Education

ASUU: There’s nothing to celebrate in Nigeria at 62

Published

2 years ago

September 30, 2022

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday, lambasted the Federal Government, saying there is nothing for Nigerians to celebrate, as the country marks its 62nd Independence anniversary tomorrow, October 1.

University lecturers have for more than seven months embarked on strike action, which has paralysed academic activities in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

In an interview with The Guardian, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said from politics and economy to security, education, healthcare and religion, the country has failed to live up to the dreams of its founding fathers at the dawn of Independence in 1960.

He said it was regrettable that 62 years after the nation’s independence, it was still grappling with leadership challenges.

He said: “When you take a look at all the sectors, you ask yourself, what are we celebrating? In Nigeria today, a flight from Abuja to Lagos is about N100,000 and anybody going by road is not sure of his safe arrival. Civil servants are earning N30,000 a month, which is less than a bag of rice.

“There is nothing to celebrate, our children are at home; those in secondary schools have been taken over by private schools where little or nothing is happening. I think we should just use this period to reflect on all the things that have gone wrong in the country and how to address them. Our young men and women are at home and the government is not bothered. It is a very sad development.”

He called on the Federal Government to increase the annual budgetary allocation to education as recommended by UNESCO.

“It is very easy to address some of the challenges we are facing. Go to the countries around us, they have made education a priority. Ghana dedicates over 20 per cent of its national budget to education and we give just 5.3 per cent, which means we don’t have any value for education.

“Any government that is serious about education will allocate a huge part of its budget to education and train the youth,” he said.

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the elite in Nigeria must make sacrifices for the benefit of citizens, who also should be deliberate to create unity, with equity, justice, rule of law, accountability as components.

This was the summation of Prof Osinbajo’s remarks yesterday at the ‘Nigeria at 62 Independence Day Anniversary Public Lecture’ held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

He said: “We who are the elite are a privileged class, but privilege comes with responsibility. It is the French who describe it as ‘Noblesse Oblige,’ the responsibility of privilege.”

Osinbajo noted that “the story of successful societies is the story of how the society’s elite – its best educated, its political and religious class, influence, direct and lead their societies to progress.

“Put differently, every successful society is the product of a conscious, elite consensus; the implicit and explicit agreements of the elite to change their societies for good. But the elite must be prepared to make the sacrifices for the benefit of everyone.”

While the Vice President noted the temptation for society’s elite, whether political, religious or intellectual, to seek benefits for self only, the greater good demands a higher sense of sacrifice and responsibility.

The guest lecturer at the event was the former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, who spoke on the topic, Elite and National Unity.

Afolabi noted what he described as the “immense responsibility of the Nigerian elite,” which is in resolving the country’s challenges, fostering national unity and development.

SPEAKING in same vein, a policy advocacy group, Citizens’ Common International (CCI), has said Nigeria’s 62nd Independence anniversary was coming at a time that calls for sober reflection and collective action.

While stressing that a time like this required a sharp focus on building a nation that works for many and not a few, the group said the country today is far from the dreams of its founding fathers.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Executive Director of CCI, Olalekan Oshunkoya, enjoined all Nigerians to contribute their quota towards steering the country away from the brink.

Oshunkoya said CCI is collaborating with critical stakeholders to conduct a national survey among youths on what elected leaders should be doing to deliver the new Nigeria young people desire.

He explained that the research tagged: ‘The Nigeria Youth Voice Survey’ is expected to cover 24 cities across the federation.

“As we explore our fate in Nigeria’s future, we are asking our peers to share their experiences on what it means to be a Nigerian. We are also asking about deepening our democracy, political participation, inclusion and active citizenship.”

Also, the Director-General, International Law, Diplomacy & Economy Research Centre, Ndubuisi Idejiora-Kalu, said the findings and opinions from the survey will be compiled into a publication titled: ‘A Nigeria for the Many: A manifesto for the Nigeria we desire.’

MEANWHILE, Nigerians have been called upon to vote for candidates with history of positive performances, capable with skills to transform the lives of the masses. This was made known by the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Cyril Omorogbe, in Uyo, where he added that unqualified and greedy leaders were the bane of Nigeria’s development 62 years after attaining independence.

He lamented that the country has not been lucky when it comes to leadership. Omorogbe vowed not to be instrumental in giving people bad leaders, as he vowed to protect people’s votes by ensuring their choices emerge through their votes.

He called on politicians to go out and convince the people based on what they intend to do with their mandate to improve the lives of citizens, rather than plotting to rig on election day.

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Education

OISD Empowers Teachers with Digital Literacy and AI Skills to Revolutionize Education in Nigeria

Published

1 week ago

December 17, 2024

Matthew Eloyi

OISD Empowers Teachers with Digital Literacy and AI Skills to Revolutionize Education in Nigeria

The Organization for Innovation and Sustainable Development (OISD) has taken a significant step toward transforming education in Nigeria by organizing a one-day special training on digital literacy for secondary school teachers in Abuja.

The event, held at the OISD Training Centre in Abuja, was designed to equip educators with essential digital skills and increase awareness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance their teaching impact.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Jamilu Yusuf Dan-Ummah, the Executive Director of OISD, introduced the theme of the program: “Empowering Educators: Advancing Digital Literacy and AI Awareness for Secondary School Impact.” He emphasized the critical role teachers play in shaping the future of education and the need to adapt to the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Mr. Dan-Ummah highlighted that the objective of the training was to bridge the digital gap in classrooms by empowering teachers with the knowledge and tools to integrate digital literacy and AI-driven solutions into their teaching methods.

According to him, educators must stay ahead of technological advancements to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

“This training is a response to the growing demand for educators who can leverage digital tools and AI to deliver effective learning experiences. Our goal is to ensure that teachers are not just aware of these technologies but are also capable of applying them to improve student outcomes,” Mr. Dan-Ummah stated.

The program brought together secondary school teachers from various schools across Abuja, providing them with hands-on training on essential digital tools, interactive learning platforms, and AI concepts.

Facilitators at the event shared insights on how to use technology to make lessons more engaging, foster critical thinking, and prepare students for a technology-driven world.

The event concluded with participants expressing their appreciation for the training and the actionable insights they gained. Some of the teachers highlighted the importance of continuous capacity-building programs to keep up with emerging educational trends.

Education

Army chief charges junior officers to be enterprising and resourceful

Published

2 weeks ago

December 12, 2024

Saadatu Sahabo

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has charged students of the Junior Course 98 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, to be enterprising, diligent and resourceful.

Oluyede gave the charge while addressing the students at their regimental dinner night on Wednesday in Jaji, Kaduna State.

According to him, possessing the attributes will enable them build successfully on their career and personal lives.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dinner night is one of the major events lined up for the graduation of the students on Friday.

Oluyede said the objective of the college was to develop the professional knowledge and understanding of selected officers to prepare them for staff and command appointments.

He said the officers in the last 23 weeks had learnt some vital concepts like counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, estimate process and manoeuvring approach to warfare and peace support operations.

“It is also gratifying that you learnt the rudiments of time management, perseverance, determination, team spirit, staff work, and self-confidence and most importantly, discipline while on this course.

“Your leadership, dedication and ability to inspire and guide your teams are essential to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and excellence.

”As junior leaders, you must be able to inspire confidence in subordinates and not lead through intimidation or be overtly coercive.

“Your impact significantly contributes to the overall plan and objectives at the operational and strategic levels, “he said.

The army chief congratulated the students on the successful completion of their course

NAN reports that prizes were given to students who distinguished themselves

Education

Wike backs amendment of TET Fund Act to accommodate Nigerian Law School

Published

2 weeks ago

December 10, 2024

Saadatu Sahabo

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has backed ongoing calls for the amendment of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TET Fund) to accommodate the Nigerian Law School in its interventions.

Wike announced the support at the inauguration of the construction of 10-unit housing staff quarters for the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja, on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister also handed over seven operation vehicles to the school to improve its operation.

The minister said that the amendment of the TET Fund Act to accommodate the Nigerian Law School was long overdue, considering its contribution to the development of the legal profession.

“This is a professional training school. So, we will give all the necessary support that the Fund be amended for the law school to benefit from its special intervention funds.

“If that happens, I am sure the difference will be clear. The school will have the money it requires to provide critical infrastructure,” he said.

Wile also called for increased budgetary provisions for the Nigerian Law School to enable the school to carry out infrastructural development for quality service delivery.

He explained that the provision of staff quarters and operational vehicles to the law school in Bwari was directed by President Bola Tinubu.

He added that the institution also belongs to the Federal Government, and as such, there was nothing wrong in providing the needed infrastructure to uplift the school.

The minister also promised to build 200-bed male and female hostels for the Nigerian Laws School, Bwari.

According to him, the current hostels are not fit for the training of professional lawyers for the Nigerian legal profession

He said that the funds for the construction of the hostels would be captured in the FCTA’s 2025 budget.

He called on those who might not be happy with the support being given to the judiciary and legal education to wait for their turn.

He said: “If anybody is angry with us, let him wait for his turn. When you become the Minister of FCT, do it for your own profession.

“I am not going to be intimidated by anybody.

“Now that we are in this position, we must contribute to our constituency so that tomorrow, we will be able to say, while we were there, this was our own contribution as far as our constituency, the legal profession is concerned.”

He thanked Tinubu for giving him all the support he needs to succeed as the minister of the FCT.

Also, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, equally frowned at the non-inclusion of the Nigerian Law School as a benefiting institution.

“If you look at the laws setting up TET Fund, the Nigerian Law School is not included, and I think the time has come to amend the Act to include the Nigerian Law School.

“This will enable the school benefit for the TET Fund intervention funds,” he said.

Fagbemi thanked Wike, whom he described as “Mr Project” for all the support to the judiciary and the legal profession.

“Whether or not you like him, you cannot dispute the fact that he is a performer, and one person you will always know where he stands, no matter what, even if you don’t agree with him.

“Another thing is, he does not embark on any project he has no money to complete,” he said.

He appealed to other public office holders to extend a similar gesture to the Nigerian Law School to enable the school to maintain high standards in the training of legal professionals.

On his part, the Director-General, Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isah Chiroma, recalled that he had appealed to Wike for infrastructural support when he assumed office in August 2023.

“This project, is therefore, a promise made and a promise kept. The housing and operational vehicles will go a long way in assisting the school to achieve its mandate,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Richard Dauda, acting Executive Secretary, said that staff quarters would consist of a fully furnished four-bedroom bungalow, and expected to be completed in nine months.