By Rita Iliya
The Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) says it will revoke and blacklist any contractor that fails to meet prescribed standard and specification of award.

The Chairman of the board, Dr Isah Adamu, stated this on Tuesday in Minna at the bid-opening for first quarter Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and NSUBEB intervention fund projects.

Adamu, who was represented by Alhaji Umaru Alkali, Permanent member 1 of NSUBEB, said this was part of efforts to by the Gov. Abubakar Sani-Bello administration to prioritise basic education in the state.

“We have all seen the transformation in our schools both at rural and urban centers across the state, it is indeed an inclusive legacy projects targeted at providing access to every child,” he said.

The chairman said that the board would monitor and supervise the projects and reward contractors that put in their best in the discharge of their task, adding that the bid opening would be devoid of any interest.

In her remarks, Hajiya Hannatu Salihu, the state Commissioner for Education, cautioned the contractors against seeing the bids as a do or die affairs.

Salihu, who was represented by Alhaji Abubakar Balarabe, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, advised the winners of the bid to work in accordance with the specification of the contract.

Also speaking, Malam Auwal Mohammed, from the state Procurement Board, said the board would monitor and provide guidance to ensure that due process was followed in all procurement activities.

He lauded the board for always complying with the procurement rules and regulations, adding that contractors with complains should channel their complaints for transparency.

Mr Arewo Sunday, who spoke on behalf of the contractors, said they would do everything possible to deliver quality projects if allowed to execute the projects.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that officials from UBEC, Fiscal Responsibility Commission and the state Planning Commission graced the occasion.

By Yinusa Ishola

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has renewed call for the establishment of a National Polytechnics Commission to regulate and oversee the affairs of polytechnic education in the country.

Mr Anderson Nzebe, ASUP National President, made the call while rounding off his working visit to the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, on Sunday.

Nzebe said the call for such commission was to guarantee the desired growth and development in the nation’s polytechnic education sector.

According to him, ASUP needs such commission as against the present system of being regulated by a body, which oversees over 600 other institutions with uncorrelated needs and policies.

Nzebe expressed the need for all stakeholders within and outside the sector to work for unity of purpose to deliver a National Polytechnic Commission that would save the sector from abject neglect and total collapse.

The ASUP President also stressed the need to strengthen industrial harmony between Trade Unions within the polytechnic sector and institutional managements as regards labour management relations.

“Such a synergy is needed in salvaging the polytechnic sector from its perennial neglect and impulsive non-uniform policies which might soon lead to a looming collapse of the sector,” he said.

Nzebe praised the institution’s Rector, Dr Dayo Oladebeye, for his show of love and efforts toward promoting the union’s agenda.

He assured the institution that the union would do its best to always work hand in glove with institutional managements in very peaceful labour-management relations.

Nzebe said the union had been working within the dictates of its constitutional provisions and the overall best interest of the polytechnic sector.

He listed the exertion of pressure on the Federal Government for the reconstitution of governing councils of federal polytechnics and campaign for increase of capital allocation to the institutions as parts of its earlier efforts.

Responding, Oladebeye appreciated the ASUP president for deeming it fit to pay a working visit to the institution.

According to him, we are happy this visit is devoid of confrontation but on how to concretise the industrial harmony between the union and the management of the polytechnic.

Oladebeye bemoaned the observed neglect which Nigerian polytechnics have suffered chiefly resulting from lack of a polytechnic commission.

“Such a commission in place will strictly address the needs of polytechnic education in comparison with its universities and colleges of education counterparts among others.

The rector promised to always do his best, as he had always done to support the unions’ agenda within the context of available resources in his institution.

Mrs Kehinde Ekanem, the institution’s Registrar, appreciated the union representatives for the honour done to the polytechnic through the visit.

She enjoined the union to always prioritise consultation, consolidation and consideration to ensure a smooth-running and rancour-free learning environment. (NAN)

By Babartunde Ogunrinde

The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment towards infrastructural development of all schools within the State, making the environment more habitable and conducive for teaching and learning.

The state intends to build more schools for communities in the riverrine and rural areas to give residents access to quality education.

Hon. Wale Raji, Member House of Representative, Epe Federal Constituency, said this on Saturday at Epe while on a site inspection tour of projects being executed by the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo.

Raji said that the State Government’s efforts are to ensure that all school structures are in good condition, adding that the Ministry is working with the various communities in providing school infrastructure.

Mrs. Adefisayo, in her assessment of the situation, said that there is the need to educate the younger generation in a bid to give them a better future.

By so doing, she said, they can be independent and contribute positively to the development of the State.

“We have been doing a lot of rehabilitation of schools, supplying furniture, providing access to the internet, distributing learning mobile devices and most importantly ensuring we recruit more teachers and train them.

“This is because we owe these kids a responsibility of preparing them for the future,” Adefisayo said.

The Commissioner, on behalf of the State Government, appreciated Raji for his contributions to the Education Sector, stressing that the projects will go a long way in enhancing learning.

Mrs. Adefisayo commended the establishment of an ICT Centre for the children, suggesting that the initiative is in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Education and Technology Vision.

However, the Commissioner solicited for more support, calling on stakeholders to support the Government in the revitalization process of the Education Sector.

Responding, Raji revealed that it is essential to give back to the society while emphasising the need to educate its citizenry.

“When you educate the youths, you are preparing them to face the challenges of the future and proffer relevant solutions to them.” he said.

Raji said his constituency projects are mainly focused on education, welfare and empowerment of Epe residents.

He urged political and private stakeholders to collaborate and support the State Government in achieving its goals, as it is a collective responsibility to the Society.

The lawmaker also commended the Lagos Government for its relentless efforts towards providing a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning.

Highlights of the 12 projects being executed by his constituency include Blocks of Classrooms, Furniture, VIP Toilets in various schools, New Dormitory and an ICT Centre. (NAN)

By Emmanuel Afonne

Prof. Olufemi Peters, on Thursday assumed duty as the fifth Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), succeeding Prof. Abdalla Adamu, whose five-year tenure ended on Feb. 10.

A statement issued by Mr Ibrahim Sheme, Director, Media and Publicity, NOUN, said that a brief handover was held at the university’s headquarters in Abuja, to usher in the new administration.

Peters, a professor of chemistry, who was elected the Vice-Chancellor on Dec. 3, 2020, described his predecessor as a man whose tenure would always be reckoned with in the annals of the university.

“Professor Adamu’s tenure will be enduring and we shall have cause to make reference now and then to the tenure of Abdalla Adamu.

“It has been a wonderful journey for Professor Abdalla, and it has ended in a very remarkable way. I want to thank God for him and all he has done for NOUN,” Peters said.

Earlier in his farewell remarks, Adamu thanked God who entrusted him with the leadership of the university and the ability to see off his tenure successfully.

He described the past five years as “extremely intense” which allowed him the opportunity to contribute toward “widening access to higher mass education for the people of Nigeria.”

Adamu added: “I leave NOUN with fond memories of five years of a chunk of my life. In those five years, I had been in situations where I thought ‘it is really special that I am getting to experience this.’

“These situations of challenge and requiring fortitude represented what I have truly appreciated about the job. These defining moments included processes that gave the university its soul,” he said.

Adamu, a double professor of Science Education and Media and Cultural Communication, commended the Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Peter Okebukola, and NOUN principal officers for their support and described them as his “Dream Team” that ensured he ended well.

“I believe I leave the university well-positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges of being a national and international leader in African and global Open and Distance Learning in the 21st Century,” he added. (NAN)

By Huseyn Abubakar Mbar

The Bauchi State Executive Council, on Wednesday, approved the renaming of the state University, Gadau, to Sa’adu Zungur University.

The state Commissioner for Education, Dr Aliyu Tilde, told newsmen in Bauchi after the State Executive Council meeting that the renaming of the institution would soon be gazetted to formally reflect the new name.

He said the gesture was to immortalise the name of late Malam Sa’adu Zungur, a Bauchi indigene, who was among the leaders that fought for the nation’s independence.

Tilde described late Zungur as a political mentor of Malam Aminu Kano; a one-time Secretary of NCNC, a political activist whose progressive ideas shaped Northern political culture.

He revealed that Gov. Bala Muhammed and members of the executive council had earlier promised the family of late Zungur for a befitting immortalisation of the deceased.

“This is a great day in the history of education in Bauchi state.  The late Sa’adu Zungur was a social critic, poet, politician and a great historian, whose scholarship championed the early reformation of Northern Nigeria.

”He was very vociferous during pre-and post-independent Nigeria,” the commissioner said. (NAN)

By Rita Iliya
The Niger State Universal Basic Education (NSUBEB) on Wednesday in Minna partnered the Universal Learning Solutions Initiative(ULS), a non-profit organisation, to train 2,625 teachers and 50 government officials on Jolly Phonics literacy teaching methodology.

Mr Vic Poluektoff, the Senior Project Manager of ULS, said that the training was to equip teachers with the expertise and tools.

He said that the methods were “to enable them to improve on reading and writing skills in English of Early Childcare Development (ECCD) for primary one to three pupils in government schools across the state.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-day training was for 750 teachers of Early Childcare Development (ECCD), 1,875 primary one to three teachers and 50 officials across Minna, Mokwa, Kontagora, Bida, Agaie and Suleja centres.

NAN also reports that Jolly Phonics is a fun and interactive teaching tool that uses the synthetic phonics literacy teaching methodology introduced in the state in 2017 under Teacher Professional Development initiative.

Poluektoff said that the teachers, selected from 25 local government education authorities (LGEAs) were being trained in specialist literacy teaching practices called ‘synthetic phonics’.

He said that the synthetic phonics had been recommended by governments around the world because of the way it provides children with the skills needed to read and write.

“I will particularly like to thank the Executive Chairman of Niger SUBEB, Dr Isa Adamu, and the rest of NSUBEB Team for their wisdom, strength and initiative in inviting us to work in the state to give the children a brighter future,” he said.

Earlier, the ULS Projects’ Director, Dr Louise Gittins, said that the Jolly Phonics project was well embedded in the hearts and minds of the teachers in the state.

He said that the project would be expanded to reach more teachers this year with the Teachers Professional Development (TPD) initiative.

Similarly, Mr Gary Foxcroft, the Chief Executive Officer of ULS, lauded the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), for its continued support and adoption of Jolly Phonics in government schools across Nigeria.

“UBEC has really recognised the tremendous impact Jolly Phonics has been making on literacy levels in Nigeria’s government schools and has taken it as one of its flagship programmes,” he said.

Foxcroft said that the programme had helped in initiating new projects across the country as Jolly Phonics was being taught across the 36 states and the FCT.

He added that the programme would assist in improving the reading and writing abilities of over 3.5 million children within the next two years.

By Veronica Dariya

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday said the rate of fraud perpetuated in admissions processing in Nigerian institutions was alarming.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, decried the situation during a news briefing at the board’s Headquarters on Tuesday in Abuja.

Oloyede disclosed that over 400 candidates currently seeking admissions into institutions across the country were involved in admissions fraud.

He added that unfortunately, some tertiary institutions were accomplices in the irregularities, condemning the influx of fraudulent Computer Based Test (CBT) centres in parts of the country.

According to him, there were lots of  CBT infractions currently being treated by the board with some having multiple cases of up to 96 irregularities.

He also said that compromised tertiary institutions were engaging in change of photographs and biometrics of candidates, which allows impersonation, contrary to an earlier directive by the Federal Government.

Oloyede warned that any public institution that violates the directive would be treated as an accomplice, named and shamed, while private institutions could have their licenses withdrawn.

He said:  “This year, we have over 400 people that were caught,  where those who wrote the exams were different from those who applied.

“We are waiting for the institutions to report activities of the fraudsters to us,” he said.

“200 of the candidates would be prosecuted, one from each state of the federation because the board does not have the resources to prosecute all the 400 candidates.

“This is because prosecuting a candidate would cost the board over N500,000.”

He urged institutions to look inwards and monitor the activities of their ICT staff, while also warning candidates to desist from fraudulent changes on JAMB portal as the board monitors all activities on it.

In a similar development, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC) paraded two suspects of the fraudulent act before members of the board at the meeting.

One of the suspects was caught attempting to impersonate while the other was arrested for examination malpractice.

One of the candidates, who sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2020, was said to have paid the sum of N25,000 to source for an “examination-taker” to sit for the UTME for him.

The registrar explained that the arrangement ran into hitches when all the candidate’s details including the identity card, carried the passport of the hired “examination-taker”.

“This scoop was made possible because Bayero University Kano( BUK) had complied fully with the ministerial directive that only data supplied by candidates during registration should be used by institutions during fresh registration.

“The suspect had sought ways he could change the passport of the examination-taker to his own but was unsuccessful in the course of which he was arrested.”

Another person, who was also arrested had promised to change the passport for the “examination-taker” to that of Abubakar, but also failed.

“If not for the implementation of the Federal Government’s policy, this particular candidate would have brought in a fresh passport and got himself properly registered into the university without anyone being aware.

“This scenario lends credence to the fact that there is no room for impersonation.

“Whatever information a candidate provides at the point of UTME/DE registration would be what will appear on his or her identity card in the school of their choice and their certificates after graduation, among others.

“With this fateful outcome, it is important that institutions that are yet to fully comply with the ministerial directive to stop change of passports and others must do so with immediate effect.

“If not, they would be seen as aiding and abetting impersonation,” Oloyede said. (NAN)

By Sunday John

Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has inaugurated 11 projects it executed at the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Speaking at the inauguration, on Monday, in Lafia, Prof. Sulaiman Bogoro, Executive Secretary of TETFund, said the fund would continue supporting universities to strengthen research and improve their facilities.

He assured the academic community that TETFund, under his leadership, would also continue to give priority to training and retraining of staff, as well as provision of infrastructure in all tertiary institutions.

“We would continue to support research, scholarship and capacity building in Nigeria tertiary institutions,” he stressed.

Prof. Bogoro also commended the ongoing VC for his leadership at the university and wished him well in his future endeavours, while also commending the contractors that handled the projects for delivering to specifications.

In his remarks, Prof. Sanusi Liman, outgoing Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university, lauded the federal government, through TETFund, for carrying out many projects at the institution, as well as its interventions in the areas of staff training and supporting research at the institution.

NAN reports that the projects inaugurated included; new Senate building, Faculty of Environmental Science, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Administration, University Health Centre, Faculty of Agriculture, Centre for entrepreneurial development, Faculty of Social Sciences.

Others were, a Multipurpose hall with the Directorate of Management Information System and solar street lights. (NAN).