Education
NAOC Commissions Library, Classrooms
In a bid to boost human capacity development and conducive learning environment in its host communities, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has commissioned a school library and a six classroom block in Bayelsa and Delta States, respectively.
Speaking at the commissioning of the respective school library/furniture at Ologoama community-in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and a –six classroom block at Irri Grammar School, Irri, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, NAOC General Manager, District Giovanni Salvini, represented by the Public Relation, Communication and Government Laison Manager, Prince Nwachuku Obi, said that the library and furniture will –enhance the reading capacity of the people, as the six classrooms will improve the learning condition of the students of the school.
He urged the respective communities to make optimum utilisation of the projects, protect the facilities and maintain the existing peace in the area.
In an address presented by the Ologoama Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman, Pastor Orifielate Adaminegbe and read by Magnus Alpheus, Agip was commended for encouraging human capacity development through the provision of a library with furniture, in the area. He however, appealed for the rehabilitation of the health centre and provision of ambulance boat, to address cases of emergency in the community.
While in Irri, the community President, Engr Dickson Edugbo, expressed gratitude over the commissioning of the Six classroom block in the school, noting that it will go a long way to alleviate classroom shortages experienced in the school.
He drew the attention of NAOC to the Cottage Hospital, Primary School block and other projects sited in the area by Agip that deserves commissioning and called for the review of the MoU with the company.
The representative of the Isoko South Local Government Council Chairman, Head of Personnel Management, Sammy Iheme, while commending NAOC for complementing councils towards provision of conducive academic environment, he urged Agip to make the school a model by fencing the school and providing a science labolatory for the students.
Education
Former VC Advocates Drug Test For University Lecturers
Prof. Muhammad AbdulAziz, the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi state, has advocated drug tests for lecturers to sanitise the university system.
Mr AbdulAziz stated this in a valedictory speech to the Senate of the University at a handing-over ceremony to his successor, Prof. Sani Kunya, the new acting Vice Chancellor of the institution.
While commending the decision by the Federal Ministry of Education to introduce drug tests for students seeking admission to all universities, he said such tests should be extended to lecturers.
According to him, it would further sanitise the university system and promote sanctity and academic excellence.
“We have discussed with the Federal Ministry of Education and they want to introduce to all universities that before any student would be registered in the universities, he or she must undergo drug tests.
“If students should undergo drug tests, I believe that even some of us, the lecturers, need to undergo the same test so that we know our status.
“We also have to volunteer ourselves to have this test done on us because we have to sanitise the university.
“If the students are to be subjected to drug tests to determine their mental health status, nothing is wrong if the lecturers too are subjected to the same test.
That is the only way to check excesses in the university system,” he said.
Mr AbdulAziz said the modest achievements recorded during his tenure were in the areas of infrastructural development, academic content development and community services.
He said the achievements recorded could not have been made possible without the support of all stakeholders in the system.
He appreciated the federal government for the support rendered to the University through the Federal Ministry of Education and its various agencies like the National Universities Commission and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
Read Also:Students to undertake drug test before admission UniAbuja
Also speaking, the new acting VC of the university expressed gratitude to the Senate for finding him worthy of the honour and to the federal government for his confirmation.
“I want to assure you that I will justify the confidence reposed in me by not disappointing you all.
Education
Don Seeks 20%Increased Budget Allocation To Education
A Professor of Economics in the Faculty of Social Sciences University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Prof Willie J. Okowa has called on government at all levels to increase her Education sectorial budgetary allocation to twenty percent of their annual budget , saying that such efforts will improve the development of education in the country.
Okowa said each government wether local, state or federal governments should devote an increased proportion of her annual budget to education such that in the next five to ten years , so that we can see at least 20 percent of her budget to the education sector.
He made this call while presenting the 42nd convocation lectures at the just concluded Iaue convocation ceremonies held at the university auditorium in port harcourt, recently.
He posisted that the economy has a nexus with sustainable higher education to the effect that a robust economy plays a key role in the sustainability of higher .education , while a sustainable higher education plays a supportive economic growth and development
“On the hand,a failing economy can hardly support a sustainable higher education”.
According to him ,a growing economy easily provides the finances to fund sustainable higher education while a education provides the relevant skills and the manpower needs required to propel economic growth and development,”of course, The Inadequate provision of higher educational facilities will fail to the manpower needs required by the economy to support its growth and development”
“The ability of an economy to adquately find higher education also depends on the rate of the population ,the higher the rate of growth of population, the more the number of the people that require higher education .Hence ,a rapid population growth puts more pressure on the ability of the economy to adquately fund higher education, irrespective of its performance.”
“Population growth , economic growth and the adequate funding of higher education are therefore intricately interlinked.The adequacy of the funds that an economy provides to finance higher education also depends on how well the managers of our education institutions manage such funds.
If people who lack character , integrity and merit are appointed to helms of affairs institutions,then funds can hardly be adequate .on the other hands ,if people of character, integrity and merit are given such appointments ,then the outcome will be much better” he stated.
The erudite scholar opined that Nigerian universities and colleges are also passing through strange times and outlined outdated laboratories , inadequate classrooms, adding that many students involved in drugs and prostitution.
By: Akujobi Amadi
Education
Bauchi Govt Threatens To Revoke Scholarship Of Unserious Students
The Bauchi State government has cautioned that it will cease payment of external exam fees for Senior Secondary Three, SS3 students found skipping classes.
Commissioner for Education, Jamila Dahiru gave the warning in Bauchi during her school resumption inspection and monitoring visits to some schools on Wednesday.
The Tide’s source recalls that Governor Bala Mohammed earlier allocated N396.9 million for the 2023/2024 external exams of 14,170 students in public schools.
The external examinations paid for included the West African Examination Council, WAEC, the National Examination Council l, NECO, National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB.
However, the Commissioner, who was furious with the low level of attendance of especially the SS3 students in some schools, recounted how she met less than 20 percent of the SS3 students who were around when she visited a particular school.
She stressed the need for students to return to class and prepare diligently, threatening to revoke scholarships for ‘unserious ones.’
Her words: “We just realised that most of these students, after being taught from JSS1 to SS3 and with Gov. Bala Mohammed paying for their external exams, and as soon as they were done with their mock exams, they left school and won’t return until the first day of their external exams.
“It is sad to acknowledge that we are not responsible as parents because I want to believe that they have parents who are seeing them attending schools simply because they are getting ready to just write their external examinations.
“We want to make them come back to class, we want to emphasize that we are investing in the right people because it is just telling us that it is the government that bothers about their education while they don’t care and probably their parents that are allowing them to stay at home also do not care.
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