By Usman Aliyu

Public primary school teachers and head teachers in Edo, under the aegis  of the Nigeria Union of Teacher (NUT), has  suspended their three-week old industrial action with a call on the state government to urgently meet their demands.

The union’s decision to suspend the action was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its emergency State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting held in Benin-City.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the state NUT chairman, Pius Okhuleliegbe;  NUT Assistant Secretary, Mike Itua, state Chairman of the Association of Primary School Headteachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Ehileboh Thomas, and the state Secretary of the All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS).

The union directed all heads and teachers in the state’s public schools to resume work on Monday, Feb. 8.

The NUT said it resolved to suspend the strike in consideration of the various interventions made by stakeholders in the education sector of the state.

“In consideration of the various stakeholders and their special passionate appeals to the union, to allow them join in resolving the industrial dispute between government and the NUT, Edo State Wing in session at the end of deliberations resolved:

“That the 19 day-old indefinite strike action by public primary school heads and teachers in Edo be suspended and is hereby suspended.

“That all public primary school heads and teachers in Edo should resume work on Monday Feb 8, 2021.

“That any form of victimisation against union leaders should be promptly reported to the union for necessary action.

“That Edo Government should utilise the opportunity of the suspension, to urgently meet the demands of the union, so as to restore hope and confidence between government and the union”, the communique said.

The union commended the genuine efforts of the national leadership of the NUT, members of the Edo Government Transition Committee, NUT Edo Wing Elders Council and Edo office of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, among other stakeholders, which, it said, was aimed at having the issues in dispute amicably resolved.

It also applauded its members for their unprecedented solidarity and sustenance of the strike action for the past 19 days.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union had on Jan. 18 embarked on an indefinite strike to press home its demands with the Edo Government.

The demands included the payment  of 2013 to 2015 promotion arrears of some teachers, and guarantee of the payment of primary school teachers’ monthly salaries on or before the 27th of every month as directed by Gov. Godwin Obaseki, as well as correct implementation of the 30 per cent Special Allowance for Teachers, in schools for challenged children. (NAN)

By Usman Aliyu

Some stakeholders in University education in Nigeria, on Thursday, warned against the proliferation of universities in the country, following Wednesday’s approval of 20 new private universities by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Benin, the stakeholders said there was nothing to justify the approval, when the existing universities were neither adequately funded nor properly monitored to ensure compliance, with appropriate guidelines.

Prof. Monday Omoregie, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Benin chapter, said that he had begun to see approval of more universities as political patronage, despite warnings, to the relevant authorities, on the inherent danger.

Omoregie said that expanding the existing universities would perform the functions the new ones were established to do.

According to him, education remains the vibrant instrument for development, hence the need for the government to do the needful in ensuring that the schools are run the way they are supposed to.

“Education is a social service, but these private universities are established by investors, who believe in profit making.

“The guideline is that private universities must be run for 15 years before any plan of making profit, but which university can do that”, he asked, saying that within a year of establishment, many proprietors would begin to crave gain.

Speaking in a similar vein, Prof. Monday Igbafen, Chairman of ASUU, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, said that establishment of more universities, without proper recourse to the challenges facing the existing ones, was what the union had been trying to criticise.

“How do you justify the existence of additional universities, when there is this cry that even the private universities that are running now lack proper monitoring, to see if they comply with the NUC guidelines and what is required to run a university.

“They are all just centres of where they collect people’s money. That is why most of us are getting worried about the education system in the country,” he said.

When told that the approval might be to expand access to university education, Igbafen said that if properly funded one university in the country might take a half of the population of prospective university students.

“ABU (Ahmadu Bello University) can cater for almost half the population of students we admit in this country, but there is nothing on ground to sustain an ideal university.

“When you carry out objective assessment of these universities, you discover that they are not really universities; they are just there to divert our attention where the rich ones can send their children, whereas they will not be properly trained in terms of developing minds.

“It is all about just dishing out degrees; not necessarily interested in the content and quality of the product. It is just about giving out first class and what is important is to get money. I think it is necessary for government to reflect on some of all these decisions that they have taken.

“If we have to advance the course of our educational development in this country, it is not through proliferation of both private and public universities,” he said.

Also reacting, Benjamin Egwu, the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), said that the proliferation of private universities would soon cripple the standard and patronage of public universities.

“The attention of students is being diverted to the private universities,cause the situation of our public universities is worrisome. The incessant industrial action by the ASUU is one factor, while lack of proper funding is another.

“There is no need for the approval of more universities for now. These private universities are to shift attention from public school, because there is no much care about facilities in the public universities.

“The public universities are dying and if the situation is not properly checked, it will lead to what is currently happening to public primary and secondary schools in the country.

“If you compare the public and private primary and secondary schools, the difference is clear.  It is affecting the system negatively and that is now moving to the higher institutions.

“It is getting to a situation where commoners would also not want to train his children in the public universities because of the environment,” he said.

Egwu bemoaned the obsolete state of facilities in the public university, saying “when you walk into any public university, whether state or federal, what you will see in its library are books of 1980s, 1990s.

“There are no update-to-date books in the libraries as we speak. Just ask the librarian when last they updated their shelves.

“The auditorium we are using at the University of Benin was built in 1981; about 40 years ago, without maintenance,” Egwu said. (NAN)

By George Odok
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, has given assurance that her tenure would increase the Internally Generated Revenue of the university and also witness rapid infrastructure development.

Obi gave the assurance during a one-day workshop organised by the Centre for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) for expanded management staff of the university.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the workshop is “Re-engineering the University System for Effective Service Delivery”.

The VC told the management staff that her vision was to reposition the university in line with global best practices through research, knowledge production and transfer.

According to the VC, her mission was to produce quality graduates that can compete favourably in the global stage.

“University of Calabar with over 30,000 students’ population needs more lecture halls, auditorium, laboratories, studios and theatres for academic activities.

“Sometimes, lecturers clash during lecture time because of spaces. We will improve on this including micro teaching laboratories, research equipment, multimedia projects, central computer laboratories, ICT facilities among others.

“We are also going to improve the quality of university research, increase workshops on research proposal writings, set up a central laboratory for competitive research, especially in the sciences.

“Also, we are going to increase electricity period on campus, street lighting and lecture rooms at night through the introduction of inverters in central places,” she said.

On ways to increase the IGR of the institution, the VC said she would market the Consultancy Unit of the institution and also establish viable commercial ventures.

“We are going to reposition the agric faculty or outsource some commercial aspect for efficiency and the faculty of science will be encouraged to set up viable business ventures.

“The Centre for Educational Services would also be repositioned for better accountability with a view to convert innovations for commercial products,” she said.

Obi also said that the institution under her leadership would review the university programme and curriculum along market demands, including programmes of graduate school.

She promised to be accountable and accessible to all labour unions, staff and students through regular interactions and deliberations.

The VC urged Deans of faculties to recommend hardworking staff for reward and those suitable for punishment as well.

Earlier, the Director of CTLE, Prof. Monday Joshua, said that the workshop was organised to guide the management staff on implementation of the VC’s mission and vision in the new dispensation.

Prof. Eka Braide, former VC of Cross River University of Technology, Calabar and Federal University of Lafia, urged Obi to enforce discipline on teaching and learning.

Braide, who participated in the workshop virtually, encouraged the University of Calabar to work tirelessly in eradicating cultism and examination malpractices.

“The University of Calabar should also review its curriculum to meet the present day realities,” she said.

NAN reports that those in attendance include former Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo, Prof. Akanaren Essien, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Registrar of the University, Deans of Faculty, Heads of Department and Directors of Boards.

By Gami Tadanyigbe

The management of University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, has appealed to  the students not to disrupt the 2019/2020 Academic Calendar, considering the amount of time already lost to strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the lockdown on Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

By Gami Tadanyigbe

Students of the University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, FCT, on Monday staged a protest on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Expressway and main entrance to the campus against alleged hike in tuition fee and other issues.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the  students were also seen carrying placards with different inscriptions kicking against alleged closure of the portal meant for the payment of school fees and others.

Oladeja Olawale, the Student Union Government (SUG) President, who led the protest told NAN that major demands of the students included reopening and extension of school fees portal to the end of the session.

Others, according to him include scraping of late registration fee, review and reduction in school fees ahead of next session and postponement of first semester examination from Feb. 8 to March 8.

Olawale said the expressway would be closed with the protest continuing till all their demands were met by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na-Alllah.

Reacting, the Public Relations officer of the University, Habib Yakoob, said the management would sit with the students union to address their demands.

NAN reports that the protest led to a serious gridlock on the expressway with motorists and other road users spending hours before reaching their destinations. (NAN)

By Ariwodola Idowu
The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Ekiti and the Universal Learning Solutions (ULS), are partnering to train 2,625 primary school teachers on specialist phonics literacy teaching practices for primary school teachers.

The initiative, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports, is being held in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission.

NAN also reports that the training being organised under the Teachers Professional Development Programme would last two weeks.

Mr Gary Foxcroft, the Chief Executive Officer of ULS, a not-for-profit organisation, who spoke on the sidelines of the programme, described the Jolly Phonics Literacy Project in Ekiti as a specialised training programme for teachers of pupils in elementary classes.

He said the exercise, which began on Jan. 25, would cover all the three senatorial districts of the state.

” This training is planned to equip teachers with the expertise and tools required to enable them to transform Primary 1, 2 & 3 pupils in government schools across the state,” he said.

According to him, Jolly Phonics is an interactive teaching tool that uses the synthetic phonics literacy teaching methodology.

He explained that synthetic phonics methodology had been recommended and mandated by many governments around the world because of its immese capacity to provide children with the skills needed to read and write.

” The Ekiti State Jolly Phonics is a fantastic opportunity for all children in Ekiti State to benefit from the opportunity to learn to read and write.

” The project will therefore help increase equity and equal opportunities for all children in Ekiti State,” he said.

He commended UBEC for its continued support in the adoption of Jolly Phonics in government schools across Nigeria.

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

” This has helped us to initiate new projects across the country. Jolly Phonics is now being taught in all 36 states and FCT.

” This is truly amazing and will help to improve the reading and writing abilities of millions of children in the years ahead,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Patrick Uzu, Nigeria Country Director at ULS, commended the exceptional support and partnership offered by Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board.

“We are delighted to be partnering with SUBEB in Ekiti to train, resource and mentor its teachers in Jolly Phonics.

” This project gives the children of Ekiti State a brighter future.

” Our sincere appreciation goes to the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Prof. Femi Akinwumi, and his team who have helped in overseeing the training very professionally,” he said.

The Project Manager of ULS in Ekiti, Adeoye Adeyemi, urged participants to replicate the knowledge gained during the training in their various schools.

He also advised the participants to ensure that the knowledge acquired had the desired impact on the pupils through systematic and demonstrable teaching methods.