FG deny converting Kaduna Poly, Yabatech to universities

The Federal Government has denied reports that it had converted Kaduna Polytechnic and Yaba College of Technology to universities.

The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Abdulrasheed, who made this remark in Abuja, when he received the Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr. Masaudu Kazaure in his office, said the report was untrue.

Kazaure also revealed that dichotomy between HND and BSc holders in the civil service had been eliminated as Polytechnic graduates who acquired Post Graduate Diploma can now rise to the pinnacle of their career like their university counterparts in the Civil Service.

Sustain good relationship between FG, ASUP – Minister tells Union

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has called on Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic ASUP, to sustain good harmonious relationship between it and the Federal Government for the overall development of the educational section.

Malam Adamu made the call during the 2016 ASUP official capacity development workshop held in Kaduna, Tuesday, saying the industrial harmony was paramount to the development of any society.

The Minister represented by the Deputy Director Polytechnic, Federal Ministry of Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Uba, said the union are partners in progress, adding that they should continue with their partnership with the government on itS current change agenda as it affect education sector in general.

He stressed that the government was committed to transforming the entire education sector.

He commended the union leadership for organizing the capacity building workshop which he said was timely and well conceived.

FG scraps common entrance interview test into Federal government colleges

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has announced the cancellation of the interview test for National Common Entrance Examination, NCCE, into Federal Government colleges.

This came as former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, yesterday, stressed the urgent need to overhaul the education system in the country to avoid total collapse of the sector.

A statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education yesterday in Abuja, said the cancellation of the test for NCCE would take effect from the 2017/2018 academic year.

The statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press, Bem Goong, said the minister could not establish the rationale for a second test for NCCE organised by the National Examination Council, NECO.

“The second test is an unnecessary additional financial burden on parents/guardians.”

It quoted Mr. Adamu as saying.
“The era of multiple examinations attracting prohibitive fees cannot be accommodated by the Buhari administration, especially against the backdrop of government’s determination to increase access to education as a platform for breaking the cycle of poverty,” the statement read.

It said Adamu had directed NECO to strengthen its examination processes with a view to achieving quality and credible examination for admission into unity schools at the first test.

The statement said the minister argued that multiple examinations did not necessarily translate to the admission of quality pupils in secondary schools.

Mr. Adamu maintained that the 2016/2017 academic year remained the effective date for the ban on Post-UTME, advising vice-chancellors to adhere strictly to the policy in the overriding public interest.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, yesterday, stressed the urgent need to overhaul the education system in the country to avoid total collapse of the sector. Ezekwesili, who stated this in Abuja, at the 2016 Nigerian Education Innovation Summit organised by Education Partnership Centre, EPC, said education left in the hands of policy makers was problematic.

ASUU draws battle line with FG over scrap of Post-UTME

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday lambasted the Federal Government for scrapping the Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, told newsmen in Abuja, that the cancellation “portends serious danger for the quality of education in this country”.

“The argument of federal government on the policy is unacceptable and potentially harmful to the future of Nigerian’s education system. We call on government to rescind its decision and convene a genuine stakeholders’ meeting on the issue before making any policy statement”, he added.

Ogunyemi insisted that the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, did not enjoy the sole prerogative to endorse the examination conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board.

He said, “Such statement coming from the Minister was unfortunate because JAMB should not be saddled with the responsibility of solely conducting entrance examinations into the nation’s tertiary institutions.

“We call the attention of the Honourable Minister of Education to the fact that Post-UTME is a child of necessity and rationality and a decision that Nigerian Universities had to take when the credibility and integrity of JAMB examinations and
results became questionable.

“When universities were admitting solely on the basis of JAMB scores, unimaginable discrepancies were observed in the JAMB scores of candidates and their performance in the first year in the University.

“Consider a candidate who got a JAMB score of 290 out of a maximum of 400, yet had to withdraw from the University at the end of the first year on account of very poor performance. It is important to note that this happened not in isolated cases. Virtually all universities reported such cases.

“The University of Ibadan conducted a study on the correlation between JAMB scores and performance at the University, and reported a negative correlation between the two. The results were published in the Ibadan Journal of the Social Sciences. The introduction of Post -UTME was based on sound empirical evidence.”

ASUU said there had been considerable improvement in the quality of students admitted into the universities since the introduction of Post -UTME.

The ASUU leader added that: “The Post-UTME has its problems which we believe can be addressed. To curtail exploitation of parents and candidates, government can improve funding to universities and other tertiary institutions”.

Don’t play with fire, admit students through JAMB not post-UTME – FG warns universities

The Federal Ministry of Education on Monday sent a strong-worded statement to Nigerian universities, warning them that only the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) can admit students.

The Director, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry, Mr. Ben Goong, stated that any institution that acted against the directive would have itself to blame.

He denied media reports that the earlier decision to cancel post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was upturned.

The ministry insisted that universities “had no business admitting candidates other than those sent to it by JAMB but could screen candidates to remove those with anti-social traits and suspicious credentials”.

The federal government said while the ban on post-UTME stayed, screening was only for those admitted by JAMB and limited to examination of credentials and physical examination of candidates to ensure that they are not of questionable characters.

“All these should be done upon resumption. No university is allowed to have anything to do with any applicant who is not its student. Screening and registration are only for those who have been admitted by JAMB,” the ministry stressed.

FG, VCs peg post-UTME screening fee at N2,500

The Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders in the tertiary education sub-sector have agreed to peg the fee for the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination screening at N2,500.

This was contained in a statement by the Secretary-General, Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Michael Faborode, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Faborode said the agreement was reached after a meeting of officials of the ministry, federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

“From the statement made by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, at the meeting, there is no objection to screening by universities as long as it is not another CBT.”

“She agreed that universities should advertise and the maximum fee that should be charged for the screening should be N2,500 – bank charges inclusive,” he stated.

According to the statement, the association will formally convey its stance to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

Federal Government declares Tuesday, Wednesday public holiday

The Federal Government has declared
Tuesday, 5th and Wednesday, 6th July, 2016 as Public Holiday to mark Eid-el Fitri Celebrations.

Minister of Interior, Lt Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), who made the declaration Thursday on behalf of the Federal Government, enjoined all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to extend the spiritual benefits of Ramadan, which are love, peace and justice to their daily living and through this contribute to the development of the nation.

According to a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Bassey Akpanyung, the minister also urged all Nigerians to use the opportunity of this spiritual rejuvenation to reflect on the imperative of unity and peaceful co-existence in strengthening the bond of togetherness for a strong, virile Nation.

Dambazau while wishing Nigerians a peaceful celebration, urged total support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s vowed determination to bequeath to the nation an enduring political legacy.

Education Ministry To Meet VCs , Admission Officers , Others Over Post- UTME

The Federal Ministry of Education will convene a meeting with vice -chancellors, admission officers , and other stakeholders to discuss processes for the post - Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME ).

Dr Folashade Yemi - Esan , the Permanent Secretary , Federal Ministry of Education made this known while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN ) on Wednesday in Abuja . According to her , the meeting will hold next week.

The Minister of Education , Malam Adamu Adamu , had recently scrapped the post - UTME test “ As far as I am concerned , if the nation has confidence in what JAMB is doing , the universities should not be holding another examination.

“ If the universities have any complain against JAMB , let them bring it and then we address it .

“ But if JAMB is qualified enough to conduct tests and they have conducted test, then there will be no need to conduct another test for students to gain admission , ” Adamu had said .

According to Mrs Yemi - Esan, the minister had made a pronouncement which should be complied with .

“ The responsibility is now on us to give them guidelines and modalities on how to go about what the honourable minister has said .

“ There is no written directive but all the stakeholders were at that meeting where the minster said it openly.

“ There is going to be a meeting of the all the vice - chancellors and admission officers sometime next week to work our modalities , ” she said .

No ceasefire agreement with FG — Niger Delta Avengers

NIGER Delta Avengers (NDA) has denied any ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government.

It will be recalled that a two-week ceasefire that was to usher in dialogue between the militants and the Federal Government to end destruction of oil and gas installations was reported to have been agreed upon.

It will also be recalled that the Avengers had sustained their rejection and misgivings concerning the proposed dialogue, calling interested parties from the region political jobbers.

In response to the ceasefire muted by the Federal Government, the presence of soldiers in the creeks were scaled down while search for the suspected militants also abated.

The two weeks ceasefire by government expired Tuesday, prompting followers of the Niger Delta Avengers to raise questions on reported renewal of the agreement.

NDA, in a tweet last night, said “The NDA high command never remember having any agreement on ceasefire with the Nigeria government.”

Speculation has been on since last week’s visit by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, to the Niger Delta to talk to some critical stakeholders on way out of the renewed militancy in the region.

After the visit of the minister to liaise with various stakeholders in the region, there has been no bombing of oil and gas facilities.

FG sacks striking doctors

The Federal Government has ordered the sack of striking resident doctors in the country.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in a circular signed by Amina Shamaki, permanent secretary of the ministry directed chief medical directors (CMDs) and medical directors (MDs) of FG tertiary health institutions to fill the vacancies created by resident doctors who have “abandoned” their programme.

Resident doctors in government hospitals embarked on a nationwide strike on Monday.

The circular reads:
“It has come to the notice of the management of the ministry that some resident doctors in your establishment have voluntarily withdrawn from the residency training program by refusing to report for training without authorisation. public service rule, PSR 030402 (e) is relevant.

“This is in spite of the ongoing negotiations on their demands put forward by the representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association.

“In view of this development, you are hereby directed to replace all the doctors that have withdrawn their services, with others from the pool of applicants for the training programs in the various disciplines in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of health care delivery in your facility.

“Meanwhile, the ministry is working with the panel on the review of the residency training programme in Nigeria, led by Professor Wole Atoyebi, the registrar of the National Postgraduate Medical College, to fast-track the development of a comprehensive blueprint for postgraduate training of doctors in the country.

“Please, ensure immediate compliance.”