Education
Almajiri System: APC North-west Supports FG Stance
The North west zonal office of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it would support the Federal Government in controlling the menace of street begging and the Almajiri system of Islamic education in the country.
The zonal Organising Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abdulmanaf Muhammad, made the declaration during the party’s stakeholders meeting held in Daura on yesterday.
He said the Almajiri system which was aimed at providing Islamic education, has been bastardised by some section of the society through child neglect, labour and servitude.
He described the present trend of the Almajiri system as a process of wasting the talents of children and denying them the opportunity to seek for proper Islamic and western education.
He noted that the Almajiris have been confined to very harsh conditions of degradation, deprivation and unnecessary exploitation, as their teachers and families sometimes relied on them to survive.
Muhammad added that the practice also jeopardises the peace and tranquility of the nation through infiltration of illegal immigrants in the name of seeking for Islamic education.
He noted that the traditional Almajiri system also served as breeding ground for miscreants and other undesirable elements who camouflaged to cause havoc in the society, stressing that the dreaded Boko Haram was a product of the system.
According to him, most of the children under the system are being exposed to dangerous foreign ideas that are inimical to the socioeconomic development of the nation.
The APC zonal organising secretary said most of the teachers could not read or interpret Islamic injunctions properly and only use the system as their means of livelihood, instead of imparting the right and appropriate Islamic education to the Almajiris as done in other countries operating similar system of education.
He therefore called on parents to imbibe the civilised culture of enrolling their children in modern Islamic schools close to them to enable the children acquire proper Islamic and western education.
Muhammad said that the party would unconditionally rally round the federal and state governments, as well as traditional rulers to ensure reform of the system away from the present level of servitude and exploitation of children.
The organizing secretary appreciated the efforts being made by Governor Aminu Masari to enact a law to control the Almajiri system in Katsina state.
He regretted that the Almajiri system has brought negative stereotyping of the Hausa/Fulani as lazy, who beg for alms to survive.
Muhammad lauded the Buhari administration for its willingness to control and modernise the Almajiri system of education in line with present realities.
Source: NAN
Education
NECO Reschedules 2024 Common Entrance Exam into Unity Colleges
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has re-scheduled the 2024 National Common Entrance Examination into Federal Unity Colleges and the entrance examination into Federal Government Academy, Suleja.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday by Azeez Sani, acting Director, Information and Digital Communication of the council.
Sani stated that the common entrance examination earlier scheduled for April 20, 2024, would now hold on June 1, 2024.
He also said that the entrance examination for Gifted and Talented Children into Federal Government Academy, Suleja, earlier scheduled to hold on May 4,
2024 would now hold on May 25, 2024.
He added that the rescheduling of the two examinations was due to low enrollment of candidates.
He enjoined candidates, parents, guardians, schools and relevant stakeholders to take note of the new dates.
Sani said that registration of candidates would continue till the new dates of the examinations. (NAN)
Education
Six Nigerian Universities to Benefit from EU’s €27m Funding
By Eddy Ochigbo
No fewer than six Nigerian Universities have been selected to benefit from the 15 Intra-Africa Mobility Scheme Projects funded by the European Union (EU) with €27 million under the flagship Youth Mobility for Africa.
Permanent Secretary, of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs.
Didi Walson-Jack, who signed the agreement at the Global Gateway High-Level Event on Education in Brussels, said Nigeria would also benefit from the regional Team Europe Initiative on Opportunity-driven Skills, Vocational Education and Training in AfricaUnder the initiative, the European Union would spend €27 million, allocating €1.
8 million to each of the Projects in the education and healthcare sectors in Africa.These Projects, which are to be facilitated by various Universities, aim to enhance learning mobility opportunities for Students, Trainees, and Staff across the Continent, focusing on developing high-level green and digital skills.
The participating Universities include the University of Lagos, the University of Port-Harcourt, Ebonyi State University, the Federal University of Technology, and the University of Nigeria.
Education
UTME: Police, JAMB Warn Candidates Against Patronising Fake Websitess
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the police have warned candidates preparing for the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) against patronising fake websites.
The two bodies gave the warning at a joint news conference in Abuja on Saturday.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said there were several fake websites created by unscrupulous individuals with the intention of misleading candidates.
He urged candidates to be wary of their tactics, saying the fake web sites were designed to deceive innocent candidates into providing personal details such as registration numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers.
“Both JAMB and the Nigeria Police Force condemn these fraudulent activities and hereby reiterate the readiness to safeguard the interests of candidates and maintain the integrity of the examination process.
“We urge parents, guardians, and all stakeholders to ensure that candidates print their UTME Notification Slips only from the Board’s approved website: www.jamb.gov.ng.
“Candidates can print their slips from the comfort of their homes or visit any of the over 700 accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide,” he said.
Adejobi explained that the force was familiar with the tactics employed by fraudsters, especially during the annual assessment and admission exercises.
He, therefore, said that both organisations was actively sensitising candidates and the public about these deceptive practices.
“Any candidate who visits these fake sites will definitely have unreliable information and thereby miss out in the forthcoming exams.
“Candidates are advised to print their UTME Notification Slips before Friday, 19th April, 2024, to access vital information about their examinations.
“Any website other than www.jamb.gov.ng offering UTME slip printing services is fake and designed to defraud candidates,” he said.
He also called on candidates to beware of web sites offering ‘live’ questions and answers, as they were false and deceptive, saying that accessing such materials was prohibited.
He further said the board was partnering with the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) to address online scam-related issues seamlessly.
He assured candidates and the public of the force firm dedication to ensuring a fair and transparent examination process.
He also stressed that the Inspector General of Police had ordered the NPF-NCCC to go after scammers and fraudsters who engage in cyber related crimes and create phishing sites/portals.
On his part, the JAMB spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, pledged the Board’s commitment to continue in playing its role
He, therefore, urged candidates to ignore any unsolicited messages noting that they were from elements who aim at defrauding candidates.
The 2024 UTME is scheduled to commence on Friday, April 19, and end on April 29. (NAN)