Nation
FG Promises Digitally Equipped Centres As Over 12,000 Teachers Write Examination
The Federal Government has assured that plans are being made to ensure better digitally equipped centres for teachers across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, gave the assurance while inspecting the Batch B Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) for teachers on Saturday in Abuja.
Nwajuibua disclosed that the ministry of education is working closely with the ministry of communication and digital technology to use the digital bridge institutes already in the six geopolitical zones for exchange programmes and possibly future examinations.
He said, “we are working in collaboration with the minister of communication and digital technology to use the digital bridge institutes that have been built in the six geopolitical zones.
“We are trying to put this into use through an exchange programme and we are already working out the details.
“In the interim, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has been mandated to work with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
“They are to work towards activating the one teacher one computer programme where the ministry of education will enable those who need laptops to have them.
“This is with a repayment plan of about three to four years.”
On the 2021 PQE, the minister expressed satisfaction with the conduct.
He said, “we took time to monitor what TRCN has put in place for the conduct of the 2021 Batch B Professional Qualifying Examination for teachers.
“The integrity of the examination is clear and everyone is complying.
“From our assessment, we noticed there are 60 questions to answer within one hour and the computer will prompt you to review your answers.”
The Permanent Secretary, Sonny Echono, who also monitored the examination in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), expressed satisfaction with the conduct.
He said the federal government has embarked on major reforms in the sector, particularly with regard to teaching and learning.
He said, “the federal government is working to replace the traditional method of blackboard and teachers standing in front of students.
“It is working towards a learning environment that is Information Communication Technology (ICT)-driven with the teacher as a facilitator.
“Teachers will also begin to use facilities rather than what we are using in most of our schools today.”
On the deadline for all teachers to sit for qualifying examination, the permanent secretary said, “it is true we gave a deadline to remove all unqualified teachers from schools”.
“That created a lot of impetus and we had to schedule different diets for the professional examination.
“We have mandated the TRCN to do a marking of all qualified teachers both employed and unemployed in all the states of the federation.”
He said the data would be made available to the governors so that they can use in recruiting qualified teachers when necessary.
The TRCN Acting Director, Certification and Licensing, Jacinta Ametepe Ogboso, disclosed that there was a decline in the number of candidates that sat for the 2021 examination.
She said it was largely due to the fact that many had written the examination in the past.
She also hinted that the conduct of the examination is getting better by the day, following more awareness and better use of ICT among teachers.
“We have 12,586 candidates for the examination across the 36 states of the federation, except Zamfara.
“No candidate was forwarded to us from Zamfara and that is largely because of the security situation in the state,” she said.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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