Ridoola's blog

The University of Port Harcourt has promoted 37 senior academics to the rank of professor. Dr Williams Wodi, Deputy Registrar, Information, UNIPORT, who disclosed this in a statement in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said they passed through stringent criteria set up by the Senate of the university. “ The promotion of academics to the professoriate were approved at the 171st meeting of the Governing Council of the University on Dec. 10, 2020. “Breakdown of the promotion shows that seven of the new professors are from the Faculty of Humanities; Faculty of Social Science got one and Faculty of Science, four. “Faculty of Education, 2; Faculty of Engineering, one; Faculty of Agriculture, seven; Faculty of Clinical Sciences, 12, and Faculty of Dentistry got three new professors,” Wodi said. ALSO READ : DISCOS want you to stop calling them NEPA if you want electricity He quoted the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ndowa Lale to have congratulated the new professors and urged them to be prepared for...

Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has directed the State Examination Board to immediately revert to the old registration fee of N4,500 for MOCK Senior School Certificate Examination in the state. This was contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Terver Akase, and made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Makurdi. NAN reports that secondary school final year students had been instructed by the state examination board to pay the sum of N6,500 as mock registration fees instead of the N4,500 previously paid by them. “ No candidate for the MOCK examination in the state should be asked to pay the new fees of N6,500 ”, Ortom warned. ALSO READ : Disregard fake news on Atiku’s arraignment – EFCC The governor further directed the State Ministry of Education to ensure that school principals strictly complied with the directive and did not impose arbitrary levies on the candidates. He reassured the people that his administration would continue to plac...

Some candidates from Badagry who were preparing for the forthcoming 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) expressed joy on Saturday as JAMB suspended the National Identification Number ( NIN) registration. They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that it was a welcome development. NAN also reports that some of the parents whose children had undergone various challenges in an attempt to register for the NIN took to the streets expressing their happiness over the suspension. They lauded the timely suspension of the NIN registration which was one of the requirements needed by potential candidates to register for the 2020 UTME. They thanked the registrar of JAMB, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, for his timely intervention on the issue. The registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede,had announced the suspension of using NIN as a requirement to be met by candidates intending to write the 2020 UTME while addressing journalists in Abuja on Saturday. He said that the mov...

The National Parents/Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has lauded the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for suspending the use of the National Identification Number(NIN) for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the board which had announced that it would commence the sales of its registration forms on Monday, Jan. 13 to Feb. 17, said there was no going back on the use of NIN by prospective candidates. The Registrar of the board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, had at a news conference on Saturday in Abuja, sited the difficulty in obtaining the NIN as the major reason for the suspension. Oloyede stated that candidates can now register without a NIN for this year’s examination, noting that the rule would be implemented in 2021. The Deputy National President of NAPTAN, Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, told NAN on Saturday in Lagos that the development was a step in the right direction, adding that parents and candi...

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), says over 650 Computer Based Test (CBT), centres have so far been accredited for its upcoming 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The board has fixed this year’s examination for March 14 to April 4, while an optional mock examination for candidates is scheduled for Feb. 18. Similarly, the board had said that it would commence the sales of its registration documents from Monday, Jan. 13, to Monday, Feb. 17. The Head, Media and Information of the board, Dr Fabian Benjamin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos that arrangements for the commencement of the sales of the documents nationwide had been concluded. “We are set to go. Logistics have been put in place to ensure a smooth process. “Like you may know, over 650 CBT centres have been accredited for this year’s examination and the board expects nothing short of the best practices. “We have clearly defined the process, just like we have als...

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has approved the appointment of Prof. Olugbenga Ige as the acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA). The appointment was contained in a statement issued on Friday in Akure by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Segun Ajiboye. Ajiboye stated that the appointment became imperative in view of the upcoming expiration of the tenure of Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun as the VC of the university on January 5. Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA) (Daily Post) He further stated that Ige’s appointment was in exercise of the powers conferred on the governor as the Visitor to the University. The statement added that the appointment would take effect from January 6 and expected to last for six months. ALSO READ : Bode George wants to contest for presidency in 2023 Ajiboye stated that Ige was the Deputy VC (Administration) until his appointment. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ajibefun w...

The Management of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has called for caution from its students following the alleged murder of one of the institution’s final-year-female students. It also urged them to remain calm to allow the law enforcement agents conclude their investigation into the matter. The university’s spokesman, Mr Ademola Adekoya, said on Sunday in Lagos that the LASU’s Vice-Chancellor (V-C), Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, made the appeal. Adekoya said that Fagbohun, on behalf of the university’s management, assured the university community that the university would continue to monitor the case and ensure that justice was done. Adekoya quoted the vice chancellor as saying: “I received with great shock the news of the death of Miss Favour Dailey-Oladele, a final year student of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University. “Based on the police preliminary investigation, the deceased was murdered on Dec.8 at Ikoyi Ile in Ikire, Osun , by some individuals who had since...

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has decried the recruitment system in the universities, regretting that many people not qualified to teach had found their way into the system. Ogunyemi made this known when he appeared on News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Forum in Abuja on Sunday. “Some lecturers have no business in the classrooms, but they found their way in due to political interference. “You find that some lecturers probably have no business being in the universities but you know politics has done so much damage to us that sometimes merit is sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity and political connections. “We hope that we shall restore the credibility of the system as we have been trying to argue over the years. A key step to achieving that is for government to create the enabling environment for us to go back to the renegotiation table. “We need to talk more so that we can come up with a new agreement package that will help us...

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has debunked the insinuation in some quarters that the union now has a splinter group. Ogunyemi made the clarification when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Forum in Abuja on Sunday. “ I do not believe that there is a faction in ASUU. What you see that is playing out is the expression of misgivings by some of our members who are dissatisfied with the sanctions meted out to them for violating the provisions of our constitution. “And you will find the largest concentration at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; and in that university, you will also find that we still control up to 60 per cent or more of the membership. “And if you leave Ile-Ife and go to other campuses where they are pronouncing that they want to join one group or the other, you cannot count more than five in those universities. “That tells you that the group we are talking about just exists in the air, that ...

The Lagos State Government has signed a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement with a private developer to deliver 8,272 hostel units for Lagos State University (LASU) students. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agreement, signed with six private property developers in Lagos, would ensure the delivery of the hostel within 18 months. The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that the building of the hostel was strategic, as it would have positive impact on the lives of students. The governor noted that with the agreement, LASU was set to become a residential tertiary institution, 36 years after it was established. Sanwo-Olu said that the development further underscored his administration’s objective of driving up quality output across the state-owned schools, through provision of infrastructure critical to facilitating better-quality teaching and learning. The governor said that when LASU changed its status to a residential institution, there would be ...

The Katsina State Government has spent over N208 million on the payment of WAEC examination fees for 21,589 candidates in 2019. The Commissioner of Education, Prof. Badamasi Lawal, made the disclosure on Sunday in Katsina during a press briefing. He said that 7,276 out of 21,589 candidates who sat for the examination, scored five credits and above including Mathematics and English Language, which represents 50 per cent. According to him, 14,481 candidates also scored five credits and above in other subjects, representing 66 per cent. Lawal attributed the successes to the commitments of the administration in enhancing infrastructure development in schools, teachers recruitment and training as well as provision of instructional materials, among others. He commended the 12 Zonal Quality Assurance Offices in the state for the job well-done in the area of monitoring, inspection and evaluation that assisted in recording the successes. The commissioner further revealed that the performa...

The Federal Government has assured qualified teachers of improved working conditions for optimum productivity. Mr Sonny Echono, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, disclosed this in an interview with journalists, after monitoring the Computer-Based Test (CBT) teachers Professional Qualification Examination (PQE), in Abuja on Saturday. NAN reports that the PQE was introduced in 2017 for teachers. Only those who passed the written examination are certified qualified to teach in the country. Echono said that the Federal Government was looking at ensuring a strong foundation for education, stressing that ensuring quality teachers was the starting point. “ We must have committed and qualified teachers; we also want to ensure that teaching environment is in order. “We have done a lot in terms of our curriculum and we will continue to enhance the curriculum to make it more responsible to the needs of tomorrow and the future. “Teachers welfare will be our top priority...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday in Lagos spoke glowingly of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and members of its alumni association for being outstanding. Osinbajo was the Special Guest of Honour at the UNILAG Alumni Association Golden Jubilee Awards and Gala Night held at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island. The vice president, who was one of the awardees, said that the university was a truly formidable institution. Osinbajo, an alumnus of the institution, said that he might be ever so slightly biased as someone who both attended and taught in the institution. “ It is true; one of the many reasons why the University of Lagos is able to maintain such an excellent reputation is because of the people who have passed through its walls. “As alumni, our successes become testaments to the university’s own success and so today we celebrate 50 years of networking across generations, 50 years of giving back to the university that gave us so much, and 50 years of making our...

Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, on Saturday, gave automatic employment to the best graduating student of the Crescent University, Abeokuta, Abdulsalam Ibironke, in the state civil service. The governor announced the automatic employment, while speaking at the 11th convocation ceremony of the institution, in Abeokuta. Abiodun, represented by his Deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said that the employment would take effect after the completion of the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme by Ibironke . He said that his administration would not renege on its efforts until it had completely revamp the comatose state of its educational sector to an enviable one among comity of states. The governor explained that the state remained the education capital of the country going by its highest numbers of institutions, saying it was important to provide necessary machineries to transform the state education sector. “We are committed to education and for ...

National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Enugu State are to train no fewer than 500 students in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State on computer appreciation. The training is to prepare the students for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer Based Tests (CBT) currently deployed for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME). The NYSC State Coordinator, Mr Stephen Dewan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu of the plan after a meeting with a member of the House of Representatives, Chief Toby Okechukwu. Okechukwu represents Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency in the National Assembly. Dewan said that the move was in line with the Community Development Service (CDS) of the NYSC scheme, aimed at addressing the felt needs of host communities. He said that the NYSC had discovered that there were no computer training centres in the area, which would affect the performance of students participating in such examinations. The st...

The Gombe State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has commended Gov. Inuwa Yahaya over ongoing reforms aimed at addressing education challenges in the state. Comrade Ezekiel Kodinga, the state NUT chairman gave this commendation in his address on Saturday in Gombe to commemorate the occasion of the World Teachers’ Day with theme: “ Young Teachers, The Future of the Profession.” Kodinga said the declaration of State of Emergency in the education sector by the governor was an indication of his concern on the challenges in the sector. He stated that Yahaya had embarked on conscious reforms to take the state to the next level, adding that such effort showed that the governor sees education as a tool to fast-track development in the state. “ We commend Yahaya for prioritising education. He is indeed a man of vision whose role rhymes with that of the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), ” he said. Kodinga also lauded the conversion of the abandoned Almajiri S...

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Saturday described its Girls Education Project, Phase 3 (GEP3), being implemented in Bauchi, Niger, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states as “a huge success”. UNICEF Chief of Education, Euphrates Wose, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Birnin Kebbi that the GEP3 was designed to get more girls in the benefiting states to complete basic education. Wose added that the project, being implemented by UNICEF with funding from DFID, was also designed to increase parental demand for, and support to, girls’ education. She explained that the project initiated a cash transfer, an incentive given to mothers to take care of the cost of uniforms, books and other school needs, which she said turned out to be ‘a game changer’. Wose said that Sokoto State had made budgetary provisions to sustain the initiative, adding that UNICEF was working with Kebbi to do same to sustain the promotion of girl-child education. “So far, the project has don...

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has called on the Federal Government to send a visitation panel to universities to douse tension and prevent further breakdown of industrial relations in campuses. Ogunyemi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that this was necessary following continued reports of intimidation and harassment of some of its members in some universities in the country. He said that the union was worried about actions of some vice chancellors to suppress the union’s activities in campuses, saying such visitation panel would promote industrial harmony. “Some vice chancellors are actually mismanaging their system, we have written to complain about them and when you see crisis coming from the school, for us in ASUU, it is not unexpected. “That doesn’t augur well for good governance, and that is why we continue to prevail on the government to look into our petition against some Vice Chancellors and address the issu...

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Ondo State has described as fake the news that it posted corps members to religious organisations, especially churches. Mr Bankole Simeone, the state NYSC Public Relations Officer, made the clarification in a statement on Sunday in Akure. Simeone said the NYSC secretariat in the state decided to respond to the trending ” fake story ” on the social media so as to clear the name of the secretariat in the public eye. The spokesman added that the secretariat would not go against the established policy of the scheme. “ The NYSC in Ondo State has observed with dismay, fake news trending on the social media about a purported allegation that the secretariat has posted some corps members to religious organisations especially churches. “Ordinarily, one would have ignored the report as a figment of the writer’s imagination but as a responsible corporate citizen, we do not treat any matter regarding or relating to our esteemed and patriotic corps mem...

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, will deliver University of Osun 8th convocation lecture slated for Sept. 21, Prof. Laboode Popoola, the Vice Chancellor of the University has said. Speaking with newsmen on Saturday in Osogbo, Popoola said Osinbajo would speak on the topic ” Six Decades of Chequred Nationhood: Nigeria still holds the key to Africa’s development.“ “The Vice President has agreed to deliver our convocation lecture and we are eager to receive him ,” the Vice -Chancellor said. Popoola also said that a former governor of the state and now the Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola and other three eminent Nigerians would also be awarded with honorary degrees during the convocation. He also said that 1,814 would be awarded with various degrees during the convocation. The vice-chancellor said out of the figure, 49 students bagged first class, while 670 students made second class upper and 892 graduated with second class lower. Poopola added that 194 made third class, while nine s...