Education
Over 11,000 Teachers Write Professional Qualifying Exam
No fewer than 11,350 teachers across the country have sat for the May Diet of the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE), organised by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Andrew Adejo, while monitoring the conduct of the examination at Sascon International School in Abuja on Saturday, expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the examination
Adejo, who commended the new technology introduced by the council to get the authenticity of the certificate of teachers, said the examination had witnessed some level of improvements.
He said this would go a long way to weed out quackery from the system.
According to him, last year we just moved from accreditation and candidates go straight to write but this year, accreditation has a double level.
” This year, candidates will have to first do the accreditation, fill the form and you also cross-check your slip with the APP that TRCN has developed to give it authenticity.
”So I think they are improving on incremental basis every year on the process for PQE for teachers.
”The Federal Government is making efforts to weed out quacks but you know it is very difficult but this exam is part of the way we can weed out quacks.
”We are insisting that before you can be a teacher in every school, you must meet the basic minimum standard.
“As at today, at the junior and senior secondary as well as early childhood school levels, quackery is reducing,” he said
He said the ministry was working on cleaning the teachers’ database so as to have less quacks in the profession so that quackery does not affect the standard and quality of the country’s education.
He, therefore, urged state and federal educational quality assurance team to ensure teachers have the required qualifications and skills to teach.
Meanwhile, the Registrar of TRCN, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye said the report from centres across the country indicated hitch free processes.
Ajiboye commended the candidates for comporting themselves before and during the exams saying that teachers were now realising the importance of the PQE.
”There has been improvement in the accreditation process because part of what we did was to develop an APP to accredit the candidates and this is working perfectly well.
” For this year, we have over 11,350 with Lagos having the highest with 1,500 candidates followed by FCT, while Kebbi has the lowest candidates.
” So, what we did is to combine states with lower candidates,” he said.
The registrar said that the council was leveraging on technology for its operations to track quackery while also putting necessary measures to weed out quacks through its school monitoring programme mechanism.
Speaking with some of the candidates, they attested to that fact that the technology introduced by the council had help in checking some of the discrepancies in its accreditation processes.
One of the candidates, Idongesit Ben, said that the exam was conducted smoothly without any technical hitches.
Ben said that though the exam was a bit difficult as it was her first time but hoping to succeed after the outcome of the exams.
” We had 60 questions to answer which were made up of Test and Measurements, Basic Mathematics, English, Educational Psychology and Sociology.
”The exams was a little bit difficult for me because it was not what I expected having read through the TRCN past questions but I hope to come out successful,” she said.
On her part, Mrs Titilope Yunusa, writing for the second time, said the exam was better than her first attempt.
”This is my second time of writing this exam and I don’t want to fail this time around. I experienced difficulties in my first attempt because I don’t really know how to operate the computers.
” But now I have learnt the operations of a computer system and can now operate it and that is why I am here to take the examination again.
”I am confidence of passing the exams this time,” she said. (NAN)
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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