Education
Report says 13.9% of teachers in Borno without any formal qualification
Report says 13.9% of teachers in Borno without any formal qualification
By: Michael Mike
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Thursday, described as “very scary” some findings submitted to him by a Committee he had constituted and tasked with conducting basic literacy and numeracy competency assessment of 17,229 Local Education Authority teachers across 27 Local Government Areas of the State.
The State’s Commissioner for Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, presented the committee’s report to Governor Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri.
The Committee had engaged academics from different education stakeholders in the State before and during assessment tests conducted in January, 2022, across the 27 Local Government Areas of the State.
The report revealed that out of 17,229 teachers across the 27 councils only 5,439 representing 31.6% proved competent to teach, while 3,815 teachers representing 22.1% are not competent to teach and are not trainable.
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The report however revealed that 7,975 teachers representing 46.3% were found not fully competent but trainable.
The report also revealed that 2,389 teachers representing 13.9% have been teaching without any formal qualification from any institution.
A breakdown of the report’s findings across the 27 Local Government Areas showed, from the worst indices, that out of 224 teachers in Abadam Local Government Area in northern Borno, only 14 are competent to teach, as 74 are untrainable while 136 can be trained.
The report further said out of Kala-Balge’s 272 teachers, only 21 are competent to teach with 118 untrainable and 133 trainable.
The report also showed indices for other Local Government Areas from which Maiduguri Metropolitan Council had the highest number of 396 untrainable teachers, followed by Askira-Uba with 281 untrainable teachers, Chibok-268 untrainable teachers, Bama-246 untrainable teachers and Biu also with 219 teachers who cannot teach.
The numbers were based on the overall number of teachers as some with higher numbers of untrainable teachers have higher numbers of teachers employed.
Other Local Government Areas showed various numbers of untrainable teachers, Jere having the fewest-16 untrainable teachers out of 1,159 teachers from which 936 proved competent while 204 are not fully competent but they are trainable.
The report also said that of all the 17,229 teachers, 1,627 representing 9.4% are degree holders; 8,153 representing 47.3% are NCE holders; 713 representing 4.1% are teachers grade II certificates’ holders while 2,281 representing 13.2% are SSCE/GCE holders with the remaining 2,389 representing 13.9% not having any formal certificate.
Speaking after receiving the report, Professor Zulum described the findings as “very scary”. He said the Committee members had informed him that they came across an NCE holder who could not write NCE during the test but yet was teaching students.
Zulum said: “We cannot move Borno forward unless we are able to sanitize our public schools system and If I am able to sanitize education, I would have achieved 50% of what I set out to achieve as Governor.”
He noted that he decided to set up the Assessment Committee after a series of spontaneous assessments of teachers during his regular unscheduled trips to Local Government Areas.
He however said despite the scary report, he will not sack the 3,815 untrainable teachers but he will, depending on the recommendations made by the Committee, consider approving the transfer of the teachers to areas where they can perform other tasks such as tree planting at the Ministry of Environment.
Report says 13.9% of teachers in Borno without any formal qualification
BOSU VC PROMISES TO PLACE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES ON AUTO GOVERNANCE
By: Bodunrin Kayode
The second Vice Chancellor (VC)of the Borno state university (BOSU) Professor Babagana Gutti has said that he would hit the ground running by placing all academic activity in the University on auto governance.
Prof Gutti said during a recent briefing with newsmen that it was his desire for the University community and the general public to be able to see what their wards are doing on campus at each time.
“We shall work with partners and the media to achieve this because the media is part of the University and it is my intention to ensure that this University is one of the best in this country by the time my tenure ends.
“We will use the auto governance system to monitor what the students or members of the University community are doing at every time. I will ensure that technology, research and learning go together
” I expect students to register real time for their programs from any part of the country or the world. The truth is that most Universities do not have such facilities which makes the work very easy to handle for both management and the community.
“We shall present minute by minute development in the campus for the whole world to see.” Said Gutti shortly after taking over the reigns of activities from the acting VC Prof Haruna Dikwa.
Earlier acting Vice Chancellor Professor Haruna Dlakawa said he was excited and grateful to the visitor Prof Babagana Zulum for giving him the opportunity to have served the University in an acting capacity on the exit of the pioneer VC Professor Kyari Sandabe.
He asked the University community to forgive him wherever he had offended any of them during the period of acting capacity as the Vice Chancellor.
Unveiling his report card, the second VC noted that the young University which started with just 30 programs have graduated it’s first set of graduates cutting across all the facilities..
“As at today, we have 835 staff employed directly by BOSU while 270 were absorbed from the Kashim Ibrahim College of Education. And because of the memorandum of understanding we have with the University of Maiduguri 193 staff are on visiting appointment.
” Also, the University now has 19 Professors on sabbaticals while the student population has risen up to 7,398 in the campus.
” I want to report to you that 26 physical development project has been executed so far on campus while some of them have been stalled temporarily and I will be calling on the second Vice chancellor to look into these projects.”
BOSU VC PROMISES TO PLACE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES ON AUTO GOVERNANCE
Education
Nigerians Need to be Educated on Stressors, Coping Strategies Against Mental Health Disorders- Foundation
Nigerians Need to be Educated on Stressors, Coping Strategies Against Mental Health Disorders- Foundation
By: Michael Mike
An empowerment foundation, Webmark Empowerment Foundation has advocated the need to educate Nigerians on strategies to identify stressors and be conversant with with our to cope with them in order to significantly reduce the risk of mental health disorders in the country.
The foundation said there is an urgent need to raise an awareness about the critical impact of stressors on mental health and the proactive measures that can be taken to prevent mental health disorders across the country, during a virtual event it held on Friday in Abuja in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Lugbe FHA Estate, Connect Her Network Foundation, and Secure the Future International Initiative to commemorate the 2024 World Mental Health Day themed “Health at Work”.
The World Mental Health Day is celebrated annually on Oct. 10, to raise awareness about mental health around the world and to mobilise efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues.
Speaking at the event, a Mental Health rehabilitation professional, Dr. Saadatu Adamu, highlighted the psychological effects of stress and its potential to lead to mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.
She said: “Mental health is how we think, feel and act. Stress is a silent epidemic that can manifest in various ways, affecting not just individuals but an entire society.”
She added that: “By learning to identify stressors and implementing coping strategies, we can significantly reduce the risk of mental health disorders.”
Adamu also recommended some practical techniques for stress management, including mindfulness practices, physical exercise, and the importance of social support systems.
Also speaking, Webmark Empowerment Foundation trustee member, Dr. Maha Michael said that one in four Nigerians, approximately fifty million people, are suffering from some sort of mental illness according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Concerned about these statistics, he advised citizens to take their mental health more seriously especially with the pressure of prevailing economic challenges.
He also noted the growing concern over the mental health crisis exacerbated by various societal pressures, including economic instability, social isolation, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michael added that recognising and addressing these stressors is essential for fostering a healthier society.
On her part, founder Connect Her Network (known for empowering women and girls),
Ambassador Victoria Ojiah emphasised the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups.
She said: “Women and girls are particularly susceptible to stressors related to societal expectations and economic pressures. It is crucial to provide them with the tools and resources to manage their mental health effectively.”
Ojiah also highlighted the crucial role of mental health to overall wellbeing, saying that good health encompassed physical, mental, social, spiritual, and financial aspects; going beyond the mere absence of diseases or infirmity.
The Programme Coordinator of the Foundation, Mrs Alukwe Ugochinyere reiterated their commitment to breaking the stigma associated with mental health disorders by bringing these issue to the forefront, to encourage individuals to seek help when needed and to support one another in their mental health journeys.
Nigerians Need to be Educated on Stressors, Coping Strategies Against Mental Health Disorders- Foundation
Education
The School of Politics, Policy and Governance Announces Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2024: Shaping a New Generation of Leaders to Disrupt Bad Governance in Nigeria
The School of Politics, Policy and Governance Announces Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2024: Shaping a New Generation of Leaders to Disrupt Bad Governance in Nigeria
By:Michael Mike
Celebrated and award-winning novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, will be the keynote speaker at the Graduation Ceremony of the class of 2024 School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG) scheduled to hold on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja.
The event, with the theme “People, Politics, Policies and the Power of Words”, will also see two-time Minister of the Federal Republic and founder SPPG, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) SPPG, Ms Alero Ayida-Otobo and the Dean, SPPG, Dr Abiola Akiyode address the graduands who are poised to become transformative leaders in Nigeria and beyond.
Speaking with Tribune Online in Abuja, the CEO, SPPG, Alero Ayida-Otobo, said the School aims to disrupt the cycle of poor governance by training a new generation of ethical and effective leaders through its innovative curriculum.
She added that the time is ripe for Africa to take the bulls by the horns, challenge the status quo, and bring on board in their numbers people with character, and competence to redirect the African course.
“For as long as Africa continues on the path of very poor politics, a political culture that subordinates the common good for personal, private or narrow interest, there is no chance of Africa achieving economic development. This event underscores SPPG’s commitment to cultivating a new breed of leaders dedicated to improving governance in Nigeria and Africa. As Nigeria grapples with ongoing governance challenges, the importance of equipping leaders with character, competence, and capacity to serve the people cannot be overemphasised.
“So, if Africans need to transform our politics and we just sit back as citizens hoping that those who have entrenched poor governance as a matter of political culture will someday have a Damascus experience, we will wait forever. We have proven that people of character, competence, and capacity will enter Africa’s politics in great numbers. This will challenge the existing monopolistic pipeline of poor politicians giving bad governance.
“The graduation theme, “People, Politics, Policies and the Power of Words,” reflects SPPG’s mission to prioritise citizen engagement and foster a governance model centred on the needs of the people. We are dedicated to transforming politics and governance across Nigeria and Africa by training a new generation of political leaders with values-based, disruptive thinking. The ceremony will include keynote addresses from esteemed leaders and a celebration of the graduates’ accomplishments,” Ayida-Otobo said in a statement.
The School of Politics, Policy and Governance Announces Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2024: Shaping a New Generation of Leaders to Disrupt Bad Governance in Nigeria
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