Real Acts of Kindness (RAK) Development Foundation, is organizing

Computer-Based Training (CBT) programme to select candidates for its free Jamb form in Badagry.

Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, the Pioneer, RAK Foundation,explained that the training programme will enable the Foundation to know the number of students eligible for the examination.

He said:”The one-week training programme will enable the students to get used to computer skills before sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).The Foundation has established five centres with 48 computers in the three Local Government areas in Badagry where this training will commence.

“We are buying software for those computers in those centres and once we do that, all the students will have an opportunity to learn basic computing skills for a duration of one week.

“The foundation has gotten volunteer teachers who are ready to train the students on the use of computer.

“After the training for a week, we will organise a mock examination for all the candidates, so, when they do the mock examination and pass, this will qualify them for free jamb form and possible sponsorship.

“If at the end of the day, we have about 200 to 300 candidates that pass the examination, they will be given the free Jamb form, there is no limit to the numbers,” he said.

Ogunlende said that the purpose of the training programme was to prepare them for the UTME.

“They must be ready for the examination and the only to know this is when they go through the process.

“This is to ensure that we are spending our money in the right way and given the right people the opportunity.

“We are going to monitor the UTME and anyone that gets high marks could be eligible for some form of  scholarships from the foundation,” he said.

Ogunlende said that the foundation decided to do it in a different way this year.

He added:”Three years ago when we decided to provide free GCE forms for our students in Badagry, most of them failed the examination woefully.The following year, we organised coaching classes for them before the examination and alas, most of them passed with flying colors hence the stance to repeat the process

“One of them that performed excellently got a scholarship from me  and I am sponsoring his education now.This is the reason we are doing our own free Jamb form in a different way,” he said.

The Governing Council of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti( FUOYE) has approved the immediate suspension of the university’s registrar , Mr. Olatunbosun Odusanya, over issues bordering on irregular appointments.

 His  suspension was conveyed  in a letter dated April, 20, 2021 and signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina.

Odusanya was suspended by the University Governing Council, being chaired by Dr. Mohammed Yahuza,  to allow for proper investigation into allegations of misconduct leveled against him over irregularities in  recent appointments,Special Adviser on Media Matters to the Vice-Chancellor, Wole Balogun said.

The letter reads in part : “You would please note that consequent upon the consideratiom of the report of the Committee on the review of appointments made in the University from August 1, 2020 to February, 2021 by Council, you were recently queried via our memo Ref. No: FUOYE/VC/CD/007 dated 6th April, 2021, for act of misconduct in the appointments.

“The staff Disciplinary Committee which was constituted by Council has considered your written representation and found it unacceptable to exculpate you from the act of misconduct.

” In line with the Regulations Governing the Conditions of Service of Senior Staff on CONTIS 06 and the above in the University , the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, on behalf of Council, has directed that your appointment be suspended from the University with half salary, with immediate effect, pending the determination of the case against you.

” Accordingly, you are hereby suspended from the University with half pay with immediate effect. Consequently, you are directed to handover all the University property in your possession to the Officer next in rank to you immediately. Your Staff Identity Card should be submitted to the Personnel Affairs Officer. You are also advised to stay away from the premises of the University, except otherwise expressed in writing,” it said.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi,Ekiti State Governor, has approved the  creation  of reading and learning clubs in secondary schools in the state.

The effort was to revive the culture of reading and learning  among young students of the state so as to enhance their knowledge drive and academic performance,according the government.

The initiative is to be tagged , Ekiti State Spelling,Reading and Learning Club(EKSRAL-CLUB) in all the Secondary Schools of the State.

He explained that the various clubs would be inaugurated on the 23rd of April 2021 to commemorate this year’s World Book Day.

According to Soyombo, Dr Kayode Fayemi who doubles as the President of the Club, would be Joined by the Honorable Commissioner For Education, Science and Technology Ekiti State and Many Prominent Individuals to Officially Ensign the EKSRAL-CLUB and donate Book(s) for free  to  students across the 16 Local Government of Ekiti State.

Olalekan Soyombo ,the Senior Special Assistant, Student’s Matters to the governor, disclosed this in a statement  made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti.

 Soyombo noted that  the step was part of the usual progressive manner of  Governor Kayode Fayemi and his quest to promoting literacy and Increase Knowledge among Ekiti students.

“The government of Ekiti State, noticed with deep concern, the seemingly unending

decline in the reading culture among the students and their disposition to many of the  unimportant social ventures which has in return affected their critical thinking, hence, the introduction of EKSRAL-CLUB to the students as a way to go”.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has cautioned operators of cybercafes’, tutorial centres and other entities against the indiscriminate use of its logo and name for illegal transactions.

It also warned that it would embark on a nationwide clampdown with security agencies  to effect arrests and prosecute unauthorised use of its name and logo in the forms of  advertisements to defraud hapless  candidates.

It  frowned at the habit of using its name and logo against hapless candidates purposely to deceive, defraud and extort them.

JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede disclosed this in Ilorin over the weekend where he handed over some operators of cybercafes, tutorial centres and other similar operators to security agents.

The board said: “The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has noted with dismay, the unwholesome activities of fraudulent operators of cybercafes, tutorial Centers and other entities, which have formed the habit of deceiving hapless candidates through using the Board’s name and logo to defraud and extort them.

“The stock in trade of these unscrupulous elements is to lure innocent candidates to  path with their money under the deceptive guise of registering them for 2021/22 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) application documents.”

JAMB warns that it is illegal for one to use the Board’s name and logo when one is not licensed by the Board to do so for any reason.

He cautioned that the board would no longer tolerate the antics of such platforms, which he said, are used as incubators for examination infractors that use the name and logo of the Board to lend credence to their unwholesome activities.

Abdullahi Sule,the Governor of Nasarawa State, has  Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Keystone Bank and Guaranty  Trust Bank (GTB) for  the renovation  and construction of schools in the  the state.

He spoke while swearing in  the chairman and members of Nassarawa State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB

Sule said the  renovation project was a collective efforts to deliver good education to the  people of Nassarawa State.

He noted that the appointment and the inauguration of this Members of the Universal Basic Education Board was in furtherance of his administration commitment to  strengthen the basic education system in the state.

He explained that the efforts was in view to sustaining the modest efforts towards the repositioning of primary and junior secondary schools for enhanced quality delivery of service in the education sector.

“As you may be aware this Administration has remained resolute in the provision of qualitative education to our children, especially at the elementary level in order to provide strong foundation of nurturing our children in to becoming future leaders of tomorrow.

The Bayelsa State Government and Microsoft Corporation have partnered to train 12,000 teachers and 90,000 pupils on e-learning as part of the state’s vision for digital advancement of education.

Commissioner for Education, Gentle Emelah, stated this during a two-day virtual education transformation workshop, which commenced   yesterday in Yenagoa,

He explained that the initiative was necessitated by the impact of the COVID-19 crisis which disrupted global systems and caused a sharp paradigm shift towards e-learning with digital tools.

He  that the 12,000 teachers would be drawn from public and private schools to ensure that teaching manpower in both sectors were adequately captured for the benefits of pupils.

He said, “Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we are equally learning a new way of reaching and teaching our children and the way to go is e-learning. For that reason, we have partnered with Microsoft.They (Microsoft) are going to train 12,000 teachers for us. And of course, we can’t get 12,000 from the public service so we are going to involve some private school teachers also because the children there are all our children.

“They are equally going to train 90,000 students on how to use the internet for study. Based on that, we felt that as administrators of the system, have to acquire that knowledge so that we know what our teachers are doing when we go out on inspection.”

Microsoft Team Lead in charge of Middle East and Africa, Ms Jaye Richard-Hill, in her remarks, said the workshop was based on the organisation’s “16 key components of a successful transformation strategy” under the four pillars of Microsoft’s Education Transformation Framework (ETF).

The National Association of Nigerian Students, Southwest Zone, has declared its support for the proposed establishment of Federal University of Medicine and Medical Services, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, saying  it will improve medical profession in the country.

The student body,through its South West Deputy Coordinator, Oladimeji Uthman,also  said  the proposed varsity will improve admission into medical studies .

“From published research, Nigerian universities and medical institutes admits only 3000 out of over 160,000 students who apply to study medicine and other medical based courses across the country.

“This is barely two percent estimated number of applicants who are potential medical professionals that the country should be churning out annually.

“Now more than ever, the demand for medical related supports in terms of manpower (professionals), medical research and specialized medical facilities has seriously heightened.

“The doctor-patients ratio in Nigeria is alarming if compare to the WHO standard ratio. This implies that the number of practicing and resident doctors in the country can hardly cater for 10% of the country population.

“The Nigeria medical sector today is in a situation where it constitutes liability on the country’s economy more than its generated revenue.”

The students association implored  the Federal government and all concerned stakeholders to throw their weight behind the actualization of the proposed first medicine and medical sciences university.

The  United States Mission in Nigeria,has  opened a new EducationUSA Advising Center in Calabar, Cross River State.

The Calabar EducationUSA Advising Center hosted at the American Corner, 37 Ekpo Archibong Street, Calabar will offer accurate, unbiased, and comprehensive information about educational institutions in the United States, as well as guidance to prospective students on how best to access those opportunities.

In his remarks during the opening ceremony, U.S. Mission Counselor for Public Affairs Aruna Amirthanayagam,explained that the new EducationUSA Advising Center presents an opportunity for the youth in local communities in Cross River State and its environs to obtain a world-class education in the United States and then return home to contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

He added:“We are very pleased to open an EducationUSA Advising Center in Calabar. The center offers a variety of free educational resources, including public information sessions, webinars, one-on-one, cohort advising and hands-on support for completing the U.S. college and university application process”

Speaking,U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer,Stephen Ibelli added that EducationUSA Advising Centers in Nigeria assist many determined and talented,indigent students in Nigeria who only require financial resources and access to information to better their educational future.

Ibelli disclosed that applications for the 2021/2022 EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program will open on April 15 until May 31, 2021, adding that applicants are welcome from all the states in Nigeria.

He added:“In 2021, 19 high achieving, low-income students from southern Nigeria received full scholarships totaling $2.17 million to attend American universities and colleges for the 2020/2021 academic session.  This feat was made possible through the Opportunity Funds Program of our EducationUSA Advising Center, with support from Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited”

Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Godwin Amanke, expressed the intent of the state government to partner with the U.S. Mission to expand access to the services of the new EducationUSA Advising Center.