By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has called on its members nationwide to vote for candidates in the forthcoming general election, who are worker friendly.

The National President, NUT, Comrade Titus Amba made the call at the Union’s Annual Solemn Assembly held on Monday in Abuja.

According to Amba, teachers train all the professionals in different fields, but it is surprising that they are the least paid and most relegated in the country.

“I, therefore, urge all our members to vote wisely but should not vote for any candidate that is not worker friendly, no matter the inducement, persuasion or any consideration” he said.

“Remember that your voter cards are your voices and power. Therefore, we cannot afford to be mute in this critical and decisive moment of our nation’s history.

“In most of the developed countries even the developing ones; they place more priority on the welfare of teachers,” he said.

Amba said when one neglected the welfare of teachers certainly one would not get the needed result.

He said that the leadership of the union had increasingly engaged the states government on the issues of N30,000 Minimum Wage and Consequential Adjustments.

Amba said that the Union had also filed trade dispute with the Registrar of Trade Unions against some non-cooperative states governments.

He reaffirmed the determination of his administration to take the Union to greater heights, through the immense, solid and numerous achievements of his predecessors.

Earlier in his sermon Imam Muhammad Bin ‘Uthman urged government at all levels to ensure adequate security for the nation towards better learning condition .

Bin ‘Uthman said for any nation to be educationally developed, there must be physical and spiritual security, saying that insecurity is a big challenge to national development.

He added that other factors necessary for national development included food security, job opportunity, power supply and quality healthcare system.

Also speaking, Rev. Fr. Nduka Uzo, advised that Nigerians should learn to live together in love and harmony irrespective of their differences.

Uzo encouraged teachers to always come to God in prayers, praises and thanksgiving, saying instead of complaining, they should use the time to ask God for provisions.

He said that being a teacher was a vocation, so they should not give up in the struggle.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NUT solemn assembly was to commit the leaders, teachers, their welfare and action plans to the hands of God towards an all-round success for the good of the profession and the nation. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu/Razak Owolabi

By Ikenna Osuoha

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Friday urged increased investment in the education sector to ensure quality of education to school age children, particularly girls.

Okonjo-Iweala said this in Abuja on Friday at a summit with the theme: “Girl Child Now: Nurturing Our women-Nigeria’s own wealth “.

She described investment in the education of the girl child as a ‘smart investment’, saying that it fosters inclusion of women in economics.

Mr Gordon Brown, UN Envoy, Global Education, said the summit reinforced the importance of education for the girl child.

Brown affirmed his support for a social contract between Nigeria and girls to enable them thrive and not just to survive.

Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO), said that investing in women and girls education would enhance societal prosperity and equality.

Ghebreyesus expressed optimism that education for girls and women would go a long way in reducing early marriage and other forms of Gender Based Violence.

Mrs Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs, reiterated the commitment of the Buhari-led administration to improving the welfare of women and girls through education.

Tallen, who described the girl child as a representation of the continuation of the cycle of live, said education for a girl child was education for the society.

She therefore called for mass enrolment of women and girls in schools to create a sustainable economic future for them.

Ms Ulla Mueller, Country Representative, UN Population Fund (UNFPA), called for a continued conversation between parents and relevant stakeholders to promote girl and women education.

Mueller said that education was important to successful and prosperous society especially for women and girls.

Dr Adeleke Mamora, Minister of Science and Technology, expressed the need to support girls and women to achieve their potentials to the fullest.

Mamora urged the dismantling of societal prejudices that tend to subjugate the girl child impeding her access to education.

“The societal monsters that subject women to cultural and mental subjugation must be confronted.

“Government’s social contract forbids discrimination in many ways,” he said.

The minister said there was a strong chord between health, education and wealth which women and girls must be provided access to.

He explained that the mission of his ministry was to move the Nigerian economy from resource based to knowledge based.

Dr Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, expressed the commitment of the Federal Government to adequate funding for safety of schools in Nigeria.

Ahmed said that they had included in the National planning for Agencies and Ministries to be gender focused.

According to her, the government is working with the private sector to create fiscal incentives to promote girl child education.

Dr Ayoade Alakija, Founder Emergency Coordinated Centre (ECC), WHO Special Envoy, urged women and girls to always be bold and courageous.

Alakija said that such boldness would only be possible with foundational education as support.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit is organised by Emergency Coordinated Centre (ECC), to address the plight of women and girls in the area of educational marginalisation. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Uche Anunne

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Ojah Scholarship Foundation has opened its portal for application into its annual scholarship programme for indigent undergraduates in the Niger Delta region.

The foundation’s Secretary, Mrs Bisi Olabode-Foghi, who made the disclosure in a statement, on Friday in Abuja, said that the portal would remain open till April 30.

Olabode-Foghi added that the applicants must be students with interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics areas.

She said: “The applicants must have gained admission for the current year (2023 -2024) to a Nigerian public university (state or federal) or is already in year onevor year two in a Nigerian public university.,”

While advising interested applicants to log on to https://www.ojascholarships.org/ for registration, Olabode-Foghi said non-Niger Delta students with extraordinary performance in academics could also apply.

The secretary, who doubles as a trustee said that the organisation was a non profit one providing access to higher education for remarkable, yet indigent students from the region.

She said: “Our interest is to contribute towards closing the present gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) in this region.

“We also want to set in motion a strategic advancement that will see Niger Delta become a giant in the STEM field in the near future.”

Olabode-Foghi added that the vision to launch such an initiative has been a slow-cooking plan, saying: “we have always helped people get education.

“We also yearn to see a real change, systemic and lasting improvements/projects that breed better life and growth for our people at home.

“So, merging these two aspirations together was the next best thing for us.

“The idea is not to only grant scholarships and set them on their way, we are keen to providing necessary mentoring, career opportunities and support for as long as it is needed.

“We are looking to help shape this younger generation into renowned professionals.

“We want these people to be advantageously placed so that they are also be able to give back much more and altogether build the Niger Delta,”she added.(NAN) (www.nannewd.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

Some stakeholders in education sector have urged parents to allow their children pass through all the academic stages as stipulated in the education policies instead of skipping classes.

They expressed this concern on Monday, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

They said students who skipped classes were most times slaves to their emotions, being not mature for the challenges ahead.

According to them, education is the bedrock of development and for any meaningful development to take place a person has to pass through some stages of development both physically, mentally and psychologically.

Mr Pius Godwin, the Principal of Kings’ Kids International School, Gwagwalada, frowned at the rate JSS 2 and SS2 students enroll for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE).

“We are in an era, where students are in a rush to graduate from school as soon as possible without putting into considerations, first their mental and academic development,” he said.

He said that parents were part of the problems, adding that parents of such student always come up with excuses that favour them not minding the consequences on their children.

According to him, when a child is pushed above his or her class, such student may not be able to stand academically to defend the certificate.

“He or she may not be able to solve problems that involve intellect in the place of work and may not be able to make meaningful contributions in policies that concern education.

“Also, such an individual may not be able to teach others; he or she will be unemployable in any institution whether government or private sector.

“Equally, he or she may not be able to replicate who they are in any sector they found themselves not minding the implications,” he said.

The principal further said that psychologically, such students might exhibit arrogance and rudeness when they failed to carry out an assignment perfectly after graduation.

He said that the most annoying aspect was that this might extend to even their next generations.

He, therefore, encouraged parents to allow their wards pass through all the academic stages as stipulated in the education policies.

Similarly, Mr Haruna Idachaba, a father of three said that some parents took pride on their wards or children’s capability above their mates; hence they encouraged them to skip classes.

Idachaba noted that allowing a child to skip his or her class might cause more harm than good for that child in future.

He said that for the sake of academic development of that child parents should allow their children to go through all the academic processes.

Also, Dr Olatunji Jekayinfa said schools might allow students to sit for external examinations such as BECE and SSCE in JSS2 and SSS2 to assess the readiness of the students and their level of preparedness ahead final year.

Jekayinfa, who is a Research Fellow at the National Mathematical Centre, said students who happened to come brilliantly well at the penultimate year should be made to stay back to write again at the final year.

According to him, this is because students at the penultimate year most times, although academically sound may not be emotionally and physically mature.

“And, ready for the next level of their education if they are allowed to skip the final year class.

He said that in spite of the child’s academic brilliance such student tend to be easily influenced negatively by their older colleagues.

According to him, due to their tenderness and age disparity among their colleagues, such a student is more vulnerable to vices associated with adolescence.

“The school system ultimately should produce rounded graduates who are sound academically and are morally and emotionally matured.

“This may be a far cry if students are allowed to skip vital and important classes just because they are successful in their external examinations at the penultimate class.

“The disadvantages are too enormous to waive aside,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ben Ezuwu/Isaac Aregbesola