Education
FCTA Suspends Teachers Over Sexual Molestation of Blind Students

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has suspended two teachers of the FCT School for the Blind, Jabi, for alleged molestation of some female students of the school.
A visibly angry Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, who paid an unscheduled visit to the school, following reports of incidences of molestation of some female students by teachers, directed the immediate suspension of the accused teachers, Mr.
Ilo Chukwuma and Mr Ebenezer Olateju, pending the conclusion of investigations on the matter.The Permanent Secretary also directed that Chukwuma, who was accommodated in the school’s residential quarters, vacates the school within the week, stressing that both teachers should steer clear of the school premises as investigations continue.
He further directed the Director of Security Services in the FCTA, Mr. Adamu Gwary to ensure full compliance and implementation of the directive.
While addressing the issue of alleged rape of a student against Olateju, Ohaa pointed out that the image of the country and the FCTA was at stake.
According to him, “While we are working round the clock to give every physically challenged student the best of education, we cannot have incidences as this mar our progress and achievements.”
On why the teachers were suspended instead of being dismissed immediately, the Permanent Secretary said, “We want to be fair and follow due process. So, we will allow the committee do its work and report by next week. But let me assure parents that anyone found culpable in any of these incidences, not only in this school, will be dismissed and prosecuted.
Our teachers, like Caesar’s wife, must be above board.”
Ohaa expressed disgust over the actions of the accused teachers as he listened to victims narrate their ordeals.
He lamented that teachers who are supposed to be protectors are now the students’ nightmare.
“We cannot allow this kind of behaviour to continue. These children more or less are helpless and they depend on teachers here.
They have confidence and trust in you, that you will protect them from immorality and even outside invasion and you turn to be the person they are now afraid of. As a government we cannot just fold our arms”, he said.
One of the Victims disclosed that the accused, Chukwuma, had touched her inappropriately while they were in the school bus on an excursion to Kwali two weeks ago.
Another victim also claimed the accused had always singled her out to berate after she had indicated that she would not condone his inappropriate action.
Addressing the Permanent Secretary and management staff of the Universal Basic Education Board who accompanied the Permanent Secretary on the visit, the school’s Head Teacher, Abdulrazaq Suraju Ademola, explained that already, a committee had been set up to investigate the issue and the report had been forwarded to the Secretary of the Local
Education Authority for onward transmission to the FCT UBEB.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT UBEB, Dr Kabir Matazu, said that the directives of the Permanent Secretary were already being implemented.
He also said that a note of warning had been sounded to all school heads that such behaviour will not be condoned in FCT schools and they will henceforth be held liable if such incidences occurred.
Education
`Our School With 350 students Has only 3 Teachers’ – Bauchi Community

The Gabchyari community in Darazo Local Government, Bauchi State, say the only Primary and Junior Secondary School (JSS) in the community with a student population of 350, has only three teachers.
This was disclosed by some members of the community in separate interviews in Gabchyari on Monday.
They said that the situation has contributed to the high number of out-of-school children in the area and appealed to Bauchi State Government to deploy more teachers to the school to save the situation.
One of the community members, Malam Isa Ibrahim, said that the dearth of teachers in the school had also discouraged many parents from sending their children to school.
“We want the government to help us get more teachers here, teachers are very important and needed in this school,” he added.
Similarly, Yahaya Adamu, another resident, called on the state government to renovate the school, to make the environment conducive for teaching and learning.
He disclosed that out of the three blocks of six classrooms in the school, only two are in good condition.
Adamu added that the lack of potable water in the community had contributed to the nonchalance of the students and parents to learning.
“It is very hard for the students to get water before they go to school, they spend most of the time searching for water during school hours.
“This makes them not to attend classes on time. And even if they go, they are always tired from the rigour of fetching water,” he said.
Mr Abdullahi Muhammad, a teacher, said the school has only two teachers for the JSS classes and one for the primary school section.
“Sometimes, people ask us `what do you teach them, because you are only three teachers in the school’.
“We have one teacher who doubles as the headteacher with more than 200 pupils in the primary school and 150 JSS students.
“Most times, I and my partner in the JSS assist by teaching in the primary classes. We go there to do our best,” he said.
Reacting, Mr Abdullahi Muhammad, the Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board, said that posting of teachers was the responsibility of local governments’ Education Secretaries.
Mohammed however said Gov. Bala Mohammed had pledged to recruit more teachers to address the dearth of teachers in the state.
He assured that the recruitment of teachers by the state government was imminent, adding that the governor was very committed to the pledge.
On school renovation, Muhammad said the governor had approved huge amounts of money for such projects, adding that rehabilitation work was ongoing in some schools across the 20 LGAs of the state.
He charged the people especially in rural areas to improve their maintenance culture with a view to protecting school infrastructure and other facilities provided by the government.
Also commenting, Mr Opeyemi Olagunju, Communications Officer, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field Office, said that the organisation had identified the community as one of the hard-to-reach areas in the state.
He said that the community and similar others urgently need of more teachers and conducive classrooms for learning as well as safe drinking water. (NAN)
Education
Kogi APC Guber Candidate, Ododo Unveils Primary School Teacher as Running Mate

The Kogi All Progressives Congress (APC) Guber Candidate, Mr Usmam Ododo, on Sunday, unveiled a Primary School Teacher, Salifu Joel, as his running mate for Nov. 11 governorship election.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the running mate is the current Chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Treasurer of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kogi.
Gov Yahaya Bello, who spoke at the event at the Government House, said that the choice of Mr Joel, a class teacher and unionist as the deputy governorship candidate of the APC, was borne out of the party’s desire to carry every body along in its quest for the development of the state.
Bello assured that he would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the APC won the Nov 11 governorship election in the state.
“APC will follow and abide by all the existing electoral laws to win the Nov 11 election, more so that my administration has performed creditably well in the areas of provision of infrastructure, quality education, healthcare delivery, among others.
“We have shown competence, dedication and Commitment to Kogi people in terms of performance to also ask for their votes in the next governorship election.
“In this dispensation, we won’t tolerate any politics of bitterness nor condone any act of political violence because Kogi as a state is bigger than any personal interest.
“Politics of ethnicity, religion will never be a barrier and has no place in Kogi, therefore, you should desist from any comments that can put you in trouble tomorrow, ” he warned.
Also, the State’s APC Chairman, Abdullahi Bello, congratulated the party’s guber candidate and his running mate, and commended the governor for providing good leadership to the party.
He said it was ap and commendable, the choice of the running mate to Ododo, coming from a very critical section of the society as a teacher.
Joel said: “I am short of words for me as a classroom teacher to be nominated as the running mate and deputy governor to the APC guber candidate.”
“When I was first approached, from the bottom of my heart, I joyfully and heartily accepted the position, because it is divine.
“I wish to assure that I will do all I could to ensure that our party becomes victorious in the forthcoming governorship election, ” Joel assured.
In their goodwill messages, the National President of TUC, Mr Audu Anaba; Kogi NLC Chairman, Mr Gabriel Amari and the immediate past NLC Chairman, Edoka Onu; commended the governor for choosing one among the labour unions as Ododo’s running mate.
They assured the governor of their total support to mobilise votes for Ododo/Joel ticket to ensure that they emerged the next Governor and Deputy Governor of Kogi State. (NAN)
Education
Salem University Appoints Two New DVCs

From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Salem University Lokoja has appointed two new Professors as Deputy Vice Chancellors (DVCs) to help steer the institution to greater heights.
A statement signed and issued by the university’s Registrar, Dr Emmanuel Adejoh, in Lokoja on Friday, said that the appointments were with immediate effect.
The two new DVCs are Prof Sunday Okpanachi (Prof.
of French) and Prof. Adebayo Williams (Prof. of Law).The Registrar said that the appointments were approved by Senate at its Regular Meeting held recently.
Adejor disclosed, “Prof Sunday Okpanach, a Director of Academic Planning, is now DVC Administration while Prof Adebayo Williams, Dean, College of Law, is now DVC Academics.
”“The two DVCs were nominated by our senate and subsequently approved by council to meet the challenges of the university and of the society,” the registrar said.
He said that the council expects a lot more from the new DVCs at ensuring that the university is placed among the World academic best institutions.
According to him, the appointment is for the period of two years renewable after the first tenure of they could prove their worth.