Education
Strike: UniAbuja Says Academic, Administrative Activities Ongoing
The Management of the university of Abuja (UniAbuja) says academic and administrative activities on campus will go on in spite of reported strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Vice-Chancellor (VC) UniAbuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, said this at a meeting with Provost, Deans, Directors and Heads of academic departments.
A statement from the meeting, signed by Dr Habib Yakoob, the Acting Director, Information and University Relations, was made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.
The vice chancellor described the strike as divisive and unnecessary, vowing that the management would never allow the university to be crippled again.
“As far as the management of the university is concerned, this institution is not on strike.
“Some people said they have declared a strike but all of us with the management have decided that our normal activities in the university must go on.
“Our exam is going on, senate meeting will continue, everything we do as a university will continue, our calendar will not be disrupted any longer by the grace of God.
“It is wrong to cripple the university over issues that are merely sentimental and some of which we have dialogued over and resolved, we are prepared not to allow this disruption again,” he said.
He debunked all the reported allegations of the union which they claimed informed its declaration of indefinite strike.
“Take for instance, the advert for the position of the vice-chancellor, we are not the only university that has advertised, we had the support and approval of the government.
“The advert was done by the Minister of Education, all I did as vice- chancellor was to request, to ask for what is next and they decided this is what we must do.
“And if you look at the advertisement from the beginning, this fact is very clear. It is only that they had to send it to us for execution that is all,” he explained.
He also described the union’s allegations of illegal recruitment, promotion, delay in the election of deanship, and microfinance bank establishment as unfounded, adding that the university had followed due process in handling all these matters.
He said the university ensured that relevant institutions concerned with oversights were contacted.
On the issue of the election of deans and establishment of microfinance bank, he disclosed that the elections time table had long been publicised.
He explained that the elections of four deans had been conducted so far.
Na’Allah also said that the university management had invested over N200 million in the proposed Microfinance Bank over the ASUU’s N4 million.
He said the investment had been made before the union wrote directly to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop granting the license for our operation.
The vice-chancellor said his administration had been working hard to develop the university and would not fold its arms and allow a group of people to destabilise its calendar.
“For over four years, our goal has been to lift this university much higher than it was, and this we have succeeded in doing by taking our academic and infrastructural developments to a world class level. (NAN)
Education
NBTE Begins Accreditation of New Courses in Federal Polytechnic Wannue
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has commenced accreditation exrceise for six new courses at the Federal Polytechnic, Wannue, Tarka Local Government Area of Benue.
Mr Ogah Ngbede, NBTE’s Director of Polytechnics Programmes, disclosed this on Thursday during the ongoing exrceise in the institution.
According to Ngbede, all the courses would be inspected before making a pronouncement.
He said that the exercise would last for two days, after which its decision would be made known.
He added that the institution secured full accreditation for two out of the five courses it presented to NBTE in 2023.
“We are here to look at the claims made by the institution because they have requested to commence some new programmes.
”We are here to ensure that the right thing is done and ensure that this polytechnic is not regarded or treated as a second grade institution,”he said.
The director, who decried poor funding of polytechnic education in Nigeria, called on goverment at all levels to ensure adequate funds were allocated to the education sector.
“The major problem affecting polytechnic education in this country is finance.
”Let me use this opportunity to call on the government at all levels to inject more funds into the polytechnic system.
“Technical education is a low hanging fruit from which this country can use to escape poverty; technical education all over the world has become a major currency with which nations are using to escape poverty.
“When we pay adequate attention to our polytechnics, students that graduate from these institutions can hit the ground running because they have the necessary tools to be job providers and not job seekers”, he said
Earlier, the Rector of the institution, Dr Tyover Ashinya, listed the courses presented for accreditation to include, Business Management, Public Administration, Agricultural Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Computer Science
He said that the institution has the adequate manpower and infrastructures to effectively run the six new courses.
”We are willing to improve on all necessary areas that need improvement to enable these new courses secure full accreditation,”the Rector said.
Reports says that the institution was established by the Federal Government in December 2020. (NAN)
Education
FG Set to Revolutionise Educational Infrastructure with N98.2 bn – Edun
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Federal Government has announced the ground-breaking ceremony for the building of a 1,600-capacity student hostel in Akwa Ibom State.
This project is part of a N98.2 billion nationwide initiative to enhance educational infrastructure.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun who disclosed this said the Federal Government, in partnership with states and the private sector, will construct 24 housing facilities across 24 institutions, each with 1,600 bed spaces.
According to a statement by Mohammed Manga, Director of Information & Public Relations, the initiative is aimed at addressing a significant student accommodation deficit, enhancing student performance and well-being.
It is also a testament to the sophistication and depth of our local capital marketsRepresented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Special Duties Mr Okokon Ekanem Udo, the Minister added that
“this initiative invests in our youth and educational infrastructure, ensuring that tomorrow’s leaders have the resources and environment they need to thrive.
“It also demonstrates the private sector’s willingness and capacity to partner with government to deliver critical infrastructure projects across all geopolitical zones, to reduce the housing deficit*, Wale Edun said.
Education
FG in Land-Swap Deal to boost Literacy Education in Kano
By Eddy Ochigbo, Abuja
In a renewed move to enhance sustainable growth in education, the federal government has concluded plans to embark on 13 new infrastructure projects at the National Mass Literacy and Adult Education Commission (NMEC), Kano Centre, through Public/Private Partnership (PPP).
Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, disclosed this on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ engagement and sensitisation meeting in Abuja to kick start the proposed land-swap deal for the development of critical infrastructure in Kano.
According to him, the public private partnership project would mark a turning point in literacy education of adults across the country, regretting that it was unfortunate that Nigeria still had a significant number of adults who are either illiterate or have limited literacy skills.
This major challenge, he said hinders the nation’s overall development and progress.“This is another milestone and progress in the ministry, and we will be having it with private public partnership, and this is also part of President Bola Tinubu’s eight-point agenda.Government cannot do it alone and everyone of us needs this as stakeholders to bring development and move the country forward. We have a regulation guiding us which we will use to ensure that the plots that have laid fallow over the years are put to best use in our time,” he said.
While stressing the need to regulate teaching in the country, specifically to guide teaching and teaching practice, Sununu revealed that the 13 new infrastructure projects – semi-detached two and three bedroom bungalows, state-of- the-art classrooms, clinic, library, hostels, a lecture theatre and recreational facilities, among others – would change the fortunes of the National Mass Literacy and Adult Commission, Kano centre, which has been lying fallow in the last 39 years.
“The projects would not only enhance learning at the centre, but would also provide a conducive environment for entrepreneurship in the centre. The Kano Centre of the National Mass Literacy Centre plays a crucial role in addressing this challenge by providing literacy education to adults across the country.
However, to effectively fulfil its mandate and reach more people, it is essential to have the necessary infrastructure and resources in place. This is where the proposed development of 13 critical infrastructures through land swap Public-Private Partnership comes into play. Through this innovative approach, we will be able to leverage the expertise, resources and capabilities of the private sector to create modern and functional learning facilities for the Centre,” Sununu enthused.
On his part, the Executive Secretary, NMEC, Prof. Simon Akpama, expressed confidence that through collective efforts and sustained collaboration between the public and private sector the growth of education would make a significant impact on the lives of a cross section of Nigerians. He said the initiative would also empower youths and adults to contribute their quota to national development.
Meanwhile, DAILY ASSET gathered that MASLAHA Homes and Development Limited, a leading Kano-based Real Estate company, which proposed the land-swap deal, has the capacity to design, finance and build the 13 new critical education infrastructure and assets for the Kano Centre of National Mass Literacy within the scheduled timeframe.