure.
“Ordinarily, state of emergency is supposed to be declared so that we do not have half baked graduates that cannot read or write.
“No nation can develop beyond the level of its education, our governments are not priortising their needs,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Usman Dutse, President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), said that the implementation of the recommendations would determine the impact.
Dutse said many policies and recommendations had been made in the past to revampe the sector but received little or no commitment from government.
According to him, in the past, we have received fantastic and brilliant recommendations and policies that can help shape the system, but implementation has always been the problem.
“Many of these recommendations die natural death, they were never implemented.
“It is a welcome development but our concern is the implementation. Most of the time they are political statement, a pronouncement that government will just make without fulfilling it,” he said.
Speaking on the 15 per cent recommendation, Dutse said that the percentage was not significant, adding that it would not make significant changes required in the sector.
“UNESCO already set a benchmark and our thinking is that any pronouncement by government should be in line with it.
“Actually, if you see any country that has improve its education system, it’s either their budget is higher than UNESCO recommendation or it is 26 per cent.
“If truly they will implement what has been recommended with serious commitment, I believe it will bring a little succour to improving the sector,” he said.

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.