Education
Benue Varsity Shut As Students Protest Over Graded Point
From Chris Gaga, Makurdi
Management of Benue State University has directed the shutting down of the University with immediate effect.
This followed Monday’s closure of the University’s entry gates by protesting students who were expressing concerns over their grading point.
In seperate Press Statements signed by the Registrar of the University, Dr(Mrs) Mfaga Modom said all attempts to stop the students from blocking the gates failed.
It directed the students to vacate the campus immediately.DAILY ASSET reports that students of the University on Monday barricaded all entry gates of the school protesting a revert to 5 – Point Grading System as recommended by the National universities Commission(NUC).
The students who were in their large numbers carried placards with varying inscriptions like; “No 5 points no school”,
“We want peace not war”, “Aluta Bomb, no 5 points no school fees”, “We want to meet with NUC”.
The Spoke person of the students, Comrade Kingsley Obora said they were demanding immediate implementation of the 5 – point grading system as directed by the NUC.
“The protest today is simple. Students are tired of dialoguing with management concerning the issue of 5 Grading Point System, because we have used almost a year to dialogue with management on this issue. And we felt this is the only avenue for management to hear us, that is why we are here today, to call on management to hear our cry. If we don’t do this, then most of the students will be withdrawn for no just cause.
So we are saying management should revert to the five point grading system that other Universities are grading on already,” Kingsley said.
The students expressed fear that if they were graded on 4 point system, majority of the students will be withdrawn because of poor CGPA.
” Four point grading system only have advantage for first class. In 4 point grading there is no pass degree. As it stands, so many people have been withdrawn. If you go to Economics Department, over 100 students have been withdrawn, Sociology have already sent their children home. If you go go to Sociology, the least person has 0.37 CGPA on 4 point grading system, where as when you convert it to 5 Point, that person will be on 1 point which is pass degree. All we are asking for is go back to 5 Point grading point,” One of the Department leaders, Moses expressed.
But in a swift reaction the Benue State University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Msugh Kembe through a statement signed by the Registrar said management was aware of students grievances and has already complied with NUC directive by reverting to 5 Point grading System with effect from 2018/2019 academic session.
It noted that the closure of the University gates by students on account of the issue was unwarranted.
“Management of Benue State University is aware of the grievances of students, especially as it relates to the Five (5) Point Grading System. It is in recognition of this that the Benue State University Senate constituted a Committee to consider the appeal by the students for the recalculation of their previous results from Four (4) Point Grading System to Five (5) Point Grading System and submit its recommendations.
“The Committee requested and received memoranda from the Universuty community including the Students; met severally and its report is to be considered at the forthcoming meeting of Senate scheduled for Thursday, 5th September, 2019.
“Students must acknowledge the fact that the University had already complied with the directive by the National Universities Commission (NUC) by reverting to the 5 Point Grading System with effect from the 2018/2019 academic session.
“In the interim, the University Management met the students and informed them of the efforts of Senate and appealed for their patience to enable the Committee to complete the assignment. Management also, through the Dean of Students issued a circular informing the students of its efforts.
“Management wishes to reiterate that it can only consider their appeal when the report of the Senate Committee is received.
“Management wishes every student to note that it cares for their academic success and will never deliberately distort their academic performance and results,” the statement reads.
The University Management appealed to students to be law abiding and respect constituted authority, policies and properties of the University and allow due process to prevail.
In 2013, the NUC directed all Universities to adopt a 4 point grading system. NUC however, instructed four years after that 5 point grading point be reverted to.
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)
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.
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)
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