Teachers Decry Exclusion From Bailout Funds For Salaries

Winifred ogbebo 

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed outrage over what it described as the systematic exclusion of members in the payment of salaries from the 2015 federal government bailout funds given to state governments.

A statement made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday in Abuja, by the national leadership of the union, signed by the secretary general, Obong I.J.Obong, said it rejects the segregational treatment meted out to teachers by some governors in favour of other workers in their various states.

The union said it would not stand aloof and watch the continuous maltreatment and gross insensitivity towards teachers’ plights by some state governments.

The union recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, upon assumption of office, offered bailout funds to state governments to enable them offset backlog of salaries arrears owed workers.

Part of the statement read, “It is equally on record that teachers were the most affected having been owed months of salaries. Therefore it is unacceptable and highly callous for state governments not to place teachers on priority list at the commencement of salary payment from the federal government bailout funds.”

Calling on state governments still owing teachers’ arrears of salaries to urgently offset same and ensure that teachers were given priority attention whenever such funds were given to state governments in future, the union demanded for equity and fairness in the management of the bailout funds meant for workers’ salaries.

The statement added, “We are, indeed, alarmed by the ICPC report that state governments mismanaged and in some cases, diverted their bailout funds to other areas different from what they were meant for. It is therefore our view that such state governments be adequately sanctioned to check such untoward behaviour in future. They should also be forced to source funds and pay their teachers and, indeed all workers in line with the spirit and intendment of the bailout funds.

“At this critical stage of our national challenges, state governments should desist from actions that will further cause avoidable suffering of teachers and great strain on our educational system, but work to advance their social, economic and political well-being.”

source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523661/teachers-decry-exclusion-bailout-funds-salaries-2

Kwara State Govt. To Stakeholders - Relieve LGs Of Teachers' Salaries

Abdullahi Olesin 

The Kwara State governor, Alh Abdulfatah Ahmed, has called on stakeholders in the education sector to map out strategies for taking basic education teachers’ salaries off local government councils in the country.

Ahmed made the call when the executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Alhaji Dikko Sulyman and his management team visited him at the Government House, Ilorin.

Ahmed noted that local government councils lack capacities to finance the payment of basic education teachers’ salaries, especially with the decline in allocations from the federation account.

He also called for the adjustment of the present revenue allocation formula which favours the federal government at the expense of the state and local government tiers.

He equally called for the convocation of a national summit on how to reform education at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

“It is important that a strong summit is held to improve the availability of school infrastructure; accessibility and the quality of teachers. It has to be taken from a national perspective”, he said.

He expressed concern about the quality of teachers produced by the Colleges of Education designed to serve the basic education level, stressing that the curricular at the Colleges of Education level were not designed for basic education level.

According to him, the curriculum of the defunct Grade Two Teachers Colleges was better designed to teach pupils at the primary unlike what prevails now.

The executive secretary of UBEC, Alhaji Dikko Suleiman said the commission has initiated a number of infrastructure development programmes in the basic education level across the state.

These, he said, included the renovation of dilapidated school structure, two electronic libraries, and seven Almajiri schools among others.

He commended Kwara State government for the prompt repayment of its counterpart funding for the projects.

source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523708/relieve-lgs-teachers-salaries-ahmed-tells-stakeholders

NOUN Grants 100% Waiver To Prison Inmates

Winifred ogbebo 

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has granted a 100 per cent waiver to prison inmates desiring education across the country.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu, who revealed this in Abuja while hosting the Vice Chancellor of the Nigerian Turkish Nile University, Prof. Huseyin Sert, stated that the waiver, which before now was pegged at 50 per cent, would enable the inmates have unfettered access to quality education and also encourage others to take advantage of this initiative to acquire education.

Adamu, who cited lack of meaningful social support system for inmates to acquire education in the country, said, “Having suffered abandonment by relatives, emotional and physical confinement, prison inmates would see such gesture from NOUN as a measure meant to reduce the burden on them and to provide the platform to improve and make themselves better citizens.”

A press release signed by the Director, Media and Publicity of the institution, Malam Ibrahim Sheme, said the vice-chancellor further explained that NOUN, being a single mode institution charged with the responsibility of adding lifelong value to those yearning for quality education, would also explore the option of taking education to young girls.

source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523694/noun-grants-100-waiver-prison-inmates

UNILORIN Conducts professional initiation for 48 Newly Qualified Medical Doctors

By Abdullahi Olesin

The University of Ilorin has conducted professional initiation for 48 newly qualified medical doctors.

Speaking at the 32nd professional initiation of the Batch ‘B’ of the 2016 medical graduates, the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Dr Abdulmumin Ibrahim, who was represented by the director, Kwara State Hospital Services, Dr Zinat Saadu, tasked the new medics on the principles of firmness, fairness, justice and mercy in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The MDCN boss said, “your profession is service to humanity… above all, in whatever you do, whatever you say, say so with honour and dignity. In life, it is not how much money you make that matters; it is not how much connection you have that matters, it is not even how many degrees you earn that matters, but what matters ultimately, is what happiness you have given to the next person.”

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. (Mrs.) N.Y.S. Ijaiya, observed that medicine was not an easy discipline.

Lamenting the huge disparity in the ratio of medical doctors to the over 170 million Nigerians, the Vice-Chancellor said, “Nigerians need as many doctors as they can get. So, as tough as the course is, we still need more doctors to man our hospitals, This is the reason why we are happy today that we are contributing more doctors to the medical facilities of Nigeria and to humanity.”

Also speaking,the Provost, College of Health Sciences, Prof. AbdulWahab Johnson, commended the new medics “for successfully passing through the difficult ‘landmines’ of medical training of our College and emerging at the ‘end of the tunnel’ unscathed.”

The Provost hailed the unprecedented commitment of the VC, Prof. Ambali, towards ensuring the growth and sustaining the development of the College.

The Provost acknowledged the graduating class as the “Primus Inter Pares” or first among equals, as, according to him, “they are “undoubtedly unique in their own way for their avowed battle against mediocrity, quiet diplomacy, constructive unionism and a penchant for wanting to leave indelible legacies.”

Source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523557/unilorin-inducts-48-new-medical-doctors

List of secondary schools in order of performance - WAEC

UNILAG Senates Gives Directives To SUG Members To Evict Hostel

By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani 

The University of Lagos Senate has directed members of the Student Union Government (SUG) to vacate their halls of residence in the school due to the recent crisis in the campus.

This was contained in an internal memo signed by the Deputy Dean of the school, Dr. J.O Agunsoye.

The memo titled, “Eviction from Hall of Residence” reads, “The University Senate has directed that you vacate your bed spaces in the halls of residence.

“Consequently, failure to comply with this directive will attract disciplinary action.”

The names of the SUG members of the school include: Muhammed Olaniyan from the Accounting Department (Jaja Hall), Adebayo Emmanuel, Department of Marine Science, Miss Fabuyi from Faculty of Law (Moremi Hall).

LEADERSHIP gathered that the SUG members were given automatic accommodation in the hostels by the school authority.

The students, according to the memo, would commence second semester examination on Monday, 9th of May 2016 after their agreement to comply with the rules and regulations of the school.

It would be recalled that students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) recently boycotted lectures and other academic activities to protest the epileptic power and water supply to their hostels.

Source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523502/unilag-senate-evicts-sug-members-hostel

Invest In Youth Education: IANSA Nigeria Urges FG

By Ekele Peter Agbo

The International Action on Small Arms (IANSA) Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to give priority to youth education in order to avoid breeding agents of instability.

A statement issued by its Country Director, Jephter Asimole on Monday noted that, “Human intellect is what actually separates humans from the rest of animals. Hence, the issue of education must be taken seriously.”

It further said it was important to equip youths with quality education for life’s challenges, with a view to making them objects of peace and stability.

IANSA has equally called on President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute a panel of inquiry on the remote causes of infiltration of armed men among herdsmen.

“No right-thinking human being will take up arms for the love or fun of it. This is why the Federal Government must work hard at frustrating and curbing the menace of gun violence in the country. The cause of the current face-off between the Nigerian Youth Council and Ministry of Youths should also be investigated,” it added.

IANSA has further advocated life sentence for anyone caught with illegal weapons, calling on Nigerians to support the noble cause in order to rid the country of gun violence and other related crimes.

Source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523084/iansa-nigeria-urges-fg-invest-youth-education

Reinstate 13 Sacked VCs: NANS Gives 14-days Ultimatum To FG

Andrew Essien 

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has given the education minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu a 14-day ultimatum to recall the 13 Vice Chancellors who were wrongfully sacked by the federal government in February.

National president of NANS, Comrade Tijani Usman Shehu in a letter to the minister dated April 27, 2016, explained that the ultimatum became necessary following the failure of the minister to take advantage of the window of opportunities provided by Nigerian students to resolve the issue amicably.

In the letter, which was entitled, “NANS Demands Immediate Reinstatement of the Vice Chancellors of 13 Federal Universities Within 14 Days,” the students described the refusal of the minister to reinstate the sacked Vice Chancellors as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari as nothing but, “A bald-faced attempt to politicise our universities and arrest academic progression by the jugular and we have vowed to stiffly resist this.”

The students stated that having exhaustively appealed to the minster’s conscience and rational reasoning on the matter without any meaningful outcome, “You (minister) will at this point heed our call for the reinstatement of the hitherto sacked 13 Vice Chancellors within 14 days of this notice or face the full wrath of the Nigerian students.”

On the actions the students intend to take in the failure of Adamu to heed their demands within the stipulated time frame, NANS warned that this would be interpreted as an, “invitation for the Nigerian students to occupy your office and demand for your immediate resignation.” The students said they are perplexed and deeply perturbed by the minister for defying the voice of stakeholders in the sector as well as the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari by vehemently refusing to do the needful, noting that, “Your actions at this juncture in sticking to your guns on the sack of the Vice Chancellors make the perception clearer that you took all these actions to favour your personal interests.”

NANS reminded the minster that most developed countries of the world were able to achieve that feat because they did not mix politics with the issue of education.

Describing the sack of the 13 Vice Chancellors as unilateral and unconstitutional, the students noted that the action is unhealthy for the Nigerian educational system.

Source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523116/nans-gives-minister-14-day-ultimatum-reinstate-13-sacked-vcs

Gombe State Governor's Son Wins Academic Award

Ali Galadima 

Son of Gombe State Governor, Muhammed Dankwambo, alongside his teammates; Yunjing li, Sneha Sunkara, Fiza Hussain, Yat Hung and Qotrun Nada Haroen from the University of Warwick, Warwick Business School, London, has won the inaugural SWIFT Institute Challenge, a competition asking students to submit solutions to financial service industry challenges.

This was contained in a statement distributed to newsmen yesterday in Gombe by Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee for Dankwambo 2015, Re-election Campaign Organisation; Dahiru Hassan Kera.

The son of Gombe State Governor won the SWIFT Institute Challenge competition organised by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) Forum, London.

He said the winning team, presented as ‘HADU’ emerged winners after they overwhelmingly beat six other groups, winning a GBP prize of £15,000 and a trip to Sibos SWIFT’s annual financial services event held in Geneva this September and another opportunity to pitch and showcase their developed solution at the upcoming conference in Switzerland.

Presenting the cheque, Harriett Baldwin, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, City Minister, had said, “Innovation in payments solves real-world problems and has the ability to change how we, as consumers, interact with our money. That’s why it’s so exciting to see the projects from today’s SWIFT competition teams looking at how we can make remittances easier, cheaper and more efficient for people in the UK and around the world.”

Source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523520/gov-dankwambos-son-wins-academic-award

LASG To Upgrade Primary, Secondary Health Facilities

NAN 

The Lagos State Government says it will soon embark on the renovation of its primary and secondary health facilities to provide quality services and decongest the tertiary health facility.

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, said this on Tuesday in Ikeja while giving account of the activities in the health sector in the last one year.

He said that with the renovation, patients that could be appropriately managed at lower levels of care would not need to go to the tertiary health facility.

“We are not unaware of the state of our severely overstretched secondary care facilities.

“We are currently doing assessment of all those facilities, especially at the primary and secondary levels, and the renovation process will be done in phases for repairs,” Idris said.

He said that the burden on the state’s hospitals, especially the Mother and Child Centres (MCCs), was huge with patients coming in from neighbouring states to access services.

Idris said that the Ministry had continued to execute programmes with primary objectives of prevention, detection and treatment of diseases with public health significance such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, Ebola Virus Disease, tuberculosis, among others.

The commissioner said that the current prevalence rate for HIV/AIDS in the state was 4.1 per cent as against 5.5 per cent.

He said that in the period under review, 645,301 clients were counseled and tested across the state for HIV/AIDS while 47,393 clients were actively receiving free anti-retroviral drugs.

Idris said that the Ministry was exploring opportunities of partnering with Global Fund Initiative to boost financial resources available for use.

He said that 13,204 clients were screened in the diabetes and hypertension programme, with 3,181 and 518 having positive history of hypertension and diabetes respectively.

The commissioner said that 2,568 and 186 clients had familial history of hypertension and diabetes respectively.

Idris said that 1,011 women were screened for cervical cancer, 1,201 for breast cancer and 201 men for prostate cancer.

He said that 52 patients were operated upon for limb deformity while 21 were referred for physiotherapy.

According to the commissioner, the Ministry, in the next one year, will specifically target the issue of quality in all its dimensions.

He said it would also strengthen the delivery system and scale up health promotion and disease prevention activities. (NAN)

Polytechnic Lecturers Threaten Strike

Michael Oche 

The nation’s polytechnic sector may be heading for another round of strike as lecturers across the country have threatened to embark on a strike action if the Federal Government does not urgently address the various industrial issues bedevilling the sector.

The lecturers under the aegis of Association of Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), stated that all attempts made by the union to meet government officials to explain the urgency of their demands have failed.

President of ASUP, Comrade Usman Yusuf Dutse, who addressed newsmen on in Abuja ahead of the 2016 World Workers’ Day, declared that the situation leaves the union with no choice but to embark on an industrial action.

He said the union was disturbed that since the suspension of the protracted strike in 2014, none of the core issues of demand has been addressed by the Federal Government.

According to him, the lecturers have been reluctant to take appropriate actions to address the situation because it believes in dialogue and have always practiced responsible unionism

He said: “However, we are now being pushed to resort to extreme measures in resolving industrial dispute and we shall act accordingly. We have decided to place this position before government and the Nigerian public for the benefit of the sector and to challenge government to act now in order to avert another industrial disharmony in our polytechnics.

We are aware that the issues between government and ASUP have lingered for years. We are also cognisant of the fact that this government came to power about one year ago but then government is a continuum.

Source: http://www.leadership.ng/news/523164/crisis-looms-polytechnics-lecturers-threaten-strike

Ahmadu Bello University Agric College graduates 3,534 Students

By NAN 

The Division of Agricultural Colleges (DAC), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria on Saturday graduated a total of 3,534 students.

Speaking at the 32nd joint convocation ceremony held at ABU main campus, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, expressed appreciation over the growth of the college in size and scope.

He observed that the college was running different courses to cater for the technical manpower needs of not only in the northern region, but Nigeria at large.

Garba said that the college and the university had continued to discharge their mandate of teaching, research and community services.

The Vice-Chancellor urged the graduating students to use the skills, knowledge and training they acquired to meet new challenges in the bigger society.

In his address, the Director, DAC, Prof. Mohammed Fatihu, said efforts were being made in the college to address the evolving needs of the people through the introduction of new programmes.

According to him, low funding has often delayed the progress and completion of approved projects in the college.

The director said that the removal of the college from TETFUND grants by an act of the National Assembly had also negatively affected the college.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the graduating students who spoke expressed joy that they had been able to conclude their studies in the school successfully.(NAN)

UNIMAID Signs MOU With UNICEF

Ishaya Caleb

The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Norwegian Embassy to work out a programme on de-radicalisation of repentant members of Boko Haram terrorist group.

This was disclosed by the university’s vice chancellor, Prof Ibrahim A. Njodi during UNIMAID’s 40th anniversary combined with 22nd convocation at convocation square.

He said there was partnership between the university and UNICEF on securing the schools project while the institution would continue to look at all avenues for support and collaborations.

Njodi also said that there were plans by the university to organise an international conference on the Boko Haram terrorist to facilitate research into the mystery behind the insurgency.

He added that the move is pursuant to President Muhammadu Buhari’s call during his inaugural speech on in- depth research towards understanding the insurgency and it is the mandate of school in solving societal problems through research. By Ishaya Caleb, university of Maiduguri department of mass communication 300.

Source: http://leadership.ng/news/522312/unimaid-signs-memorandum-understanding-unicef

SSCE Students in Bida Invent Solar Traffic Circuit

Secretary, Association of Physics Teachers, Malam Ibrahim Mohammed has hailed a physics student of Army Secondary School Bida, on the construction of traffic decongestion circuit using solar panels.

He said the invention by the students will help reduce the rate at which accidents occur on the road and help passengers spend lesser time on the road due to traffic jams.

Malam Ibrahim added that most importantly, it will help the rate at which traffic decongestion circuit that uses electricity malfunctions due to poor power supply faced by the country.

He further explained that the materials used in designing the project are insulators mass spectrograph (instrument that generates electrons) ,crocodile clip, among others ,facilitated its operations.

Source:http://leadership.ng/news/522308/ssce-students-invent-solar-traffic-circuit

Bida Poly: Computer Science Dept. Introduces e-Voting

The Computer Science Department of the Federal Polytechnic Bida Niger State has introduced a technology solution to improve the conduct of elections within the institution.

According to the former Head of department, Mr. Alade Abel, e-voting is a technological base system of conducting election which involves the use of computer and ICT accessories which is equivalent to wireless system.

Abel Added that e-voting has lots of advantages compared to the manual system of voting which everyone is familiar with and is very transparent, faster and without agitation of rigging election.

He explained that in achieving this, a site was created through the internet by the use of software which was connected to the server in the computer laboratory where every student of the department was registered and all data was stored.

Convocates After 8 Years

The Federal Polytechnic Bida held its 14th convocation ceremony after eight years in the newly constructed convocation square of the institution.

The Niger State Governor, Alh Abubarkar Sani Bello ably represented by his deputy, Alh. Ahmed Mohammed Ketso has congratulated the school management for its growth and development within the last eight years, commended the courage of the rector for making sure the convocation held against all odds.

Ketso also congratulated the members of staff and students who have been found worthy in character and learning to earn honors in national and higher national diploma in their various disciplines.

Also speaking, the rector of the polytechnic, Dr Abubakar A. Dzukogi who revealed that the polytechnic is going to make convocation an annual event, expressed displeasure with the long delay in holding convocation in the school and made a solemn determination that convocation is going to be an annual event as long as he remained the rector of the polytechnic.

The rector, however, advised students to shun cultism, exam malpractice and take their studies serious because that is the primary aim of being in school.

Source: http://leadership.ng/news/522314/bida-polys-computer-science-dept-introduces-e-voting

Better Service Delivery - Sokoto State Govt. To Retrain Teachers

Agency Report

The Sokoto State Commissioner for Basic Education, Dr Jabbi Kilgore, has said that arrangements has been concluded to retrain principals and secondary school teachers in the state.

Kilgore told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that retraining was a critical component of the state’s manpower development plan to ensure optimal performance in the sector.

He said that the ministry had partnered with the Shehu Shagari College of Education to achieve the set objectives.

The commissioner said that the ministry was committed in providing enabling environment for imparting knowledge that would have positive impacts on students.

“We are fully committed to injecting modern teaching skills for our teachers to ensure that qualitative and sound education are provided for our students,’’ he said.

Kilgore said the training programmes would create an atmosphere that would be conducive for professionalism and enhance productivity.

He explained that the measures were part of the state government’s resolve to ensure excellent academic performances among students.

He said the students as future leaders must be given solid academic background to excel, adding that the state government had declared a state of emergency in the education sector.

According to him, all the basic needs will be provided to move the sector forward.

“We will provide basic learning materials, infrastructure and conducive atmosphere for learning in all public schools.’’

Kilgore called on the principals and teachers to redouble their efforts in the discharge of their duties and be committed to the state government’s cardinal objective of developing the sector.

He also called on parents to complement the efforts of the state government by sending their children to school in good time, especially those on day schools. (NAN)

Don Blames Varsity Students' Agitation On Poor Funding

By NAN 

Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, former President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has blamed the current protests by students in universities across the country on inadequate funding.

Awuzie, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, said that the issue of inadequate funding of universities by proprietors would continue to generate instability if not tackled.

He said it was worrisome that funds allocated to federal and state universities in recent times had continued to slide, rather than improve.

“I want to assure you that the change we all are expecting currently can speedily be achieved through massive funding of education, especially at the basic and the tertiary levels.

“Here, we are building more universities when the existing ones are barely struggling to survive.

“Money spent in building these new ones could have been invested into the existing ones to get them well equipped with world class technology for teaching, learning and research.

“Today, students are agitating over one basic amenity or the other and the universities are being shut down in order to avoid incurring losses, which does not tell well about our system,’’ he said.

Awuzie, who is also a former Vice-Chancellor, Imo State University, said that whenever ASUU called for increased funds for universities and other tertiary institutions, it was doing so out of patriotism.

According to him, these tertiary institutions, which are saddled with the mandate of teaching, learning and research basically, should be able to proffer solutions to the many societal challenges.

“These universities and tertiary institutions, if well-funded, will generate more money from people in the Diaspora coming into the country to study.

“We would equally be attracting foreign scholars who would equally contribute their wealth of experience, thereby creating a platform for healthy rivalry among their colleagues.

“We appreciate the fact that government is faced with a lot of challenges presently.

“Having said that however, we should also not forget the fact that as we are trying to diversify the economy from oil to other viable sectors, we must not allow our actions to push education further down the line,’’ the don said. (NAN)

ITF Moves To Strengthen Students' Industrial Work Experience

Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani 

The Industrial Training Fund, (ITF) said it has commenced moves to strengthen the Students Industrial Work Experience, (SIWES) in order to stimulate and sustain industrial development, grow the economy and create jobs in line with the vision of the federal government.

Speaking during a stakeholders summit organised by the agency, the acting director general of the Fund, Mr. Dickson Onuoha, said the agency would also meet regularly with both regulators and other stakeholders to think outside the box so as to improve the standard of the SIWES scheme.

He explained that the SIWES scheme was established by the federal government to solve the problem of lack of adequate skills preparatory for employment in the industrial sector by Nigerian graduates of tertiary institutions.

Noting however that the scheme which exposes and transit students from classrooms to the practical world has been grappling with the challenges of inadequate funding due to increasing demands on governments revenue and the increase in the number of students graduating from the nation’s tertiary institutions, Onuoha said called for a reduction in the number of programme has become necessary in order to make SIWES more effective.

He described the SIWES as capable of bridging the gap between theory and practical realities in the nation’s industrial sector, pointing out that ITF will continue to evolve innovative methods, considering that the scheme has continued to prepare students for the world of work.

Source:

http://leadership.ng/news/522318/job-creation-itf-moves-strengthen-students-industrial-work-experience

UNESCO Report - Global Aid Support To Education Falls Again

Ruth Tene Natsa 

The UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, has revealed that latest aid figures to education went down by almost US$600 million, or per cent between 2013 and 2014.

The report also showed that the share of total aid being allocated to education also fell from 9.5 per cent to 8.2 per cent, indicating that the sector is falling further down the list of priorities.

It further showed that aid to basic education, providing for pre-primary and primary education as well as basic life skills, has decreased by per cent since 2013, an even greater fall than for education as a whole.

Meanwhile, out- of- school numbers for primary education are on the rise, totaling 59 million by latest counts, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

The GEM Report has previously calculated that aid to education needs would increase by, at least, six times to fill the annual finance gap of $39 billion in order to provide the global target of 12 years of quality education for all by 2030.

Yet the latest analysis shows that, rather than rising, levels of aid to the sector are 8 per cent lower than they were in 2010. To fill the remaining gap and reach the target, these aid levels now need to increase seven-fold.

Director of the GEM Report, UNESCO, Aaron Benavot said “It is disheartening to see that international aid to education is going in totally the wrong direction. This will make education progress extremely difficult, if not impossible, for many countries still reliant on financial support from donors. And early indications of aid flows for 2015 do not leave much room for optimism.” 

Source: http://leadership.ng/news/522309/global-aid-support-education-falls-report

Kano State Govt. Inaugurates Kano State Poly Governing Council

Agency Report

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State on Tuesday inaugurated the Governing Council of Kano State Polytechnic .

At the inauguration in Kano, he urged members of the council to restore the mandate of the polytechnic in terms of teaching, learning and research.

He also urged them to reappraise the institution’s programmes and ensure probity, transparency and accountability.

Ganduje called on members of the council to examine the laws establishing the institution and propose amendment request that

would raise its status like order polytechnics in the country.

The governor warned that no case of corruption would be accommodated, adding that the council should make the institution a role model for all polytechnics.

Responding on behalf of other members, the Chairman of the council, Prof. Ahmed Abdullahi, thanked the governor for finding them fit to serve.

Abdullahi said that he was confident that the council would live up to expectation in the discharge of its duties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the council, which has 10 members, has Dr Binta Jibrin, Habibu Yakasse, Prof. Mustafa Hassan, Abdullahi Abubakar, Prof. Muktar Kurawa, Sadiya Bichi and the school registrar as members. (NAN)