Category: Education

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has set 140 and above as cut-off mark for the 2022/23 admissions into universities across the country.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, disclosed this during a presentation at the 2023 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions and Awards, on Saturday in Abuja.

Oloyede also said 100 had been approved as cut-off mark into Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

He explained that the approved scores are the minimum to be scored by a candidate as a prerequisite for admission.

Details Later…

Leadership

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that a female candidate, Nkechinyere Umeh came top in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) with a cumulative mark of 360.

The board Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede disclosed this in Abuja on Saturday at the 2023 policy meeting for tertiary institutions.

Oloyede, while making presentation at the meeting, said Nkechinyere, an indigene of Anambra state scored 360 mark in the examination.

The JAMB registrar also unveiled the top 10 candidates, among whom were Stephen Aguele from Edo state, who scored 358 came second best; Oluwafemi Ositade from Osun state scored 358 and came third on the list.

Also listed are Gbolahan Ayinde from Lagos state scored 357; John Fulfilment from Edo state scored 356 and Chimdubem Ugonna from Imo scored 355, among others.

Oloyede also said that the University of Ilorin and the University of Lagos made the top list of the most sought after universities for the 2023 UTME.

He said that these institutions were recognised due to the attraction of high number of applicants during the 2023 UTME application period.

“The university of Ilorin came first on the list followed by the University of Lagos in the second place.

”Lagos State University is third on the list while Federal University, Oye-Ekiti is in fourth place,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo said that the policy meeting would decide and agree on the modalities and guidelines for the 2023 admissions to tertiary institutions.

”I am aware that between the last policy meeting and now, a number of initiatives have been introduced as part of updating the existing systems.

”Let us familiarise ourselves with the changes that will be unfolded as this meeting progresses.

”I also deem it necessary to reiterate one of the resolutions of the last meeting that the admission process by the institutions should be flexible in their adherence to procedure without compromising integrity.

On curbing of illegal admissions, Adejo said that the board’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) had revolutionise the admission process, eliminated administrative bottlenecks and ensured seamless interface for both applicants and institutions.

”As usual with JAMB, specific advisories have been issued to guide different aspects of the process. I, therefore, urge every institution to continue to comply with all advisories as a matter of regulation.

”It is interesting to note that between last year and now, CAPS has been widened to become, in addition to its original purpose, a secure communication platform between JAMB and each of the Vice Chancellors, Registrars, Admission Officers and Directors of Academic Planning of tertiary institutions.

”Besides, the Integrated Brochure And Syllabus System (IBASS) has also been widened to accommodate safe and personalised communication among the three regulatory agencies, JAMB and the institutions,” he added.

He, therefore, commended the board for providing a platform on the ‘Condonement of Undisclosed Illegal Institutional Admission’ (CUIIA) for all such admissions conducted by various institutions outside of CAPS between 2017 and 2020.

He said that no condonement beyond 2020 admission would be entertained while calling on institutions to abide by the guidelines emphasised in the admission process.

He added that any admission found to have issued admission to any student outside CAPS would henceforth attract the strictest of sanctions irrespective of the status of the violator.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the policy meeting had in attendance representatives from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Vice Chancellors of Universities and Rectors of Polytechnics.

Others are Provosts of Colleges of Education (COE), Registrars and Admission Officers of tertiary institutions, Heads of Federal Agencies, National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

NAN

…Carries out research on reading statistics in Enugu

By Onyema Okoani (Author) 

90% of primary six pupils in public primary schools in Enugu State cannot read for meaning.

If you are in doubt of this statistics, a visit to the famous Ekulu Primary School, GRA Enugu will be an eye opener to the decadence. A team of researchers witnessed that most of primary six pupils in public primary schools in Enugu State are functional illiterates; meaning: “they can read the words but they cannot understand the content”.

The result of the 2022/2023 Reading Research carried out by BLACK JAGUAR BOOK CLUB, released on Friday, June 23, 2023, shows that our country is going backwards in the fundamental unit of education-literacy.

Extrapolating from Enugu State data, the report estimates that the percentage of primary six pupils in public schools in Nigeria that cannot read for meaning is at least 88%.

The 2022/2023 Reading Research was coordinated by the Founder, BLACK JAGUAR BOOK CLUB, Onyema Okoani, to ensure that all children in Nigeria, age ten or older, can read for meaning by the end of Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, year 2030.

This Agbani, Community – based Book Club, that promotes literacy in Enugu-East Senatorial District of Nigeria, and have given out over, 4,000 New Books and conducted 70 Classroom programmes in pursuit of SDG’s 4 (Quality Education) believe that cultivating a culture of reading shouldn’t be that hard.

Similar research have shown that it is important to teach children how to read and understand what they have read from their early formative stages. This is so because when pupils are denied the ability to read and only pushed when they reach secondary school level, it becomes difficult for them to catch up with other successful learners.

For this reason and more, we as a Book Club are keen to doing more especially to engage and transform children in public schools into habitual reading. Unfortunately, in the course of our research we rarely met a teacher who reads or enjoys reading. One of our favourite questions put across to young teachers when visitations to schools for the first time is made, is along the lines of: “What are you reading”? or “What is the best book you’ve read recently?”. Some teachers told us that they read only in their phones or other electronic gadgets. In fact, many teachers in public schools even seem to hate books. But it is common knowledge that you can’t engender a love of reading if you are not reading yourself, and do not value books.

Juxtaposing this with what is obtainable in some private primary school in Enugu State. In a particular school they have a program tagged “DEAR” an acronym for – Drop Everything And Read. Interestingly, “DEAR” means that for the last half hour before the school dismissed everyday, everyone had to drop everything to pick a book and read. This includes teachers, head teachers and school management staffs. What an atmosphere! So nice to witness such a revolutionary program that all of the adults were reading everyday. We have always believed this; our enthusiasm for reading will inspires learners.

Let’s be clear, you can’t expect children to read when their teachers don’t read.

With hindsight, it is exceptionally important to start reading at an early age, and Black Jaguar Book Club is providing an age appropriate reading material that will appeal to the children enough to keep them reading even when they are not encouraged by parents or teachers. Our picture book stories captivates the imagination and grasp their attention, making reading a leisure not a punishment.

We are calling on the Federal Ministry of Education and their State counterparts to support writing and reading of children picture book in basic schools in Nigeria. We also call on public and private organizations, donor agencies and private-spirited individuals to join the reading revolution and sponsor the new campaign tagged- “Festival Of Knowledge” (Nkanu For Nigeria). The program is planned that with 1,500 Naira only per child, each child in primary six in public schools in Nigeria will receive a new story book titled “Adorable Dora” to take home.

The hard truth is that reading of children’s picture book is one of the best ways to help primary school children understand something without necessarily having to experience it for themselves. It also helps them to build language skills, exposing them to new words and ways of using language, which makes it easier for them to learn about new subjects once they get to secondary school.

Investigation shows that many children in public primary school have never owned a book before. We believe that book ownership is essential in igniting a love for reading.

Please help a child in any public primary school in Nkanu East/West LGA to read and own book (Adorable Dora).

Sponsor now by contacting:
08036738205 – Onyema Okoani

09061899190 – Freeman Nnamani

08035503966 – Engr. Innocent Obodo

08068284843 – Engr. Ogo Nwabueze

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has rewarded the overall best student of the Lagos State University (LASU) Aminat Yusuf with N10 million.

Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved the immediate payment of examination fees for 55,000 students of the state sitting the 2023 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination organised by the National Examination Council (NECO).

The governor said this was part of his government’s policy to reposition the educational sector and give it the needed attention.In a statement issued on Sunday by Sanusi Bature, his Chief Press Secretary, the governor urged the benefiting students to work hard for better results and to reciprocate the gesture so as to justify the huge investment made by the state government in order not to halt their educational pursuit.

“As a concerned government, we must ensure that the progression of your educational pursuit is not stopped and I promptly approved the payment of the examination fees to 55,000 students across the state.

“You need to put in your best and remain committed so that you can come up with good results of the examination that can make the state and your family happy and proud of you,” the governor was quoted to have said.

He similarly assured the people of Kano that his administration would come up with more policies and programs of improving the education sector.”

Daily Trust

The Ministry of Education has said the federal government can no longer foot the bill for universities.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Andrew David Adejo, said this at a press briefing Wednesday in Abuja while clarifying the Students Loan Bill signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday.

“Introduction of tuition fee is not arising from the act; No! Whether we like it or not, the government can no longer foot the bill for universities. That is why we are doing Private Public Partnership (PPP),” he said.

Responding to a question on if the act would introduce tuition fees in public institutions, Adejo said, “The universities already have autonomy, the autonomy they are yet to have is financial autonomy. It is when they get it that they can answer that question and the government is working towards that.”

The Permanent Secretary said the federal government was working out modalities to begin the disbursement of student loans in September because the president had directed that the first recipients of the loan must be available for the 2023/2024 academic session.

He said an inter-ministerial committee would be inaugurated on Tuesday to fine-tune the process for students to get the loan within six weeks.

He explained that the Act addressed the purpose of making sure that persons that get the loan pay their tuition, saying, “Without meaning to say what the committee set up would do, we don’t want to make something that only public school students would benefit from.

“For now, private schools are paying tuition so you have to give somebody who is going to private school an opportunity to get and pay tuition.

“What you have been seeing is the bill that was presented and went through final reading at the House of Representatives and before Mr President signs a bill, he looks at it and sends it to relevant ministries and then decides if it is okay and if there are modifications that are necessary.

“Let us wait to see the Act and you will get the Act when it is transmitted to the Ministry of Justice to produce into a gazette,” he said.

Adejo further explained that there were other fees apart from tuition that could make indigent students need a loan.

“You can’t give someone a loan and say pay tuition without sustaining his school. No. You have to get accommodation, even if tuition fee in public universities is free, you still pay for your accommodation and the federal government would not give you loan that will not make sure you get in school, stay in school and graduate,” he added.

While noting that such scheme had failed in the past, he said the government wanted to learn from the past, adding, “We want the current act to learn from the mistake of the past where there were more defaulters than people that paid. In the past, it is like it is a government money come and take and go, free money but that is not going to be the case with this.”

He however, assured that the process would be depoliticised and that jobs would be created even though it cannot be created 100 per cent, adding that universities and polytechnics were being redirected to focus on innovation and produce job creators.

Daily Trust

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commenced the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for over 1.6 million registered candidates.

The examination, which will run till Wednesday 3rd May, 2023 in some selected Computer Based Centres across the country, started on Tuesday

It was observed that some centres visited in Abuja had no technical hitches, but there was little delay.

One of the examination monitors, Abdulrahman Balogun, said there were no technical hitches and that the little delay was from JAMB headquarters.

While noting that he had visited some centres within Abuja suburb before coming to Global Distance Learning Institute centre, he said, “At this centre, they are to have three sessions, the first session is to start at 7:00a.m and students are expected to arrive at 6:30am. The second session is to start at 9:00a.m, while the third session starts at 11:00 a.m.

“We had some little delay at this centre, the examination that ought to have started at 7:00 a.m did not start and when asked I was told it was not due to any technical hitch but they were waiting for a signal from JAMB headquarters.

“As you can see, the examination is going on unhindered, 200 candidates are expected to sit for the first session but out of this, 183 were accredited, 16 absent and one unverified,” he said.

Balogun, however, noted that there was a high turnout of parents loitering at the examination centres and advised parents to avoid obstructing the process of the examinations.

A candidate, Naomi Julius, who sat for the examination, said she did not experience any hitches as she was a bit familiar with the process, having sat for the examination last year and also for the MOCK.

“I am hopeful that I will do better this time because I did not experience any hitches like I did last year. My account question paper did not pop up last year and because of that my admission was cancelled,” she said.

Daily Trust

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has extended the registration deadline for the ongoing 2023 Direct Entry (DE).

In a statement shortly after its management meeting on Monday, the Board said the DE registration exercise, which commenced on Monday, March 20, 2023, and initially billed to end on Thursday, April 20, 2023, has been extended by one week starting from Friday, April 21, 2023.

This extension, according to JAMB spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, was partly to give all holders of Cambridge A/Level Certificates, who were unable to register for the exercise on account of some issues associated with the verification of their certificates, another opportunity to do so, as well as accommodate others, who wish to register but were unable to do so within the stipulated time.

“It should be noted that in its bid to ensure that the Cambridge A/L Certificate is onboarded in the verification process, the British Council is partnering with the Board and, as such, would be providing a verification portal for the seamless verification of its Cambridge Certificates as obtains with other categories of A/Level certificates. It is this provision of a verification portal by the Council that informs the Board’s decision to reconsider its earlier stand on non-inclusion of Cambridge certificate for DE registration.

“Consequently, all holders of Cambridge Certificates, who desire to register for the 2023 Direct Entry, can now proceed to any of the Board’s offices nearest to them to register for the exercise.

“This consideration does not in any way include candidates awaiting Cambridge Certificates as “Awaiting Results” would not be accepted,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Board, after series of discoveries of falsification of A/Level results, modified its DE registration platform to ensure, among others, that only certificates with verifiable processes are allowed as entry requirements for the DE exercise.

To streamline the process, the Board had also published a number of certificates that are allowed for DE registration which had, hitherto, excluded the Cambridge Certificate.

(Leadership)

Record-breaking Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, yesterday, made history as he unveiled the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu State, newly conceived and established by his administration.

SUMAS, Igbo-Eno is the second university to be established in Nsukka zone (Enugu North Senatorial District) after the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) attracted to the zone by the first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

The founder of SUMAS, Igbo-Eno, Enugu State, Governor Ugwuanyi, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Enugu North Senatorial District, performed the historic unveiling of the medical university before he delivered the 5th Adada Lecture organised by Association of Nsukka Professors (ANP), titled “Leadership, Education and Inclusive Development.”

SUMAS was one of the landmark achievements of Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration aimed at increasing access to quality medical university education for the teeming youths. The aims are also to provide accessible, quality and affordable healthcare service delivery to the people of Enugu State and beyond, develop the rural areas, create job opportunities, and ensure economic empowerment.

The governor unveiled the university amid jubilation and excitement in the accompany of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi, the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Afojulu Raymond Ozoemena, representative of Hon. Justice Chima Centus Nweze of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kenneth Okpe, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah and his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, the Vice Chancellor of the medical university, Prof. James Ogbonna and other principal officers, among others.

Speaking at a function shortly after the unveiling of SUMAS and presentation of the 5th Adada Lecture, Governor Ugwuanyi who sounded fulfilled said: “After Zik (Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe) I’m the second person who brought university to Nsukka land.”

Delivering the 5th Adada Lecture as the Guest Lecturer earlier, Governor Ugwuanyi who gave highlights of his administration’s remarkable achievements in spite of the nation’s economic challenges, disclosed that the three concepts of the theme “Leadership, Education and Inclusive Development” are integrated and a true picture of his administration’s policy thrust.

The governor said that his administration, in actualising its objectives has invested heavily on peace and security which is responsible for Enugu’s enviable status as one of the safest and most peaceful states in the country.

He said: “Consequent upon the resolution of the South East Governors Forum, I remain the first governor to constitute and set up Enugu State Forest Guards backed by legislation in addition to the Neighbourhood Watch to check the menace of criminals especially in our rural communities which aligns with my policy and emphasis on the development of our rural communities.”

Speaking further on the theme, Governor Ugwuanyi stressed that the meeting point between leadership, education, and development can neither be noticed nor differentiated because education “empowers people to take advantage of opportunities, information, and life skill that they need to realize their potentials.

“Education builds capacity and increases knowledge that enables one to acquire leadership skills. Therefore, leadership, education, and development are mutually related.

“A productive and viable economy can only be achieved by an enlightened, resourceful, and properly motivated workforce which is the product of education and leadership.

“Educational development is fundamental to the development of the people culturally, socially, economically and politically.

“The concept of inclusive development is about a development that does not leave any person, part or group out. In other words, no person, part or group is excluded in the development process. Practically speaking, inclusive development is assured when people in spite of their gender, ethnicity, age, political persuasion, religious belief, social-economic condition, disability or poverty are not marginalised or discounted as a result of these and are stakeholders in the development process.”

Concluding the theoretical exposition of the concepts of the topic of the lecture, Governor Ugwuanyi stated that his administration had prioritised education since its assumption of office in 2015 because of its importance to development.

“We are glad our effort has yielded results by helping the state to attain milestones in education.”

The governor hinted that his administration constructed and reconstructed 1,355 classroom blocks and other projects in primary and secondary schools across six education zones in the state.

“We recruited over 7,030 primary and secondary school teachers and converted 1000 teachers initially recruited as ad-hoc staff to permanent staff and released all outstanding arrears of promotions to date.”

Ugwuanyi further said that higher institutions owned by the state such as Enugu University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, among others equally received adequate attention from his administration.

The governor added that other sectors of development such as rural development, health, road infrastructure, empowerment, investment promotion, agriculture, sports development, judiciary, workers’ welfare, etc, in spite of the state’s lean resources and nation’s economic, security and public health challenges, witnessed positive and practical transformations in fulfillment of his administration’s four-point agenda.

In a remark, Prof. Ogbonna, the Vice Chancellor of SUMAS, said that the occasion was unique and historical because it was designed for Governor Ugwuanyi, the Visitor to the University, to unveil the medical university and deliver the 5th Adada Lecture.

Prof. Ogbonna thanked Governor Ugwuanyi for envisioning and establishing the university which he said would help to admit more candidates seeking admissions for medicine and other medical courses.

“Both University of Nigeria, Nsukka and ESUT admit less 10 per cent of indigenes of Enugu State seeking admissions in medicine and other related courses.

“For establishing and equipping this university, Governor Ugwuanyi has written his name in gold as future generations will remain grateful to him.

“I will remain grateful to Governor Ugwuanyi and the good people of Enugu State for finding me worthy to be the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the university and promised that I will not disappoint in the confidence reposed in me,” he said.

Earlier in a remark, the President of Association of Nsukka Professors, Prof. Osy Okanya, said that Ugwuanyi is the first governor in Enugu State to attend the Adada Lecture, and also the first to be the Guest Lecturer.

Okanya said that the association was satisfied with the performance of Governor Ugwuanyi as a lawmaker and also as a governor in the past seven years and eight months which was why he was chosen to deliver this lecture so that the public will learn from his good leadership skills.

“A clear analysis of governance in Enugu State since 2015 Ugwuanyi assumed office shows that the state has recorded landmark achievements in all sectors of the economy in the three senatorial zones without discrimination,” he said.

The occasion which was chaired by Justice Chima Centus Nweze, Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, represented by Hon. Justice Kenneth Okpe of the Enugu High Court, had other dignitaries in attendance, including the lawmakers representing Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South and Igbo-Eze North/Udenu federal constituencies, Rt. Hon. Pat Asadu and Hon. Engr. Simon Atigwe respectively, the Chairman of Peace Mass Transit Limited and proprietor of Maduka Onyishi University, Ekwegbe, Dr. Sam Maduka Onyishi, former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Hon. Justice Priscilla Ngozi Emehelu (Rtd), members of the State Executive Council (EXCO), Council Chairmen, among others.

The citation of the Guest Lecturer (Ugwuanyi) was read by Prof. Malachy Okwueze while the Vote of Thanks was made by the Chairman of the 5th Adada Lecture Committee, Prof. Ike Onyishi.

The Federal Government on Monday directed all Polytechnics in the country to shut down until after the forthcoming general elections.

The development came a week after issuing a similar directive for the closure of all Universities in the country.

The directive was contained in a circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, directing the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje to communicate to Rectors and Provosts of polytechnics.

The letter, which was signed by Mr I. O Folorunsho, for the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu and dated Feb. 10, was obtained by newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

“In view of concerns expressed on the security of staff, students and properties of our respective Institutions, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has, following extensive consultations with the relevant security agencies, directed that all Polytechnics be shut down.

”And academic activities will be suspended between Wednesday, Feb.22 and Tues. March 14, 2023,” the letter reads.

The minister had urged the NBTE boss to communicate the above to all the institutions under his regulatory functions.

(NAN)