IPPIS: I now earn salary of graduate assistant, says Unilorin VC – Newstrends
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IPPIS: I now earn salary of graduate assistant, says Unilorin VC

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Vice-chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof Sulyman Abdulkareem, says he is being paid the salary of a graduate assistant as against his statutory payment at the end of the month, attributing this to glitches in the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System

The Unilorin VC estimated the deduction in his monthly salary to be more than 500 per cent decrease in the statutory emoluments of vice-chancellor in a dederal university.

He made the disclosure on Monday at a press briefing marking the beginning of the 36th convocation ceremony of the University in Ilorin.

Prof Abdulkareem also stated that he has no regrets making peace with the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) stating that not doing so previously, had caused the university untold damages.

The VC also used the occasion to tell the public of the many achievements of the school which is set to convoke a total of 10, 922 students at the convocation ceremonies.

The vice-chancellor though admitted that the IPPIS, as a payment system, is quite innovative and subscribes to all university workers migrating to the platform, however, observed that the platform has its challenges.

”A system created to solve one problem shouldn’t be seen to be creating other ones. You can’t imagine that I am being paid the salary of a graduate assistant rather than as the VC as it should be by the IPPIS system,” he said.

He however expressed the hope that the glitches would be sorted out soon.

Reacting to trending talks about the merit of Unilorin rejoining ASUU, Prof Abdulkareem said that he had no regrets whatsoever taking the university back into the fold of the academic union.

The university broke off as a member of ASUU at the height of an industrial crisis in 2001 but returned some three years back.

“Those who complain about Unilorin being back in the fold of ASUU do not even know what the university has lost or the damage such action has caused us.

“The university has paid a huge price for its staff not being part of the university unions. It took the effort of the unions to get us the earned allowance from the Federal government.

“Even when the money was released by the government it became an issue for the university to get it’s own N700 million for the staff because it was the unions that fought for the money and Unilorin, was not part of them.

The VC explained that it took the university being part of the union to unlock the money for the benefits of the varsity staffers.

He also explained that staff and even graduates of the university suffered untold victimisation wherever they went on account of not being part of ASUU.

“Our students were victimised both home and abroad, lecturers couldn’t get fellowships in other campuses. It wasn’t easy,” the VC said.

But giving an account of 2019/2020, the chief executive officer of Unilorin said that the institution achieved remarkable feats despite the ravages of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

For instance, the university got nominated for the Top 100 Achievements Award in the UK.

“In addition, the university emerged as one of the universities that produced the most employed graduates in Nigeria. What this says is that employers of labour should be fair to our graduates. They claim that our graduates are not well trained to take up jobs out there, that is not fair. Our students are well trained. All the employer needs to do is give them orientations and they will deliver,” he said.

Education

12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools

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Eniola Shokunbi

12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools

A 12-year-old Nigerian from Connecticut, USA, Eniola Shokunbi, has designed an air filter to reduce spread of air borne diseases in the US schools.

The design aims at creating low-cost air filters for classrooms.

The Connecticut State Bond Commission has approved $11.5 million in funding for the design.

Eniola in her fifth grade at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy of Middletown, they were tasked with creating a solution to enhance safety in schools during potential future pandemics.

Therefore, to combat airborne viruses like COVID-19, she developed a simple but effective air filter system.

Design

Shokunbi’s air filter design showcases both innovation and cost-effectiveness. The unit is constructed using a simple combination of components: a box fan, four furnace filters, duct tape, and cardboard.

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This ingenious assembly results in a remarkably low production cost of approximately $60 per unit. This makes it a highly affordable alternative to commercial air purifiers.

Eniola Shokunbi said, “The air goes through all the sides, and it comes out of the top. So it filters in and out.”

With support from scientists at the University of Connecticut, UConn, Eniola’s design underwent rigorous testing.

The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, confirmed that the device effectively eliminates over 99% of airborne viruses, showcasing its potential to significantly improve classroom safety.

The recent approval by the State Bond Commission allocates $11.5 million for the implementation of these air filters across Connecticut schools.

This funding is part of UConn’s SAFE-CT: Supplemental Air Filtration for Education Program, which aims to ensure that every public school classroom has access to these vital air purification systems.

Eniola’s vision extends beyond Connecticut; she aspires to see her air filters implemented in classrooms nationwide.

“A lot of people don’t realize that the only thing standing between them and getting sick is science,” Eniola Shokunbi said.

Also, she emphasized the importance of investing in scientific solutions for children’s health.

12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools

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Education

Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education

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Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa

Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education

Alausa made the call when the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund led by its Chairman, Sen. Muntari Dandutse, visited the ministry for an oversight function.

Alausa, who was newly posted to the ministry, decried the high rate of out-of-school children, saying that with enough fund allocation, the menace would be tackled.

“We have up to 20 million out-of-school children.

“I met with the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School, who said that the 20 million was even under-quoted.

“It is about 40 million to 50 million. This is a danger that can consume everybody. We have to make these schools work.

“Former President Goodluck Jonathan built about 137 Almajiri schools during his tenure, but today, it is sad that only a few of these schools are operational,” he said.

Alausa said that there was a lot of infrastructural decay in the schools, adding that with the Almajiri Commission established by an act of Parliament, the ministry would empower the children.

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He, however, called for more funding to achieve the desired goal of ensuring that out-of-school children were taken off the streets.

The minister further said that the ministry would find a way of keeping children in school by making the Home Grown Feeding Programme viable and sustainable.

“We will design the nutrition, we will ensure that the children get good nutrition which will translate into better brain development, and enable us to develop human capital,” he said.

He also said that the nation was churning out graduates that were not employable.

“We have to refocus, and the way we are refocusing is that going forward, we will focus on Science Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences (STEMM).

“Today, we have hospitals built, infrastructure is there and funded, but we do not have medical personnel to run them.

“We will also focus on technical, and vocational education. We will encourage 80 per cent practical training and 20 per cent theory,” she said.

The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Muntari Dandutse, said that the Senate would collaborate with the ministry to make education a priority in the country.

Dandutse also called on the minister to give attention to the issues of security and power supply to higher institutions.

“Most of the allocation to the universities is going to the payment of electricity bills. We need to work together to ensure that they have an uninterrupted power supply,” he said.

Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education

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Education

FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities

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Dr. Tunji Alausa

FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities

In a significant policy shift, Nigeria’s newly appointed Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced the abolition of the 18-year admission benchmark for tertiary institutions across the country.

During his inaugural press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, he also indicated plans to review the nation’s education policy.

Despite these changes, Alausa reaffirmed that there will be no reversal of the Federal Government’s recent decision to invalidate over 22,700 degree certificates obtained by Nigerians from certain “fake” universities in neighboring Togo and the Benin Republic.

This move aims to uphold the integrity of the nation’s education system.

Emphasizing the need for practical education, Alausa noted that the current system cannot continue producing graduates without corresponding job opportunities, which has contributed to Nigeria’s rising unemployment rates.

To address this, he announced plans for the federal government to partner with private sector operators to provide training and development opportunities for students, unlocking their potential for future employment.

Additionally, Alausa expressed a commitment to empowering universities of agriculture to adopt commercial farming practices as a strategic approach to combat food insecurity in the country.

 

FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities

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