Nigeria Has Many Educational Problems – Prof Awosika

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, the university don noted that “our problems are many” adding that “I shudder when I think of what we need to do to overhaul this educational system”.

She listed some of these problems as the reduction of the pass mark of the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board (JAMB) score.

“We lowered the JAMB scores again this year; 180 for universities and 130 for colleges of education and polytechnics” she said insisting that “we should not water down the system.

“But if we are not going to use JAMB, lets task the universities and colleges of education to have solid curricula that will build up solid people, especially for the college of education” she said.

She however added that those with an E pass can be allowed entry into the colleges of education noting that “there is nothing wrong with it; but we have to have a curriculum to back those people up when they show up, so that it’s just not theoretical but we are giving them solid foundation on how to teach, what to teach”.

Prof Awosika berated the fact that S75 ( a certificate given to candidates who fail the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) ) holders “are teaching in the senior section of our secondary schools” noting that “Ekiti to be specific has that issue”.

She also frowned at the fact that education is the last resort for school and work applicants insisting that “it shouldn’t be that way because people teaching our students should be excellent, stellar individuals but we are putting our dregs where we need to put the top ones”.

She argued that the Nigerian education should be tailored to the system obtainable in Finland because they picked the best of their best, made them to teach in a fashion where the students were not only learned enough to pass their examinations and also abolished the standardised examinations.

“And when they tested this out with the rest of the world, they beat everybody else. They beat the United States of America, they beat Norway because teachers are special and are paid like their contemporaries in oil companies” she said.

She advised that “we flush out the ones that are not supposed to be in our educational system; any teacher that is not qualified to be there should not be there” adding that “let’s find them something else to do because the future of this country is too special for that”

Prof Awosika also assured Nigerians that the recommendations reached at the 20th National Economic Summit Group’s conference on Education is still being worked on and described the appointment of former Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, as the Minister of Education as “a step in the right direction”.

She noted that the committee members are still working to ensure that recommendations made in the subsectors are eventually implemented but noted that “it will take a lot of support for that to be achieved, from the Ministry of the Education and the Federal Government.

“Unfortunately, time is running out till 2015but we are hoping we and get some low hanging fruits before the next election because a lot rides on that” she said.

She allayed fears of discontinuance of the recommendations should there be a change in the leadership of the government noting that the organisation is set up to give continuity on any project, whether it is agriculture, education or health and make sure “they sit on it through any kind of government changeover”

She said part of the recommendation at the summit, though not clearly spelt out, was to have “someone who could do the job” of overseeing Nigeria’s educational system.

“Someone with a background and qualified to do the job. I think appointing the new minister (Ibrahim Shekarau) is a step in the right direction, because no matter what we put out there as recommendations, if we do not have someone on that seat who is fit for purpose, who is committed to education that is fit for purpose, then we would have done it in vain” she said.

“The new minister has had a lot of time in the ministry and has been in education for a long time and so hopefully that is a step in the right direction” she added.

This year’s National Economic Summit, which focused solely on the education sector, was declared open by President Goodluck Jonathan.

“The decision to hold the Summit on education was taken to address the decline in a sector that is critical to economic development,” said Frank Nweke Jnr, Director-General of the NESG.

“The Nigerian education sector is in dire straits, and requires both public and private sector intervention, if the country is to fulfil its potential as not only a regional powerhouse, but as a global player”, he added.

The fear of PMB in Nigeria

Corruption in Nigeria

Corruption is the biggest among the challenges in Nigeria. It is clear to every citizen of Nigeria that the level of corruption in the country is high. Corruption in the country is found in all the entire sectors of the country. Be it a small or big sector, there is every possibility of observing corrupt practices when critically examined.

What is corruption? What is corruption to you? Corruption is dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power typically involving bribery. Corruption is illegitimate use of power to benefit a private interest (Morris 1991). Corruption is the giving of bribe by a person to an official so that the truth will not be told. It involves the embezzlement of public fund for personal use. Corruption is involving in any act which is considered to be criminal act according to the Law of the particular society.

Corruption in Nigerian Custom Service

Corruption in Nigerian Custom Service

Are the Nigerian customs really doing the work they are called to do correctly? The custom service of Nigeria is the organization that is authorized to clear goods that were imported into the country. This group is not free from the menace of corruption.

In most occasions, you must pay bribe to Nigeria customs before your goods are cleared to be taking to business places. Many containers that are being held captive by the customs is because the owners are not willing to pay the large amount of money being demanded by the customs.

TENACITY AND RESILIENCE: THE BUHARI EXAMPLE FOR THE NIGERIA CHILDREN

TENACITY AND RESILIENCE: THE BUHARI EXAMPLE FOR THE NIGERIA CHILDREN

By

Comrade Chinekwu Anthony Ugbor Jnr

Tenacity is using new data to make new decisions to find new pathways to find new ways to achieve goals when the old ways didn’t work by ~Seth Godin. Our hypocrisy has suffered shame. We are quick to use Abraham Lincoln as an example of a man with a never-give-up spirit. We use President Lincoln to motivate ourselves to never give up on our goals and aspirations. But when GMB was showing persistence in the pursuit of his aspiration, we lambasted him. We said he was too old to be the president of the country. We said he was too desperate for Aso Rock, that he must have an ulterior motive (like planning to Islamize Nigeria). What hypocrisy! But Buhari, a great man, was never deterred. He was unmindful of our criticisms. After three failed attempts, he finally got what he wanted. Those who said he was too old now call him a dogged fighter, a man of history.

Whoever says he or she is too old for enthronement should take a lesson from GMB. With persistence and courage, you can get to your desired throne. Men, don’t give up. The power to enthrone and dethrone a king resides in the people. Nigerians are increasingly enlightened that political sovereignty lies with them. Spiritual fathers are good. We need their prayers. But in politics, don’t lean on them at the expense of your political godfather. Those spiritual fathers, they understand everything but not the abracadabra of politics. Don’t abandon your political master thinking the prayers of those little gods in cassocks will suffice for you. In politics, place your political godfather above spiritual men.

Everybody wants to associate his or herself to  success not a failure 3 times this man failed even his neighbour and family members were avoiding  him now he succeeded old classmates from 1953 now remember they were in the same school together. The lesson here is never give up on ur dream!  No vision speaks at the beginning but at the end it shall speaks thou it may tarry. The most difficult thing is the decision to act the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward. ~Robyn Davidson

Gen Buhari is one man who has lived above board. People freely call him and deservedly too, THE INCORRUPTIBLE. Gen Buhari has held virtually every juicy position in Nigeria at the very top but till today even his worst enemies couldn’t pinpoint even one kobo against him. Nobody has yet come out to accuse Buhari of taking even a kobo that doesn’t belong to him. Buhari was head of state, minister of petroleum resources, governor of Borno state and more recently, the chair of the petroleum trust fund (PTF) which was then the cash pot of the nation. However, there has not been even an allegation of Buhari taking even a dime that is not his. This is remarkable. The Moto of Gen Buhari which he stated was that anything that doesn’t belong to him, he doesn’t need it.

The only one to thank is God who gave buhari the uncommon attributes of integrity, modesty and tenacity. Buhari’s victory, which is the first of such in the country’s political history and a novel occurrence in the African continent, actually tasked the commitment of Nigerians to the entrenchment of representative government. The success of Mr. Buhari at the election across the country proved he is the choice of the people for his resilience and tenacity over the years. By his resounding success in the election across the country, General Buhari has proved that he is the choice of the people,” his resilience and tenacity over the years which have seen him equal the record of great leaders like Abraham Lincoln of the USA. His victory is a lesson to all of us that we can be what we want to be if we are patient and persistent in our legitimate pursuits in life”. “His speeches before, during and after the election are also commendable because they went a long way in dousing the tension in the country. This actually shows that the ‘Peoples General’ as he is fondly called is indeed a statesman’.

It is not only the Super Eagles that can turn Nigerians to sudden mathematicians. Results of the presidential elections can, too. As the results were being announced, Nigerians were recording and calculating the figures in their houses and offices, the victory is for all Nigerians. Governance knows no party. The APC, hear the words of Nigerians: We have set you on the throne with our political power; we can dethrone you in four years’ time with the same power.  Nigerians are difficult to please. They hail you today and crucify you tomorrow. The APC stalwarts shouldn’t think that Nigerians voted for the party because they love it. No. They voted for GMB. Four years ago, they voted for GEJ and not the PDP. This time, they have told GEJ enough is enough. They will treat the APC-led government the same way if it fumbles. GMB must show us that there is a difference between change and transformation. He must prove to us that beyond semantics, change is better than transformation.

Life is a struggle. Life wills through curveballs at you, it will humble you; it will attempt to break you down. And just when you think things are starting to look up, life will smack you back down with ruthless indifference. The reason most people never achieve their dreams is because they simply give up. Life was never meant to be easy it’s a constant struggle, with extreme lows and extreme highs. Remember that the times when it’s most important to persevere are the times that you will be most tested. Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about by Sir Winston Churchill.

                                                           chinekscau@yahoo.com

                                                           08033463859

Photos: Iftar on the streets of London yesterday...

For those who don't know, 'Iftar' means 'the meal eaten by Muslims to break their fast after sunset during Ramadan'. Pictured here is what went down on some streets in London yesterday. Another picture after the cut

uhari meets Nigerian governors today, bailout for states on the card

President Muhammadu Buhari will today meet with Nigeria’s 36 state governors at the presidential villa, Abuja.
Mr. Buhari’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, who confirmed the meeting said it would begin by 10am.
“Decisive parley. President Buhari meets governors of the 36 states this morning from 10 a.m. Bailout?We wait.,” Mr. Adesina tweeted.
The governors had earlier met last week and agreed to approach Mr. Buhari and ask for a bailout after saying most states are in a near economic collapse.
Chairman of the All Progressives Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha, had while briefing journalists  after their meeting said most states are unable to pay salaries of civil servants because of dwindling revenue from the federation account.
The nation’s income has been dwindling since the price of oil crashed last year.
Even the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, where revenues that accrued to the nation is shared among the three times of government could not hold as scheduled last week.
Mr. Buhari himself had in his maiden meeting with State House correspondents on Monday said he inherited a heavy debt burden and a near empty treasury.