By Aminu Garko

The Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology,Wudil, has decried the dissolution of the institution’s governing council by Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State.

This is contained in a statement issued by the chapter’s Chairperson, Dr.Aliyu Ahmad and Secretary, Dr.Mudassir Nasir, in Kano on Wednesday,

The union described as “inappropriate,” the dissolution of the council which was effected by the Gov. Yusuf, on May 29.

The union said it was dismayed over the continuous running of the institution, formerly known as Kano State University of Science and Technology, without a governing council, as a result of the dissolution.

It said the development was in breach and disregard of the provisions of the Kano State University of Science and Technology (Amendment) Law of 2017.

The union therefore called on the governor to, as a matter of urgency reconstitute the council “in order to avoid paralysing the university system.”

It also urged the state government to settle the outstanding entitlements of staff of the university.( NAN) ( www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has expressed support for a call of a state of emergency in the education sector.

Speaking at the National Conference on the Learning Crisis in Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday, the Chairman, NGF, Gov. Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman of Kwara said resources must be provided for sustainable and promising education.

The conference, organised by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund, has the theme: “Scaling Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in Nigeria.”

Represented by the Vice Chairman of NGF, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Abdulrahman said education is in crisis and a state of emergency should be declared in the sector.

He stressed the need to remove all barriers such as gender, poverty, location, disabilities, language and ethnicity, that could hinder children from accessing foundational literacy and numeracy.

“We must follow UNESCO standard for education system that is progressive and sustainable, Governors at the various states must commit above 15 per cent above of our budget to education.

“I support the call for state of emergency but it must be backed by actions, the resources must be provided and we must look at issues that have mitigated against achieving that sustainable growth.

“It is one thing to declare a state of emergency but it’s another thing to put all the resources and elements that will allow us to achieve it.

“So I support putting the resources in place to allow us move fast at it. Our education is in crisis and a state of emergency should be declared in all the sector. We need solid roadmap and I believe it is a collective involvement,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, said learning crisis had been a challenge the education sector is faced with which needs urgent solution.

“The consequences of learning crisis are far-reaching and profound as we risk widening the already significant education gap, perpetuating a cycle of poverty, illiteracy, diseases and stifling innovation and progress.

“Education is the cornerstone of societal progress and individual empowerment, yet the challenges we currently confront demand our immediate attention, dedication, and action.

“In recent years, Nigeria has been grappling with a severe learning crisis that hinders our youth from achieving their fullest potential.

“A significant portion of our school-aged population, especially those in underserved communities, face barriers to access quality

education.

“The factors contributing to this crisis are multifaceted and include inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortage, unequal

distribution of resources, outdated curricula, and socio-economic disparities,” he said.

Sununu said the country must rise to protect the potential and aspiration of the youths, saying they are the greatest asset and hope for a prosperous future.

He expressed the political will of President Bola Tinubu to raise education budgetary allocation from 8 per cent to 25 per cent in the next few years.

He said the gesture would be a major breakthrough in addressing the

learning crisis issues.

In the same vein, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, said the conference was from outcomes of UN General Assembly in September where countries were urged to accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Munduate said this is to regain ground lost during the COVID-19 pandemic that saw unprecedented school closures globally.

“For Nigeria, convening a conference on the learning crisis is opportune as government defines its priorities for the education sector in the new Ministerial Strategic Plan (MSP).

“Just as Nigeria has galvanised significant support around the out-of-school problem, so too must it give attention to the learning crisis that is in fact fueling the out-of-school problem in Nigeria.

“Three out of four children in basic education in Nigeria cannot read with meaning or solve simple maths problems.

“When children fail to learn to read in the early years, they fail to read to learn in the subsequent years. Failure to learn begins to alienate children from the curriculum and their peers.

“This contributes to the staggering drop out rates each year between the first and last year of primary school,” she said.

She, therefore, called for serious attention to the learning crisis saying learning is not just important for education outcomes, it is key to finding a higher paying job, for achieving better health outcomes and for navigating community and social life.

Also, the Chief Education, UNICEF Nigeria, Saadha Panday-Soobrayan, said the learning crisis in Nigeria begins in early childhood education, saying only half of the children are developmentally on track in early childhood.

She said that learning gaps persist across the life course and most severe in the north part of the country.

According to her, by the end of grade nine, only 74 per cent of pupils demonstrate foundational literacy and 69 pee cent foundational numeracy.

She, therefore, said that all hands must be on deck to finding a lasting solution to the country’s learning crisis. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Uche Bibilari

The Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja (UniAbuja), Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’allah, says making right development choices as a nation is central to building and forming a modern nation.

Na’Allah expressed this view at the Third Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chair programme for Japanese Studies on Tuesday in Abuja.

The theme of the event was, “Making of Modern Japan.”

The vice chancellor said that the development choices Japan had made as a country formed what it had become as a modern nation.

He said that the Japanese model should serve as an example to Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“It is important to have not only individuals as role models but also to have nations as role models.

“Japan economy has gone higher and stronger because of the kind of choices they have made in developing their country.

“Even in the face of economic challenges, Japan has not stopped growing economically; rather, it has strengthened it to move higher.”

Na’Allah said that in order to support learning and collaboration, the university attracted the Japanese Language and Culture Institute(JLCI) which thought Japanese culture.

“We have asked our students to learn Japanese as one of the foreign languages they must learn without which they will not graduate.

“We want our students to understand the spirit of Japan, which will enable them as future leaders to think and be prepared in order to move this nation forward.”

He called on the students to make use of all they would learn from the event to propel the kind of modernisation needed in Nigeria.

“It is important for you all as students to form this kind of leadership skills now and know more about your country.

“The opportunity you all have is the opportunity to develop these ideals; it is important to know that production and true patriotism to your country must be high.”

He said that Nigeria, with all its abundant resources, had the capacity to be the best in the world in terms of economic growth and even beat Japan that had the third largest economy.

According to him, UniAbuja has signed an MoU with two Japanese universities on some programmes such as students exchange.

He said that JICA had sponsored many students to Japan through the Japanese foundation.

The vice chancellor said that the institution was collaborating with Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry on training.

He added that no fewer than 200 students of UniAbuja were being trained by the chamber in order to equip them with the capacity to work with Japanese companies.

On his part, the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, said that the Japanese embassy had been supporting JLCI since it was established in 2021.

Kazuyoshi said the embassy promised to continue to actively support UniAbuja which served as a hub for the promotion of Japanese culture and language in Nigeria.

According to him, studying in Japan provides not only with expertise, but also offers Nigerians the opportunity to learn about the Japanese code of conduct such as diligence and punctuality.

He said that the Japanese Government had also provided opportunity to learn more about Japanese through scholarship.

“Many students who have completed their studies in Japan are now working with Nigeria Government and the university.

“We hope to see more of them work in Japanese companies in Nigeria in the future,” he said.

Similarly, Prof. Kitaoka Shinichi, Special Advisor to the President of JICA, in his lecture, highlighted all the struggles Japan went through to be where it was today.

He said that Japanese modernisation started in 1868 when there was revolution, adding that Japan changed from imperial rule to parliamentary rule.

Shinich said that Japan invested more on education and hard work which has helped their economy to grow to what it was today.

He said that Nigeria was in the position, with its rich resources, to bridge the gap and move from a developing country to a developed one.

According to him, Japan has continued to make waves in the automobile industry which is a major boost to its economy.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the highlights of the event were the presentation of more than 130 manga books to the institution by the ambassador and a cultural presentation by JLCI. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

===========
Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has disowned the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) top-up programme claiming to bridge the gap between polytechnic and university degrees.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday by the Acting Executive Secretary of the commission, Chris Maiyaki.

Recalls that for years, there have been calls from stakeholders to end the disparity between Higher National Diplomas (HND) offered by polytechnics and Bachelor degrees offered by universities.

This brought about a bill passed at the ninth National Assembly in 2021 to end the dichotomy but it was not signed into law by the last administration.

The NBTE which regulates technical and vocational education has unveiled what it describes as a one-year top-up programme which offers a platform for HND holders to level up towards obtaining a bachelor’s degree.

Maiyaki, however, called on the general public and all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to note that the NUC is not a party to the top-up scheme.

“Even though agitation continues to grow for the abolition of the dichotomy in Nigeria, there is, at the moment, no law that has removed the dichotomy between a university degree and the HND.

“The place of technical education, the world over is unique.

“The university degree awarded by the Nigerian university system or any cognate institution is not the same as the HND awarded by polytechnics in Nigeria.

“In the Nigerian higher education space, the processes, contents and methods required for the acquisition of a university degree are substantially different from those needed for HND programmes,” he said.

He noted that at the post-graduate level, the requirements for admission into any masters degree programme for HND holders are, among others, the acquisition of a relevant postgraduate diploma (PGD) from a recognised university.

“The unsuspecting general public and all relevant ministries, departments, and agencies should note that the NUC is not a party to and, indeed, disavows the so-called top-up scheme, being concocted by the NBTE.

“In light of the above, the advice of the NUC is that the NBTE should focus on its core mandate and desist from introducing programmes outside its jurisdiction, and not supported by any law in Nigeria.

“The NUC wishes to inform the Management of the  NBTE and the general public that the “Bill for an Act to abolish and prohibit dichotomy and discrimination between First Degree and Higher National Diploma in the same Profession/Field for the Purpose of Employment, and for Related Matters.

“The bill passed by the 9th National Assembly in 2021, is yet to be assented to by Mr President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

” So, eventhough agitation continues to grow for the abolition of the dichotomy in Nigeria, there is, at the moment,  no law  that has removed the dichotomy between a university degree and the HND.

“Both the NUC Establishment Law (CAP N81, LFN, 2004) and its Operational Law: Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, CAP E3 LFN, 2004) vest in the Commission the powers to superintend and regulate university education in Nigeria.

“Lay down minimum academic standards in the nation’s universities and other degree-awarding institutions, and accredit their programmes. Thus, the commission is the only constitutionally empowered regulatory agency for university education in Nigeria,” he said.

Maiyaki argued that in most higher education systems, polytechnics coexist side by side with universities for the purposes of producing critical human resources, based on their peculiarities and in tandem with the goals for which they were established. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Naomi Sharang

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Girls Beyond Reach Foundation popularly known as Daddy’s Girls has offered scholarships to girls resident in Angwan-Shao, Karimo, a slum in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Director Finance of the Foundation, Mrs Olamide Afolabi said that the gesture was part of activities to mark the International Day of the Girl Child.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oct. 11 each year is observed to support more opportunity for girls and increase awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender.

Afolabi said that a total of N2 million in educational scholarships was awarded to these deserving candidates, ensuring they have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and overcome the socio-economic challenges that often hinder their progress.

She said that each girl was awarded N150, 000 per session over a period of four to five years depending on their course of study.

“We have seen a gap in the education of the girl-child and we are doing our best to fill up that gap.

“The scholarship is offered to three girls in Karimo, Abuja for now because that is how much money we can afford, we wouldn’t like to drop some along the way because of funds.

“Three of the girls would get N150, 000 per session and it would run for four years or five years based on their course of study.”

Director of Operations for the Foundation, Miss Temitope Omogbolagun said that the scholarship was pursuant to the Foundation’s commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty through education.

She said: “According to UNICEF, in Nigeria, out of over 10 million children in Nigeria who are out of school, 60 percent of them are girls. This is the gap we are looking forward to bridge.

“Beyond that, we believe that education is the cornerstone of a brighter future. By investing in these girls, we are not only transforming their lives but also contributing to the progress of our society as a whole.”

Omogbolagun also explained that the selection process for the scholarship recipients was rigorous, with candidates undergoing assessments based on academic merit, leadership potential, and their commitment to community development.

“The three young girls, including a physically challenged ambitious lady who emerged as the chosen beneficiaries, demonstrated exceptional promise and a clear dedication to overcoming adversity.”

“Aside from this scholarship, we also have a mentorship programme with a robust curriculum that cuts across different areas of life, all these represent a significant stride towards achieving their vision of an inclusive and empowered society.”

Similarly, Director of Mentoring, Mrs Tomisin Latinwo said that the Foundation would continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to creating lasting impact in the lives of disadvantaged individuals.

She said: “As these three determined young women and the ones who are already on our scholarship and mentoring scheme embark on their educational journey, we believe that they serve as beacons of hope for countless others in similar circumstances.

“With the right support, barriers can be overcome and dreams can be realized.

“Daddy’s Girls has set a commendable example for philanthropy and empowerment, demonstrating that every investment in education is an investment in a brighter future for all.

“We hope that other
non-governmental organisation would follow suit because we believe that together we can.”(NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Usman Aliyu

Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) on Thursday inducted 97 graduates of Bachelor of Nursing Sciences at the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo into the profession.

In his address, the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the institution had contributed immensely to boost and improve the country’s healthcare system following the training of over 725 professional nurses.

He said that the institution had for over two decades maintained the path of dominance and prominence in the academic sphere, following the graduation of the nurses, whom, he said were practising within and outside the country.

“To date, the Department of Nursing of the University has graduated about 725 nurses practising within and outside the country.

“Happily, information about the superlative performance of these nurses in the field has continued to attract applications for admission into IUO Nursing programme over time without IUO being able to meet the demand.

“Incidentally, the demand for nurses is on the increase and IUO remains the choice destination for prospective nurses.

“The university is willing and able to contribute to reducing the deficit of nurses in Nigeria and beyond.

“It is against this backdrop that the Senate of the University recently approved the upgrade of the Department of Nursing to a College of Nursing to facilitate quota increase which we have applied for and awaiting approval by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, ” Ezemonye said.

Earlier in his remark, the Dean, School of Basic Medical Sciences of the institution, Prof. Dominic Osaghae, charged the inductees on professionalism, saying nursing profession is the bedrock of the nation’s healthcare system.

In his presentation, the Guest Lecturer, Prof. Anthonia Chinweuba of the Department of Nursing Sciences, University of Nigeria (UNN), spoke on the topic, “The Place of the Nurse in Global Healthcare Delivery System”.

The lecturer emphasised the need for hard work on the part of the nurses in delivering quality healthcare services. (NAN)

Edited by Adeleye Ajayi

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has warned members of the academia and the university community over sexual harassments on campuses, stressing that the ministry would deal decisively with perpetrators of such acts.

Mamman gave the warning in Abuja on Thursday when he received the report of the committee on alleged sexual harassment by the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifo.

He said that sexual harassment was a serious criminal offence that must be dealt with decisively, when and whenever it occured.

He added that the ministry would do everything humanly possible to stem the ugly tide in institutions of higher learning.

He noted that the offence of sexual harassment was cancerous and must be eliminated at all cost, adding that all hands must be on deck to tackle the menace in the education system.

He also maintained that the administration of President Bola Tinubu would protect the vulnerable groups within the country’s education system.

The minister said he would evoke the long arm of the law to ensure that perpetrators were adequately punished, saying that no one would be allowed to take advantage of the vulnerable groups.

“Sexual offenses units will be established in the ministry and all institutions of higher learning to deal with the menace,” he said.

Earlier in the presentation of her report, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, said the university had followed all due processes in handling the matter, including the suspension of the suspect, appropriate queries and setting up of a disciplinary committee to hear all parties.

According to her, in order to ensure a very high degree of transparency, the Public Complaint Commission (PCC) and the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA) are brought on board the committee as observers.

Others, she said, were the Federation of Female Lawyers, ICPC, the Chief Judge of the Student’s Union, High Court as well as seven Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). (NAN)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

===

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities ((ASUU) has kicked against the plan by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to include private universities as beneficiaries of its projects.

ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, made this known at a two-day interactive session between TETFund and all unions of beneficiary institutions in Abuja on Wednesday.

Osodeke said that the move to include private varsities in the fund’s project would lead to proliferation of private universities devoid of quality.

He charges the fund to work more on its project monitoring method saying that the level of performance by the beneficiary institutions are not in tandem as some of them receive the same amount of money.

He called for sanctions against non-performing institutions while also advocating for the abolition of what he referred to as “stakeholders fund”.

“ASUU will continue to embark on strike untill the right thing is done in our tertiary institutions. Stakeholders fund should be abolished,” Osodeke said.

In his address, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, said the interactive session was conceived as a proactive engagement against the backdrop of the prevailing challenges in the subsector.

Echono said that the engagement was also for the purpose of sustaining steady growth and development of tertiary education.

He stressed the need to consistently engage and challenge one another on how best to improve the situation.

“It is our fervent hope that this interactive session will provide an enabling environment for us to understand some of our challenges and difficulties in the delivery of quality education in our institutions.

“Thereby making meaningful contribution to the successful execution of the objective of the fund.

“As you all know our primary mandate is to rehabilitate, restore and consolidate tertiary education in Nigeria, using funding alongside project management.

“The session is also expected to serve as a platform to discuss and mitigate incidences of industrial disputes in the tertiary education sector and look at ways to prevent and avoid their occurrences,” he said.

Echono also explained that the interactive session would bring the opportunity to build and solidify cooperation among the fund, its beneficiary institutions and the unions on matters that affect the growth and development of tertiary education.

“I believe that this interaction will bring up issues of concerns that will not only enable us address the areas of intervention in our institutions.

“It will also espouse gaps and shortcoming that have resulted in strikes and interruptions of academic sessions, with a view to mitigating them,” he said.

He called for urgent need for all stakeholders to unify efforts to reposition our tertiary institutions for the challenges of the times, especially in dealing with strike actions in the institutions.

“Studies have shown a link between poor student performance and industrial strike by unions. The arguments generally are that the quality of teaching and learning will significantly improve when teaching and learning are uninterrupted.

“Furthermore, building world class institutions requires a consistent and regular academic calendar and this is often affected by industrial strikes.

“However, a closer look will also show that many industrial strikes by the unions were for the improvement in teaching and learning conditions for both staff and students.

“It is for these reasons that sessions like this are organised to deliberate and find common grounds on issues of mutual interest and benefits,” he added.

Also, the former President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, who spoke on ‘The Role of Trade Unions in TETFund Intervention Activities”, commended the fund for its commitment to the elevation of university education.

Wabba noted that the NLC had benefitted a great deal from the ideological clarity and consistency of the unions in the tertiary institutions.

“The patriotic and historical resistance of the Congress against the debilitating influence and impact of neo liberal policies of successive government in Nigeria drew a lot of inspiration.

” This is as well as drawing verve from the intellectually sound positions advanced by unions in our tertiary institutions,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Naomi Sharang

Coalition for Ethics and Anti-Corruption Education (CCEAE), an NGO, on Tuesday in Abuja advocated for integrating ethics and anti-corruption education into the curriculum of tertiary institutions in the country.

A spokesperson for the coalition, Mrs Odinakaonye Lagi, said this at the group’s submission of a memorandum to the National Committee for Developing a Road Map for the Education Sector in Nigeria.

Lagi, also the Programme Director, Network of University Legal Aid Institutions (NULAI), said the memorandum wanted the incorporation of ethics and anti-corruption education as a compulsory multi-disciplinary course of study at the undergraduate level in tertiary institutions.

“ We believe that by investing in the moral and ethical development of our future leaders and professionals, Nigeria can pave the way for a brighter, more prosperous and corruption-free society,’’ she said.

Lagi added that the goal of the memorandum was to make the National Ethics and Integrity Policy a core value by incorporating ethics and anti-corruption education in the curriculum of Nigerian tertiary institutions.

This, she said is to cultivate a culture of ethics, transparency, and accountability among Nigerians.

Lagi said that the proposed curriculum aspires to nurture ethical values and critical thinking skills among undergraduates.

She added that curriculum would empower undergraduates to identify, analyse and respond effectively to ethical dilemmas.

“ It will also accord them with skills on tackling corruption issues in diverse contexts both personal and professional.

“ Incorporating Ethics and Anti-Corruption Education as a compulsory course of study at the undergraduate level in Nigerian tertiary institutions is a pivotal step toward building a more ethical, transparent and corruption-resistant society.

“ It will support increased awareness about the detrimental impact of corruption on society and the economy,’’ he said.

Lagi added: “It will also equip students with the tools necessary to prevent, detect and report corrupt practices while also educating them about the protection and support mechanisms available to whistleblowers.”

She said that the curriculum would support nation-building by contributing to a generation of ethical leaders who understand the principles of good governance and institutional building in public and private sectors.

Lagi also acknowledged the steps taken by the current administration toward reforming the education system in Nigeria.

“ The proposal is to support efforts to promote good governance in line with Nigeria’s National Ethics and Integrity policy,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on Sept. 5, the Federal Government inaugurated a seven-member committee to drive education road map in the country.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ali-Baba Inuwa