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T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
EDUCATION
NTIC: Showcasing Nigerians’ Academic Prowess
Considering With the excellent performance of its students at various national and international competitions and examinations, which has placed Nigeria in global pedestal, the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC) has demonstrated that institutions should not only be assessed based on their position in global rankings, but by students’ performance. Uchechukwu Nnaike reports
Team Nigeria, represented by students of the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC), displaying their award at the International Robotic and Technology Competition in Uganda… recently There are no better criteria for measuring academic excellence of an institution of learning order than the academic achievements of its students. Academic excellence is not an accidental occurrence, but a result of hard-work supported by the right kind of investment in educational infrastructure. The Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC) has distinguished itself as a centre for academic excellence following the achievement of its students over the years, even on global stage. NTIC, one of the investments of First Surat Group, a company whose main investment is in the area of education, health and social works, whose objective is geared towards building human resources and raising responsible individuals that are equipped with necessary skills and knowledge of the contemporary world, has been operating in parts of Nigeria for some years. First Surat Group brought its investments from Turkey which financed the schools popularly known as Nigerian Turkish International Colleges, which currently has a total of 16 educational institutions in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Kaduna, Yobe and Ogun States with staff strength of over 1,000 academic and non-academic personnel. Today, NTIC has a total of 4,025 students, 17 per cent of who are on scholarship. The academic conglomerate is science-oriented with focus on building knowledge based on core moral values, which the modern society is in dire need of. In pursuant of its goal, the staff of the institution have, through dint of hard-work, raised and are still raising exceptional students like Master Ebubechi Ezenwanne, a young talented student of NTIC Abuja that got the perfect score of 800 both in Mathematics and Physics in SAT II. SAT II was formerly known as the College Board Achievement Tests. The test is intended to measure a student’s knowledge of a particular subject. Its tests score present a more personalised portfolio that illustrates how well you would fit at a particular school. Most colleges use SAT II scores for admission purposes, programme placement and counseling. Generally, SAT II tests are one hour long and consist of multiple choice
questions. According to the testimonies of his teachers, Ezenwanne is a young talented student who has demonstrated an uncommon quintessence of academic excellence. They said his penchant for achievement distinguished him from his contemporaries. He was also described as generally humble, focused and ever willing to embrace new ideas. One of his tutors said: “As a matter of fact, he has shown a high sense of responsibility both in learning and character. This qualities, paid off, when Ezenwanne held the world spellbound with his unprecedented score in SAT II. The SAT is one indicator of how ready a student is to handle college-level work. The test measures what one learnt in high school and how well one can apply that knowledge.” Like Ezenwanne, in November 2015, three students of NTIC made a clean sweep of the medal in the first round Olympiads organised by the National Mathematics Centre (NMC). Yusuf Atolagbe won gold medal in mathematics senior category; Sadiq Sani Dambata, gold medal in Physics; and Onyiuke Akachukwu Matthew, gold medal in mathematics junior category. The NMC is an academic institution of repute. It is a sister body to The International Science Olympiads which are a group of worldwide annual competitions in various areas of science. The competitions are designed for the 4-6 best high school students from each participating country selected through internal National Science Olympiads. Another student of the college is Atiku Bugaje, who travelled to far away Georgia, Tbilisi last month to compete alongside other students from 30 different countries. The challenge was the International Young Inventors Olympiads (IYIPO), organised in Tbilisi. It is a scientific project Olympiad where students all around the world compete with each other. More than 30 countries with 150 projects participated in this year’s edition. IYIPO is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science, and also sponsored by the European Union Representative in Georgia, International Black Sea University (IBSU),
Georgian Patent Office, and the State of Georgian 1 Channel. It was another glory for Chilolum Nwigwe Christopher, a student of NTIC Abuja, who participated and won a bronze medal at the Pan African Mathematical Olympiad in Senegal, Dakar last month. Explaining the secret behind the successes, the spokesperson for the First Surat Group, Mr. Cemal Yigit, said: “Success is a tradition here at NTIC; we are well known for our educational excellence and working very hard to stay on top. This testimony has followed the school over the years and it is not just an accident, but as a result of deliberate efforts put together by both the staff and management of the school, with the cooperation of the students.” Little wonder, the school was named the Top School in Science and Maths by the NMC. The CEO of NMC, Prof. Adewale Solarin with the minister of state for education adjudged the school as the best school of 2013 and 2014 in Science and Maths. On November 14, 2015, Dambata shared the stage with notable personalities like former Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, Charles Oputa (popularly known as Charly Boy), Kiki, among others to discuss in a TED Talk programme titled TEDx Jabi at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja. The event attracted notable speakers from all walks of life. TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and cultures, especially those who seek a deeper understanding of the world. It believes in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. Talking on the theme ‘Determination, Drive and Discipline’, Dambata made the institution proud. NTIC has proven at home and abroad to be an institution with a drive for academic excellence, this is evident in the achievements of its students participating in any academic competition like the Cowbell National Mathematics Competition in Nigeria, among others. The recent one is Yusuf Abdulmueez from NTIC Abuja, who became the top student in 2015 Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition as the tradition goes on for NTIC.
My FatherWas… My Father Is… ‘…But,Who Do People Say IAm?’ On behalf of us ladies and children, may I ask if you are not just a father but also a daddy? I hope you are enjoying the gains of not just biologically ‘owning’ your ‘copies’ but that you are also ‘daddy-ing’ them. The words: ‘daddy, dad, baba, pops, pale, papa…’ as you know, are more informal, subtle, affectionate, personal, and warm and intimate ways of referring to: one’s father, an adopted father or a surrogate father. A father’s role in parenting is such an important one that takes it out of the picture, we ladies know that the child could be marred for life. Therefore we try the best we could to provide our kids with father figures or ‘replacement daddies’. Life does have a way of bringing challenges and imbalances that we must manage, and manage well. Life isn’t always fair and is neither a bed of roses as the saying goes. A profound Yoruba imagery likens a father to a mirror. It says, and I paraphrase that, “a mother is gold while a father is a mirror.” By this it directly attributes the qualities of a role model to fathers. Many fathers are simply good at being the role. Someone in history, Sonora Smart Dodd, caught the wind of this so much so that she fought for the birthing of the world’s famous ‘Father’s Day’. Father’s Day was inaugurated in the United States in the early 20th century to complement Mother’s Day. Sonora Smart Dodd’s mother had died earlier and her father then raised their six children alone. Sonora felt moved to honour her father and fathers everywhere with a special day. She fervently began a campaign for it. The first Father’s Day was held on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington at the YMCA. Sonora continued to push for the recognition of Father’s Day nationally. Eventually, a bill to give the celebration recognition was introduced in the US Congress in 1913. Several decades after this, the debate to formally and nationally recognise the day went on till in 1966. US President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers and then designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972. In addition to Father’s Day, International Men’s Day is celebrated in many countries on November 19 for men and boys who are not fathers. A short while ago, I decided to ask people randomly, irrespective of race, religion and age what they thought of their fathers. The following are some people’s comments: “I couldn’t live without my dad, he’s wonderful”. “My dad? Mum won’t tell me the truth.” “My father was everything to me, he’s gone now, God rest his soul.” “My mum is so hard on him! I wish he could toughen up!” “My daddy is a randy old devil, he thinks, he’s still 16.” “My dad is lazy, kind of too laid back.” “My father is my role model, my hero, he fixes everything. I’m lucky, I know I am.” “He beat up my mum all the time. I hated him.” “My father died on his way to visit my sister in school- a road accident, it feels like yesterday…” “Mine drank himself senseless! It’s a waste of time to think of those times.” “My husband is my dad, mine wasn’t a father.” “He’s left me so much, worked all his life and went too early.” “He takes me to the park and lets me ride on his back. I love my daddy.” “My mum is dad and dad is mum, I’m confused!” “I wish mine was my neighbour’s dad.” “He was too strict on us; I’m still scared of him.” “My dad is strong, dependable and always concerned about us. I prefer him to my mum big time.” “Not much to say, I’m afraid, he’s just one of the numbers.” “My dad will do anything for me. I love him to bits.” “He has more women than common sense.” “He shouted and banged about all the time. He was very short fused.” “He violated me! I was only 12. No one knows, ‘can’t stand him.” “He was too weak, very lazy he was. Someone always pick up his bills.” “I’d choose my dad again if we lived twice.” “He’s been more at home recently. Mum thinks his latest girlfriend has kicked him out.” “My father never played with me, ‘said I’d stain his clothes with dirty fingers.” “I love my dad now that I’m a dad. It’s been a tough job parenting my teenager.” Well, gentlemen, can you see yourself or your father in the light of any of the statements above? A quote from the ageless truth comes to mind and I’d like to share it with you. It says that: “The slothful man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man’s precious possession.” Omoru writes from the UK