The management of the University of Ilorin has expelled a student of the Department of Microbiology, Waliu Salaudeen, who was found guilty of assaulting a female lecturer in the same department.
A statement by the varsity’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, stated that the verdict was handed down by the Student Disciplinary Committee after Salaudeen was arraigned on Monday.
According to him, the student has 48 days to appeal the verdict.
“Salaudeen has since been handed over to the police for further necessary action,” Akogun added.
A letter to Salaudeen by the varsity Registrar, Mrs Fola Olowoleni, obtained by our correspondent, read, “You will recall that you appeared before the Student Disciplinary Committee to defend yourself in respect of an allegation of misconduct levelled against you.
“After due consideration of all the evidence before it, the committee was convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that the allegation of misconduct has been established against you. It has accordingly recommended to the vice-chancellor, who in the exercise of the power conferred on him directed that you, Salaudeen Waliu Aanuoluwa, be expelled from the university.
“Accordingly, you are hereby expelled from the university with immediate effect.
“You are required to submit forthwith all university property in your custody, including your student identity card to the dean of student affairs or his representative and keep off the campus.”
Recall that Salaudeen, alias Captain Walz, a final-year student, who battered a female lecturer, Mrs Rahmat Zakariyau, had explained the reason for his action.
A campus journal, University Campus Journalist, had reported that Salaudeen claimed that he went to the office of the female lecturer to beg her to waive the mandatory Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) course, which he missed due to unforeseen circumstances.
He claimed to have met Mrs Zakariyau numerous times over the matter, adding he only got negative responses before the last Thursday assault on the lecturer.
The suspect, while speaking to the journal, said he was arrested and locked up for two months, which prevented him from attending to his SIWES duties.
The Federal Government has increased Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) research grants to universities and other tertiary institutions to N8.5 billion, up from the N7.5 billion in 2020.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who announced the increment while declaring open the first National Conference on Research, Training and Development in Zaria, noted that in 2019, the grants totaled N5 billion.
The conference, under the theme: “Research, Training and Development in Nigeria’s educational system in the 21st century: challenges and way forward” was organized by the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) Zaria.
The minister, represented by the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for doing a lot in the area of education.
He added that the Federal Government had decided to raise its budgetary allocation to the education sector by 50 percent in next year’s budget, with a view to addressing the funding shortfall for the sector.
The minister stressed the global importance of research in any academic community, saying that the number of academic publications was not enough, as what mattered most was the amount of research grants one attracted to his or her university as a professor or senior academic officer.
The minister congratulated ABU for winning a total of 12 research grants in 2020 from the TETFund as against the five it won in 2019.
“I am really happy that things are gradually changing in ABU. As one of the first generation universities in Nigeria, ABU should not take the rear seat in the area of research and other academic activities,” he said.
The minister recalled with nostalgia some of vibrant intellectual activities organised by students that attracted many to ABU, citing the examples of the popular Moot Court at the Faculty of Law and the Mock Summit at the Department of Political Science and International Studies.
The minister, however, noted with dismay, that those epoch-making events by students had ceased to exist in recent years, although they were beginning to pick up under the leadership of Prof. Kabiru Bala as the institution’s Vice-Chancellor.
Earlier, Prof. Bala, had stressed the importance of research in national development, saying that this was what promoted the Institute of Education to organise the annual national conference on research, training and development.
Violence in and around schools severely impacts educational outcomes, and society pays a heavy price as a result, with an estimated $11 trillion in lost lifetime earnings, according to a new report by the World Bank
Preventing violence in and through school is therefore a prerequisite for girls and boys getting the education they need and deserve, and acquiring the skills, knowledge and values that provide the foundations for strong and inclusive societies.
While there is no doubt that education is transformative, simply going to school is not enough. Real learning, the process of receiving and distilling information, of thinking and creating and producing and socializing, is less likely to happen if a child is scared or traumatized.
This report demonstrates that violence in and around schools negatively impacts educational outcomes, and society pays a heavy price as a result (with an estimate of $11 trillion in lost lifetime earnings)..
Ending violence in and around school (VIAS) is essential to reap the benefits from education and ensure children’s well-being. Receiving an education of good quality is the right of every child, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Education plays a unique role in promoting respect for human rights, and contributing to safe and inclusive societies that do not condone the use of violence, but rather provide children with the skills they will need as adults to find peaceful solutions to conflicts.
VIAS is a threat to both schooling and learning, as well as to children’s well-being, health, and future earnings as adults. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined violence as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against a person or group that results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.” Violence is the result of an abusive use of force.
The harm can be actual or threatened. It can lead to injury or death, but also to trauma or other mental health symptoms. Violence is often multidimensional, as individuals are often subjected to multiple forms of violence and in multiple locations.
VIAS includes but is not limited to child victimization, physical and psychological exploitation, cyber victimization, bullying, fights, and sexual violence. It also includes violence by teachers such as corporal punishment, with potential negative impacts.
Overall, VIAS has major effects on children’s well-being and health, and through reduced attainment and achievement, it reduces earnings and productivity in adulthood.
R- Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika presents the Concept Note for the establishment of the African Aviation and Aerospace University Abuja to the Executive Secretary National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Rasheed in Abuja today
By Favour Nnabugwu
National Universities Commission (NUC) has received note for establishment of Aviation & Aerospace University to expedite action on it.
Executive Secretary, National University Commission, NUC, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed who received the note from the Minister of Aviation, Send Hadi Sirika, said the commission will engage some professors to perfect the concept note for immediate approval.
“I can assure you that by the end of the month (July), we are going to have a brand new University, the first of its kind in Abuja, first African University dedicated to aviation and aerospace study in the country”.
According to the Executive Secretary, “The value of such university can’t be quantified and commended the Minister for his boldness and courage”.
“This aviation under your guidance will be the first to show the way that we can support the establishment of specialized university that won’t only serve us but serve the African region and the International community”. He stated.
Presenting the Concept, Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika said that the ‘African Aviation and Aerospace University Abuja’ will be dedicated to research and development of knowledge in Aviation and Aerospace.
Sirika added that the decision to establish the specialised university was informed by the need to fill some identified gaps in the growth and development of the aviation sector.
“When we took the leadership in civil aviation, we identified and understood the gap in the growth and development of civil aviation in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general”.
The Minister said, “We are deficient in research and development in civil aviation and aerospace technology and that has caused a lot of underdevelopment of the sector and made us to be backward”
Sirika further said that the huge gaps and deficiencies have left the Civil Aviation sector to be managed with basic knowledge of either being a pilot or aircraft maintenance engineer, with no one going into research and development to understand the Civil Aviation and Aerospace industry to grow it for our own betterment and leverage on the sector to recreate the economy, improve the well being, add to the GDP and most importantly to expend knowledge horizon of Nigerians.
“We have been working three to four years now into this and we developed a concept note based on the advice by Executive Secretary NUC for critique and that will fast track the process of setting up the University. We come up with concept note of what will be the focus of this University” he explained.
He added that “the potential of this University to serve the market of civil aviation and aerospace within the continent cannot be overemphasized. Once the University takes off, a lot will happen and it will change the dynamic”.
Sirika expressed gratitude to the Executive Secretary and his team for guiding the process leading to the submission of the concept note and the assurance that it will be expeditiously concluded.
A total of 15,753 students graduated with various degrees at the 51st Convocation Ceremony of the University of Lagos, during which a 71-year-old woman, Marinze Ifeyinwa Felicia, is among the 148 to be awarded doctorate degree in various fields.
This is just as the late former Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, will be given the position of Emeritus Professorship (Post-Humous).
Briefing newsmen on Wednesday, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said a total of 7,754 would be awarded first degree in various disciplines, while 7,999 would bag postgraduate degrees and diploma in various fields also.
Out of the figures, 281 has first class degree, with the highest number of 70 coming from the Faculty of Engineering.
“The best graduating student with the highest CGPA is Alimi Ibrahim Adedeji 4.98 from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering. He has emerged as the Best Graduating Student. He is closely followed by Popoola Victoria Opeyemi with the CGPA of 4.90 from the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences and also has the best result in the Humanities.
‘The best overall Ph.D thesis for this year’s graduating student was presented by Moruf Rasheed Olatunji from the Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science. Mesagan Peter Ekundayo from the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences will be awarded the best Ph.D thesis in the Humanities.
“We have a record in the university, Marinze Ifeyinwa Felicia born on 6th March, 1950 (now 71 years old) will be the oldest to be awarded a Ph.D degree in the history of the university. She has just demonstrated to the world that age is no barrier to attaining any height, ” he said.
Mrs Felicia Marinze, a 71-year-old PhD student of the University of Lagos, has emerged as one of the best graduating students from the institution’s School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS).
The title of Marinze’s thesis is: “Evaluation de la Competence Communicative Orale du Francais Des Apprenants Nationale Diploma Des Polytechniques Seledionness du Nigeria’’.
He added that Olatunji Moruf from the Department of Marine Science and Ekundayo Mesagan of the Department of Economics would also be awarded the best PhD thesis in Humanities, alongside Marinze.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe announced this at a news conference on activities lined up for the institution’s 51st convocation on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to Ogundipe, Marinze (PhD French) with matriculation number 849003042, from the Department of European Languages and International Studies, will be the oldest to be awarded a PhD degree in the history of the university.
He added that the 71-year-old, with the best PhD thesis, had just demonstrated to the world that age was never a barrier to attaining any height.a
The VC announced that honorary doctorate degrees would be awarded Dr Ameyo Stella-Adadevoh ( Post-Humous), Dr Biodun Olusina Shobanjo, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, and Dr Kessington Adebutu.
The Convocation Lecture will be delivered by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele on “National development and knowledge economy in the digital age: Leapfrogging SMEs into the 21st Century.”
The governing board of the National Examinations Council, NECO, has approved the appointment of Mr. Ebikibina John Ogborodi as the Acting Registrar/Chief Executive of the Council.
The appointment followed the death of the Registrar, Professor Godswill Obioma on Monday, June 1, 2021, after a brief illness.
Until his appointment, Mr. Ogborodi was the Director of Special Duties in the Council.
A circular issued by the Director, Human Resource Management, Mr. Mustapha K. Abdul, explained that the Acting Registrar’s appointment was endorsed by the governing board at its emergency meeting held on June 2, 2021.
The circular explained that Mr. Ogborodi’s appointment was as a result of his being the most Senior Director in the Council. The Circular also stated that all activities of the Council are to continue unabated as earlier planned.
Mr. Ogborodi hails from Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He obtained his first degree from the University of Jos in 1986 and a Master’s Degree in Learning Disability from the same university in 1999.
The Acting Registrar joined the service of NECO in 1999 and had served in different capacities.
He was a former Acting Director, Examination Development Department; Acting Director, Office of the Registrar; Director, General Services and Director, Human Resource Management among others
Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of National Examinations Council (NECO) Professor Godswill Obioma has been killed in Minna.
Professor Obioma died on Monday night in Minna, the capital of Niger state.
Gunmen were said to have invade his residence in Minna, Niger State and strangled him to death after he returned from Abuja.
Obioma who was born as a native of Amaokpu, Nkpa, Bende Local Government Area, Abia State was appointed as the Registrar of NECO on the 22nd of May 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In 1975, he graduated from Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education where he studied mathematics and physics, graduating with distinction and as the overall best graduating student.
He was known to have started his career at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka as a research fellow, after previously been retained by the same institution when he graduated. He left the university in 1988 and moved to the University of Jos and became the head of the research division of the institute of education as a senior research fellow.
In 1991 at the age of 38, he was appointed a professor of mathematics education and evaluation at the University of Jos, becoming the head of a department, department of science, mathematics and technology education in 1993.
He served as the special assistant on policy monitoring and evaluation to the military administrator of Abia State in 1994.
Obioma served as the director, monitoring and evaluation of the National Primary Education Commission, Kaduna from 1994 to 2000 before becoming the director, monitoring and evaluation, Universal Basic Education Programme, Abuja in 2000.
He served as the director, monitoring, research and statistics, National Board for Technical Education (NABTEB), Benin City from 2003 to 2005.
Killers of the NECO boss are yet to be known, as Police are yet to release a statement.
Twenty-six days after the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, Nigeria was conducted, results are released of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, for private candidates 2021.
The Head of the Nigeria National office, WAEC, Mr. Patrick Areghan made this known in Lagos as females take the lead on minimum of five credits subjects including English Language and Mathematics.
Breakdown the results, he said, “A total of Seven Thousand Six Hundred and Ninety (7,690) (representing a 38% decline, when compared with the 2020 entry figure)entered for the examination, while Seven Thousand Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine (7,289) candidates actually sat the examination at Two Hundred and Fifty-Two (252) centres spread across the nooks and crannies of the country.
Though he attributed the decline in theentry figure to the negative impact of the COVID– 19 pandemic.
“A total of Twenty-Three (23) candidates with varying degrees of Special Needs were registered for the examination. Out of this number, Six (6) were visually challenged, Two (2)had impaired hearing; Five (5) were Albino; One (1)was spastic cum mentally challenged, and Nine (9) were physically challenged with their results processed and also released.
“Of the total number of Seven Thousand Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine (7,289) candidates that sat the examination, Three Thousand Five Hundred and
Ninety-Three (3,593) were males while Three Thousand Six Hundred and Ninety-Six (3,696) were females, representing 49.29 percent and 50.71 percent respectively.
“Of this number, One Thousand and Seventy-Four (1,074) i.e. 48.93 percent were male candidates, while One Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-One (1,121) i.e. 51.07 percent were female candidates.
The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2019 and 2020, that is, those who obtained credit and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, were 26.08 percent and 32.23 percent respectively. Thus, there is a marginal decrease of 2.12 percent” Mr Areghan noted.
The Federal Government has offered a cumulative sum of N75 billion to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to address earned academic allowances and revitalization of universities.
FG and ASUU seem to have reached a compromise as the former has agreed to address earned academic allowances and revitalization of universities
The Federal Government also on Friday, November 20, 2020, agreed to exclude members of the ASUU from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) after months of negotiation pending
when the university lecturers will complete the development of its own payment platform- the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS.
Besides, government agreed to ASUU’s demand to pay their members’ salary arrears from February to June through the old salary payment platform – the Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System, GIFMIS.
The new offer was made by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige after a seven hour meeting between the government team and the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, at the Ministry of Labour headquarters, Abuja.
Giving a breakdown of the N65 billion Senator Ngige said the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, has offered to release N40 billion or in the alternative, N35 billion to be shared by all the registered trade unions in the universities after providing necessary evidence of having earned the allowance.
The Federal Government on Friday agreed to exempt the Academic Staff Union of Universities from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System pending when the university lecturers will complete the development of its own payment platform- the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
The government also agreed to ASUU’s demand to pay their members’ salary arrears from February to June through the old salary payment platform – the Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System.
After weeks of negotiations and foot – dragging, the government offered to raise the Earned Academic Allowances to university staff from N30bn to N35bn and the revitalisation fund from N20bn to N25bn.
Cumulatively, the government, through the Accountant – General of the Federation, offered the lectures N65 billion to call off their eight – month old strike.
The government also shifted grounds on a number of issues, including the insistence that all the academic staff of the federal universities must be paid through the IPPIS platform.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who read out the communique at the end of a seven-hour negotiation with ASUU members in Abuja, the funds will be shared by all the registered Trade Unions in the universities after providing necessary evidence of having earned the allowance.
Responding to the demand for immediate payment of 50 percent of the initial amount allotted for revitalisation which translates to N110 billion, Ngige said it was not possible because of paucity of funds.
He said, “The government however, offered to pay N25 billion based on the Memorandum of Action (MoA) of 7th February, 2019 signed with ASUU or in the alternative, urged ASUU to accept N30 billion with the reduction in the earlier Earned Allowances. Between the revitalisation and earned allowances, the FG has offered a cumulative sum of N65 billion.”
According to him, “The Federal Government reiterated that her offer of N40 billion or N35 billion whichever is accepted by ASUU was for all the universities unions: ASUU had proposed that N40 billion be paid immediately for all unions.”
The Minister said all Vice Chancellors are expected to submit details of the Earned Academic Allowances/Earned Allowances to the National Universities Commission, NUC, on or before November 30.
On the issue of withheld salaries, Ngige said the federal ministry of labour and Federal Ministry of Education will review the issue of ‘no work, no pay’ as stipulated in section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act Cap T8 laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004 with a view to getting approval for the withheld salaries to be paid.
He said the lecturers will also be paid on the old platform pending the time.
“We are also reviewing how the lecturers will be paid on the old platform (Government Integrated Financial Management Information System ) until UTAS is ready for usage,” he said.
Also speaking, the National president of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said ASUU will take the new offer to its members.
He said, “We will give the government our response by next week after discussing with our members.”
Recall that ASUU had demanded N110 billion for revitalisation which should be paid in tranches.
The university teachers had also insisted that the N30 billion the government promised to release for Earned Allowances was only for their members.
However the government said that the money was for the four university based unions, ASUU, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, SSANU, Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT.
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has rescheduled its examinations scheduled for Oct. 22, 23 and 24 to November, owing to insecurity and curfew imposed by some states.
Mr Azeez Sani, Head, Information and Public Relations Division (NECO) said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
Sani said that the affected papers were now scheduled for Nov. 17, 18 and 19.
”This is to inform the general public and especially candidates that the National Examinations Council (NECO) has been constrained by circumstances beyond its control, to reschedule the papers meant for Thursday, Oct. 22, Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24.
”The affected papers are now scheduled for 17th, 18th and 19th November 2020.
”The examination time table for these papers will be made available subsequently.
“These changes were due to the security challenges, which led to the imposition of curfew and closure of schools by some state governments in order to safeguard lives and properties,’’ he said.
Sani said that the development became difficult for the council to move examination materials across the country.
”The Council prays that the examinations will continue on Tuesday, Oct. 27, all things being equal, with the papers as originally scheduled in the examination time table,’’ he said
