Tuesday 25 June 2019
BUSINESS DAY
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EDUCATION CKF, private sector facilitate viable postsecondary careers for economically challenged girls KELECHI EWUZIE
RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta
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hristopher Kolade Foundation (CKF) in partnership with Andela Nigeria, Banwo & Ighodalo, KPMG in Nigeria and St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos at a conference, empowered about 240 fresh public secondary school graduates on ways to access knowledge and skills to facilitate transitions to viable postsecondary careers. The conference tagged Stemma Hands-on Empowerment (SHE) ADVANCE held at Zone Tech Park, Gbagada, provided the girls exposure to career counselling from various experts in the engineering, financial services, law, IT, medicines/biological sciences fields, while they also enjoyed break-out sessions with professionals in their would-be careers. Omobola Lana, managing consultant, CKF while speaking to Journalists at the event said the facilitators selected for the programme were seasoned professionals practicing in financial services, engineering,
Cross-section of attendees during the SHE Advance Event held in Lagos
law, IT, medicines/biological sciences. Lana said the programme aims to provide the girls opportunity to explore career profiles that align to their personal interests, skills and aspirations, and to gain information on the specific courses, and postsecondary alternatives to pursue those pathways. The participants, made up of female pupils, who graduated from 10 public schools in Lagos in 2018 (Cohort 2) and
Cambridge IGCSE: Five Greensprings students emerge top in the country winners KELECHI EWUZIE
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gbodesi Imoagene; Lucas Nelson; Raye O j i ; To l u w a l a s e Aw onuga ; Titilola Akinola, all students of Greensprings school Lagos have emerged winners in the top in the country award category in Physics, English, Literature, Drama and Global Perspectives respectively at the 2019 International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examination award. The Cambridge IGCSE examination is an international examination taken by students, age 14 to 16-year-olds. It is administered at the final secondary school year of various international schools in Nigeria, with the British Council and Cambridge Assessment International Education being the administrators The Outstanding Cam-
Ogun Gov. moves to rehabilitate 160 Ogun schools
bridge Learner Awards is an initiative of the British Council with a primary objective of recognising best-performing students and innovative schools. Barney J. Wilson, deputy director of Education, Greensprings School who was present at the award ceremony observes that the school remains the flagship school in Lagos and arguably all over the world. “These awards validate the academic prowess of our students, and I am proud of the teachers who worked through thick-and-thin to prepare the students for this success,” he said. Lucas Nelson, who won Top in Country for English when asked how he was able to become top in English, looking at the fact that many students struggle with the subject, said he couldn’t have achieved it if not for God and the excellent English teachers of Greensprings School.
Greensprings school award winners displaying their certificates www.businessday.ng
2019 (Cohort 3), learnt useful tips from Abimbola Shopeju, deputy managing director, Lumos Nigeria about how to get jobs and develop the right attitude for success. Shopeju while speaking on “Skills for Success in any Career: Distinguishing traits of the best job candidates”, shared how her first job as a student in the United Kingdom motivated her to work even harder to attract better offers.
According to her, “When I got my pay slip at the end of the month, I thought so for all the work, I just got this little. I knew I had to work hard. I told myself that this school that my parents have sent me to, I’d better do well so that I can get a better job. While you look forward to whom you want to become, also look at who you cannot be. Ask yourself whether the life you are living today will make you better than your parents.”
Nigerian Red Cross takes the fight against drug abuse to schools …Organises annual safety day
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he Nigerian Red Cross Lagos State branch, Kosofe division organised its safety day at the Comprehensive High School Alapere, Ketu unit. The event was organised to create more awareness amongst the students on the anti-social vices, its dangers and how it leads to insecurity in the school and the society at large. Adegboye Michael, a representative from the Ministry of Education, Alausa while addressing the students discussed the dangers of drug addiction and cultism and how it could destroy the future of students. Describing drug abuse as the use of drugs in a way other than its medically approved purpose, Adegboye stated that drugs could either be harmful or socially acceptable which must be used in moderation. He however said such drugs should only be used by adults. Admonishing the students, Adegboye however said that socially unacceptable drugs such as tramadol, codeine should be avoided at all costs. “Drug abuse affects the user, the family of the user and the society at large. Drug abuse affects the user physically, psychologically and socially. Adverse effects of drug abuse
include damage to vital organs of the body, sleeplessness, anxiety and loss of job”. He said. Fawusilat Akindele, the Red Cross coordinator for the school says the spate of insecurity and anti-social activities among the youth has necessitated programs as these that properly educate them on its dangers. “What we need to do is to educate them early so that they don’t participate in these kinds of activities. We believe that we need to sensitise people at the grassroots on insecurity. We believe that if they are aware and they are well informed, they won’t go aside to join the bad gangs.” Though it is the maiden edition in the school, Akindele said the event would be an annual one and hopes that the students become highly informed and well equipped to ward off negative influence from peer pressure. Akindele also advocates for government support for the uniform voluntary organizations such as the Nigerian Red Cross as activities of these organizations are gradually dying since government support at the school levels had been withdrawn. She says this would help keep the students positively engaged and motivated as against getting lured into cult groups.
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he Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun has selected 160 schools for rehabilitation in the 20 local government areas of the state as part of activities to mark 100 days in office. According to a statement credited to the governor, the renovation of schools and hospitals, especially primary health care centres, across the state, will form part of major interventions and projects pencilled down to mark the adopted 100 days in office celebration usually done by the executive. Speaking in Kobape in Obafemi-Owode local government during an inspection of 2019 Basic Education Certificate Exams recently, Olu Ola Aikulola, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology declared that 160 public primary and secondary schools had been selected for rehabilitation as part of activities to mark 100 days in office of the governor. Aikulola, who disclosed that renovation of identified schools are being jointly undertaken by Ministries of Education, Science and Technology as well as Housing, said on
the spot inspection had earlier been done to identify and find a lasting solution to the various stages of disrepair in which the public schools are currently in. He said, “A total number of 160 schools in need of urgent rehabilitation have been identified and work will commence in earnest as this according to Governor Dapo Abiodun is one of the things his administration hopes to achieve before the end of its 100 days in office.” On the students’ performance in the Basic Education Certificate Education Examinations BECE, the Permanent Secretary said he was so far impressed by the general conduct of this year’s examination as compared to the past, as students were met already writing the papers of the day. “To say the least the, I am impressed because unlike in the past, exams commenced on time and there is adequate supply of materials which were packed according to subjects and the schools they were meant for. “I can also assure you by the grace of God, results will be out in record time, Government has released funds for the conduct of the exams, it therefore behoves us to ensure there is no delay in releasing results”, he added.
Scholarship: Kellogg offers N5M to 50 primary school pupils David Ibemere
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ellogg Tolaram LFTZ Enterprise, as part of its commitment to academic support in Nigeria says it plans to offer five million naira worth of scholarships to fifty primary school pupils across three states in Nigeria who have performed excellently in its recently concluded essay competition. Kellogg’s Superstars contest is a school-based essay writing competition designed for primary school pupils to sharpen their writing skills while also bringing out the creative uniqueness in them. Darlington Igabali, marketing manager, Kellogg said the initiative was borne out of the brand’s passion to contribute to the growing educational status of the nation. According to him, “We believe that by encouraging these pupils at a very tender age through the educational scholarship offer, we are tactically paving way for a brighter tomorrow” Igabali said that Kellogg’s Superstars programme follows a holistic developmental approach, which begins with making sure children have @Businessdayng
the best start to their day by getting a complete breakfast option through Kellogg’s various cereal variants while also encouraging them to identify and improve their inherent academic skills in the area of writing. Omotayo Azeez-Abiodun, Public Relations Manager, Tolaram Group, said that Kellogg is currently moving from school to school to award these 50 outstanding Kellogg’s Superstars with one hundred thousand Naira worth of scholarship each, to invest on their education. Still under the “Kellogg’s Superstars programme, she also disclosed the involvement of other children engagement activities which the brand has been consistently embarking on in the last couple of years. “Beyond the essay contest, Kellogg has been working on providing the right start for our children through the Kellogg’s Superstars programme, we equally have invested in building educational infrastructures; reading and literacy initiative; scholarships; business-education partnerships; and other local needs towards ensuring a brighter opportunities for the Nigerian children” she said.