Sanwo-Olu cancels appointment process for ninth LASU VC – Newstrends
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Sanwo-Olu cancels appointment process for ninth LASU VC

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has cancelled the ongoing process for the appointment of ninth vice-chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU).

The governor, who is visitor to the university, also ordered a fresh process that would terminate in 45 days.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, on Friday stated that the “decision on the cancellation came after a thorough investigation and stakeholders’ engagement, which were necessitated by various petitions against the selection process”.

The statement added, “Governor Sanwo-Olu was inundated with petitions arising from the selection process of the vice-chancellor by the governing council. After a thorough evaluation and investigation of the various complaints, Mr. Governor, in his capacity as the visitor to the university ordered the cancellation of the process.

“The outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has also been directed to convene an emergency Senate meeting for the purpose of appointing one of the deputy vice  chancellor, who is not a candidate in the cancelled selection process as acting vice chancellor from Monday, January 11, 2021, when the tenure of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Professor Fagbohun, expires.

“The governor further directed that the Senate should select among its members, a protem chairman to superintend the meeting and conduct of the election of acting vice chancellor.”

A joint selection committee of the Senate and Council was set up by the university to interview candidates for the position.

The committee had submitted names of three  candidates it considered the best for the job for onward transmission to the visitor of the university for the final selection of the overall best candidate.

But the LASU chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities kicked against the selection process in a letter dated January 1, 2021, and signed by its Secretary, Tony Dansu, and Assistant Secretary, Adeolu Oyekan. The union alleged that some of the candidates lacked the requisite qualifications to succeed the incumbent VC.

“It would appear that the selection committee was unable to abide by the conditions stipulated in the advertisement for the position of vice chancellor, as candidates who did not meet some of the clearly stated criteria (i.e., possessing 10 years post-professorial experience and having supervised PhD theses), scaled the shortlisting stage and even made it to the three-person list reportedly submitted to the Visitor,” the union stated.

As advertised by the committee for the post, a successful applicant must be a professor of at least 10 years, with a track record of academic excellence of local and international repute including supervision and mentoring of postgraduate students.

More than 18 professors from about 10 universities applied for the job.

One of the selected three candidates was said not to be qualified because his entry qualification to the university was the Fellowship of the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College and not Ph.D.

Another candidate was said not to be a professor of at least 10 years as stated in the advertisement for the job.

 

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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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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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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