Education Archives - Page 12 of 16

UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition(NEC) 2021 Ready to Receive Digital Applications

+ Portal for NEC 2021 Opens…Prizes increase in value by 33%

UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has announced the commencement of the 2021 edition of its annual National Essay Competition (NEC) in Nigeria with a call for entries.

The National Essay Competition (NEC) is part of UBA Foundation’s education initiative which is aimed at promoting literacy and encouraging healthy and intellectual competition amongst senior secondary school students in Nigeria and across the African continent.

This year’s edition, which is its 11^th, has been modified to ensure ease of access and the increased participation of students from Senior Secondary School across Nigeria, who can submit their entries from the comfort of their homes and schools through the UBAF NEC digital submission portal www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition.

Like the previous year, the prizes for the NEC 2021 winners have increased in value considerably by 33%. The first prize winner will receive an educational grant of N3 million to study at any African university of their choice, up from the N2.5 million in 2020. The second and third prizes now stand at N2.5 million and N2 million educational grants respectively. Winners of the 12 best essays will also go home with state-of-the-art Laptops to help them with their tertiary research work and other studies.

The Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Mrs. Bola Atta, said that the Foundation scaled up the prizes for the second year in a row in order to accommodate the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and also the fluctuation in the currency levels.

She explained that with the digital submission portal, more students in secondary schools across the country will have the opportunity to scan and send in their entries and compete to win educational grants for study at any university of their choice on the African continent.

“At UBA Foundation, it is imperative that our programmes continue to impact lives in meaningful ways. We realise that the use of technologically driven initiatives is part of the modern day. We want to be able to reach the students where they are and this is mostly online. The digital portal for online submission has made it more comfortable for students to send in their applications and compete with ease. For those who do not have access to computers or data, we are going to make this competition inclusive by allowing them access to any UBA branch near them to submit their entries digitally. Every student who wishes to, will be able to enter for the NEC 2021 and stand a chance to win a fully funded University education through the UBA Foundation’ said Atta.

The essay topic for this year is: “What is the role of technology in educating the African Youth?” All essays must be handwritten and students have up until October 29, 2021 to upload the scanned copies of their handwritten entries as well as their IDs on the digital portal at www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition. No physical copies will be accepted this year.

The submissions will be evaluated by judges who are professors from reputable Nigerian Universities. These judges select the top 12 finalists who will take home consolation prizes including personal computers. The 12 finalists will write another supervised essay where the top three winners will be announced at the grand finale to be held on November 30^th at UBA’s head office in Lagos, Nigeria.

The UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition has been rolled out in 4 other countries where UBA operates, with plans in place to cover 19 African countries in the next couple of years.

UBA Foundation embodies the UBA Group’s CSR objectives and seeks to impact positively on societies through several laudable projects and initiatives. The Foundation through its Education pillar, has donated hundreds of thousands of books to students across Africa under the ‘Read Africa’ initiative aimed at encouraging and promoting the reading culture in African youths.

Students can apply for the National Essay Competition 2021 at: www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition

ABUAD Leads Nigeria’s Drive For Food Sufficiency

Whereas individuals across the globe see it as a conventional university, but the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, has more to its conventional status.

At the moment, the university which sits on several hectares of land, leads in the supply of agricultural produce to markets across the States of Nigeria through its ABUAD Farms.

The large farm is powered by Independent Power Project, IPP of 2. 5 megawatts with projection for 5 Megawatts.

It comprises crop and animal farming and accounts for major supplies of nutritious farm produce to the Nigerian markets ranging from fruits, vegetables and different categories of meat.

Revealing his love for contributing to Nigeria’s drive for food sufficiency, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, founder of the university, said during an interactive session with reporters that “I have passion for farming.

“We grew up in local community where farming was the predominant engagements.

“I even thought I would inherit my father’s cutlasses and hoes because of my love for farming,” he said.

This passion, he maintained, provoked the huge investment into farming which has led to supplies to Lagos for onward distribution to other parts of Nigeria.

It would however be noted that at a time, Nigeria was reputed as an agricultural hub on the continent with regional governments accelerating developments through agricultural revenues.

But following the discovery of petroleum, Nigeria rapidly grew into a major food importing nation as the government neglected agricultural sector since petroleum became a viable resource for economic development.

This situation quickly polarized the nation into high and low income groups.

Since then, the country has been grabbling with challenges of inadequate food supply for its teeming population, a development that has been partly adduced as a major factor responsible for unending criminal activities in the system.

But to Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, food deficit in Nigeria is a task that must be confronted with all vehemence. The ABUAD Farm is the designed vehicle to accomplishing this mission.

The 91 years old legal luminary, described as an uncommon gift to Ekiti State, Nigeria and the whole world, is reputed as a leading employer of Labour as well as biggest tax payer to Ekiti State government through ABUAD.

Unique Journey To Space At ABUAD

Deeper knowledge of space and its exploration, over the years, has been herculean in Nigeria.

This became worrisome so much so that the federal government, at the rebirth of democratic governance, established the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) a research institution that is under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology of Nigeria.

The Agency was established on May 5, 1999, with the broad objective to pursue the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefits of the nation.

While the government’s efforts are salutary, the singular effort of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, to establish Planetarium, a dome that stimulates events in the space at the expansive Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, has elevated and externalized opportunities for space knowledge.

Speaking with reporters over the weekend, Dr.Yinka Ajiboye, Director of the institution, Space Centre, explained that the ABUAD Planetarium “Is the second in West Africa but the largest.”

Ajiboye further explained the passion of the unprecedented founder, Aare Afe Babalola, who, he said expended huge capital in the Dome.

He disclosed that at the Dome, countless celestial bodies can be viewed adding that it is an investment aimed at promoting science and space knowledge in the country.

Ajiboye called on space knowledge seekers to take full advantage of the ABUAD Dome which “Has the shape of hemisphere” adding that information and other inquiries can be obtained through 08063767051

ABUADTH’s Edge Over Others In Nigeria

ABUAD Teaching Hospital’s Edge Over Others In Nigeria

In this exclusive interview with a team of reporters, Dr. Akinola Akinmade, Deputy Chief Medical Director of the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, ABUADTH, talks about Aare Afe Babalola, the founder’s commitment to attracting the world to Nigeria for excellent medical care through its well funded and well equipped Teaching Hospital

How did the process of this mega hospital start?

It started in April 2018. We have several innovations we have put in place to make sure we have seamless health delivery here in ABUADTH.
The first is the reception. You can get registered to access treatment, see a doctor, consultations. All these can be done electronically. We don’t have case files. We don’t give patient a card or make them sign a paper. Once you register here, your information will be available at all the service centers in the hospital.
And if you come back in 20 years, your information will be intact because we have the information stored in a backup cloud

Can you highlight the makeup of the different units?

We have six multifunctional dental chairs that can do a wild range of dental procedures.
You can do dental implants, from basic things like scaling and polishing and they are affordable.

Scaling and polishing can make your teeth whiter and nicer. These chairs can do a single tooth x-ray.
We also have the OPG machine that can do a panoramic view of the entire skull.

If you want to do a reconstruction surgery from the dental bones and things like that, you will do a reconstruction with the OPG first. We have six chairs, we have one dedicated for Paediatrics.

All the compressors are there, based on this, we have started a dental school here in ABUADTH and they are currently in 200 level going to 300 level and all the specialties are represented here.
We have done all sort of major dental surgeries.

We also have a machine that does the panoramic view of the head. This helps to have the overall view of the skull.

Ekiti does not have an airport. How can emergency cases get here for attention?

We have a helipad. That’s the Helipad. {Pointing to the direction}
The helicopter lands on it, the ambulance goes from here and there is a dedicated road for it, picks up the person and brings him or her straight to the emergency.

We have received several patients through the helipad.

Do you have equipment for Ears, Nose and Throat, ENT infection?

Yes, here in ABUADTH we have. This is the workstation, this is the piece of equipment, {Pointing at equipment}

If there are 100 procedures in ENT, this can do 90 percent. So the patients don’t have to go to the theater.
Once they are here, we can do most of the ENT procedures.

For instance, if a child puts an object in his or her ear, instead of going to the theater looking for it, you can remove all that here. We can remove stuff in the throat, ear and so on.
This equipment, (pointing at a piece of equipment) is a stand-alone piece of equipment. This is very expensive. We have two of them in case we have a lot of patients. But the equipment is very expensive.

Audiology

This is the audiology booth,{Pointing at the machine} for those who have hearing defects.
Patient can go in here and out on the head phones and they are tested for their range of hearing and all that.
We fix patients for hearing aide.

Eye

If patient has eye defects and has undertaken measurement, the glasses are cut immediately and in two hours it is ready.
We have the optician and once you have your records, they do the cutting for you and in two hours you can get your glasses. You don’t have to come back or wait for days.

Cardiac Arrest

If the patient can get here within six hours and gets on this machine (pointing at a machine) the patient has bright chances of recovery.
That is why the helicopter is very important. If there is an accident victim and there is a cardiac arrest at home and the patient gets to the hospital in six hours, the patient goes home the next day. We have received patients from Sokoto, Kano, Lagos anywhere. We have 3 of these.

Heart Surgery

We have an open-heart surgery centre. It is for those that need heart surgeries including deformity of the heart, hole in the heart, atrial septal defects, etc.
They need the theater. We have the machines. We actually have two other machines for backup. When the patient gets here, they open the chest because they cannot operate on a breathing heart.

But sometimes, we can. But we can’t operate while the blood is in there. The blood flows into the heart-lung machine. We paralyize the hearth and work on the heart. When it is completed, the blood flows back into the heart and the machine is used to bring back the heart.

It’s a form of electrical shock and the heart comes back to life.
Then you take the patient back to the ICU, we have done more than 100 since we started. We have someone who does this. He is an Indian and he is on the ground full time. It is very expensive to keep them.

How many theaters do you have in this teaching hospital?

We have 10 theaters and these are modular theaters will full equipment.

These equipment cost so much. But how can average income earners access these facilities?

Yes, you have a point. One of the problems we have in the country is the absence of medical insurance. If the government can make health insurance available to all, medical care will as well be available to all.

However, our founder has ensured that health care in this Teaching Hospital is affordable to all.

Why is this teaching hospital under-publicized?

In the medical profession, we don’t do adverts or any form of publicity. It’s against the regulations of the profession. People get to know we have this equipment here either by referral or when reporters visit hospitals like you are doing.

Which prominent Nigerians have visited this place?

Governors across the country have been here. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ex President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and many more have been here.

Has President Buhari been here?

No. He has not come but he sent a representative.

ABUAD Ranks Best Private University In Nigeria

Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, has been rated best among other private universities in Nigeria.

The rating according to ‘AD Scientific Index’, a development ranking systems, reflects ABUAD’s quality administrative and academic “Policies”.

The school, founded in 2009 by renowned legal practitioner, Aare Afe Babalola SAN, has, over the years, become a choice to candidates seeking admission to universities.

In its 2021 ranking, AD Scientific Index rated the Ekiti State based university as the best among private universities and the 10th in the pool of both private and public universities, coming just after University of Ilorin.

Universities captured in the rating included University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria, Federal University of Technology Akure, University of Calabar, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Benin, Obafemi Awolowo University and University of Port Harcourt.

A visit to the main campus of the institution by a team of reporters on Friday, September 10, revealed the school has facilities that can be described as the best in the world.

From a spick and span environment, conducive for learning, the school has, in its offerings, well-funded and equipped Colleges of Medicine with its corresponding Teaching Hospital, Law, Humanities, Engineering, Information Technology, Agriculture as well as Social and Natural Sciences.

The Deputy Chief Medical Director, Dr. Akinola Akinmade said “ABUAD is the only teaching hospital in the country with two CT scans and two MRI machines.”

He maintained that the teaching hospital has the equipment and man power to attend to critical ailments in the country.

Assuring that Nigerians do not have need to fly abroad for medical treatment, Dr. Akinmade lauded the founder, Afe Babalola, SAN, for committing enormous resources into the university and indeed the College of Medicine as well as the teaching hospital.

The Doctor who took the team round the facilities emphasized that the like of Afe Babalola is rare in Africa in view of his commitment to ensuring that illiteracy is not only banished from Nigeria but professionalism is enhanced in various spheres of life for the needed development.

In an earlier comment, Afe Babalola, SAN who enjoys sound health and balanced emotion even at 91, disclosed that his commitment to quality education stems from his belief that no country can be great without imparting quality education.

To the nonagenarian, Nigeria’s greatness, through quality development knowledge, remains the focus of ABUAD.

ASUU Next Line Of Action Revealed After FG Fails To Honour initial Agreement

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has revealed its next line of action after the Federal Government failed to honour the agreement it entered into with the union.

ASUU president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, had earlier alleged that the government has not been picking calls pushed through by the union.

The varsity lecturers had called off their eight-month-old strike in December 2020 after ASUU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government. Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige had met with the lecturers on August 2 to review the level of implementation of the MoU after several complaints by the academic union.

Ngige at the time assured ASUU that government will through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), release N30 billion as a revitalisation fund to the union the following week.

However, the government has not yet fulfilled its promises to the union and the month of August has ended.

ASUU, in this regard, said it will hold an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) this week with its leaders and principal officials to decide its members’ next line of action.

The varsity union said it will follow up its NEC meeting with consultations with all its chapters should the government fail to respond positively to the aggrieved lecturers.

ASUU said Nigerians should hold the government responsible for their next action. Naija News understands that the Federal Government has not spoken on the latest agitations by the varsity teachers.

Osodeke stressed that the union’s NEC would convene to weigh available options and take a position.

YABATECH Welcome Applications to September 2021 Music Certificate Course

Yaba College of Technology through YABATECH Consult Limited in corroboration with Diamond Well Integrated Concepts Limited announces September 2021 Music Certificates Course Admission in Music Production and Engineering, Music Law and Music Business.

The September Admission is the second set after the successful completion of the first set where students are taught and are introduced to the nitty gritty of music production in the serene, safe and conducive environment of the institution.

Application form into the new diet is now available for purchase to interested students and it closes on the 12th September 2021.

For more information and to apply, visit yabatech.edu.ng/music

Premiere Academy is committed to unravelling the cause of Keren’s death

Premiere Academy Lugbe, Abuja has pledged its unreserved commitment to cooperating with the law enforcement agency to unravel the cause of Miss. Keren-Happuch Akpagher’s death who until her demise on 22nd June 2021 was an SS 1 student of the school.

The Acting Principal of Premiere Academy, Mr. Chris Akinsonwon restated the school’s commitment while addressing some allegations made against the school by the mother of the deceased – Mrs. Vihimga Akpagher in a press conference organised by ROOT TV.

Describing the allegations as disturbing, Mr. Akinsonwon said that Premiere Academy is bereaved at the moment because it has lost a future leader – Late Miss. Keren-Happuch Akpagher.

He further emphasized that Premiere Academy wholeheartedly carried out its expected responsibilities in taking care of Keren in all facets especially health-wise until the last day she left the school in a healthy condition as opposed to allegations that she was in an unhealthy state when she left the school.

In his words, “since Keren’s admission, the school managed her Type-1 Diabetes by administering the two times daily dose of Insulin injection with a controlled-diet which helped to maintain her blood glucose level until the day she was released to her mother on Saturday, 19 June, 2021.”

Additionally, he said that as a school that cares so much about its students’ well being mobilized and visited Keren at the hospital the day it learned of her hospitalization at Queens Hospital Wuse 2, Abuja, and has also visited the family repeatedly since her death.

Premiere Academy disclosed that it got to know about the alleged sexual molestation of Miss. Keren Akpagher in the media because it was never mentioned throughout its interaction with Mrs. Akpagher – Keren’s mother while Keren was hospitalized.

However, according to the acting principal Mr. Akinsonwon, the school swung into action by constituting an Internal Investigation Panel to probe the allegation and if anyone is found culpable he will be handed over to the police. In his words, “the school has honoured invitations from the Nigerian Police and we are cooperating with them to unravel the cause of Keren’s death.”

The Acting Principal stated that the school witnessed the Autopsy exercise and is waiting for the report. “As a school, we are fully committed to unravelling the cause of Keren’s death and we want justice for Late Miss. Keren-Happuch Akpagher if the allegations concerning her death are anything to go by.”

In a recent development, the Acting Principal responded to a Facebook post by an activist with the caption; “Unmasking Adams Idris: A Suspected Peadophile at Premiere Academy.” He stated that Premiere Academy is not a place for peadophiles and further asserted that any publication or post that does not emanate from the School’s Management or Board of Governors is not a representation of the school on the alleged cause of Keren’s death. According to Mr. Akinsonwon the school will deem it necessary to always inform the public as the event unfolds.

In his words; “Premiere Academy is safe for all students and over time we have demonstrated zero tolerance for sexual harassment of any kind – verbal or physical. This is evident in the suspension and subsequent dismissal of a staff member who was culpable of being involved in an “unguarded talk” with a student. “The police-ordered autopsy procedure report is not out, and as a school, we are waiting for the autopsy report.”

“We, therefore, enjoin all concerned stakeholders to patiently wait for the autopsy report.

JAMB Releases 14,620 UTME Results, Withheld14

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of 14,620 candidates for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), but withheld those of 93 candidates.
This follows after an investigation was conducted by the board.

JAMB’s Head of Media, Fabian Benjamin in Abuja, said the decision to release the results followed the consideration and further approval of the recommendations of the investigators by the board’ management at a meeting on Tuesday, 27, 2021.

According to the statement, the results of 332 blind candidates whose examination was conducted this month have also been released.

“You will recall that the Board, in its earlier release, stated it would still review the results of the 2021 UTME exercise and any candidate found wanting would have his/her result withheld.

“Out of the withheld results thirteen were discovered to have been involved in examination infractions after they were released and the one withdrew bringing the total of the results that have been withdrawn to fourteen.”

The affected candidates whose results have been withdrawn include ”Gabriel Micheal; Lawson Ruth Joy; Sadiq Mahbub Auwal; Attama Lawrence Ikedichukwu; Tambaya Yahaya; Anowa Anointing and Ogbonna Joseph Dibia.

Others are: Ani Maryrose AdaLoki) Loiki Ayomiposi Precious; Ekeocha Chinecherem Michael; Oluwarotimi Toluwanimi Ayanfeoluwa; Edu Teslim Abiola; Simon Friday Promise and Onyeama Odi.”

Just In: ASUU threatens fresh strike action.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has threatened to resume industrial action over the Federal Government’s alleged failure to honor many of the agreements it signed with the Union.

The Chairperson, ASUU, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Dr. Ibrahim Inuwa, made this known on Sunday while speaking with select journalists at the Union’s Secretariat.

He said the protracted strike, which was to press home their demands for the continuous survival of public university system in Nigeria, was suspended in December after the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the various issues providing timelines for the implementation of each of the eight items.

Inuwa, however, claimed that after over seven months, only two out of the eight issues have been addressed.

He listed some of the issues to include Earned Academic Allowance, Funding for revitalization of public universities, Salary shortfall, Proliferation of state universities and Visitation Panel.

Others, he added, are Renegotiation, Replacement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) with the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) and withheld salaries and non-remittance of Check-off Dues but “only salary shortfall and visitation panels to federal universities have been addressed.”

He said, “Renegotiation of the 2009 agreement which would have been completed within eight weeks from the date of inauguration of the committee has up till now not been concluded, even though the Committee was inaugurated since December 2020.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria willingly agreed that the UTAS will replace the IPPIS as a payment platform in Federal Universities after it passed an integrity test. However, soon after the agreement, agents of the FGN are doing everything possible to frustrate the coming of UTAS onboard.

“Meanwhile the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation through the IPPIS office have continued to omit our members from payment of salaries while others experience serious salary amputation. We are convinced this is done in connivance with the University Administration through the distortion of our members’ personal details.

“In the meantime, IPPIS appears to be the corruption headquarters of the Federal Civil service, as exemplified by double payment of salaries to employees, payment of salaries to non-employees, over taxation, dubious amputation of salaries, etc.”

Inuwa stated that “the body language of the federal government on the proliferation of State Universities shows that they are not willing to put a stop to it stressing that instead, the federal government itself has joined in the Proliferation of Universities ignoring the obvious challenges of funding.”

He further stated that “it is obvious to the Union that the OAGF is deliberately omitting its members from payment of Salaries and withholding check-off dues as a ploy for victimization and coercion to enroll ASUU members into IPPIs.”

He added that “This plague has been evident across all Federal Universities in Nigeria since February 2020. This to us is an outright act of ingratitude on the part of the Government for the sacrifices members of ASUU are making in order to establish a progressive nation. A clear case of punishing citizens for being patriotic.”

Inuwa declared that “Enough is enough.

“ASUU is fed up with the deceptive antics of the federal government of Nigeria.

“The University Campuses are becoming restive across the length and breadth as Academics are threatening to shut down activities once again. This is coming as a result of the failure of the FGN to implement many aspects of the memorandum of Action it willingly signed with ASUU that ended the last strike in December 2020.

“Given the glaring and deliberate failure of Government to honor the agreement it willingly signed with the Union, it is becoming obvious that industrial harmony is gradually being destroyed in the University Campuses.

“We, therefore, call on well-meaning Nigerians to wake up the FGN from its slumber to avoid another disruption of academic activities on Universities Campuses across the nation” adding that “the atmosphere is tensed and charged.”