28
THE NATION THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2012
EDUCATION FEDPOFFA FILE
Lecture kicks off LECTURES have begun for the 2011/2012 second semester academic session as the Federal Polytechnic Offa (FEDPOFFA) resumed school activities on Sunday. The revised academic calendar signed by the Registrar of the Polytechnic Alhaji AbdulHamid Raji also shows that the second semester examinations would commence on August 20. He reiterated the determination of the management led by the Rector, Dr Mufutau Olatunde Olatinwo, to fulfill the institution's mandate.
Rector lauds staff RECTOR of the polytechnic Dr Mufutau Olatinwo has commended the efforts of the management of the staff primary school under Mrs. Grace Popoola, for the achievements it recorded in recent years. He spoke through his deputy,Academic Matters, Mr Eghe Igbinehi, at a twoday seminar organised by the school to improve professional skills of her teachers. Delivering a paper entitled: ‘The role of communication in effective teaching and learning,” Mr Adeoye Augustine of Kwara State School Improvement Team, Education Resource Centre, noted that lack of effective communication in teacher-pupils relationship, has had negative impacts on pupils'performance.
FUNAAB: Union lauds outgoing VC for prudence
T
HE National Secretariat of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has praised the outgoing Vice - Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun for "prudent management of human and material resources" in the last five years. The union President, Mr. Samson Ugwoke, at a valedictory congress in Balogun's honour at the institution said the Vice-Chancellor's performance put a lie to common excuse of "inadequate funds" often advanced by people in leadership positions as reason why they couldn't meet expectations. "If SSANU as a union, even at the national body had our way, we will say let the Balogun's administration continue. But this is a statutory matter that we have no control over. Every indices of per-
formance-regulation of academic calendar, improved quality of graduands and breath-taking research as well as welfare of staff and students have confirmed that, indeed, our Vice-Chancellors can make do with what is available to convince its owner to fund it the more. "From the unusual development of infrastructure, buildings, roads, bridges that have taken place in the last five years under this man, Nigerians can be rest assured all hope of a better tomorrow is not lost," Ugwoke said. Ugwoke, who is a from Enugu State University (ESUT), called on the Federal Government to release the take-off grant for FUNAAB. In his address, the Chairman of SSANU FUNAAB chapter, Abdul-Sabur Salaam, tasked the VC-designate, Olusola Oyewole, on the legacies of his predecessor. Salaam, however, pledged
•Mr Shehu acknowledging the award
to corporate with the new VC to enable him to succeed in his assignment,. "Unionism has gone beyond brigandage, unmerited demands and arm-twisting of management." According to him, SSANU "thrives in advocacy, dialogue and collaboration with all tiers of union for the overall benefit of the system."
School for sports meet PRINCIPAL of the institution's staff secondary school, Mr Olayiwola Roberts, has urged the administration to ensure the school sustains the enviable position it occupies among its peers. He linked the sustenance to the provision of adequate facilities needed in the school for all-round education development. He thanked the Management for providing necessary support to facilitate the Sixth Inter-House Sports Competition of the school in the polytechnic Sports Complex.
robust labour-management relationship facilitated by Balogun. Responding to the honour, which also culminated in the presentation of a giant standing clock to him, Balogun said he has done nothing special, but "that which needed to be done as a man who have a covenant of service with God”.
Two AUN dons bag awards
T
Students elect exco THE National Association of Office Technology and Management (NAOTM), FEDPOFFA Chapter, has elected new officers to take charge of the affairs of its association. The new officers are Adebayo Adekunle, (president); Yusuf Ibrahim, (vicepresident); Bello Tajudeen, (gen. sec); Salam Ismail, (assist. general secretary); Rasheed Rejoice and Sodiq Ramat, (Welfare directors) Others are: Idiojiakwu Jeniveve; (social director); Ajayi Joshua, and Abiodun Abiola, (PROs); Jooda Olayinka and Onanuga Adewale (auditors); Adeniyi Omolara and Akintunde Azeez (Academic coordinators); Sadiq Gafar, (fin. sec).; Olasehinde Tunde, Treasurer and Ajasa Qudus, sports director.
He noted that with initiative and support of the out going VC, no fewer than 80 non-teaching staff were exposed to overseas capacity development programmes across the levels while 100 per cent accreditation for FUNAAB's programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in the years was possible with the
• Mr Ibikunle with some teachers and pupils at the event.
Golden Penny sponsors computer centre •Instals laptop classroom in Lagos school
G
OLDEN Penny and some stakeholders are set to make a success of its One Laptop Per Child initiative through its Laptop4Learning (L4L) programme. It has opened a classroom in the Kuramo Primary School, Victoria Island, Lagos for pupils and teachers in a pilot project that will run for three years. According to the organisers, the goal of the project is to help develop today's children with the appropriate skills, understanding and confidence in the application of technology to become productive global citizens for the future. In his opening remark at the official kick-off of the programme at the Kuramo Primary School, the company's Chief Marketing Officer Mr Clive Cottrell said the programme is targeted at raising computer literacy standard in primary schools in the country. "Our desire is to provide laptops for the pupils and teachers as a learning tool is to bring about change and a
By Akinyemi Oluwayemisi
better life in Nigeria. We want to give back to the community as well as assist in aiding education through donation of laptops" he said. One of the organisers Mrs. Maricyn Hall said the initiative was aimed at preparing children for the future as the social, economic and business world of the future will be dominated by screen technology. According to her, the company's L4L is a NonFor-Profit Organisation with the aim of providing laptops to teachers and children as learning tools. "In June, 2011, Kuramo Primary School, Victoria Island, with the approval of the Education Authorities agreed to participate in an L4L Pilot Project. Their participation included the creation of a L4L facility in one of the school classrooms and L4L provided technical and soft skills training for the teachers, laptops for the teachers and students, internet access and technical support," she added.
She said, so far, Flour Mills of Nigeria has sponsored the programme from the training of the teachers, the provision of laptops and hardware and refurbishment of the classroom. The Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Education, Management Mr Saheed Ibikunle commended the organisers for their contributions. He said the Lagos State government through its Support Our School initiative, partners with companies and individuals interested in developing public schools in the state to move education forward, adding that through it they provide teaching and learning in public schools. Headmaster of the school, Mr Michael Ajayi, praised the donors for the gesture. "We would want the organisers of the programme to carry the teachers along as well. We appeal to them that they should not just inaugurate the programme and leave, but further assist us in terms of maintenance and reaching out to other schools in the area," he said.
WO American University of Nigeria faculty members, Dr. Idorenyin Akpan and Mr. Jacob Fintan Shehu, have been recognised for their outstanding contributions in their disciplines. They presented papers at an international conference on Global Perspectives on Business Management-Changing Dynamics (GPBM 2012) held between April 29 and May 1 at the Skyline University College in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Akpan, an Associate Professor in the Communications and Multimedia Designs Programme of the AUN School of Information Technology & Communications, presented a joint paper entitled: “The changing dynamics of 'Think-Feel-Do' model and its implications
for advertising business in the Sub-Saharan enclave" with Dr. Godwin Okon, of Rivers State University of Science and Technology; Dr. Uzoma Okugo of Abia State University and Messrs. Presley Obukadata and Innocent Ihechu, from the University of Uyo. Mr. Shehu, presented a paper on: “Cost efficiency among rice farmers in Northeastern Nigeria." In their presentation, Akpan & Co. explained how consumers' decision to make purchases and their preferred pattern of reaching the decision are moderated by rational choices. The paper was adjudged one of the best presented at the conference.