Category: Education

The Presidency says federal universities in the country remain tuition-free.

Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, in a statement on Wednesday, said some universities only recently announced “discretionary charges” for hostel accommodation, registration, laboratory, amongst others.

“They are not tuition fees,” he emphasised.

“For avoidance of doubts, federal universities in Nigeria remain tuition-free.”

Last week, some tertiary institutions including the University of Lagos (UNILAG) hiked their fees for new and returning undergraduate students.

UNILAG especially hinged the move on what it described as the “prevailing economic realities”.

“After careful deliberations with its stakeholders (students, parents/guardians, staff unions, alumni among others), the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Management has reviewed the obligatory fees (mandatory charges for an academic session/year) of new and returning undergraduate students of the University,” the school explained.

“The adjustment in fees which will take effect from the 1st Semester, 2023/2024 Academic Session, is in view of the prevailing economic realities and the need for the University to be able to meet its obligations to its students, staff, and municipal service providers among others.

“It is also pertinent to note that the University has not increased its obligatory fees in recent years. Management, therefore, seeks the kind understanding and support of students and other stakeholders with the assurance of its commitment towards ensuring that students get the best learning experience.”

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities has rejected the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards prepared by the National Universities Commission.

The union said it was nightmarish, a threat to quality university education, and an erosion of powers of the university Senate in Nigerian universities.

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)