Education
Labour Threatens 3-Day Warning Strike Over University Lecturers’ Strike
By Derrick Bangura
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a 21-day ultimatum after which it would commence on a three-day nationwide warning strike if the federal government continues to ignore the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The congress also said it would hold a national protest within the 21-day ultimatum issued to the federal government.
The NLC President, Ayubba Wabba, stated this on Thursday, during a pre-May Day rally held in Abuja.
He said the 21-day ultimatum would be for the federal government to meet the demands of ASUU and the three – university-based unions: Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
The NLC president said: “Within the span of the subsisting 21-day ultimatum given by Congress, the NLC will hold national protests against the current strike action affecting students of Nigeria’s public universities and occasioned by government’s failure to honour agreement reached with trade unions in our universities.
“The protest is to draw the attention of government to the inherent catastrophe in the emerging culture of social apartheid in our society especially as marked by prolonged lockout of students from working class and poor homes from our public universities while the children of the rich continue their academic pursuits uninterrupted.
“If at the end of the national protest and the 21-day ultimatum, the federal government still fails to resolve the industrial crises in Nigerian universities, the Congress would be left with no other option than to embark on a 3-day nationwide warning strike action in solidarity with our affiliates in the universities and with Nigerian students whose future and wellbeing are being robbed.”
ASUU had on February 14,2022, announced a four-week roll-over strike following the inability of the union and the federal government to reach a common ground on the demands of university lecturers.
Some of ASUU’s demands include the release of revitalisation funds for universities, implementation of the re-negotiated 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement and the release of earned allowances for university lecturers.
Others are deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers.
Following the expiration of the initial four weeks of the warning strike, ASUU went ahead to declare another eight weeks strike, saying it was giving the government more time to meet its demands.
Education
NELFUND Disburses Over N20bn in Student Loans, Assures Transparency
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed a total of N20,074,050,000 in institutional fees, benefiting no fewer than 192,906 students across tertiary institutions in the country.
Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director of NELFUND, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
According to him, the Fund has received loan applications from no fewer than 364,042 students, while about 169,114 students have so far benefitted from NELFUND’s monthly stipends disbursement. He added that N12,818,960,000 had been disbursed as stipends, with each student receiving N20,000.
Expressing gratitude to the government, Sawyerr said, “We appreciate the unwavering support of President Bola Tinubu in making higher education accessible to all deserving Nigerian students.”
He further assured that NELFUND remains committed to transparency and efficiency in managing the student loan scheme, promising to continue providing accurate updates as disbursements progress.
Education
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
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
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