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Education Today
Thursday, August 15, 2013
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Implement 27.5% Teachers’ Peculiar Allowance, Rep tells states TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE
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he Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Education, Hon. Aminu Suleiman, has declared that there was no excuse for any state in the country for not implementing the 27.5% Teachers’ Peculiar Allowance. He stated this in a chat with
Be change agents, Fashola tells corps members
National Mirror in Lagos shortly after the National Examination Council’s (NECO) stakeholders’ forum recently. The lawmaker representing a Federal Constituency in Kano State, said it was very surprising and disturbing to hear some state governments saying they have no financial muscle to accommodate the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Peculiar Allowances in their budgets. He said although, the issue was beyond the purview of the National Assembly, there is no
state government in the country that should not be able to pay the allowance. The reason, he said, was because the payment of the allowance is a voluntary contractual agreement between the teachers in public schools and their respective state governments. “For example, I work closely with the school trade unions and I remember when the agreement was reached between the two parties in 2010. I was also a part of the tripartite meetings involv-
ing the Governors’ Forum and the National Union of Teachers (NUT). I represented the National Assembly at the meeting and the agreement about the allowance was reached and sealed. So, I don’t see reason whatsoever for any state to refuse implementation of the agreement. That is why I will use this medium to implore states which are yet to implement the full payment of the allowance to do so in the interest of the education sector and the nation’s economy,” he said.
TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE
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he Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has urged the ‘Batch B’ corps members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) deployed to Lagos State to be the change agents for the positive turnaround of the country. Speaking at the ceremony to round off their three weeks orientation course at the Orientation Camp, Iyana, Ipaja, Lagos recently, the governor said the involvement of youth corps members in the development of the country had over the years proved to be a rewarding exercise. Fashola, represented by the state’s Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed, attributed the achievement recorded so far through the scheme to vibrancy, energy and resourcefulness demonstrated by successive corps members since the commencement of the programme. Charging employers of corps members and residents in the state to throw their total support behind the scheme, the governor also urged the serving corps members to be law abiding wherever they find themselves. In her address, the state’s coordinator of the scheme, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi expressed appreciation to the state government and other collaborating organisations for their supports while urging the corps members to take their primary assignments very seriously so as to ensure that their service year contributes meaningfully to the development of the state and the entire country.
L-R: President, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Prof. Victor Wakwe, Chairman, Local Organising Committee, 8th Annual Scientific Conference and All Fellows’ Congress of the college, Prof. Olusegun Ojo and College Registrar, Prof. Wole Atoyebi at a press briefing to kick- start the ongoing scientific conference at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State on Tuesday
OOU lecturers want VC sacked FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA
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ecturers at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State have demanded for the immediate sack of the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Saburi Adesanya. The lecturers, who accused the visitor to the university, Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of violating the constitutional provision guiding the appointment of a VC before confirming Adesanya’s appointment as the substantive
Vice Chancellor of the institution asked the governor to reverse the decision otherwise the university would have it rough with the lecturers. Rising from its congress in Ago –Iwoye, ASUU’s chairman in the institution, Dr. Adesola Nasir alleged that the emergence of Professor Saburi as the Vice Chancellor did not receive the blessing of the Joint Committee of Senate and the Governing Council of the institution, hence, the need to reverse the appointment. According to him, VC cannot
head the Senate, which awards degrees on behalf of the university. So, there is already abnormality in OOU system if the VC is also the one heading the Senate. OOU’s ASUU does not see how such arrangement can work. That is why whatever reason used in appointing him should have followed due process. “Therefore, if the state government fails to reverse his appointment, which of course, OOU’s ASUU expects that it will, the university should prepare for crisis until the right thing is done,” he concluded.
‘Private sector involvement in education necessary’ HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE
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he Ondo State government has said the state would always welcome the participation of private sector in funding education in the state in order to achieve optimum result in the sector. The state governor, Dr. Oluse-
gun Mimiko stated this in Ile Oluji/ Okeigbo Local Government area of the state during the inauguration of the distribution of free educational materials to students of the area and the free holiday coaching organised for them by a member of the House of Representatives, Johnson Adeoba representing Ile Oluji/ Okeigbo Federal Con-
stituency. The governor, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Education, Jide Adejuyigbe said the recent development in the state had shown that government investment needed to be complemented by private individuals and corporate bodies to revamp the ailing education sector in the
state. Also speaking, Adeoba disclosed that more than 6, 000 students in the senior class were expected to benefit from the free holiday coaching, stressing that the programme, third in the series, was to prepare the students ahead of the next academic session and the school certificate examination.
97 for PZ Chemistry quiz semi-final
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total of 97 secondary school students in Lagos State have qualified for the second stage of the ongoing PZ Cussons Chemistry quiz competition. Disclosing this, the advisory board chairman of the competition, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo said the number were those who scored 68 per cent and above in the first stage of the competition held across the state recently. Osibanjo, a Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry said a date for the second stage would soon be announced while only the best four from the round would get to the final stage. He explained that 49 out of the number are students of public schools with Baptist Academy, Obanikoro; Egan Senior Grammar School; Central Senior High School; Federal Government College, Ijanikin and Festac Senior College had two candidates each. PZ Chemistry Challenge, an initiative of PZ Cussons Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, is a three-stage competition for Chemistry students in the first two years of senior secondary school education in the country. This year’s edition, which is the inaugural version, is restricted to students in Lagos State with the hope of extending to other states in later years. While the overall winner would go home with N700,000 worth of scholarship, a laptop and gold medal, his or her teacher would get N100,000 cash prize and the school would be presented with N100,000 worth of Chemistry books.
Again, WAEC cancels candidates’ results five years after CONTINUED FROM 19 cipal, Mr. Aghayirinemwri Oyi, said the error could not have been from the school because the two candidates wrote the exams and never had any issue throughout the time the examination lasted. Reacting to the series of questions raised, the Head of the Nigeria’s Office, WAEC, Mr. Charles Iguridu, said the development was an unfortunate one. He, however, noted that the council would not just cancel results or subjects of any candidate that had earlier been released without a reason. But even at that, he said he could not say for now why the results in contention were cancelled and promised that the council would investigate the matter for necessary action.