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FUNAAB Wins “Africa’s Best Institution’s” award From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos
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he Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has won "Africa's Institutions of the Year (2012) Award in SouthAfrica. FUNAAB was awarded by prestigious Campus Sneak Africa, after touring Universities in the continent. According to the Producer/ Director, Campus Sneak Africa, Mr. Fazzy Adebayo Adesoji, FUNAAB was trailed by University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Adebayo said FUNAAB's feat which was broadcasted to the whole world "attracted lots of positive comments and emails from all over the world commending the institution's efforts to giving qualitative education to students in an easylife environment. Many also confessed it was a paradigm shift for them as against their odd belief of what the school is", he added. Campus Sneak also congratulated the University on its Silver Jubilee Anniversary.
PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2013
Western World not fair to NigeriaForeign Scholars From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos
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oreign Scholars under Nigeria Commonwealth and Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship; and FUNAAB Foreign African Scholarship Scheme (FUFASS) have described and adjudged Nigerians as good people, contrary to general impression, especially the Western World. The foreign Scholars were undergraduates and postgraduates students of Universities in the country. Speaking, at a dinner,
marking the end of a 5-Day 2nd edition of the Orientation/ Acculturation Programme, organized by the Federal Scholarship Board in collaboration with (FUNAAB), the foreign scholars said until other fellow foreigners, especially from oversees countries visited Nigeria and spend some time, they won't appreciate the fact that Nigerians are good people. According to the Governor of the Scholars, Mr. Abdul Koroma, a Sierra-Leonean and a student of Mathematics, University of
Ilorin, "If you are far, you will not like to come to Nigeria. As a scholar who has spent up to two to three years now, I want to assure people that the story we are getting outside there is very different from the one obtainable here in Nigeria. "There are bad eggs and good people everywhere and Nigeria is not an exception. However, I will beat my chest saying that 80 percent or even more than 80 percent of Nigerians are good people. "Therefore, foreigners, mostly
white-men should not allow the remaining 20 percent Nigerians to influence them negatively against Nigerians," he added. Speaking in the same vein, a Ph.d student under FUNAAB Foreign African Scholarship Scheme, Paul Bangura said "Nigerians are very nice people. Oh my God, they are very nice, especially Yoruba people. Yorubas are too much welcoming and I gain a lot from their culture".
Taraba Governor to renovate schools for conducive learning From Yusha'u Alhassan Jalingo.
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araba State Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar has expressed dismay over the dilapidated condition of some schools in the state. Umar stated this when he paid a surprised visit to Government comprehensive secondary school Jlingo, to assess the condition under which exchange students were living. He assured that the school will soon wear a new look when the renovation work at the site is completed. On the provision of amenities, Umar assured that beddings furniture and other needs of the school would be provide. Speaking on unfavourable learning atmosphere in the schools commissioner for education Yakubu Agbaizo said no parent would like his children to stay in such a condition and expect better result. Agbaizo said Government had already given approval for the renovation and construction of new structures in the school. He advised parents not to give up as government was doing everything possible to improve the situation of the school to make it conducive for learning. Responding, the principal of the school Safiyanu Umar expressed happiness for the visit pointing out that the impact of the present government will soon be felt.
Graduating students from the Department of Environmental science, national open university of Nigeria, during The 2013 2nd convocation, at The Weekend in Lagos. Photo: NAN
NOUN graduands lament challenges
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ome graduands of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction at the delay in completing programmes in the institution. They spoke in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria at the second convocation ceremony of the university at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. A total of 7,220 students graduated at the ceremony attended by dignitaries, including the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquayyatu Rufai, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan. The graduands were
awarded certificates, diplomas and degrees at the event. One of the graduands, Mr Peter Oladosun, who studied Peace and Conflict Resolution at degree level, expressed displeasure that he spent six years instead of four years. Oladosun also expressed regret over the inadequate number of facilitators for the distance education. ``We were told when we were admitted that there were facilitators who would be helping us; but that was not the case as we had facilitators only for the first two years.'' He also said that students had no specific study centres in Lagos but moved around for lectures.
`` NOUN, Lagos, needs a permanent study centre,'' he said. Mr Itseghosimhe Iyesomi, who studied nursing, told NAN that some students were not computer literate but had to take examinations online. He said that this affected the performance of such students. Mrs Beatrice Nwachukwu, who studied Business Studies, expressed dissatisfaction with the organisation of the convocation ceremony. She said that there were not enough materials for the graduands. ``People were struggling over the few available ones. "Though I am happy being a
graduate today, the general management of this event was poor. "I think the major cause of the poor organisation was the lack of adequate funding," she said. Nwachukwu called for adequate funding to ensure that the institution functioned effectively. However, Mr Donatus Agu, who studied Peace and Conflict Resolution at the Master's level, told NAN that he was happy to graduate in spite of the challenges. He said that he acquired much knowledge and exposure during the programme. "My course was a two-year programme, and I concluded it within the given period,'' he said.(NAN)