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Kaduna Govt. to Spend N1.6b on School Uniforms – Commissioner

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The Kaduna State Government said on Monday that it would spend N1.6 billion on provision of school uniforms to pupils and students in 2021.

The Commissioner for Education, Dr Shehu Makarfi made this known in Kaduna, while briefing newsmen on the increase of tuition fee in state owned tertiary institutions.

Makarfi disclosed that more than N800 million was spent on school uniforms for pupils and students in some selected classes in 2020, adding that the amount would be increased to N1.

6 billion in 2021 to cover all classes.

He equally said that about N800 million was spent on feeding students in the 31 boarding schools in the state.

The commissioner added that a total of N1.7 billion would be spent in 2021 following resumption of full academic activities in schools after months of lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Makarfi said that in the past, parents were paying N7,500 for feeding their children in boarding schools before it was completely abolished in 2019.

He explained that most of the achievements were recorded under the Education Emergency Project introduced by Gov. Nasir El-Rufai administration in 2015.

“We provided textbooks, learning materials, increased primary school enrollment, and budgeted N500 million annually to provide classroom furniture from 2015 to date.

“We have also constructed more classrooms, build more schools and currently have 541 secondary schools and over 4,600 primary schools across the state.

“In tertiary education, we have funded our institutions to get accreditations for all their programmes, and the permanent site of the Kaduna State University is being developed at Rigachukun,” he said.

The commissioner said that the state government was currently recruiting 7,600 qualified teachers for its secondary schools to bridge the manpower gap.

He added that similar exercises were conducted in Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, and College of Education, Gidan Waya.

On the fee increase, the commissioner said that the decision was to reposition the schools to deliver quality skills and training to solve 21st century challenges.

He identified the institutions as Kaduna State University (KASU), Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences, Makarfi, and Kaduna State College of Nursing and Midwifery.

NAN recalls that students of KASU had rejected the increase during a meeting with the school management on April 22.

Mr Abdulrazak Shuaibu, a medical student who spoke on behalf of the students, said that the tuition fees were increased from N26,000 to N150,000 for students in Faculty of Arts, Management and Social Sciences.

Shuaibu, a former President of Kaduna State Students Union, added that students of Faculty of Medicine from the state will now pay N300,000 as against N24,000 while non indigenes will pay N500,000.

The Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Scholarship and Loans Board, Mr Hassan Rilwan, however, said that the board would reorganise the way students access scholarships in the state.

Rilwan said that the scheme would be restructured into needs-based for indigent students, merit-based for exceptionally brilliant students and  loan facility for middle level students.

He said that the board would replace bursary with the need-based scholarship for indigent students to enable them pay the new tuition fees.

“But we will have to certify that the applicants are truly from indigent homes and cannot be able to pay the new fees so that the state government can support them.

“The government has also set aside a N2 billion loan facility for middle class students to access, pay their tuition fee, other schools needs and pay back in five years’ time at no interest,” he said. (NAN)

Education

UNICAL VC Promises to Resolve Dentistry Students’ Crisis

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From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi has promised that she would do everything humanly possible to ensure that the ongoing crisis in the institution’s Department of Dentistry, is resolved.

Prof.

Obi made the promise in Calabar during a press briefing, stressing that she will resolve the crisis before leaving office.

She explained that the problem predates her administration, and pledged to intensify efforts to rectify the crisis.

She added that the crisis was as a result of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN)’s refusal to induct 2016 Dentistry students of the institution.

She also debunked claims circulating on social media that the institution’s Dentistry programme has lost its accreditation, describing the reports as “misinformation and distortion of facts,” clarifying that the programme remains fully accredited and no students have been directed to transfer to other universities.

“At no point did the University ask Dentistry students to seek transfers to other institutions, nor were they advised to ‘go and learn a trade’ as falsely alleged online,” the VC stated.

“I will feel very bad if I leave without solving this problem and the students are left hanging without knowing their fate. I won’t be fulfilled,” she said.

She reaffirmed the University’s commitment to ensuring all Dentistry students graduate and are duly licensed as dental surgeons.

She noted that the Dentistry programme commenced in the 2013/2014 academic session, and in November 2019, the University secured pre-clinical accreditation from the MDCN and full clinical accreditation was subsequently granted in December 2022.

The VC added that the university’s synergy and partnership with the Minister of Education and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to upgrade its facilities.

“All we asked for is time to engage with other institutions, update the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), and follow through on due processes,” she noted.

Speaking further, Obi said that some of the affected students demanded to be transferred to the Department of Medicine and Surgery but said it was not the solution as the department was already saturated.

She urged the affected students to remain calm, noting that the university was doing everything possible to resolve the issues before the end of her tenure.

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NUT Reaffirms Commitment to Teachers’ Professional Development in Kwara

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From Abdullahi Abubakar, Ilorin

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kwara State Wing has restated its commitment to strengthening the professional growth of teachers across the State, to enhance the quality of education delivered in public schools. Speaking at the opening of a three-day capacity-building workshop in Ilorin, the State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Yusuf Wahab Agboola, noted that continuous training of teachers remains a vital component of educational reform and improved classroom delivery.

The training, organised in collaboration with the NUT National Secretariat, is targeted at selected teachers and focuses on the “Study Circle Conveners’ Model”—a grassroots strategy for enhancing peer-to-peer learning and participatory leadership within the education sector.

Comrade Agboola explained that the workshop aims to equip teachers with practical skills in collaborative learning, peer engagement, and innovative teaching practices. He expressed optimism that the training would promote professional bonding among teachers and foster collective solutions to challenges facing the education sector.

Also speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of the NUT Study Circle Project, Comrade Solomon Igbelowowa, traced the initiative’s roots to 1985 when it was introduced in Nigeria by the Swedish Teachers Association, having recorded success in Sweden and other parts of the world. He commended the Nigerian Union of Teachers for sustaining the project over the years and urged participants to engage fully and make the most of the training opportunity.

The workshop was officially declared open by the National President of the NUT, Audu Amba, who was represented by the 3rd National Vice President, Bashir Oyewo.

He encouraged teachers to approach the sessions with dedication and punctuality.

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Education

JAMB Sets 150  Cut-off Mark for University Admissions

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Joint Admission and Matriculation Board
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By Tony Obiechina Abuja

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2025/2026 academic session.

The decision was reached on Tuesday during the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, with stakeholders from various tertiary institutions in attendance.

According to JAMB, 140 was approved as the minimum score for colleges of nursing sciences, while polytechnics, colleges of education, and colleges of agriculture will admit candidates with a minimum score of 100.

“The minimum admissible scores for admissions for the next academic session have been fixed at 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics, 100 for colleges of education, and 140 for colleges of nursing sciences by the stakeholders (Heads of Tertiary Institutions),” JAMB announced via its official X account.

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