Nine more Universities on the way says FG

The Federal Government has concluded plans to approve nine more universities. This will bring to 18 the number of universities it had approved in last three years.

The Education Minister, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who announced this, also stated that the government had earmarked N1.3tn as intervention grant to its universities courtesy of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy Assessment Programme.

Shekarau stated this in Abuja while X-raying the Nigerian Basic Education Sector (2011-2015). The minister said, “If not for technical reason, another nine (9) would have been approved before now.

Soon, we shall sort out all the outstanding issues and they will receive government approval. This will bring to 113 the number of universities in the country and 18 private universities approved in the last three years.”

The minister said that the NEEDS Assessment intervention grant was sequel to several deliberations between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

He explained, “We have persistent complaints from our universities about dilapidated laboratories and so on; then the government took the bull by the horn.

President Goodluck Jonathan set up a committee to go round the universities on the platform of NEEDS Assessment which was conducted two years ago.

“At the end of the assessment, the universities came up with a bill of N1.3tn required to address the necessary need in public universities and the government accepted it.

Since the government cannot dish out N1.3tn all at once, there is an agreement between the Federal Government and the leadership of the ASUU that the needs be addressed over a period of five  years with a provision of N220bn every year.”

According to the minister, the NEEDS intervention is in addition to normal budgetary allocations to universities and TETFund interventions, among others.

On the incessant strikes by unions in the tertiary institutions, Shekarau said the Federal Government was trying to address the challenges.

He said, “I think we are making some progress on incessant strikes in the sector. We have succeeded in ensuring we have strike-free sessions in our institutions. We are determined to achieve this and the issue of strike would soon be a forgotten issue.

“This doesn’t mean there won’t be problems. There is hardly any sector where there is no problem but frank and strong discussions can resolve them. It is our hope that exchange of views would help us to be strike-free in this country.”

Courtesy: www.punchng.com

This is not right says NUT!

The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has threatened to go on strike after the Federal Government approval of Monday 22nd September as the new school resumption date. NUT says if the government fail to put in place measures to protect the teacher, students, non-teaching staff and school environment from Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The Federal Government says schools are to resume 22nd September as there is no scientific basis for schools to remain shut. NUT President Michael Alogba said that don't the Government know that the immunity level of children is not as high as that of adult. Why do you want to open schools when you have not cleared out the Virus, when about 400 people are under surveillance in Port Harcourt and Lagos? The NUT President stated that the 2014 World Teachers’ Day scheduled for October 5 would not hold, saying that teachers should rather be allowed to use the day to organise all necessary sensitisation programmes to get themselves ready for school resumption. In reaction to threat by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) to embark on a nationwide strike as a result of school resumption date moved forward by the federal government, President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed for a rethink.

Addressing journalists yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President pleaded with the NUT not to embark on the proposed industrial action, noting that there was no longer cause for alarm as the country is now almost free and well prepared to stem any new cases of Ebola that may emerge. The President explained that the continued shutting down of schools will only amount to the continuous stigmatization of Nigerian citizens as this sends out the wrong signals. Parents are saying my children wont resume until, am clear about this EVD in the country. The Government are heartless, their schooling abroad, and they are planning to put other peoples children's lives in danger.

Governor Mukhtar Yero Ramalan of Kaduna State at the 1st Workshop in the Federation for teachers on Ebola on Thursday 11th of September, 2014 said #116 million will be earmarked for the training and sensitization of teachers in all Public and Private Schools within the 3 Senatorial zones in Kaduna. Schools are free to resume in October 2014 if they were yet to be prepared against the scourge. He plans to train 13,000 teachers on the prevention of Ebola, provide each school with 2 thermometers if the students population is 500 and below, 4 thermometers for schools with 1000 students but the schools can provide more thermometers if necessary. Before resumption, all schools must organize a workshop on Ebola, provide buckets, liquid soap in all classrooms for the students and replace the batteries of their Clinical Thermometer. Also, no private School must increase school fees without following necessary laid down rules at the Flag off training workshop for teachers organized by the state.

In Port Harcourt, later this month more than 5,000 teachers gathered on September 15 to hear teams from the Ebola Emergency Operation Centre (EEOC) talk of the dreaded disease. “With schools set to reopen this month, it is crucial that teachers understand how this disease is spread and how to protect oneself, so that they can pass... Zamfara Extends Schools’ Resumption to October 13. Whew ! We are making Progress Photos/sources: www.ngex.com www.ynaija.com www.punchng.com www.sunnewsonline.com