Education
No going back on strike if govt fails to honour agreements –ASUU
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) branch, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to implement all the components of the December 2020 memorandum of action (MoA), warning that failure to do so is a direct call for the resumption of suspended strike in the nation’s universities.
The decision was taken at ASUU-FUOYE branch congress and in reaction to the lingering failure of the Federal Government to honour the agreements reached with the union.
Principal officers present at the congress include; Olu Olu Olufayo, zonal coordinator, ASUU, Akure Zone; Yinka Awopetu, chairperson, ASUU-FUTA; Kayode Arogundade, chairperson, ASUU-EKSU and other leaders in ASUU, Akure Zone.
The statement, which was signed by the Financial Secretary, ASUU-FUOYE, Abayomi Fagbuagun, on behalf of the chairperson, Gabriel Omonijo, said the only thing that could compel the government to honour its agreements with the union is a strike.
“The government has not been sincere regarding the performance of Integrate Personnel Payroll Information System as a payment platform in that some lecturers of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti are owed salary and promotion arrears by the government.
According to him, the congress frowned at government’s insincerity in the implementation of the December 2020 MoA, most especially, the renegotiation of academic staff salaries and emoluments.
READ ALSO:
- OAU student dies after falling into ‘soakaway’
- Police confirm killing of 7 by cultists in Imo
- Terrorists kill DPO, soldier, one other; abduct housewife in Katsina
- Land grabbers impersonate judgment creditors, demolish property, victims tackle Lagos task force
“The current salary of academic staff is nothing to write home about when compared with what their counterparts all over the world are earning at the end of every month. The branch maintained that the only thing that could stop the resumption of strike is for the government to honour, most especially, the renegotiation components of the agreements as well as University Transparency and Accountability Solution.
“The branch has resolved that since the renegotiation has been completed, the only thing that could avert the impending strike is for the government to expedite action on the immediate implementation of the agreements reached with the union.
“ASUU-FUOYE, hereby, calls on well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to honour the agreements reached with ASUU in order to prevent the imminent collapse of the educational system which is as a result of incessant strikes engendered by government’s laxity in honouring agreements.
“We are ready to speak the language the government understands to get it adhere to the agreements signed with the union. The government is hereby admonished to act fast before it is too late.”
Meanwhile, Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma chapter, yesterday, called on Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to sign the renegotiated agreement, meet the demands of the union in the interest of the development of public universities and industrial harmony or be prepared for another industrial action.
The appeal was contained in a statement by the Chairperson and the Secretary of ASUU, AAU, Ekpoma, Cyril Ozeigbe Onogbosele, and William Odion, respectively, in Benin.
The duo said the union insisted the offensive and unacceptable negative disposition of government towards public universities in the country is unacceptable and should no longer be tolerated, henceforth
They urged the government to do the needful and stop the over-recited rhetorics of unfulfilled promises and commitment to education in the country.
“The only pragmatic solution to avert the impending strike is to sign and implement the renegotiated agreements.
“Rising from a mobilisation and sensitisation congress at Ekpoma, the university lecturers expressed strong resolve and readiness to join their colleagues in other public universities in the strike to compel the government to sign the renegotiated 2009 FGN/ASUU agreements and meet other demands of the union contained in the various relevant memorandum of understandings (MoUs).
Sun
Education
12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools
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.
READ ALSO:
- Gunmen kill two soldiers in Abia checkpoint attack
- 94 arrested as task force raids Lagos rail corridor squatters
- Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
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
Education
Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education
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.
READ ALSO:
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
NAN
Education
FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities
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
-
International3 days agoBelgium University offers scholarship up to €12,000 for Master’s students
-
Sports10 hours agoBREAKING: Super Eagles qualify for AFCON 2025
-
Railway3 days agoNigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route
-
International2 days agoUK announces 45,000 seasonal worker visas for 2025
-
Aviation11 hours agoDisaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
-
Education1 day ago12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools
-
International3 days agoSaudi crown prince says Israel committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza
-
Business2 days agoTop 5 crypto apps that work with Nigerian Bank accounts