Workers of private universities are not known to go on strike.  But this is not the case at the Wesley University, Ondo (WUNO), where incessant strike is threatening its stability, report KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE and DAMISI OJO.

THE selling point of private universities over the years has been that they do not lose time on their academic calendars because of strike.  Prolonged strikes by workers’ union in public universities contributed to the proliferation of private universities which made their debut about 16 years ago.  This advantage convinced many parents to choose private universities.  The assurance that they would know when their wards would graduate right from the start encouraged many of them to make financial sacrifices to pay the fees charged by these institutions.

But the promise of uninterrupted academic calendar is not being fulfilled at the Wesley University, Ondo (WUNO), where workers have been going on strike regularly to protest non-payment of salaries.

In July 2015, the university, which started as the Wesley University of Science and Technology, had to go on a forced mid-semester break following workers’ refusal to work because of salary arrears of 21 months.  The strike delayed the conduct of the institution’s second semester examinations.

In 2016, the school was shut for similar reasons.

The same situation is repeating itself now as the lecturers have refused to teach for some weeks now though the institution has denied there is a strike.  Some parents complained to The Nation that their wards were not being taught despite having paid the fees. They regretted that it was a recurring problem in the institution owned by the Methodist Church.

A woman who did not wish to be named, to protect her daughter, an Accounting student, said: “My daughter is coming back.  There is a strike. They are telling lies.  She said they have not been taught since last week.

“When I spoke to a lecturer in the institution, he said that parents owed the school almost N200 million in fees; he said we should not take our children away. But I asked how they allowed parents to owe that much.

“This is not the first time the strike is happening.  My daughter is in 200-Level.  Last year, there was a strike as well which lasted two weeks.”

The parent lamented that the problem that forced parents away from public institutions was now bedeviling WUNO.

“It is a terrible experience because this is what we were running from.  That is why we sacrificed to put our children in private schools so they will come out on time.  It is unfortunate,” she.

Another parent, names withheld, also confirmed the strike.

“We have a situation where the studnets are not being taught.  My son is presently at home.  He has been home since last week.  I think this is the third time this is happening and he is in 200 Level.

“They are collecting money from us but my son is not being taught. I feel bad about it.  When they resumed, for almost three weeks there were no lectures. And I was sending him money to feed.  They just started teaching them about two weeks ago before this present case again,” he said.

A Law student of the university, who preferred not to be mentioned, lamented that WUNO proprietors were underfunding the institution even though its academic standard was high.

He said workers, especially lecturers, were not receiving their salaries regularly to aid motivation and encouragement.

He said the lecturers were ready to impact knowledge but could not work on empty stomachs.

He urged the management of the institution to dialogue with its owners to allocate more funds for its proper running.

A lecturer in the department of Biological Science who also spoke in confidence on phone said workers were being owed for varying periods.

“Some workers are owed 20 months, some 15, others 10 months’ salaries.  Last year, we were on strike for three months.  We returned to work without a tangible solution to the problem.

“The proprietors used to pay one or two months out of the backlog and the situation persists till now.

Apart from the present economic hardship in the country, the lecturer hinged the problem in the university to alleged mismanagement of funds by its management.

He also accused the proprietors of nonchalance towards uplifting the institution.

A parent, who lives in Akure, Mrs. Mary Onitiri, a widow, said the frequent strike over non-payment of workers and lecturers were affecting the academic activities in the university.

She noted that her son, a Law undergraduate, said the teachers’ plight was negatively affecting the students.

Mrs. Onitiri urged the Methodist Church, Nigeria to strive hard to ensure proper funding of the institution in the interest of the future of their children.

When our correspondent visited the university, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Olu Aderounmu, the former Provost, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, was not available for comments.

However, Mcnezer Faseun, a Senior Assistant Registrar (SAR), who doubles as the Legal Adviser/Head of the Public Relations Unit of the institution, noted that the development was not peculiar to the university alone, but the larger society.

Faseun said the economic hardship in the country had made it difficult to pay salaries.

“With the present economic hardship, no educational institution, banks, agronomy, import and export promotion is not feeling the pinch.

“For instance, almost all the states cannot afford to pay salaries as at when due.  Most administrations had to propose to their workers the understanding of leaving the inherited backlog of salaries till later day to enable them pay their current salaries.

Fasehun explained that the reason the institution had teething problem was because of its restriction to being a University of Science and Technology without cognizance of the fact that the academic history of the host community was the pursuit of Medicine and Law which were not part of the courses the university started with which would have guaranteed enrolment.

On the recent accredited courses by the National Universities Commission (NUC) Faseun said the development  was made possible through effort of the incumbent management to give a new lease of life to the institution away from original challenges.

He said the institution would be offer courses including Law, para-medical courses like nursing, Post Graduate courses in Management Sciences and Participation in the Joint Universities Pre-degree Board (JUPEB) programmes among others.

Faseun said the management was doing everything possible to prioritise the welfare of the workers and students in the institution.

The Methodist Bishop of Owo Diocese, Revd Solomon Adegbite during the recent synod admitted that the institution is still crawling’, stressing that measure had been taken to correct the ills of the past, but efforts be doubled to clean the mess associated with the University through shortage of funding.

This, the cleric noted made it difficult for the staff to receive their salaries as at when due.

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The Zamfara Government on Friday awarded contracts for the renovation of two secondary schools at a cost of N591 million.

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Some teachers in one of the privately owned primary schools in Edo State have been arrested for allegedly attempting to manipulate the conduct of the Primary School Leaving Certificate examination held across the state yesterday.

They were arrested on the orders of Governor Godwin Obaseki who paid an unscheduled visit to some schools where the examination held.

Obaseki was at the schools to ascertain the level of sanity and orderliness during public examinations.

The governor expressed displeasure over activities noticed at Ologbosere Primary School in Ikpoba Okha Local Government where an official and a private school teacher accompanied their pupils to sit for the primary six examinations.

Other centres visited by the governor included Ebenezer Primary Schools, Ivbyenova Primary School, St Saviour and George Idah Primary School.

Obaseki said his visit was part of his quest to reposition basic education with a view to bringing glory back to education

The governor, who declared that the era of malpractice during examinations was over, wondered why some parents wanted to gain access into the examination venue.

According to him: “We are bothered about the corruption and malpractices in examination process, as you can see, a lot of parents had to be kept out particularly those from the private schools who may have paid for their children to do well.

“They wanted access into the schools to be able to influence the process of the exams and they were stopped.

“I am happy that our officials have done well in ensuring that the standards we require and want to set are met.

“For the private school teachers who were caught trying to influence the examination, they would face the law as we are going to investigate them and l am sure that the Ministry of Education has its own rules on how to deal with such matters.

“We decided that we will have the examination for primary six pupils which is a standard exam properly monitored.

“As a policy, we have decided that this exam should be reorganised and made a lot better and professional.”

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Osayuware Idahosa, said the challenge of shortage of examination materials was mitigated.

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Mr Nwankwo Ndukwu, Publicity Secretary, Rivers chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has urged the Federal Government to recruit indigenous language teachers to fill vacancies in Unity Secondary Schools.

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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it has posted 2,000 corps members to Gombe State for the 2017 batch ‘A’ stream II service year.

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Osun govt urges parents, students to plead with unions

The Osun State government has urged parents, students and other stakeholders of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) to plead with the institution’s joint unions to stop frustrating steps by owner-governments to get it back on track.
The government said it was uncomfortable with the prolonged strike that has kept Nigeria’s future leaders at home for months.
In a statement yesterday in Osogbo, the state acpital, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adelani Baderinwa, expressed shock over the suit filed by LAUTECH’s joint unions to stop the auditing of the university’s accounts, as recommended by the visitation panel set up to investigate and resolve the crisis that has crippled the institution.
According to him, the state government found it shocking and counter-productive the suit filed by the unions at the Oyo State High Court.
Baderinwa said the auditing of the LAUTECH’s Ogbomoso accounts was recommended by the Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) visitation panel, adding that the owner-states appointed a reputable accounting firm, KPMG, to do the job.
The commissioner said the LAUTECH unions, besides chasing out the KPMG workers from the university, have allegedly persistently been working against the recommendation of the Olanipekun panel, except where the owner-states are asked to raise funds.

THE Oyo and Osun state governments have constituted a seven-man Governing Council for Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

They said the council will be headed by a retired Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Prof Oladapo Afolabi.

In a statement yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Olalekan Allli, named Prof Lai Olurode, Prof. (Mrs) Olaide Adedokun, Mr. Abiodun  AbdulJelil Owonikoko (SAN), Mr. Isiaka Olagoke, Mr. Tise Adenipekun and Bade Adesina as members of the Governing council.

Alli said Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola, acted on the powers conferred on them by the laws establishing the institution as visitors, met and approved the Governing Council of LAUTECH with Prof Afolabi as chairman and pro-chancellor.

The SSG noted that the tenure of the Governing Council, as mandated by the University Law, shall be four years from the date of its inauguration, unless determined by the visitors.

Alli said the visitors also directed the immediate inauguration of the Governing Council, whose mandate “shall also be guided by the provisions of the relevant laws establishing the university”.

He added that the visitors were confident that with this development, the crisis in the institution would be resolved.

The SSG urged the stakeholders to cooperate with the council in its determination to realise its mandate.

The post Oyo, Osun constitute LAUTECH’s Governing Council appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Professor of African Studies, University of Texas, Austin United States, Toyin Falola, has urged Nigerian government to hold university administrators accountable for funds allocated to them.

Falola also recommended cost sharing between states and beneficiaries of  the school system in the country.

Falola spoke at the first distinguished lecture of the Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN). The lecture was titled: ‘Contemporary issues in the management of higher education in Nigeria.’

He said the culture of something for nothing is no longer realistic  amid increased stress at the local and global economy levels.

He added that state funds should be geared towards providing better learning facilities, environment, teachers and condition of service to ensure quality graduates.

Falola added: “By providing funding, creating new types of universities, making it cheaper to attend school, using the appropriate languages, teaching the right skills, helping currently unemployed citizens to find jobs, we can rise above our present predicament and take our place on the global scale.”

He said creation of more universities without focus will further complicate the falling standard of education in Nigeria.

His words: “As long as more and more universities are established with less emphasis on service and merit, so long will standards continue to fall. Why not focus on better funding of existing ones? The ruling elites in collaboration with the post-colonial state are busy establishing new universities for parochial reasons.

“The Federal and state governments create new universities with limited prior planning. And private universities have emerged with goals that are not always connected with imparting knowledge and building capacity for national development.

“Add to the problem is undue government intervention in the university system through the instrumentality of the National Universities Commission (NUC). The NUC has over the years, abandoned its traditional regulatory role as stipulated in the edict that established it several decades ago.

“The NUC has become so powerful that it has usurped the duties of university Senates and councils to the detriment of the requisite autonomy the system needs in order to operate as centre of research and learning. Today, the NUC dictates to vice chancellors and determines university programmes, admissions, and policies without due consideration for their individual peculiarities and comparative advantages.

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GOtv Ambassador and veteran singer, Daddy Showkey, has underscored the need for vocational skills training of pupils.

He spoke at the graduation of Rybeka Model College, Ajegunle, Lagos.

“I always advise people that there is nothing greater than making a child develop a skill. I could remember that in my time, I used to represent my school in debate competitions and those things have impacted me today.

“Vocational skills promote entrepreneurship. I am strongly advocating that government should reintroduce vocational studies into the school curriculum. The reason most people  are waiting for the government to provide jobs is because of lack of vocational training. Vocational schools will make our teeming youth population self-dependent,’’ he said.

The musician rewarded four pupils with GOtv decoders for their outstanding academic performances. Showkey, who was born and raised in Ajegunle, said it was necessary for him to give back to his society and encourage the pupils so that they could achieve their aspirations irrespective of where they come from.

Presenting the gifts, he noted that it was an educative tool that provides learning platforms to expand their horizon of knowledge.

Feeling excited that he had visited his neighbourhood, he said: “This is my root. I have come to enjoy myself with the children. For many years, I haven’t attended any graduation, so I decided to come and celebrate with them.”

He thrilled the pupils and their parents with his songs.

Best overall graduand, Goodness Egbuline, said she was happy the musician honoured the school’s invitation to the graduation.

“I am happy he came to my school.  I have not met him before but seeing him today makes me happy,” she said.

The school’s Director of Studies, Charles Oyeka, said Daddy Showkey was an inspiration to the pupils.

“It is our goal to develop the child mentally, physically, emotionally and socially. The school places emphasis on arts and culture. It is not everyone that will be a lawyer, doctor or engineer. Daddy Showkey’s humble beginning, life toils and success, which he shared with our students, show that any child, who is ambitious and backs it with action, will excel in life,” he said.

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Ten SS3 and 39 JSS3 pupils of Phidel College, Isheri, Lagos graduated last Thursday amid fanfare.

The SS3 pupils are the third set of students to have successfully fulfilled the moral and academic standards of the school.

Speaking at the graduation, Pastor Matthew Aiyedun counseled the graduands to always put God first in their endeavours so as to achieve their goals with ease.

He also urged them to continue to work hard as they move to the next phase of their career.

Mrs Grace Kolagbade, a teacher, expressed her delight over the performance of the students in their external exams.

She also emphasized that the school has done so much to mould the graduands to become better people in life.

She also urged the graduands to remained focused and carry on with the values the school has imbibed in them over the years as they face the real world.

She said: “My message for them is that they should not throw away or forsake the sound teachings that they had there and they should continue to hold on to it for the rest of their lives.

“They should also focus and not allow distractions to set in for them and when they get into the real they should try as much as possible to be a good ambassador of Phidel College.”

The school choir also presented song renditions to add spice to the ceremony as they encourage the graduands.

Special awards were given to outstanding pupils were awarded who performed excellently in their departments. They are: overall best pupil in sciences, Evbuomwan Peace; overall best pupil in commercial Okoro Chukwudi; and overall best pupil in arts sowemimo Mariam, and others.

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What is the essence of being a member of OGAV Club?” This was the mindset of pupils of Gbaja Girls Senior High School, Surulere, when they initially joined the club. They had doubted its relevance, not until it transformed their lives in academics, career guidance, leadership skills, communication, skill acquisition and character education.

These were the revelations they made  at their graduation ceremony held in the school, courtesy of Ornaments of Grace and Virtue (OGAV).

OGAV is an international Non Governmental Organisation geared towards empowering the girl-child through constructing their mindset and personalities. It has two programmes: the school club and summer camp. It is also a three-year programme, done on weekly basis for senior girls schools.

OGAV started with Gbaja Girls in 2014 as a pilot project, but has spread across five schools in three education district  areas; Ikeja, Ikoyi and Surulere.

Abisola Oladimeji, the Valedictorian of the club, said her joy knew no bound having passed through the three-year programme of the club.

“I have learnt a lot from OGAV. I have been able to communicate well even orally. OGAV has made us to be confident to face life.

“I used to be a shy person and suffer stage fright; but with the coaching and mentoring from OGAV, I am more confident coupled with improvement in my academic performance,” said her colleague, Joan Samuel.

“When I started the club I had wondered why I should be a member but thank God I did,” Samuel added, advising  her fellow 36 graduands on focus and benefits of sex abstinence.

Speaking on the rationale behind OGAV, The founder, Mrs ??? Kolade,  said she was unhappy with the moral decadence in girls and wanted to effect a change.

“I feel that the society has moved away from where it is supposed to be. There is a lot of decadence that is so prevalent among the girls. The girls of today are so different from the time we went to schools. The morals, attitude, things have really changed and I think there is a need for the girls to be thought what is authentic. Once they know this, they will be able to identify and with it, you are empowering them for their future.

She continued: “ I believe that because you are a girl does not mean you have to be poor, it means that you are valuable. That is why I felt Ornament of Grace and Virtue needs to be in schools, to work in partnership with secondary school teachers to bring the best out of the children”

She advised graduands to be mindful of their attitude as their moral ethics forms the foundation of their academic success.

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The expansive multipurpose hall of the African Church Model College, Ifako Ijaiye, could barely contain 203 SS3 pupils and their families during the school’s 17th Valedictory Service and Prize Giving last Friday.

The graduands did their best to look good in their school uniforms for the last time.  Many of the girls however traded the  navy blue skirts for fancy variants as well as different colours of shoes.

Presentations by the choir, tribal cultural groups, among others spiced up the event, which also featured thanksgiving, prayers for the graduands, prize giving, and the launch of the school’s magazine.

In his speech, the principal, Mr Abimbola Olawoye, admonished the graduands to get close to God so they can fulfil their purpose on earth.

He also urged them to be circumspect in their decision making.

“Concentrate your energy on what is important.You become effective by being selective.  Nobody will need to tell you before you shun cultism, drug addiction, prostitution and all those parading negative western cultures that the society is battling with today.  As you navigate the outside world, the Lord will light your way and you will not fail,” he said.

Giving an exhortation titled: Keep on being the light, Ven Ebenezer Oyewo, counseled the graduands to live their lives to please God.  He described them as arrows that have been shot into the future by parents in expectation of good things, urging them not to betray the confidence reposed on them.

“When a hunter shoots an arrow, it is either to kill a prey or an enemy.  Your parents, your teachers are now shooting you like an arrow.  Bring something good back; don’t let their efforts be in vain,” he said.

Reminiscing about her time in the school, the head girl, Chiamaka Nwarueze, said she enjoyed her stay and was happy to live up to her sister’s legacy of being the senior prefect.

“It has been a wonderful experience.  When I was in JSS1, my sister was the head girl and I had a standard to live by.  I worked hard and even though in SS1 I faced challenges from new students who came in and were very good, I still worked hard.  Forever I will always keep the African Church College in my heart.  I will never forget the school for making me who I am,” she said.

On his part, the outgoing head boy, Kelechi Uduma, counted himself privileged to have witnessed all the graduations throughout his time in the school.

He counseled the graduands not to abandon the good morals they were taught in the school.

“It is important to go with the good moral values. If you leave this place without good morals and discipline, it would have been better you did not attend this school because that is what the school is all about in addition to quality education,” he said.

Chairman of the Parents-Teachers Association, Mr Ayodele Ilesanmi, said the school had adequately prepared the teenagers to cope effectively in the wider world, while member of the board of governors of the school, Mr Bayo Fashola, prayed for their success in life.

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The proprietor of Little Teddies School in Port-Harcout, Mrs Temitayo Ladipo, joined parents to advise graduating pupils of the school to make wise decisions as they begin their secondary education.

They were told to use the solid foundation laid by the school to conquer the world in their chosen discipline.

In an emotional farewell to the 11 graduands at the 18th graduating and prize giving ceremony of the school, Mrs Ladipo said they should always make the best use of life lessons learned while in the school.

She reminded the pupils that the school taught them to have a dream of what they will like to be when they grow up.

She thanked the parents for having confidence in the school and investing in their wards, stressing that the best investment is human development.

Mrs Ladipo said: “It is with great joy that I celebrate the 11 young, vibrant, unique, hardworking and courageous primary six pupils on their completion of this stage of their lives in the 2016/2017 academic year.

“I shall be greatly delighted to hear beautiful, superlative and mind blowing news about you. We shall remember you in our prayer and we hope you will remember us in your prayers too. Please be good ambassadors of Little Teddies School, please take wise decisions.

“I am proud to note that our graduating pupils lived up to expectations in the academic field throughout their stay in the school by recording a resounding level of performance in all examinations that they enrolled for and all of them have gained admission to reputable secondary schools in the country.”

One of the parents, Mrs Pat Ozoemene, said Little Teddies offers a well-rounded educational curriculum that imbues every child with knowledge, confidence and social networking skills.

“We are privileged to have our last child, Chimarokem Chijioke, in this graduating class and we are impressed with his learning and experience in the school. We are even more privileged to have had all our kids graduate from this school over the last 15 years. I know that all the students graduating here today will make wise decisions,” she said.

The graduating pupils, in their valedictory speech, which was presented by Miss Kosisochi Ozoemene thanked the school, teachers and parents for preparing them to move on and take on whatever challenges they may face.

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The need to bring life back into the St Louis  School,  Kano, was one of the major discourses at the annual Open Day of the Nigerian Province of Sister.

The event, which held at the LousVille Girls High School, Ijebu Itele, Ogun State, saw the Province deliberate on the decrepit state of the school which was the first of  16 St Louis schools scattered nationwide, having been established in 1921.

St Louis, Zonkwa and its sister school in Jos, which were the second and third in the series established in 1955 and 1957 respectively, also came also under the radar, owing to their pitiable state.

The Open Day is a forum where all St Louis members schools nationwide converge to rub minds with the province, which comprises reverend sisters who are saddled with the responsibilities of overseeing St. Louis schools all over the country. The forum also seeks to identify issues ranging from achievements to challenges being experienced by members schools vis-à-vis raising funds to tackle those gaps.

National President, Friends of St. Louis, Mrs. Anita Okroribido (St Louis Ibadan 72 Set), who was represented by Prof Elizabeth Ogunyemi, thanked those in attendance and particularly the sisters for growing in strength and rising to the needs of the school despite economic hardship.

Ogunyemi, who is an alumnus of St Louis Akure (58th Set), appreciated colleagues for turning out in large number and keeping up with the spirit to put life back into their alma mater.

In his sermon, the Chaplain admonished parents to bring up their female wards in line with God’s guidance.

“Women are today taking up leadership positions all over the world, and therefore we do not have to discriminate against them. I urge you parents here to encourage your female wards, give them self confidence so that they can hold their heads high anywhere,” he said.

In her speech, the head of the Sisters of St. Louis in Nigeria, Rev. Isabel Mann, likened education

to the ‘key in every child’s life’, adding that  same has the power to raise individuals to a level unprecedented, regardless of one’s social or economic challenges.

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Eleven of 13 First Class students who graduated from Nile University, Abuja, were females.

The institution also conferred Doctor of Science degrees (Honoris Causa) on the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) and Hajiya Mariya Sanusi Dantata at the event.

Leading the pack of graduands was the daughter of Senator Garba Yakubu Lado Danmarke, Zainab, who graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.95.

Other first class graduates were: Aisha Aliyu Modibbo, Theodora Ebosereme Okojie; Aisha Kabir; Abdulsamad Mustapha; Esther Udoka Ndudinanti; Fasial Buba Muhammad; Umi-Amara Ibrahim; Maryam Sheshi Yahaya; Mariam Musa Alfa; Sadiya Umar Atiku and Fatima Alhassan Sule.

Of the 270 students who graduated, 99 were undergraduates and 171 Postgraduates from 23 departments.

Chairman, Governing Council of the institution, Mr Mehmet Basturk, said the university was established to complement government’s efforts to make tertiary level of education form the bedrock of high level of workforce development.

“It is our desire to contribute our quota to the development of Nigeria by preparing and equipping young men and women with the necessary knowledge and skills for sustainable development,” he said.

Vice Chancellor of the university Prof Huseyin Sert said apart from imparting knowledge into students, the school in collaboration with Canadian Partners, made impact educationally in IDP camps in the Northern parts of the country, where displaced people were taught various skills.

“We shall also double our efforts to make sure we quench admission thirst of our teeming Nigerian youths who are suffering from university admission reality,” he said.

Sert added that the university, in conjunction with the National Universities Commission (NUC), now accepts deported students from distressed universities in Turkey with 100 per cent and 50 per cent discount rates in tuition fees.

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It was a day of joy and surprise for the family of Mariam Abubakar when she won N700,000 and an apple laptop for emerging the best pupil of El-Amin International College, Minna.

As the overall best, she was  rewarded with the cash prize of N500,000 and the laptop while she got N100, 000 each for being the best in Chemistry and Biology.

Mariam also won prizes in Agricultural Science, Animal husbandry and Civic Education.

Mariam told The Nation that she achieved the feat through hard work and dedication to her studies.

The student, who aspires to be a pharmacist, said she was not very good academically before she entered El-Amin International College, adding that the efforts of her teachers made her become the overall best.

She appreciated her parents for encouraging her even from the very beginning, pledging to be a good ambassador of the institution.

Other graduands who were rewarded with cash included: Abubakar Suleiman (best in Mathematics); Ahmed Agbaje (Geography, Literature and Tourism); Ibrahim Ibrahim (Physics); Happy Dauda (Christian Religious Studies and Government); and Abdqllah Bala (ICT), among others.

Executive Director of the school  Dr Mohammed Babangida said the institution in its aspiration to produce world-class digital students had restructured its teaching and learning techniques to meet international best practices.

He expressed confidence that the 44 graduands of the college, could compete with the best in the world in academics, discipline and morals.

Babangida advised the graduands to be strong regardless of what they may face.

“You are at the beginning of your life. The life that awaits you is long and has challenges. I urge you to have resilience and not to give up in the face of adversity. Remember not to be afraid to fail because failure is part of success story,” he said.

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In September, two new institutions will take off in Ogun State.  The Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH) will take off in Abeokuta; the Ogun State Polytechnic in Ipokia.  The birth of these institutions is giving  workers of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, who have a stake in both the jitters report KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE and ERNEST NWOKOLO.

Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH), Abeokuta, a product of the recent upgrade of Ogun State’s premier polytechnic, the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), is yet to commence operation, but a crisis appears to have started.

Even at conception by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, many questioned the propriety of having another state university when the existing two are reeling under the weight of underfunding and inadequate staffing.

Critics anchored their misgivings on an earlier decision of Amosun, who shortly after his election as governor for the first term in 2011, moved to scrap the thriving Tai Solarin University of Education (TSAUED), Ijagun, and fused it into the Education faculty of the troubled Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.

The pioneer education varsity in the state – nay the country – was established in January, 2005 by the former Governor Gbenga Daniel-led administration, ostensibly to train high-level manpower – teachers and school administrators, among others.

Amosun almost succeeded in his move to merge TASUED with the OOU. His argument was that the state’s finances were too lean to accommodate proliferation of state-owned tertiary institutions and that the university had also veered from its core mandate of offering teaching or education-based programmes.

However, following stout opposition and criticisms by the academic staff of the university, students and members of the public particularly, the Ijebu people who host the instituion, the Governor dropped the idea.

So, when on March 13, Amosun, who had hitherto canvassed paucity of fund as the overriding reason for scraping TASUED, signed a law changing the 38-year old Moshood Abiola Polytechnic to Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH) coupled with its subsequent approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC) earlier this month, stakeholders were surprised.

Workers’ worries

The workers of the institution in particular are worried about the speed of the transition (the new university and polytechnic are to take off in September) and its implication on their jobs.  While the technical committee mid-wifing the birth of the university and polytechnic said the workers would not lose their jobs, they are not convinced it will not happen.

On July 12, members of the MAPOLY chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) went on strike to protest allegations that the technical committee, headed by Prof Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary, NUC, allegedly sacked all 250 workers of the institution and directed them to reapply.

Okebukola denied the allegation about the strike.  In response to the issue in an email to The Nation, Okebukola restated that none of the workers would lose their jobs. On the contrary, he said the creation of MAUSTECH and Ogun Poly in Ipokia would create new jobs.

He said: “This is to refute in its entirety the report that the Technical Committee on the newly-established Moshood Abiola University, Abeokuta (MAUSTECH) has ordered the sack of over 250 staff of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY). It is in complete contrast to the position of the Committee that no member of staff will suffer job loss as a consequence of the upgrading of MAPOLY to MAUSTECH and the establishment of Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia as the successor of MAPOLY. Indeed, the Technical Committee has no power to sack anybody.

“We held a meeting with all staff at the beginning of our assignment and conveyed our position on job security. This position has been re-echoed in subsequent meetings with staff unions. It is curious that some persons have taken undue liberty of misinforming the general public with the spread of such fake news.

“It should delight all staff that the establishment of two institutions from MAPOLY will open new job opportunities rather than shrink the workforce. We urge all staff to be vigilant and shun misinformation that may be peddled in some quarters.”

When contacted, ASUP Chairman, Kola Abiola, told The Nation on Tuesday that the union’s strike was suspended, not because of the reassurances of the committee but the promise of Governor Amosun that no one would be sacked. He said the committee did not meet with the workers to resolve the strike.

“We did not meet with the committee; we went to the Governor and the intervention of the governor made us call off the strike.  This is the second week afterwards and we have not heard from the committee.  The governor debunked the allegation; he said he did not send them to do what they are doing.

“We want to give the Governor a benefit of the doubt that there would be no sack.  We are waiting for the modalities on transiting to the new university to come out,” he said.

Despite the governor’s assurance, Abiola expressed concerns about the situation on ground lending credence to coming crisis when the institutions are to resume in September.

While the new university would take off with the facilities of the MAPOLY, which has five schools consisting of 27 Departments, 3-in-1 1,000-seater hall housing the School of Communication and Information Technology and central store for academic materials and other equipment, Abiola said the new polytechnic has no facilities yet.

He said: “Presently, there are 27 departments in MAPOLY with accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).  The NBTE only gives accreditation for programmes after inspecting physical facilities.  In Ipokia, where the Ogun State Polytechnic is to start in September, there is no structure on ground.

“There are concerns that lecturers could lose their jobs. Nobody has come to tell us what are the courses accredited in the Ogun State Polytechnic.  For instance, if I don’t want to stay in the university and I want to go to the polytechnic, I don’t know whether my course has accreditation in the new polytechnic, what happens to me?

“Today (Tuesday), Dr Ebenezer Nkom (a member of the committee) said on OGTV that the new polytechnic will admit ND and HND students in September. The whole of the polytechnic is to start in a model school in Idiroko. The Governor said they will start from Idiroko and move to Ipokia after three months. But there is nothing on ground there now and they say they will finish building in three months.”

The ASUP Chairman also complained that the lecturers had not been told the modalities to be considered to be absorbed into the new university by the technical committee, which he accused of having a different position from the governor.

“Nobody has communicated with us. We don’t know the modalities.  All we are hearing is from the television and radio,” he lamented.

On the contrary, Okebukola said the committee will work with the workers’ unions.

He said: “We will actively engage the unions and other stakeholders so that the two institutions take-off this academic session. It will be a win-win situation for all. It needs to be stated that the Technical Committee has delivered on its mandate as “midwife” having successfully delivered a set of twins- MAUSTECH and Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia. By our mandate, we are to hand over to the Councils of these two institutions as soon as they are inaugurated so that these organs can take on their roles as assigned by the laws of the two institutions.”

However, he said talks have not happened because the union has not allowed the committee to meet on campus. He said this was delaying setting modalities for transfer of services to the new institutions.

He said: “The Committee is yet to meet to set any criteria since it was barred from entering the campus. We plan to work with staff through their unions to reach mutual agreement on these criteria.

“It is curious that some people are crafting incorrect information about such criteria and misinforming the public. For sure, all stakeholders in the discussion will be guided by the minimum standards specified by the regulatory authorities, making adjustments for our local peculiarities in these early days.”

Abiola also doubts the capacity of the two institutions to absorb all the workers in September.

“They are saying no one will lose their jobs. But with what is on ground, people will lose their jobs.  When the university starts, it will admit only 500 students or at most 1,500 students if they use influence.  Take the cleaners, how many will they need to clean the university for 500 students?  If they are sent to Idiroko, they will be more than enough to clean the place.

“This government has less than one year to functionally work. Another government will come and declare the workers redundant,” he said.

Zonal Coordinator of ASUP, Zone C in charge of South West, Olawale Adetunji, who argued that the government and the Committee have not put the rights of the other stakeholders in their decision, assured that whatever legitimate steps taken by the lecturers would be  backed by  the National body.

While workers are pessimistic, members of MAPOLY alumni association and the students are not.  The Director of Media and Publicity of National Association Nigerian Students (NANS) Ogun State axis,  Olasunkanmi Akinlotan, said the students hailed the upgrade and appreciated the state for the initiative but said that NANS would not accept whatever that would affect the students negatively.

Olasunkanmi, a final year student of Mass Communication in MAPOLY, said the current students would complete their National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes.  He also said the academic staff were assured of job security.

“The Transition Committee has assured that no staff will be sacked and that all staff will have chose either to lecture in the university or in the polytechnic in line with the NUC standards,” he said.

The National Secretary, Alumni Association of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Mr Goke Ishola, told The Nation that the body welcomed the transformation of the institution to a university as a sign of good things.

Goke said the fear of job loss being entertained by ASUP was unfounded, saying the apprehension was driven by “rumours and fear of change.”

Goke noted that even though all stakeholders may not have been carried along, the said directive given to the lecturers by the Transition Committee to resign and reply into MAUSTEC was normal and in order.

Benefit to students

A student, Ifedayo Ogunyemi, also studying Mass Communication, said he was glad the university status would improve the acceptability of the institution’s products in the labour market and make it easier for them to do conversion programmes to get their first degrees.

“Students are very happy because of the dichotomy between HND and BSc.  I believe when I finish my HND I will be able to return and convert it to BSc.  It means our four years in school will not be just for HND but BSc,” he said.

Like Ifedayo hopes would happen, Okebukola said current MAPOLY students would get the opportunity to apply to the new university to do their degree programmes.

“Current students of MAPOLY are to look out for internal advertisement on admission and qualifying criteria so they can take advantage of being among the foundation students of MAUSTECH,” he said.

Surviving the recession

With the poor economy and limited government funding, Okebukola said the committee has worked out a 10-year plan for MAUSTECH to weather the economic recession.

He said: “In the Academic Brief of the university, we have projected a 10-year income and expenditure plan which has factored in survival strategies in the time of scarcity. We are anticipating some injection of funds from the Ogun State Government to be supported by other funding sources. Being a new university, its funding needs are not expected to be gargantuan in the early days. Over the next several years, we anticipate that the managers of the university (Council and Management) will be creative and innovative in fundraising.”

Focus of the new university

To stand out, Okebukola said MAUSTECH will exploit science and technology programmes to the benefit of the state.

“Being a university of science and technology, it will steer its programmes at the cutting-edge of these disciplines in its service to Ogun State, Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world.

The post Workers jittery over coming of MAUSTECH, OGUN POLY appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) have stressed the need for education stakeholders to support efforts toward developing and sustaining a viable book policy.

The post UBEC, SUBEBs harp on need for effective textbook policy appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

The Katsina State Government, has established nine pivotal teachers training centres  to provide  teachers with the required teaching qualification.

The post Katsina establishes nine pivotal teachers’ training centres – Commissioner appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

The Zamfara Government on Monday awarded contracts for the renovation and reconstruction of primary schools in the state at a cost of N3.6 billion.

The post Zamfara awards N3.6 bn contracts for primary schools renovation appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

In this interview with ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, Vice Chancellor, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Prof Daniel Ayandeji Aina, explains why Nigeria should adopt the Korean ‘mind education’ system.

Why do you recommend the Korean education system for Nigeria?

You will recall that South Korea emerged from the Korean War without natural resources, but people. They therefore embarked on mind education that we call value-based education here. In Korea, they teach dignity of labour. As a professor of Engineering, you are only recognised by what you are professing and not by merely wearing suit and tie. Your office is more in the laboratory with your overall on rather than wearing suit and teaching your students using smart boards which we often do here. That is why our education in Nigeria is not functional. You only wear suit during meetings; once that meeting is over you are back into the laboratory.

But as you said, Nigeria also has value-based education system which is almost the same

The Korean system is deeper and more practicable! And the idea is how what you had learned in class can be turned to practical use so you don’t start looking for jobs upon graduation. This is the more reason why Caleb University is collaborating with the Institute of Mind Education in Korea so as to adapt their methodology to our colleagues here that had value-based education. The Korean Educational International Youth Forum has linkages in about 90 countries that subscribe to it and Caleb University is now happy to be one.

But what format does this education take?

Their (Korean) undergraduates are integrated into service education whereby you used what you acquired in class as a form of community service. What we do in our NYSC here is that people are just posted to say Zamfara State, and the person can then arrange with their local NYSC to wander away for months only to return and collect their certificates. But in the United State or South Korea, graduands are allowed to move to anywhere in the world to render service.  That is why those societies are a lot better because they produce selfless individuals who are determined to help societal cause.

There are series of cases bordering on insecurity in Ikorodu which is your next door neighbor, what security checks have you to ward off intruders?

It’s pretty sad the insecurity situation in Ikorodu and environs. But generally, let me say in a security situation what you need do is go a step ahead of your potential attacker. Once that psychology is created, that scares potential predators away.

Second, we have excellent relationship with government, police, and other nongovernmental security agencies. We have a rapid response team here. They had been here before I became VC. We have our own security network. We also have spirituality because we are a faith-based university. The Lord says if the He doesn’t build the house, the watchers labour in vain.

With their tuition, there have been arguments that private universities have come to supplant public institutions and dim the hope of the poor.

Some of those in the labour union carry all sorts of rumour that private universities are exorbitant because they felt that government allowing private universities to thrive will have a negative impact on their negotiation with government.

For instance, our tuition here is N350,000, but when you look at our facilities, you will know it is not the N350,000 that we use in running the university. A cumulative salary of a professor before tax is between N380,000 and N500,000. So, if you have N350,000 tuition here that means a student fee cannot pay a professor in a month.

The post ‘Why Nigerian varsities should adopt Korean system’ appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.