Tai Solarin University of Education holds convocation

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State.

Activities marking the 9th convocation ceremony of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), will culminate on Tuesday, November 28, 2017 with the award of higher degrees and diplomas as well as admission into first degrees and presentation of prizes. Three eminent recipients shall also be awarded the university’s honorary doctorate degrees.

The event, which holds at 10 a.m. at the institution’s auditorium will be attended by the visitor to the university and Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun as the special guest of honour.

According to a statement by the Chairman, Academic Ceremonies Committee, Professor Abayomi Arigbabu, the convocation lecture titled, “Sustainable Development and Quality Assurance in Higher Education,” will be delivered by the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Adamu Abubakar Rasheed, today and would be chaired by TASUED’s Governing Council Chairman, Professor Olufemi Bamiro.

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Nigeria’s knowledge sector and its poor share of national budget

Education Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu

Perhaps, for the first time, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, has told President Muhammadu Buhari that the money allocated for the ministry is nothing to write home about. In this piece, Head, Education Desk, Iyabo Lawal, examines the situation.

The sobriety of his countenance said it all. The initial grin on his face soon turned into a slight frown. Truth is bitter; and on this occasion it was impossible for him to tell the truth smiling. Or else, he would have risked not being taken seriously. With a dignified tone and measure, he addressed the president of the most populous black nation on earth, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The addressee was the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, under whose less-than-three-years watch, education in the country has witnessed significant blows right from the primary to the tertiary level. The decline seems unabated, if his grouse with the 2018 Appropriation Bill – the 2018 Budget of Consolidation – is anything to go by.

During an education retreat the presidency held recently at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Adamu called on Buhari to pay attention to education the way he is doing to insecurity and the economy.

The reason is obvious and timely: the Buhari administration in its 2018 Appropriation Bill allocated much lower than the 26 per cent of national budget recommended by the United Nations to the education sector.

The UN has recommended the budgetary benchmark to enable nations adequately cater for rising education demands.

But in the proposal presented to the National Assembly recently, the President allocated only 7.04 per cent of the N8.6tn 2018 budget to education.

The total sum allocated to the sector is N605.8bn, with N435.1bn for recurrent expenditure, N61.73bn for capital expenditure and N109.06bn for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

Without mincing words, the allocation is lower than the 7.4 per cent the government gave the education sector in the N7.4tn 2017 budget.

The breakdown of the N550bn allocated in 2017 was N398bn for recurrent expenditure, N56bn for capital expenditure and N95bn to UBEC.

Analysts, however, observed that the N605bn allocated to the sector in the 2018 budget is higher in naira terms than the N550bn allocated in 2017, there is a decrease in percentage terms, which does not augur well for meeting up with the UN recommendation.

Against this backdrop, Adamu stated that the education sector is under-funded compared to other sub-Saharan African countries’ budgets for the same sector.

Just as he would want the funding to be improved, Adamu will also want the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to live up to its promises – he would want Buhari to meet the 13 campaign promises he made to Nigerians on education.

To be able to achieve that, according to the minister, the President needs to spend at least, one trillion naira yearly on the sector.

Concerning the proposed budget now before the National Assembly, Adamu stated, “Mr. President, to achieve the desired change that education needs, there is the need for improved funding and a measure of political will in national governance. Such is the weight of the problems that beset our education and the deleterious effect it has had on our national development efforts that I believe that this retreat should end with a declaration of a state of emergency in education so that we can face the challenges frontally and squarely.”

Since 1999, the annual budgetary allocation to education in Nigeria has been between four and 10 per cent.

“None of the E9 or D8 countries other than Nigeria allocates less than 20 per cent of its annual budget to education. Indeed even among sub-Saharan Africa countries, we are trailing far behind smaller and less endowed nations in terms of our investment in education. A clear guide, Your Excellency, is the costing of the APC campaign promises in education which shows that after four years, would be minimum of N1tn per annum, required to fulfill your 13 promises,” the minister added.

Despite the poor funding, the minister expressed some confidence.
Adamu argued, “I am strongly persuaded that if we offer automatic scholarship to students who take education, and automatic employment and a preferential compensation package to those who take to teaching as a profession, our system will improve tremendously.

“If we give regulatory agencies the teeth to bite and do their work, mediocre teachers will soon disappear from our classrooms. If we insist on professionalism with appropriate deadlines set for those who teach, the situation will improve phenomenally. We can minimize and in due course eliminate mediocrity in the education sector.”

Buhari’s reaction was predictable: the government will continue to do its best to support education in the country, lamenting that the sector has suffered serious neglect in the hands of successive administrations.

The President said, “Today, it is those who acquire the most qualitative education, equipped with requisite skills and training, and empowered with the know-how that are leading the rest. We cannot afford to continue to lag behind. Education is our launch-pad to a more successful, more productive and more prosperous future.”

He noted further that “one of the primary roles of education is to build and sustain individual and society’s development” as it renews and improves the economic, social, political and cultural aspects of any nation.

While it is generally accepted that education is power, the Nigerian government has continued to allocate a sum of money, stakeholders consider too small to drive the needed development in that sector.

The Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Lagos chapter, Dr. Laja Odukoya, and the Deputy Director, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, complained about the 2017 budget allocation for education.

The proposed 2018 budgetary allocation for the sector will further stretch their patience.
In the 2017 budget, the government allocated the sum of N398bn to the Ministry of Education.

Reflecting on that financial figure, Odukoya thought it represented the level of disdain the present administration holds the education sector and foretells future crisis in the sector.

He had noted, “Clearly this government has a pathological hatred for knowledge and education. What other evidence do we need to confirm that the government is not willing, ready or capable of resolving the crisis in the education sector?
“A government in deficit to the tune of N800bn to universities for NEED assessment re-vitalisation funds and over N60bn as Earned Academic Allowances to lecturers, budgeting N398bn for the whole education sector should not be taken seriously. Am afraid, there is crisis ahead.”

While it does not appear the Buhari government wants any “head-on collision” with ASUU and other stakeholders in the sector, with its recent constitution of a committee to look into lingering issues between it and the academic union, the budgetary allocation for education will likely remain a sore thumb that sticks out.

On his own part, Aremu had unequivocally pointed out that the Nigerian government has never been able to meet the United Nations benchmark of 26 per cent of budgetary allocation to education.

He said, “Generally, education sector has not been receiving the desired budgetary allocation in Nigeria annually. As a matter of fact, it is always below the United Nations benchmark of 26 per cent. What this portends is that the sector is again, underfunded.

“While one would be somehow cautious on this, given the state of economy and the fallen crude oil price in the international market, the fact remains that education sector should be accorded greater attention in budgetary allocation as obtains in less privileged African countries.”

Aremu further asserted that the damage of such money set aside for education will be telling.

“It goes without saying therefore, that implications of the current budgetary allocation to the sector would rub up negatively in terms of overhead cost and infrastructural attention. Where these persist, it is the quality of education services `that would be compromised,” he added.

There is still much to be done by Buhari and his government in improving education, especially with the staggering fact that at least 11 million out of the 20 million out-of-school-kids are from Nigeria.

On paper, the Buhari administration is committed to promotion of education, research and development as illustrated in a draft of education reform plan tagged, ‘Education for change: A ministerial strategic plan (2015-2019)’ to stakeholders and development partners.

The document captures the challenges and issues facing the nation’s education system.

The document focuses attention on the issue of out-of-school children, basic education, teacher education, adult literacy, curriculum and policy matters on basic and secondary education, technical and vocational education, education data planning, library services and information and communication technology.
“Sixty per cent of the 11.4 million out-of-school children in Nigeria are girls. Only a fraction (17 per cent) of 3.1 million nomadic children of school age has access to basic education despite decades of intervention.

“Similarly, only a small proportion of the ministry’s 2010 estimate of 9.5 million almajiri children have access to any basic education and an increasing number of displaced children (about one million) are being forced out of school in the insurgency-stricken states,” the minister had said earlier in the year.

In defence of the Federal Government, the minister pointed out that the document had proposed strategies for engaging with state governments in addressing the problems of out-of-school children.

Government planned to raise the national Net Enrolment Rate (NET) by enrolling almost three million pupils annually for the next four years as well as renovate schools destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents and construct additional 71, 874 classrooms annually for the next four years.

In addition, the government said it will provide additional 71, 875 qualified teachers through the deployment of 14 per cent of the new teachers to be recruited annually and raise the enrolment of girls in basic education schools by 1.5 million annually for the next four years.

Concerning basic education, the minister said 15 years after the launch of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme, pupils’ learning data remain unsatisfactory and mean scores in English, Mathematics, and life skills are low and generally not up to scratch.
For a nation just wriggling out of one of its worst economic recession, poor funding in the sector only means one thing: postponing the evil day.

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Aregbesola unveils N94m school, restates commitment to sector’s development

Chairman, Osun State Universal Basic Education Board, Felix Awofisayo (left); Babatunde Olatunji; Chairman, House Committee on Education, FolorunsoBamisayemi; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Permanent Secretary, Osun SUBEB, Mr. Fatai Kolawole; Secretary, Ife North Local Government, Oresanya Taiwo Hassan; and others during the inauguration of the school.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state has unveiled the St. Augustine’s Government Elementary School, Ipetumodu estimated at N94m.

The school, which comprises 10 classrooms, a computer centre and library, also has an office for the head teacher, a store, a power office and a conference room.

It comes with a borehole, power transformer and a recreation and sporting centre.

This is part of the 100 elementary, 50 middle and 20 high schools promised by the present administration out of which 20, 22 and 11 schools respectively have been completed.

In his address at the inauguration, governor Aregbesola explained that the schools were designed to attract the best brains that would be prepared for the public middle schools, where excellence was the watchword.

He added that beyond new buildings, his administration had renovated 40 other schools with about 1,694 classrooms that can accommodate nearly 90,000 pupils.

“This is a new dawn in the area of education infrastructure in the state; in March this year, our trains moved around simultaneously to celebrate the official opening and commencement of learning activities at four newly-built government high schools; namely: Ataoja Government High School, Osogbo; Osogbo Government High School, Osogbo; Wole Soyinka Government High School, Ejigbo; and Adventist Government High School, Ede.

“These schools were the first set of completed high school infrastructure embarked upon by our administration and have since been put to use by the students and their teachers”.

On his part, the state Commissioner for Education, Wasiu Omotunde-Young lauded the governor for his commitment to the development of the sector and fight against educational decadence.

“This state-of-the-art government elementary school is designed to be a first class school; our government is committed to qualitative and functional education in the state.”

Similarly, Chairman House Committee on Education in the State House of Assembly, Folorunso Bamisayemi expressed support for the governor’s spending of borrowed funds for development.

“To us as legislators, we strongly believed that if the state did not borrow at the time it did, many of these projects would have been impossible now, considering the exchange rate.

“As at the time we approved the loan, the exchange rate of naira to dollar was about, between 150 and 170, but today exchange rate is about 350 dollar to 400 dollar, telling us that the state might not be able to either borrow at all or do as much as it did. With the benefit of hindsight, the loan has paid for itself,” he said.

The Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba James Adedokun thanked the government for its developmental strides in the state. “

Some parents who spoke on the initiative lauded Aregbesola for his administration’s investment in the sector and called on their counterparts to play their own part in the education of their children by promptly paying taxes and token required for the maintenance of the facilities.

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Human capital investment will liberate Nigerian society, says Ezekwesili

Oby Ezekwesili

…As Edo wins Lafarge National Literacy Competition
“If a society does not like what it looks like, the most important thing it can change is the education of its people. It is education that can redefine the society, it is education that can change the performance of the society, because education changes the performance of individuals and the individuals make up the society.”

This formed the fulcrum of the keynote address delivered by former World Bank Vice President, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili at the grand finale of Lafarge Africa National Literacy Competition, where pupils from Edo State emerged champions after the keen contest. Ondo team emerged second while Kano and Gombe secured third and fourth positions, respectively.

The winning team comprised of Yusuf Hassan of Eson Ne Rie Model Primary School, Benin City and Faith Toun-Agbai of Eghuare Primary School, Irrua. They received a cash prize of N250, 000 each in addition to a scholarship offer. The 12 finalists were drawn from the six geopolitical zones after the local, state and regional finals.

Ezekwesili challenged government and corporate organisations to rise to the call and begin to create programmes and initiatives that will increase literacy level of the citizens.

Reminding that literacy level is an indicator of economic performance, the former education minister said the literacy level of Singapore is climbing closer to 100 per cent, while that of Nigeria is 59 per cent.

“China has been able to invest in its human development to the extent that it activated them to be able to lift themselves out of poverty. And so by the last count, China has lifted more than 700m Chinese out of poverty in three decades. In contrast we have over a hundred million of our own citizens in poverty, despite the huge natural resources and endowment that we have as a country. So there is enough empirical data to validate why we should be appreciative of any intervention into education by any group.”

She added that since the reason of existence for any country is to make constant improvement in the lives of its citizens, government at all levels must through education transit their citizens from being mere population to becoming human capital.

The country Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Michel Puchercos, disclosed that the literacy competition is in line with the firm’s sustainability strategy as integrated in its “2030 Plan,” saying that the exercise will positively impact on literacy level of pupils across Africa, as being literacy equips individuals with skills needed for societal wellbeing.

Chairman of the company, Mr. Mobolaji Balogun, said going by our population and the 2050 projection, there is an urgent need to lift the literacy level of Nigerians.

Executive Director, Ovie Brume Foundation, the implementation partner, Adeola Awogbemi, pointed out that literacy is critical to achieving sustainable development.

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Government begins assessment of basic knowledge sub-sector with 60, 480 pupils

Hammid Bobboyi

The Federal Government is set to flag off the 2017 National Assessment of Learning Achievement in Basic Education (NALABE), to determine the success or otherwise of the programme.

Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, who disclosed this to reporters in Abuja ahead of the 5th edition of the scheme, said the assessment would enable the tracking of standards of education at the basic level.

Bobboyi added that the assessment, billed to hold between November 22 and 24, would also be used to gauge the state of basic education and proffer solutions to some of the constraints and challenges confronting the sub-sector.

The programme was held in 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2011 respectively.

The UBEC boss explained that the programme basically would look into the efficiency and quality of performance of primary and junior secondary school pupils in the country using the quantitative and qualitative methods.

According to him, 1,080 primary schools and 432 junior secondary schools will constitute the school sample.

Bobboyi stated that six Local Government Education Authorities (LGEA) were selected through simple random sampling techniques in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja..

He said that the board selected five primary schools in each LGEA comprising two urban, two rural and one private school, adding that 20 pupils from primary five and six, as well as their teachers would participate in the programme.

“At this level, the samples are to consist of 216 LGEAs, 1,080 primary schools, 1,080 head teachers, 2,160 teachers, 43,200 pupils and 25,920 parents at the primary level; while at the junior secondary level, 17,280 students drawn from JSS two and three, 12,960 parents; 432 principals and 1,728‎ teachers will participate in the study.”

Bobboyi said the board would use eight instruments for data collection at the primary level and eight at the secondary level.

The UBEC boss listed these to include Achievement Test in English Studies, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology as well as Social Studies.

Others are Learners’ Questionnaire, Teachers’ Questionnaire, Head teachers’ Questionnaire and Parents’ Questionnaire.
‎
He assured that all state governments and stakeholders are being carried along in the exercise.

The commission boss disclosed that about 1,512 field officers would be involved in the test administration, comprising 400 UBEC staff, 216 State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) staff and 896 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.

He said that the commission would continue with the international standard of conducting the test every two years if resources are available.

“There are various exercises to be undertaken in the education sector because of its importance for planning in the country, we hope this exercise will give us the evidence to answer the question of whether these children are actually learning and look at the disparities in the different zones across the country.

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Benefits of developing science, technology learning at elementary stage

Chairman, Dowbex, Mr. Roger Okoruwa (left); Chairman, HME Technology, UK, Mr. Martyn Hale; Mr Sam Etatuvie; Executive Director, Center for Values in Leadership, Isioma Utomi; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Employee Energy, Mr Stanley Agwuh, during the Nigeria Launch of KRE8 Maker Educational STEM Kits for Primary Schools at the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos.

It has been estimated that by the year 2021, robots will eliminate 60 per cent of jobs in the United States, according to Director, Design and Technology Innovation Company, Mr. Stanley Agwuh.

This development, he said should bother Nigerian education policy makers, managers and stakeholders, as well as kick-start a new thinking towards trendy teaching and learning for the Nigerian child.

Speaking during the launch of KRE8 Maker Educational STEM Kits for primary schools at the British Deputy High Commissioner’s residence in Lagos, Agwuh said the import of the launch is to promote the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at the primary level of education.

The product launched in partnership with HME Technology, United Kingdom (UK), he added will allow pupils to explore science in a fun way and stimulate their interest.

According to him, “We need to pay attention to what is happening around the globe. Our skills after university education are no longer valuable. We need to acquire new skills through sound quality primary education. There is need for powerful connection between STEM and early childhood education.

On how the KRE8 Maker Kits work, he explained, “The product is in mathematical and geometric form, it is curriculum based. It has three kits for elementary, intermediate and advanced level. The first kit will serve for primary one and two, the second for primary three and four and the third for primary five and six. And in each of these kits, we have teachers’ kits for proper tutoring and guidance. It is available for both public and private schools and it is affordable.

Agwuh also said: “At the moment, we have universities of science and technology, vocational centres at secondary school level with little or no initiative at the primary level, whereas the primary level is the appropriate place to capture and permeate the mind of the young ones. If this is well implemented, our children will not just be competitive but competing with the right skills.”

Chairman HME Technology, UK, Mr. Martyn Hale, remarked that the problem with Nigeria and other African countries is lack of skills and infrastructure. “They have people but they don’t have the necessary skills. With this product, which we intend to start from primary school, we will create a new generation that is keen in STEM subjects.

“With the product, competiveness is guaranteed as science and technology will be incorporated into teaching and learning at elementary stage. We need support from Nigerian government in the interest of their kids. They need to support this project owing to its benefit. It allows pupils to learn by making use of their hands to create cubes and different shapes. The product also has 2D and 3D shapes formation, which is unique,” he added.

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TETfund lacks accountability, says media rights group

PHOTO: bellanaija.com

Worried about the lack of accountability and respect for the rule of law, officials of the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) have indicted the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) over the breach of Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, saying the agency exhibited an utter disregard for the citizenry.

Specifically, the group accused TETFund of failure to comply with its duties and obligations under the FOI Act, 2011 and its repeated refusal to honour the numerous applications for information made to it by several organisations over the last six years.

Announcing TETFund’s selection as an inductee into the FOI Hall of Shame, MRA’s Programme Officer, Idowu Adewale, explained that the agency has displayed utmost disregard for the rights of citizens to seek and obtain information from public institutions while also demonstrating a near absolute contempt for the law.

Adewale, in a statement said, “Multiple requests made by various non-governmental organisations to TETFund were either completely ignored without even an acknowledgment which is contrary to the provisions of the FOI Act, or where it responded at all, it refused to provide any of the requested information or, as it did on one occasion, provided only part of the information sought”.

Describing TETfund’s attitude as a complete breach of its obligations, Adewale alleged that in its short years of existence, the agency has consistently exhibited an inexcusable intolerance for the rights of citizens and civic groups to hold public institutions accountable in accordance with the FOI Act while at the same time betraying an unmistakable disdain for the duties imposed on it by law.

“TETFund is uniquely positioned to have begun operations on the right footing, having been established the same year the FOI Act was passed; it had the opportunity to kick-off its operations by implementing the FOI Act which would have gone a long way to ensure transparency and accessibility to citizens as well as the proper keeping and management of its records. Instead, TETFund, which ought to have submitted six annual, reports to the Attorney General of the federation, has not submitted a single report.”

“As a result of the failure of the body to submit its annual implementation reports over the last six years, vital statistical information which are supposed to be made known to the public, the Attorney-General of the federation and the relevant committees of the National Assembly are not available.

Adewale said that information obtained from various organisations that have submitted FOI requests to TETFund showed its poor level of responsiveness to such requests.

“For instance, BudgIT, a civic organisation based in Lagos, wrote to TETFund in January 2017 pursuant to the FOI Act, seeking information on its total cash inflow for 2014 and 2015 as well as a list of its reconciled projects within the period and the location of each of those projects, but received no response”.

“BudgIT sent TETFund a reminder to the request in February 2017 another on September 25, and yet another on November 15 but still did not receive any response from the agency.

Mr. Adewale further argued that “TETFund has not fulfilled its proactive disclosure obligations under Section 2 of the FOI Act as it has not published either on its website or anywhere else, the 16 categories of information that the FOI Act requires all public institutions to proactively publish and disseminate widely to members of the public through various means, including print, electronic and online sources”.

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Groups train female primary school teachers on basic computer operation

The World Federation of Engineering Organisation (WEFO) in collaboration with the Women in Engineering (WIE) and committee of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) have concluded a one week training course in basic computer operation for female teachers drawn from various primary schools in Enugu State.

The organisations said they decided to embark on the training following a survey conducted where they discovered that most teachers in the state’s
public primary schools were not computer literate.

The state Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Patrick Ikpenwa in his address at the event reminded that realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDG} 3 would remain a mirage without real access to technology, especially among women.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Charles Maduekwe, the Commissioner said, “The mobile phone is a start, but Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goes beyond receiving and making calls on the phone.

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Stakeholders rally to increase female participation in STEM fields

Chairman, CKF Board of Trustees, Mrs. Beatrice Kolade

The overall objectives of the 2017 Stemma Hands-On Empowerment (SHE) initiative, organised by Christopher Kolade Foundation (CKF), was to stir curiosity among female students and equip them with skills that would allow them explore the exciting world of science and technology.

Key speakers at this year’s event, tagged “SHE Science and Technology Fair for Girls by Girls,” affirmed that creating programmes and initiatives on science and technology early in life will propel the girl child’s interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

Chairman, CKF Board of Trustees, Mrs. Beatrice Kolade, lamented the huge gap between male and female participants in STEM fields, which informed their decision to equip them with life-long skills in the realms of science and technology, while also offering personal development, leadership and ethics education.

“Our aim is to bridge the gap, and bring it closer. We have trained over 460 girls in partnership with Lagos State Government. We believe in the school of thought that says ‘when you train a woman, you have trained the world.’ Women takes care of the home, the family and the society at large, and must be rightly equipped to actively participate in STEM activities which is the in thing now,” she said.

The key speakers, which include Lagos state deputy governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule; Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Future Software Resources Ltd., Nkemdilim Begho; Founder, Pearls Africa Foundation, Abisoye Ajayi; and Alumni Relations Director, Lagos Business School, Bunmi Afolabi, in their respective remarks maintained that the stereotypes around girls and science must change.

They urged the girls to dismiss every notion that intends to inhibit their interest in STEM subjects, adding that the fastest growing career and greater opportunities abound in science and technology.

The fair in which over 400 pupils from select public schools in Lagos participated, featured innovative project designed by members of the SHE initiative clubs. Some of the innovations on display were Smartphone Controlled Lamp; Puppy Rescue; Temperature Light Intensity Display System; Smart Digital Wireless Medical Assistant; Space Fighter, among others.

Consultant with the Foundation, Omobola Lana expressed regrets that STEM students are still predominantly male, as insufficient attention is being paid to girls’ participation in different areas of learning, including science and technology.

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WAEC to conduct exam for private candidates in January

West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) is set to commence its new diet examination for private candidates in January 2018.

Head of Nigeria National Office (HNO), Mr Olu Adenipekun who disclosed this to reporters at the council’s testing and training centre in Ogba, Lagos said the new diet is to address the growing concern among stakeholders over alleged discrimination against private candidates by the examination body.

With the January-February diet, WAEC would conduct three examinations yearly. The other two are the May-June WASSCE and November-December for school and private candidates respectively.

The approved subjects are: Commerce, Financial Accounting, Christian Religious Studies, Economics, Geography, Government, Islamic Studies, Literature in English, English language, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Further Mathematics, General Mathematics, Agricultural Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Civic Education.

Already, registration for the new diet has commenced and would close on December 29.

According to the HNO, there have been growing concerns among stakeholders over what they perceive as discrimination against private candidates

“There has been a deluge of agitation, criticism and appeal across the West African sub-region for council to find a way of reducing the agony of long waiting experienced by the private candidates who desire another shot at the examination.

Adenipekun explained that the conduct of an additional diet of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) became necessary to give equal opportunities to candidates.

He said, ”WASSCE for school candidates is written first every year and the results are released before the conduct of the WASSCE for private candidates. Therefore, school candidates who wish to retake the examination usually have the opportunity of doing so with the private candidates examination.

“This situation is often cited as being responsible for the level of desperation oftentimes displayed by the perpetrators of examination malpractice at the examination centres. The Council have also observed with chagrin the penchant by external candidates to register for the WASSCE for school candidates which has led to an astronomical increase in examination cheats being caught during the conduct of the examination. Council, after thorough deliberations on the issue, approved that National Offices should commence the conduct of one additional diet every year of the WASSCE for private candidates.

Adenipekun disclosed that preparations for the conduct of the examination, billed for January 2018 have commenced and enjoined all concerned to support the council in its new task.

The HNO however clarified that the first series of the new diet will be urban based and will be extended to other areas as the number of candidates’ increases.

He called on prospective candidates to visit the Council’s corporate website –www.waecnigeria.org- to confirm available examination towns and subjects before obtaining the registration PIN.

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Poor funding, threat to functional education, says VC

Igbekele Ajibefun

The Vice chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA) Ondo State, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun has identified poor funding as a major threat to achieving a functional, comparable education in the country.

Prof. Ajibefun who stated this while receiving members of the Ondo State House of Assembly Committee on Vocational, Technical and Tertiary Education, who visited the campus on a familiarisation tour lamented that inadequate funding hinders the sector from being globally competitive.

He said, “Poor funding of Nigeria’s educational sector causes setbacks for its inherent ability to compete globally. Adequate funding is inevitable if the country must compete with her peers in the sector in foreign countries, while universities must be up and doing in finding creative ways of sourcing funds.

Besides the funds made available by government, the vice chancellor tasked parents, corporate organisations and wealthy individuals to rise to the challenge and support the government in funding the sector to make it globally relevant.

Prof Ajibefun while commending the committee on its visit said the university strives to always give its best, producing the best in the various fields even in the face of dwindling economy and meagre resources.

He explained that universities need good facilities to inject the best skills that would enable students have relevant skills and compete globally.

On his part, the committee chairman, Bankole Felemu commended the level of infrastructural development in the institution, especially the senate building, which he described as one of Nigeria’s best.

Other members of the team are: Malachi Coker, Jamiu Maito, Kazeem Musa, Fasogbon Akinyele, Ebiwonjumi Sola, Hon. Mukaila Musa, Akinsoyinu Ifedayo, Chief Oyadeyi O.K, and Mrs. Tope Abiona.

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ABUAD warns new students against crime, threatens to rusticate culprits

ABUAD

Management of the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) has warned the newly admitted students to shun vices such as drug, cultism and rape or risk been expelled.

The vice chancellor, Prof Michael Ajisafe, who read the riot act during the 9th matriculation ceremony of the institution, said ABUAD has zero tolerance for all forms of rascality.

He also used the occasion to announce that the university has got accreditation for all its courses, and there won’t be any reason for students to be afraid of the future.

The vice chancellor advised the students not to abuse the academic independence they enjoy on campus, saying any decision they take at this moment would either truncate or enhance their future plans.

Prof Ajisafe added that ABUAD was ranked in 2017 as second best private university in Nigeria and 13 on the Webometric ranking among the 268 tertiary institutions in the country, describing the feat as novel in the history of the nation’s education system.

“Hardwork like our founder, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) said does not kill. But let me say this, there will be avalanche of influences and pressure in the university from which you are not insulated.”

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Ilaro poly hosts conference on leadership and ethical behavior

Tunde Lemo

Former Deputy governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Tunde Lemo and the Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Bimbo Ashiru are among the leading economic technocrats set to brainstorm on the way out of the nation’s lingering economic recession.

Also listed in the team of experts drawn from strategic sectors of the economy are Prof Dayo Amokaye from the University of Lagos (UNILAG); former rector, Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Dr J.S Oke and Dean, School of Management Studies, Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Dr O.A Jiboku.

The three-day conference, which would centre on leadership and ethical behavior as catalysts for moving the country out of the woods, is being put together by the School of Management Studies of the institution.

Chairman of the planning committee, Mr Mukaila Akinde, in a statement said the conference would kick off on November 28.

Akinde noted that with the nation’s huge material resources and potential, leadership remains the critical factor that needed to be tackled at various levels to speed up the gradual crawl of the economy out of recession.

He stated that ethical issues in the current fight against corruption and inflation need to be critically considered.

He also said that the revival through agricultural development, oil price volatility, political restructuring and hyper inflation are all leadership issues, stressing that the conference would look at the nation’s current challenges through an holistic discourse on leadership.
About 100b experts drawn from the public and private sectors as well as academics are being expected at the conference.

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Lagos urges public-private sector collaboration on career guidance

Permanent Secretary/Tutor General, Lagos State Education District vi, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Onadipe (left); Head of Legal/PR, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Andrew Enahoro; and Principal, Oregun Junior High School, Mrs. Adenike Oresanya, at a career guidance workshop for pupils of the school.

The Lagos State government has called for a public-private sector partnership in order to chart a career path for secondary school pupils.

Permanent Secretary/Tutor General, Lagos State Education District six, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Onadipe who stated this at the maiden edition of a career guidance workshop organised by Promasidor Nigeria Limited, posited that to develop an education system that is relevant to national development and industrial growth, private sector operators must support government’s efforts to boost career awareness among secondary school students.

Speaking at the event tagged ‘Harness your dream’ held at Oregun Junior High School, Ikeja, Onadipe said, “I am very excited about the initiative. I am glad to know that a corporate organisation like Promasidor is thinking in this direction. We need to nurture the kids as they grow. It is about catching them young. When we help them to nurture their career interests, they grow up with a clear picture of what they want to do. I am so happy with Promasidor Nigeria for this noble idea, and I pray that other companies will do a similar thing. The participants are currently in Junior Secondary School class three. What this means is that they already know exactly the subjects they will focus on in their senior classes.”

On his part, the Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Anders Einarsson said the programme would help the students to marry their passion and talents to make the right choice adding, ‘Harness your dream’ targets JSS3 students because of the sensitive nature of the class.

Represented by the company’s Head of Legal and Public Relations, Andrew Enahoro the company boss further explained that the initiative is a catch-them-young scheme.

“This implies that the young people who go through the process will have the rare opportunity of subjecting their options to a clinical test before they start learning the essential subjects required to be the best in their chosen professions.”

He added, “The programme is an interface between students and experts who have excelled tremendously in their chosen career; each giving the students hands-on experience. This is worthwhile at a time when the gap between theory and practice is widening. This will also create an opportunity for mentorship that will last for a lifetime.”

Einarsson explained that the programme is part of the company’s efforts to impart directly on pupils. Describing it as a pilot edition, he added that Promasidor was committed to its success as a pan-Nigerian forum.

The Principal of the school, Mrs. Adenike Oresanya said the pupils left the workshop more enlightened about their career options. She was particularly happy with emerging careers such as Information and Communication Technology, which the students were exposed to.

The primary objective of ‘Harness your dreams’ initiative is to help public school pupils understand varieties of career options and guide them along their career paths.

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Air Force, varsity to boost technological innovation

Authorities of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Federal University of Technology, Akure [FUTA] have put a machinery in place to further deepen their relationship so as to sustain an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and other allied collaborations in the areas of engineering, meteorology and digital sciences.

The MoU, signed about five years ago included the maintenance and repairs of NAF aircrafts.  It provided an opportunity for engineers from FUTA to join a team that successfully repaired some NAF aircrafts that developed problems in Porthacourt.

Leading a team from the Air Force high command to explore ways of deepening the collaboration, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar expressed the force readiness to tap into the expertise of the institution, particularly in the area of the university’s core competence in cutting- edge technological innovation and research.

Represented by Chief of Standard and Evaluation, Air Vice Marshall Kingsley Lar, the naval chief said the vision of NAF is to reform its operations through capacity building, which can be sought from reputable higher institutions like FUTA.

He added that the MoU signed a few years ago has been of mutual benefit to the two parties.

Responding, the vice chancellor, Prof Joseph Fuwape said FUTA has the capacity to collaborate with NAF and other reputable organisations, adding that the institution’s engineering unit, which is well equipped with needed manpower is second to none in the country.

Prof Fuwape added that the force can benefit from FUTA’s technical know-how in meteorology and climate science, space research and applications as well as allied fields.

He recalled that the university, in collaboration with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), is the first Institution to launch a satellite in Nigeria and has capacity to develop digital map of any environment, which will be of great help to the Air Force in its operations.

The Vice-Chancellor commended the effort of the officers for their role in supressing the activities of Boko Haram in the northeastern part of the country.

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Experts canvass robust networking among educators to lift sector

PHOTO: easyhometutor.com

Education providers at all levels have been advised to regularly liaise with professional bodies or organisations so as to continually be abreast of changes and new trends in the sector.

Stakeholders who spoke at an information session organised by the International Educational Management Network (IEDUMAN), recently, held that sharing knowledge and interacting with professionals on issues affecting teaching and learning would lift the sector.

The key speakers are Chairman, Advisory Board of IEDUMAN, Prof. Adams Onuka; President, Dr. Onyeka Jaivbo-Ojigbo; member of the advisory board, Uri Ngozichukwuka; Legal Adviser, Alex Irotumhe; Director of Schools Administration, Lagos State Education District III, Dr. Mudasiru Raji; Chief Executive Officer, A Fruitful Environment Limited, Adeniyi Arimoro, among others.

In their respective remarks, the speakers’ lamented the state of the country’s education sector and enjoined stakeholders in both the public and private sector to rise to the challenge and help transform the sector.

Onuka in his presentation titled “Global education skills: How do we prepare for the future?” stressed the need for all education managers to place premium on learning outcomes and ensure pupils and students acquire the needed skills before graduation.

“IEDUMAN is an educational network of professionals. It promotes global best practices as well as intellectual understanding amongst education professionals. It provides support to educators by creating database of resources, in addition to fostering connections at our EduFair events.

“We bring together education professionals like lecturers, training consultants, school directors, educational IT providers, proprietors and other relevant stakeholders, to advise, research and advocate for best practices that will help improve processes in order to produce positive outcomes.

Corroborating Onuka’s view, Dr. Jaivbo-Ojigbo, said it is highly imperative for education providers to consistently network and seek healthy relationships, since the scale of development of a county is highly dependent on the level of its educators.

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ECOBA seeks N500million for college resource centre, others

The Edo College Old Boys Association (ECOBA) is presently shopping for N500 million to build a resource centre for the school.

The President worldwide of the Association, Dr. Reuben Osahon who disclosed this to reporters in Asaba said the N500million estimated resource centre would comprise a conference hall, 20 rooms as well as an indoor sports hall.

Already, Osahon said members, including those in diaspora, class sets and house groups are being mobilised through various branches towards the project.

While commending Pastor Chris Oyakhilome for renovating Akenzua house, Dr. Osahon said the last major renovation of the college, which he said would be 80 years was carried out in 2005 as a result of partnership between ECOBA worldwide and Edo State government.

He however expressed regrets that since then, a lot of the facilities have deteriorated due to lack of regular and adequate maintenance arising from inadequate funding.

For instance, Dr Osahon said part of the school where the HSC block was built have been abandoned due to erosion and appealed to stakeholders to ensure that the situation is addressed particularly during the rainy season.

He noted that a large portion of the school encroached upon by the adjoining communities of Ogiso and Uhumwan-Idunwun would be recovered as law enforcement agencies have been notified.

Dr. Osahon also deplored the increases cases of moral decadence in schools across the country, and called on parents to join hands with critical stakeholders to ensure that the menace is checkmated.

The college, founded in 1937, ranked as one of the best schools in the country.

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Kaduna teachers as a metaphor of fallen education system

Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna state Governor

Against the backdrop of the face-off between Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Kaduna State’s primary and secondary school teachers following a competency test which many of them failed, Head, Education Desk, Iyabo Lawal, examines the implication of their training and capacity on pupils.

The placard was unmistakable in its message as one of the protesting primary and secondary school teachers held it up in Kaduna State recently.

The message has since been described as the shame of a nation and the impunity often displayed in every aspect of Nigeria.

“Examination is not the true position of one’s knowledge!” the placard had read. This has since led to subject of debates across the social and mainstream media.

In October, the Kaduna State Government made it public that about 21,780 out of 33,000 teachers failed the Primary Four examination administered to test their competence and owing to the mass failure, Governor Nasir El-Rufai declared that the state is now shopping for 25,000 new teachers as one of the plans to restore sanity to the sector.

Expressing his dismay over the result, El-Rufai said, “We tested our 33,000 primary school teachers. We gave them Primary Four examinations and required that they must get at least 75 per cent. But I am sad to announce that 66 per cent of them failed to meet the requirement. The hiring of teachers in the past was politicized.

“We intend to change that by bringing in young and qualified primary school teachers to restore the dignity of education in the state. We have a challenge with the teacher-pupil ratio in urban schools. There is a concentration of teachers that are not needed. In some local government areas, it’s a teacher-pupil ratio of 1-9 while in some places it’s 1-100.”

The governor also claimed that in a bid to improve the education sector, school directors decided to enrol their children in public schools starting from the current academic session.

The state’s Parents-Teachers Association in the state has curiously kept mute in the face of this crisis, However, public school pupils in the state did not seem to welcome the idea of their under-performing teachers being sacked as schoolchildren in some local government areas of the state in early November took to the streets, protesting the government’s intention to terminate the appointment of the teachers.

Some pupils from Chikun, Sabon Gari, and Zaria local government areas took to the streets in their hundreds with leaves in their hands, chanting, “Ba maso.”

Also painting the El-Rufai administration as a villain are members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the National Union of Local Government Employees, as they also took to the streets to show their displeasure over the government’s policy.

Leading the groups, the NLC National President, Ayuba Wabba, said the competency test used as an excuse to sack the teachers lacked credibility and was unacceptable.

“It was a smokescreen to sack workers. Legitimate institutions mandated to organise such examinations were ignored by the government. Teaching is a profession in Nigeria. We have teacher training institutions and Teachers Registration Council – why are they not the ones conducting the test?

“This is because they have sinister motives. They are doing this just to sack and reduce workers and we will not accept that. By putting all together and their families, up to one million people will be affected by the sack. We will not accept that. Therefore, we will stand against this exercise until justice is done. Any exercise built on faulty ground cannot stand – this is our position,” Wabba pointed out.

Over the years, education experts said there has been frantic search for solutions to the poor standard of teaching in Nigerian schools.

Some stakeholders have continued to blame teachers for the appalling performance of students in examinations. In states where education summits were organised, experts have recommended re-training programmes for both public and private school teachers.

It is for this reason that the Federal Government has directed the National Teachers Institute (NTI) to re-train teachers in Nigeria. It is not known how much of that has been done in Kaduna.

Ajiboye

The NTI is mandated by Act No 7 of 1978 to organise programmes for upgrading and updating practising teachers at all levels, a task, which it has been engaged in since its establishment. In Nigeria, unlike other countries, the re-training of teachers has not received the desired attention from local, state and Federal Governments.

According education sector’s analysts, there has not been any systematic attention to update regularly the knowledge and skills of teachers in the light of the changes in curriculum and the wider society. This neglect has in turn affected the quality of teaching in schools.

Little wonder, the Federal Government, has under the Millennium Development Goals Project, directed the institute to re-train teachers in Nigeria. But how much has been accomplished?

In the mean time, not a few people have continued to criticise the state for its “knee-jerk” attempt to sanitise the state’s education sector. Also condemning the exercise and planned sack, is the Northern Coordinator, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Bulama Abisu.

Abisu said, “Teachers get the least salary in most states in the North – even the meagre salary is not paid promptly. The governors are moving from owing salaries to sacking teachers on the claim of incompetency when it is the same government that employed the teachers.”

The NUT leader, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crisis.

But if the unions were seeking any reprieve from Buhari, they failed to get that as the president recently threw his weight behind El-Rufai to sanitise the education sector.

Immediately following the rash of protests, the state said it is not going back on its “resolve to upgrade the quality of education in the state” as it claims that the long-term interests of two million pupils in public primary schools in the northern state is more important than the teachers about to lose their jobs.

Apart from Buhari, not many people and organisations appear to be backing the government of El-Rufai in its efforts to rid public schools of its rot.

Perhaps, the governor’s harshest antagonist, Senator Shehu Sani, believes El-Rufai’s planned action is unreasonable, adding that it is a plot to employ political loyalists of the governor.

“The sacking of over 21,000 primary school teachers by the Kaduna State governor stands condemned. It’s inhuman and the height of lunacy by a man who derives pleasure by inflicting hardship on others. How can the governor who blew over N10bn feeding schoolchildren only to realise that the teachers are incompetent. El-Rufai’s action has brought nothing but chaos and confusion to public schools in Kaduna.

“He promised the people of the state that he will enrol his children in public schools if he became governor. He has not only failed to do that but he is destroying the educational future of those who chose to send their wards to public schools. Incompetence is not a reason but an excuse to sack thousands of teachers owed many months’ salaries,” Sani claimed.

As the hoopla continues over the competency test and plan to sack thousands of Kaduna primary school teachers, the state chapter of the NUT, has given El-Rufai a two-week notice to rescind its decision or face an indefinite strike.

In an open letter written to the governor over the matter, the teachers accused him of acting in bad faith.

The open letter which was read by the state chairman of the NUT, Audu Amba, noted that contrary to the agreement reached between the government and the NUT, that the pass mark for the competency test would be pegged at 60 per cent, it was unilaterally decided otherwise by the government.

“Your Excellency, while hosting a delegation of World Bank officials, you announced to the whole world that 21,780 teachers will be disengaged in Kaduna State primary and secondary schools for not scoring up to 75 per cent in the competency test, while 25,000 will be recruited in their stead. The NUT Kaduna State wing wrote a letter to you, appealing to your conscience to rescind the decision but as usual, you ignored the letter and went ahead with your avowed determination to impose your will against the consensus of bona fide stakeholders in the educational sector.

“The NUT subsequently as a last resort and in the spirit of constitutional democracy, rule of law, and due process decided to approach the National Industrial Court, Kaduna division, to adjudicate on the issue of whether the Kaduna State government has the statutory power to conduct the competency test and which court processes have been served on you and the office of the Attorney General,” the letter said.

If the Kaduna government goes ahead with its threat, the state may face a protracted strike leaving schoolchildren to rue their future.
According to Dorcas Fareo, a Nigerian scholar, there is now a serious public outcry concerning the crisis in Nigerian education. She noted that national conferences, seminars and workshops have bemoaned the multifaceted cause of the nation’s falling standards of education.
Fareo said, “In this era of globalization, it is imperative that teachers are adequately prepared to function effectively in a challenging global environment. The challenges of globalisation demand teachers who are competent, effective, and dynamic in their orientation.”
She added that the NTI is fully committed to capacity building for primary and secondary school teachers.

“Apart from the upgrading courses that the institute has been implementing for many years (TCII, NCE and PTTP), the institute introduced proficiency Diploma Courses in Early Childhood Education, Guidance and Counselling, School Supervision and Inspection, and the Postgraduate Diploma in Education. Indeed, the institute believes that an effective implementation of the Universal Basic Education Curriculum must begin with strengthening the capacity of existing teaching force through in-service training and re-training,” Fareo said.
Despite the activities embarked upon by the government at various levels to expose teachers to frequent training and re-training, there is a sizeable number of teachers who are resistant to change due to their negative attitudes to introduce new innovations and techniques to teach their students, which could lead to students failure, the scholar noted.

“The weak correlation between school enrolments and the number of teachers employed in each school is the most obvious indicator of poor deployment. Variations in pupil–teacher ratio between schools are typically very large in Nigeria. Teachers rarely enjoy the same work environment as other professions.

“ The government schools are with poor furniture for students and teachers, dilapidated staff rooms and classrooms; and these could inhibit teaching-learning process. Nigerian teachers do not receive good salaries as other professionals do. As a result, commitment to the growth of the profession is affected,” Fareo submitted.

Will El-Rufai succumb to the threat of a statewide strike? Will he reach a compromise with the teachers?

Whatever he does will to a large extent, determine how much premium the Kaduna State Government, the NUT, the PTAs, and people of the state place on the future of youths.

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Former minister decries deplorable state of technical schools

Chinwe Obaji

A former Minister of Education, Prof. Chinwe Obaji, has deplored the infrastructural conditions of Federal Government owned technical colleges, saying it portrays unserious attitude to the country’s quest for technological development.

Speaking at the send off ceremony of the erstwhile Principal of Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) Yaba, Lagos, Rev. Chris Ugorji, the former minister said the technical laboratories and workshops in those colleges are in a sorry state.

She said for a government that wants to join the global technology league table, learning facilities in it’s technical schools should be regularly updated.

“What is the condition of FG technical schools? Do they have new technical laboratories? What are those schools producing? Achieving technological advancement is not just playing to the gallery; it is about showing commitment and matching words with reality.

Look at FSTC, Yaba, it is the premier technical school, and will soon clock 70 years, by now we should be producing something even if it is simple cell phone. Simple technology we cannot produce. Go to FSTC, Orozo and FSTC, Ohanso, the state of their facilities is terrible.”

Also, former Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education (FME), Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala blamed the situation and other challenges confronting the sector on lack of visionary leadership.

He tasked the government to ensure that people with the right competence are allowed to handle education matters so as to guarantee the needed change.

Commending Ugorji who is retiring after 35 years of meritorious service in the ministry, he urged the leaders in the FME to carefully search for his replacement so that his transformation agenda will not be thwarted.

He said, “In Nigeria today, square pegs” are often put in “round holes” and this development does not yield expected results. I urge the FG to carefully choose the person that will replace Ugorji as the principal of the school so as to sustain the developmental projects and vision of his predecessor.”

Ugorji, in his response revealed that on assumption of duty as the principal of the college in August 2014, he met the college in a deplorable condition.

“In spite of efforts of previous administrations, FSTC Yaba was still predominantly known for students’ truancy, dirty environment, poor infrastructure and poor dressing, to mention but a few. But today, “FSTC Yaba is at a pedestal that if driven upon the wheels of continuation in good governance/administration, no other science and technical college (federal or state) will be able to compete and overtake our students.

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Winners emerge at Corona inter-school Quiz Competition

Director of Education, Corona Schools, Mrs. Amelia Dafeta (back row); Trustee and Member of Governing Board, Corona Schools Trust Council, Dr. Myma Belo-Osagie, Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Adeyoyin Adesina; Head of School, Ikoyi, Mrs. Nike Onafeso; and winners of the 9th Annual Corona Schools Interschool Quiz Competition held at the school premises in Victoria Island, Lagos

Corona School, Ikoyi has emerged winner of the inter School Quiz Competition involving primary five pupils drawn from the various branches of the school.

At the end of the contest, which was split into five broad categories – English, Mathematics, Science, General Knowledge and Mind Gym, Corona Victoria Island School clinched the second place while Apapa School came third.

The results of each category were however more democratic, signifying the general brilliance of each participating school. In the English category, Ikoyi and Victoria Island were tied for first position; in Mathematics, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Apapa, and Gbagada also shared first position; in Science, Apapa was number one; in General Knowledge, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Gbagada shared the spoils; while in Mind Gym, Ikoyi claimed top spot.

The first Corona School, Ikoyi Day Nursery established in March 1955 has grown to include seven more institutions; including Corona College of Education which was established with the aim of providing high quality and continuous professional development for teachers.

Sharing the ingredients of their school’s success, a Mathematics teacher in the Ikoyi School, Victor Omidele said their achievement at the quiz competition was as result of constant practice. “It started with practising with the children, using several questions within the curriculum and outside; we went as far as going online to get likely questions, and to God be the glory, at the end of everything we came out tops.

The school’s science teacher, Oladipupo Abdullahi also shared similar sentiments. “It’s been very tasking. We had to put the children through a lot of work. We had to go even a bit above their level, we had to prepare for the unknown because we didn’t know the kind of questions that would be coming up.”

Lauding the quiz initiative which she described as an avenue to learn new things beyond classroom, one of the parents, Mrs. Ehi-Kathy Okechukwu commended the Corona Schools Trust Council, saying the exposure was not only a very valuable experience for the students; but parents as well as she learnt a lot from the questions asked.

Commenting on this year’s competition, the sponsor and member of the Corona Schools’ Trust Council, Dr. Myma Belo-Osagie said the initiative started nine years ago to broaden the scope of students knowledge. “Corona has always maintained a reputation for academic excellence. But what we were lacking at the time was a sense of the world around us. We did not have much general knowledge. And that was why we started this quiz – to help our students appreciate the importance of knowing what is going on outside of their particular bubble.”

She praised the evolving format of the quiz and also implored the students to take advantage of knowledge and academic excellence being inculcated in them as they prepare to be ambassadors of the school.

Belo-Osagie also charged the students to strive to give back to Corona when they finally embrace the larger society. “One thing I would also like to see from all of you in the future is you coming back and contributing to the school, whether by way of giving time via mentoring, or by sharing your talents.

In his remarks, Head Boy of Corona Ikoyi, Adejare Adesoko said the result was through practice, belief and effort. He added that Corona is a place that prepares one for the future and has no doubt that those who passed through the citadel of learning will one day become future ambassadors of the country.

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