Education
NUC permits UK varsities to operate in Nigeria
NUC permits UK varsities to operate in Nigeria
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted permission for the London Academy of Business School (LABS) in partnership with University of Sunderland, United Kingdom, to operate in Nigeria.
To that effect, their first academic session is expected to commence in January 2024 at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) in Abuja.
According to a statement released on Thursday, a delegation from the University of Sunderland, led by Dr Derek Watson, confirmed this after a meeting held in Abuja with the acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Chris Maiyaki.
Watson, an associate professor from the Faculty of Business Law and Tourism, assured that students in Nigeria would have the same academic standards as their counterparts in the UK, while the management, at the same time, promised to respect the environment and guidelines from the NUC.
In his words, “The meeting with the executive secretary was very productive. The University of Sunderland has over 30 years of experience.
“What we have agreed on today is the criticality of following the compliance procedures. In addition to that, we would source credible academics to deliver our programmes from LABS who are qualified teachers and also practising consultants. The students will get the same experience as those students studying in England.”
President/Director of Studies, London Academy Business School, Dr Larry Jones-Esan, explained that the visit to NUC was to get the nod to run programmes in Nigeria.
He said, “The meeting with the NUC today is for us to get the recognition that we are allowed to run the Sunderland courses in Nigeria. So, we do not need the NUC accreditation, what we need is recognition. That is very important because if we run any course in Nigeria without them recognising it, that degree is useless and they cannot do NYSC, so we do not want that to be the case.
“So for us to do that, we have to get their permission first before we go out there and start recruiting students. Otherwise, we will be shooting ourselves in the foot. If they come here and say you are doing something illegal, you will pay a fine and before you get out of that, it will be too much.”
Read Also: NUC takes action to address energy situation in universities
He stated further, “So what we have done is that we bring those people in and come in. Myself as the CEO of the London Academy Business School, make sure that we have them aware of what we are doing.
“Today is a very important day for the London Academy Business School in partnership with the University of Sunderland. We met with the executive secretary of the National University Commission and discussions went as planned, making sure that we do things right.
“One thing that came out very clear is that they want people to work with them but work in a way that they respect the authority, and respect the system and the environment.
“So we are going to make sure that everything we do follows the guidelines. We have very beautiful guidelines but if you fail to follow them, you might run into trouble. If two million people apply for university admissions every year in Nigeria and only seven hundred thousand are getting a place, that is a problem and that is a challenge. They want to solve that problem and we think we have come at the right time.
“We thank the delegates from the University of Sunderland working with the London Academy Business School in making sure that this gives results as quickly as possible.”
Earlier, the team visited the Nigerian Public Service Institute along Kubwa Road, Abuja, which is going to serve as the study centre and they were received by the administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the institute, Abdul-Ganiyu Obatayinbo.
The administrator said the environment was far better than what the University of Sunderland has in the UK, adding that the institute was saddled with the responsibility of building the capacity of public/civil servants.
He said that the institute has a 500-seat auditorium, 12 different halls of 30 seater capacity each, hostels with 202 bedrooms, a hospital, security quarters, a sports complex, entrepreneurship centre among other facilities, that would make teaching and learning conducive.
Some of the courses to be offered at the undergraduate level include computer science, business and management, and network system engineering, among others, while business administration, international business management, and education leadership, among others, will be offered at the master’s level.
NUC permits UK varsities to operate in Nigeria
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
Education
Wike backs amendment of TET Fund Act to accommodate Nigerian Law School
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.
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