Education
FG Bans Underage Children from Participating in NCEE.
By Evelyn Terseer, Abuja
The Federal Government has banned underage children from participating in the National Common Entrance Examination for admission into the Unity Schools across the country.
Government has directed the National Examination Council (NECO) to put in place relevant measures to prevent the underage persons from registering for the examination, including making birth certificate compulsory as registration requirement.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr David Andrew Adejo, gave the directive on Saturday in Abuja while monitoring the conduct of the 2023 Common Entrance Examination into the 110 Federal Government Colleges across the Federation.
A total of 72,821 candidates sat for the examination on Saturday nationwide.
Adejo noted that to get into secondary, a candidate should be at least 12 years, adding that one could be eleven plus during the examination and by September, such a person would have attained the age of 12 years.
The Permanent Secretary after monitoring the exercise at the Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, and Government Day Secondary School, Bwari, said he was unhappy to see many underage person taking the examination.
He insisted that less than eleven years was unacceptable, disclosing that Airforce School, among others do not accept candidates less than twelve years for admission into their schools.
Adejo said: “This year, I have advice for parents and I beg you, take this advice to any single home you know. We are killing our children by allowing underage children to write the Common Entrance Examination.
“I saw children that I know that are not up to 10, and three of them accepted that they are nine years old. We are doing many things; one, we are teaching the children the wrong values. Education is not about passing exams. Education is teaching, learning and character formation
“I beg the parents, let these children do the exams when they should. We don’t get value by pushing your child too far. Most of the times if a child starts too early, he or she will have problems later in life.
“Education is designed in such a way that at any particular stage in life, there are messages your brain can take and understand and be able to use. We are moving from education that is reliant on reading textbooks and passing exams.
“We are getting to a stage where education is what can you use your knowledge to do for the society. You put a small child to go through all the rigours, by the time he finishes secondary, getting to University becomes a problem. I had that experience with a friend. Till date that friend did not get into a University, simply because he was put into school earlier than age that he was supposed to be put into school.
“Let our children get to appropriate age before writing this exam and we are going to make sure NECO put in place appropriate checks. We didn’t want to get to where we will say bring birth certificate but that is the stage we are going to now. In registering also upload the child’s birth certificate, so that at our own end, we are able to cut some of these things,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary also noted that the efforts of the Federal Government and other stakeholders in encouraging girls education is yielding fruit, saying the number of girls that registered for the Common Entrance Examination this year is 38,000 far above the previous years.
According to the Registrar of NECO, Professor Dantani Wushishi, the conduct of the examination was generally smooth and orderly, saying from the reports gotten from across the country, the examination went on hitch-free.
While confirming that 72,821 candidates registered for for the 2023 National Common Entrance Examination, Wushishi disclosed that Lagos State had the highest number of enrollment followed by FCT, while the State with lowest registration, Kebbi, has about 115 registered candidates.
He noted that the Council would put in place mechanism to check some of the noticeable gaps caused by upsurge in registration a day to the examination.
The Federal Government says it has no plan to slash scholarship students’ allowances as recently projected in the media.The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, stated this during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Abuja on Friday.
Report says that there was a report that the ministry, through the Federal Scholarship Board, announced a slash in allowances of foreign scholars stranded in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria among others.
The slash in scholars’ allowances under the federal government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship (BEA) was attributed to the economic crises.Mamman said that there was no slash in scholars` allowances but rather an adjustment due to Foreign Exchange fluctuations (FOREX).“We want to clarify what has been in the media on allowances paid to scholars under the Bilateral Scholarship Agreement.“We want to place it on record that the ministry and the Federal Government for that matter have not slashed the allowances due to students.“What happened is some adjustments in the amount due to them because of FOREX fluctuations, and as soon as we get the balance we have applied for, we will pay them.“But for now, what is in the budget is what we can pay. So, there is no slash, we will even be happy to increase, so this is what has led to the adjustments,” he said.(NAN) By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Ahead of the Federal Education Sector Games (FEDUGAM) slated for Bauchi, the Federal Ministry of Education has unveiled the mascot for the 4th edition named “FEDUGAM-Bauchi 2024,” at a ceremony held in Abuja.
Speaking during the unveiling, the Minister of Education, Prof.
Tahir Mamman, represented by the Minister of State, Dr. Tanko Yusuf Sununu, expressed profound gratitude to attendees for their unwavering support and dedication to advancing the education sector.In a statement by the Director Press and PR, Folasade Boriowo, the Minister noted that FEDUGAM serves as a cornerstone for fostering camaraderie, sportsmanship, and community spirit among educators, administrators, students, and staff.
“The newly unveiled mascot embodies the values of physical fitness, teamwork, perseverance, and fair play, and is set to inspire participants throughout the games” the statement stated
Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, reiterated the importance of the games in promoting unity, friendship, fitness, and mental alertness among the Ministry and Agency staff.
She expressed gratitude to everyone involved in organizing the event and encouraged participants to compete with integrity and enjoy the games.
Chairman of the FEDUGAM Steering Committee, Omotayo F. Adeyemi, welcomed attendees and thanked the Minister and other dignitaries for their presence despite their busy schedule.
He harped on the mascot’s significance in representing the spirit of the games and thanked the organizing committee for their relentless efforts.
Adeyemi called for widespread support from ministries, agencies, corporate organizations, and partners to ensure the success of FEDUGAM Bauchi 2024.
FEDUGAM Bauchi 2024 is scheduled to take place from August 3-10, 2024, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi State.
The event aims to celebrate educational achievements and foster unity within the sector, with the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, His Excellency Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, graciously hosting and supporting the event.
“As the games approach, the entire Ministry stands united in support, echoing the spirit of the mascot unveiled today. Let us come together to celebrate our shared achievements and work towards a brighter future for our education sector,” the statement added.
From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu
The Executive Chairman of Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), Associate Professor Hyginus Banko Okibe has flagged off the 2022/2023 Agricultural Education training programme for head teachers, teachers, and pupils at Independence Layout Primary School, Enugu.
Professor Okibe emphasized the importance of agriculture for economic development and growth, stressing that the country’s major problem is hunger due to people not engaging in farming activities anymore.
He noted that schools should be exposed to agricultural skills and technology; he however announced that there will be an agricultural trade fair, where produce from all schools will be showcased.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Dr. Patrick Nwabueze Ubru, in a keynote address, highlight the importance of agriculture, stating that without it, there will be no life.
He disclosed that 12,000 bags of fertiliser will be distributed to registered farmers in the state and noting that non-farmers will not receive farming inputs and fertilisers.
Ubru reiterated that agriculture occupies an important space in the Governor’s vision and manifesto as one of the developmental areas for reviving the economy.
He said that Enugu State has introduced dry season farming with solar pumping machines and embarked on three-cycle rice production, making it the largest producer of cassava in the country.
He further disclosed plans to establish agricultural processing industries in the three senatorial zones of the state.
Dr. Amaka S. Ngene, Executive Chairman of STVSMB and former Permanent Member of ENSUBEB, appreciated the guests and emphasized that the agricultural education training programme is child-centered, aimed at making agriculture a future career or hobby for the pupils.
She enumerated the objectives of the training, including the provision of requisite skills for self-employment.
Hon. Nwakaego Ajah, Permanent Member 3, thanked the Executive Governor of Enugu State, the Executive Chairman of ENSUBEB, and UBEC for the initiative in making Agricultural Science more practical-oriented at the Basic Schools.
She urged the learners and teachers to take the training serious and also promote their dignity in labour.
The event featured lectures on food crops, planting, and care, and the distribution of farm inputs and plants to various schools.
The highlight of the occasion was the decoration of Dr. Amaka Ngene by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation.
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