By Douglas Okoro

The Ebonyi Government has directed schools across the state to resume for the continuation of the first term of the  2020 /2021 academic session on Jan. 18.

This is contained in a statement by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Onyebuchi Chima, on Saturday in Abakaliki.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that public, private and mission schools in the state were originally slated to resume for the continuation of the first term on Jan. 4.

NAN recalls that the Ebonyi government had directed schools to vacate for the Christmas holiday on Dec. 18, 2020, after it reopened schools in October, with the lifting of lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“I have been directed by Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, to inform the general public that resumption of academic activities in Ebonyi schools have been shifted to Monday, Jan. 18, as against the initial resumption date of Jan. 4.

“The postponement is due to the need to take precautions against the impending second wave of COVID-19 and in compliance to the directives of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 pandemic,’’ Chima stated.

The statement further added that tertiary institutions in the state would resume academic activities on Monday, Jan. 4 on condition of strict observance of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) COVID-19 protocols.

It said the governor explained that the decision to allow tertiary institutions to reopen was to ensure the return of students to full academic activities, especially as the Academic Staff Union of Universities had suspended its nine months industrial action. (NAN)

By Ijendu Iheaka

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, has approved the reopening of all schools in the state on Monday, Jan. 11, for the continuation of the first term of 2020/2021 academic session.

A statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Kanaelechi Nwangwa, in Abia on Friday stated that COVID-19 protocols must be strictly adhered to.

Nwangwa, therefore directed all school heads and proprietors to ensure the observance of COVID-19 protocols for the safety of teachers and students.

He said that this was imperative following the the second wave of the COVID-19 in Nigeria.

“They should also note that by this directive, the first term of 2020/2021 will now officially end on Wednesday Feb. 10, 2021.

“This is to ensure that the first term runs a full course as expected.

“Any school proprietor that shortchanges this schedule and decides to cut corners by running an abridged term will be appropriately sanctioned.

“The duration of the first term for the 2020/2021 academic session is from Nov. 2, 2020 to Feb. 10, 2021 with the Christmas break in-between,” he said.

Nwangwa urged school heads and proprietors to be properly guided by the directive to avoid unwanted consequences. (NAN)

Scholarship

By Rabiu Sani-Ali

Kano, Jan. 1, 2021 (NAN) The Ma’ajin Watari Foundation (MWF), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) has promised to provide scholarship to 90 female science students to tackle shortage of female medical personnel in Kano State.

Dr Abba Ahmad, MWF founder, told newsmen on Friday in Kano, that the students would be trained under the education endowment fund of the foundation.

Ahmad, also the District Head of Kabo, said the target was to provide special training to students of senior secondary schools in science subjects, to prepare them to study medicine and related disciplines in tertiary institutions.

“It is a deliberate step to train the girl-child starting from SS1 to SS3 classes, to prepare them to excel in the National Examination Commission (NECO) and Senior Secondary School Examination Certificate Examination (SSCE).

“It will avail them the opportunity to secure university admission to read medicine and other related disciplines.

“Our target is to tackle shortage of female medical personnel, reduce maternal mortality and enhance healthcare services in the state,” Ahmad said.

According to him, the foundation will also offer scholarship to successful students to further their education at the university level.

Ahmad said the foundation was being funded through personal donation, adding that modalities have been put in place to ensure sustainability of the project.(NAN)

RSA/OIF/ABI
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Ali Baba-Inuwa

By Cecilia Ijuo

Prof. Job Nmadu of Federal University of technology, Minna, says the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU)’s nine months strike in 2020, impacted negatively on university communities by crippling their economic activities.

Nmadu said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

According to him, those affected by the strike, numbering about 20 million, included traders, landlords, hoteliers, transporters and many others.

Nmadu, a professor of Agricultural Economics, said that the impact of the strike was devastating.

“The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared a two-week warning strike and the strike became full fledged on March 20.

“With the COVID-19 lockdown, the impact of the strike was not initially felt at the national level.

“However, stakeholders in the university communities including traders, landlords, transporters and many others, started feeling the pinch of the strike almost immediately.

“The strike battered the economy of the communities with a population of about 20 million people,” he said.

The don, also President, Nigerian Association of Agricultural Economists (NAAE), said that other factors also contributed negatively to the country’s economy in 2020.

He named them to include COVID-19 pandemic, crude oil price crash, violent crimes, #ENDSARS protest, flood among others.

He, however, expressed optimism that there would be turn around in 2021, adding that, “the year is crucial to economic recovery of Nigeria.

“Nigeria was no doubt stressed in 2020 but those stressors must be removed in 2021.

“This is to ensure steady and sustainable economic growth as well as well-planned industrial development so as to attain the 2030 Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) target.

“Also, inflation management should be overhauled.

“A reformed economic team would ensure that prices of goods and services are brought down to atleast 50 per cent their current rate,” he said.(NAN)