Enlighten me more: February 2015

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Nigeria Ministry of Education so far

The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Education is the government body that directs education in Nigeria . It was established in 1988.

It functions include:

Formulating a national policy on
education. Collecting and collating data for purposes
of educational planning and financing. Maintaining
uniform standards of education throughout the
country.

Controlling the quality of education in the
country through the supervisory role of the Inspectorate Services Department within the Ministry.

Controlling the quality of education in the country through the supervisory role of the Inspectorate Services Department within the Ministry.

Harmonizing educational policies and procedures of all the states of the federation through the instrumentality of the National Council on Education.

Effecting co-operation in educational matters on an international scale.

Developing curricula and syllabuses at the national
level in conjunction with other bodies.

It is located at Block 5A (3rd Floor), Federal Secretariat Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area, P.M.B. 146, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria, Abuja.

Parastatal Include:
1. National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja.
2. National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Kaduna.
3. National Commission for Colleges of Education
(NCCE), Abuja.
4. Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC),
Abuja.
5. Controlling National Commission for Nomadic Education, (NCNE), Abuja
6. National Commission for Adult Education Mass Literacy and Non-Formal Education (NMEC), Abuja
7. Nigerian Educational Research Development Council (NERDC), Sheda, FCT.
8. Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Bwari, Abuja.
9. West African Examination Council (WAEC), Lagos.
10. National Examination Council (NECO), Minna, State.
11. National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB).
12.National Institute for Educational Planning & Administration (NIEPA), Ondo.
13. National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna.
14. Nigerian Mathematical Centre (NMC), Sheda, FCT.
15. Nigerian French Language Village (NFLV)Badagry, Lagos.
16. Nigerian Arabic Language Village (NALV) Ngala, Borno.
17. National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN)Aba, Abia.

18. Education Trust Fund (ETF), Abuja.
19. National Library of (NLN), Abuja.
20. Teachers’ Registration Council of (TRCN), Abuja.
21.Computer Professionals Registration Council of
(CPN), Lagos.
22. Your Guide Towards Nigerian Education

The following people acted as Education Ministers of Nigeria , including Ministers of State for Education:

Aja Nwachukwu (1958 to 1965)

Richard Akinjide (1965 to 1967)
Wenike Briggs (1967 to 1970)

A. Y. Eke (1970 to 1975)

Ahmadu A Alli (1975 to 1978)

G. B. Leton (1978 to 1979)

Sylvester Ugoh (1979 to 1982)

Alhaji B. Usman (1979 to 1982)

Elizabeth Iyase (1979 to 1982)

I. C. Madubuike (1982 to 1983)

L. A. Bamigbaiye (1982 to 1983)

Sunday Afolabi (September to December 1983)

Alhaji Y. Abdullahi (1984 to 1985)

Alhaji Ibrahim (1985)

Jubril Aminu (1985 to 1989)

Babs Fafunwa (1990 to 1992)

Ben Nwabueze (January 1993 to August 1993)
A. I. Imogie (January 1993 to November 1993)
Alhaji Dongodaji (January 1993 to January 1994)

Iyorchia Ayu (January 1994 to February 1995)

Alhaji Wada Nas (January 1995 to February 1995)

M. T. Liman (February 1995 to December 1997)

Iyabo Anisulowo (February 1997 to December
1997)

Alhaji D. Birmah (December 1997 to June 1998)

A. N. Achunine (December 1997 to June 1998)
Olaiya Oni (August 1998 to May 1999)

Alhaji S. Saadu (August 1998 to May 1999)

Tunde Adeniran (June 1999 to January 2001)

Alhaji Lawam Batagarawa (June 1999 to 2001)

Babalola Borishade (February 2001 to June 2003)

Alhaji Bello Usman (February 2001 to June 2003)

F. N. C. Osuji (July 2003 to February 2005)

Hajia Bintu Musa (July 2003 to June 2005)

Chinwe Obaji (June 2005 to June 2006)

Halima Tayo Alao (June 2005 to 2006)

Grace Ogwuche (February 2006 to June 2006)

Oby Ezekwesili (June 2006 to April 2007)

Sayadi Abba Ruma (June 2006 to April 2007)

Adewunmi Abitoye (June 2006 to May 2007)

Igwe Aja Nwachukwu (June 2007 to December 2008)

Jerry Agada (June 2007 to December 2008)

Hajia Aishatu Jibril Dukku (June 2007 - ?)
Sam Egwu (December 2008 to March 2010)

Ruqqayat Rufai (April 2010 – September 2013)

Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau (? - Present)

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Teenage students and You

It doesn’t matter which part of the world you are in
your teenage students will be going through a difficult
stage of their journey between childhood and adulthood.

They will be going through a great deal of personal
changes and dealing with difficult questions, while
consciously trying to fit into the environment around
them, eager to be not only be accepted, but be ttreated
with respect and fairness. At the same time your
teenage students will be in need of authority and
guidance. While you may think it best to take on the role
of friend most teenagers much prefer a teacher who
values and respects them.

When dealing with teenage classes always maintain a
strong and clear teacher/student relationship, keeping
control of the classroom at all times, but at the same
time encouraging your students to influence the
topics of the lessons. Don’t look to your students for
lesson plans, always show that you are responsible for
the class and that lessons well planned, but encourage
them to give ideas, ideas which will be listened to and
acted upon.

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Using resources

Good teachers will always use resources in their classes
to bring a lesson to life, and this is even more so
important when trying to motivate a TEFL class of
teenage students. Good uses of resources will not only
get the attention of your class but it will also inspire
creativity and break the tension in within quiet and
difficult classes. Here are some resources you should
try:

Music

Teenagers of all culture relate to music, it is often the
best way to get teenagers to express themselves and
connect with a lesson.

Role Playing

Role playing is an ideal way to bring quieter classes to life. Acting gives your teenage TEFL students a chance to release any anxiety or tension in a safe and

controlled way, helping them really connect to the
subject and making for a memorable lesson.

Social Activities

Teenagers are very social creature by nature, though
many may seem shy or reserved, most teenagers long
for social interaction. Group activities can be a great
way to get a shy class to bond and working together.

Pop Quizzes

We don’t mean surprise quizzes, rather quizzes on the
topic of pop culture. Students hate being tested on the
things they are taught in school, it makes them feel
controlled, but allowing them to express their knowledge
of their hobbies is a different thing altogether and will
often get them highly motivate.

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Games

Who doesn’t like games? While teenagers don’t like to
be treated like children, they do have a very competitive
nature and giving them a chance to show off and
compete in small groups is a great way to bring class
interaction. Just make sure to give everyone a chance
to shine.

Tips for teaching Teens

Worgan M. describes some aspects of the teacher- student relationship that have worked for her and hergroups.

1. The First Day: The first few days are crucial to the way the course will run. This is the time when the students will make unconscious decisions about what kind of teacher you are and it is essential to let them know that, while you may be relaxed and friendly, you will not accept any nonsense.

Make sure they are conscious of the amount of work they will be doing both
in and out of class if they want to reach their objectives (pass a course or an exam, learn English, etc.) Most teenagers expect to have to put in a bit of effort, and this usually motivates them. It is really important that they feel motivated.

2. Being strict: Research has shown that firm but fair teachers are preferred by this age group. Many times teachers are tempted to treat a group of sixteen year olds as adults, but the fact is that emotionally they are not. If you talk to them as if they were your friends or peers, they will often use this as an excuse not to study or do as you ask.

At the end of the day, most teenagers
don’t have the maturity to choose learning over fun and games and it will be much more difficult to get them to
put in the required effort. However, this doesn’t mean that teachers have to be strict all the time!

Students should be rewarded when they work hard and rewards, such as games and other fun activities, can be a great
incentive to get the task done. Transmit the idea that you are in control of the class, this is something teenagers consider as a qualification of a good.teacher.

3. Short-Term goals: For the teacher, the school year may fly by, but for the average fifteen-year-old, though, a year can be a very long time. Set them regular,
achievable goals in order to keep motivation as high as possible, and discuss and negotiate these goals with your students keeping them involved.

4. Motivation: Worgan M. mentions that one of the questions teachers of teenagers constantly ask is “How can I motivate them? They aren’t interested in
anything!” They usually don’t like the books and the topics in them. If you ask teenagers what topics they would like to cover in class they, usually, don’t know or
will come up with just a few.

Even if you bring in materials about their interests they will most probably show very little enthusiasm. The problem is not the actual topic of the lesson, but the type of activities involved.

I have used the following activities with
teenagers and they have worked well. Imagine you have a text about someone who found a bottle on the seashore. In the bottle was a message which was written many years ago.

Instead of just asking your students to read, tell them the story from the writer’s point of view from the beginning, but stopping before the end.

Now ask what happened next, encouraging all kinds of funny answers and, then, get them reading! The gist of it is to find fun ways to exploit the materials they already have in their course books.

5. Humour: A good laugh now and again can motivate teenagers to want to come to class. Make up stories or ask them to help you solve a problem or to introduce a grammar point that they actually know. My favorite problem-solving activity used to be a story which was partially true.

I would tell my students that I had
received a horrible birthday present (an orange blouse for example) from my husband and I didn’t know what to do with it, without hurting his feelings. The students would come up with all sorts of solutions, have fun and, actually, practice their English.

This will give you and the students an opportunity to relax. They will be much happier about working when they notice the teacher is prepared to tell a story or
joke. As a follow-up activity you can ask them to share similar problems they have or have had and their peers should suggest solutions.

Teenagers will be eager to
participate (as long as it is done in English) and our teaching objective will have been reached (2 nd Conditional: if I were you, I would…).

Effective Teaching Methods for Teenagers
Louanne Piccolo states in her article Teaching Teenagers: How to Motivate and Interest

Them, that t eenagers look for meaning and significance in relation to their own lives in what they are taught. An intelligent teacher will use this knowledge to personalize their lessons and relate this to what is going on in the lives of the students at the moment.

Teenagers want to know about now, and not about what happened a hundred years ago! Keeping up- to-date with technology and the topics that may interest teenagers may take a lot of effort on behalf of the teacher, but it is of utmost importance to getting and holding their attention.

Most teenagers like to talk about themselves, what they think, what they don't like and are quite emotional; so, teachers must be creative and organize activities like sharing journal entries or writing articles for a magazine students have created themselves.

This allows students to express themselves freely and talk about a topic they are interested in: their own ideas. Piccolo further explains that, prior to learning, teenagers need to know why they are doing something, how it can help them and how it relates to their lives.

Although everyone prefers interesting classes, this is not always possible. Teenagers are aware of this and even though they are, generally, in favor of fun they know that good learning takes an effort.

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Piccolo suggests six resources which help put teaching methods into use, through appropriate and adapted
activities.

Here are some particularly useful resources when teaching teenagers:
Not quite-yet-adults and not-still children is a difficult thing to be. The average teenager is an inquisitive contrast of innocence and worldliness and has a thirst for knowledge that is endless, in spite of the fact that
their interests, emotions and frustrations vary enormously.

A teacher who understands the characteristics of a teenage learner, effective teaching methods and the resources to put those methods into
practice, is a teacher who will motivate and challenge a teenage class to learn with interest.

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HANDLING DAMAGED HAIR

Is your hair somewhat damaged or totally trashed? And, what can you do when it‘s true that you can’t mend split ends? Here’s the latest on hair that’s hurting, along the lines of prevent, correct and protect.

WHAT CAUSES HAIR DAMAGE?

one of the leading causes of hair damage is tight hairstyles and tight ponytails . But really, chemicals contribute more.

Most common causes of hair damage are:

1. Relaxing, Straightening and Texturizing/Perming

Only re touch your roots, and correct dryness with leave-in conditioner's and avoid salt water .

Once hair has been chemically straightened (or texturized to either create or loosen curl), use moisturising products daily, deep-condition weekly and dial down the heat when styling.

2. Bleaching and Colouring

Repeated applications are what usually create trouble,the protective cuticle gets opened with every application to allow the product into the cortex. The hair has no ability to close the cuticle back down on its own or repair itself.”

Moisturizers, keratin protein and amino acids will help—if they penetrate to the cortex, they seal the cuticle.
To avoid damage when home-coloring, apply the colour to the new growth only.

Color Flash: Never use bleach-based lighteners on relaxed hair—it will break!

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3)Over heat-styling leads to dry, brittle hair with split ends. Or worse, a burned off cuticle. Pls take regular breaks from heat styling—get creative!

In the End: Damaged ends split When a woman doesn’t want to cut off more than half an inch, the tip must b as full as d middle hair.

Get a Shampoo and towel blot your hair. Then mix one part protein conditioner, 1 part All-Nutrient Pure Oil or extra virgin olive oil and 1 part moisturizing conditioner. Apply to your hair as a mask and cover with a plastic bag, then a towel. This uses natural heat from the scalp to encourage penetration, rinse after 20 mins.

NATURAL Treartments for itchy scalp

Itchy scalp is so annoying. Having to scratch your head constantly could be so embarrassing especially in public. Itchy scalp range from dandruff, to product buildup, to scalp infection, to an adverse reaction to a hair product.

However, there are some natural treatments that can relieve u of it:
Moisturize your scalp with oils e.g tea tree oil
Wash your scalp regularly &
Massage ur scalp often.

Lock moisture into the hair with: Argan Oil: This makes your hair softer, silkier, and shinier. U can get products that av it as an ingredient. Avocado Oil: Perfect for rescuing dry, damaged hair, or remedy for an itchy scalp. Coconut Oil: This oil is great for locking in moisture because it is not easily broken down; plus it keeps your hair strong and soft and aids in preventing hair loss.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

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Teaching Children with Autism 2

Continued from here

Step 6: Manage Behavioral Challenges

For students with autism, problem behaviors may be triggered for a variety of reasons. Such behaviors may include temper tantrums, running about the room, loud vocalizations, self-injurious activities, or other disruptive or distracting behaviors.

Because children with autism
often have difficulties communicating in socially acceptable ways, they may act out when they are confused or fearful about something.

Your first challenge is to decipher the cause, or function, of a particular behavior. Look for patterns in these behaviors such as when they do, or do not, consistently occur. Communicating with families and other team members, and observing the behavior in the context in which it occurs, will be an essential part of learning the function of a specific behavior.

It’s important to use consistent, positive behavioral reinforcement techniques to promote pro-social behaviors for children with autism. This process involves
providing reasonable alternatives to undesirable behaviors.

Teachers may choose to ignore other negative behaviors or give predetermined consequences. The key is to be consistent with how you react to the behaviors over time, and to use as many positive strategies as possible to promote more desirable behaviors.

As you follow these steps and learn more about children with autism, you will become a mentor to other educators when they face similar challenges for the first time. Your curiosity will fuel your education about autism, and your communication skills will help you create a meaningful alliance with parents.

Most of all, you will be able to effectively collaborate with a team that will support a child with autism throughout the
course of the school year. Your patience, kindness, and professionalism will make a difference in the lives of all
your students.

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Courtesy: www.researchautism.org

11 Myths of Autism

People with autism don’t want friends. If someone in your class has autism, she probably struggles with social skills, which may make it difficult to interact with peers.

1. She might seem shy or unfriendly, but that’s just because she is unable communicate her desire for relationships the same way you do.

2. People with autism can’t feel or express any emotion— happy or sad. Autism doesn’t make an individual unable to feel the emotions you feel, it just makes the person communicate emotions (and perceive your expressions) in different ways.

3. People with autism can’t understand the emotions of others. Autism often affects an individual’s ability to understand unspoken interpersonal communication, so someone with autism might not detect sadness based solely on one’s body language or sarcasm in one’s tone of voice.

But, when emotions are communicated more directly, people with autism are much more likely to feel empathy and compassion for others.

4. People with autism are intellectually disabled. Often times, autism brings with it just as many exceptional abilities as limitations. Many people with autism have normal to high IQs and some may excel at math, music or another pursuit.

5. People with autism are just like Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rain Man. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning its characteristics vary significantly from
person to person. Knowing one person with autism means just that—knowing one person with autism.

His or her capabilities and limitations are no indication of the capabilities and limitations of another person with autism.

6. People who display qualities that may be typical of a person with autism are just odd and will grow out of it. Autism stems from biological conditions that affect brain development and, for many individuals, is a life long condition.

7. People with autism will have autism forever. Recent research has shown that children with autism can make enough improvement after intensive early intervention to “test out” of the autism diagnosis. This is more evidence for the importance of addressing autism when the first signs appear.

8. Autism is just a brain disorder. Research has shown that many people with autism also have gastro- intestinal disorders, food sensitivities, and many allergies.

9. Autism is caused by bad parenting. In the 1950s, a theory called the “refrigerator mother hypothesis” arose suggesting that autism was caused by mothers who lacked emotional warmth. This has long been disproved.

10. The prevalence of autism has been steadily increasing for the last 40 years. The rate of autism has increased by 600% in the last 20 years. In 1975, an estimated 1 in 1,500 had autism. In 2009, an estimated 1 in 110 had an autism spectrum disorder.

11. Therapies for people with autism are covered by insurance. Most insurance companies exclude autism from the coverage plan and only half of the 50 states currently require coverage for treatments of autism
spectrum disorders.

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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

OAU starts Online Distance Learning

The Obafemi Awolowo University’s Centre for Distance Learning (OAUCDL) has matriculated its pioneer set of students for the Online Distance Learning Programme. A statement from the centre indicated that the event was held at the Oduduwa Hall of the OAU Main Campus.

The programme is accredited by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and allows students to receive their lectures online using a customised study tablet (Vigitab).

The Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Bamitale Omole, told the matriculating students that: “You have the singular honour of being the first set of students in our eLearning programme, the first of its type in Nigeria.

“Your distant learning mode of admission does not in any way imply inferiority in status, compared to our conventional students, either in terms of lecture delivery or the certificates you will receive. Our university guards jealously the integrity of its degrees and diplomas
whether obtained in the conventional or distance learning mode.

Hence your various curricula have gone
through the usual high standards of excellence of the University Senate for which Obafemi Awolowo University
is well known.” The Centre for Distance Learning Director, Professor Bode Asubiojo, said: “This development is the first of its kind in Nigeria and we are pleased with it. We have replicated the classroom experience on a tablet device for students. Students can receive lectures, submit assignments, participate in forums, take quizzes, and even rewind their lecturers, all from the comfort of their homes, offices or wherever they may be in Nigeria or abroad.”

The eLearning solution is powered by a Learning Management System (VigiLearn) that allows students to receive lectures, submit assignments, relate with peers, participate in group discussions and get graded without being physically within the four walls of a lecture room.

“Our primary charge at the centre is to provide quality education to the teeming Nigerian youths who possess the prerequisite qualifications for entry to Nigerian universities but are denied admission owing to inadequate facilities on campus and the working class who are desirous of pursuing undergraduate and post graduate programmes whilst still retaining their jobs,”

Professor Asubiojo said. Courses on offer for the Online Distance Learning Programme are B.Sc. Accounting and Bachelor of Nursing Science. The Centre plans to include more courses in the future.

For more info visit: www.oaucdl.edu.ng

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ASUU and LASU crisis

i stand for education - Stephen Adams Social Reformation Foundation (SASRF)

For quite a while now, the issue of the Nigerian education system and standards has generated heated debate and controversy. Many Nigerians are concerned.

The issues have repeatedly been
forced to the front burner with recent mass failures in national examinations and the inability of Nigerian graduates to measure up to employment standards required by the job market.

Stephen Adams Social Reformation Foundation (SASRF), an NGO based in Lagos, has taken the issue of educational standards as its key area of focus, promoting Train-the-Trainer programs for Teachers in public schools under its
Teachers4Change program in order to impact student outcomes and the development of Teachers in Nigeria.

Its new campaign, “istandforeducation”, is another initiative to focus the attention of the general public on Education matters. Mrs. Nike Akerele-De Souza is a Director of SASRF and outlines the concerns of the Foundation and tells us how to get involved.

1. Tell us how SASRF was founded and the motivation behind the establishment.

The Foundation was launched several years ago to address and proffer solutions to various societal needs for the disadvantaged. SASRF took on educational and health sector issues as well as correctional centers for children and old people’s homes. The Foundation has also provided school infrastructural assistance as well as materials to public secondary and primary schools.

2. What are the ambitions of SASRF?

SASRF’s mission is to affect the lives of the disadvantaged. We aim to reform environments that we get involved in. We wish to make an impact on our community and the nation by effecting positive change. Over time, we have developed a focus on the Education sector because we believe there is a crisis and urgent transformation is needed in Education.

3. What initiatives have been established in the area of Education?

There is a clear challenge in Nigeria and
indeed a crisis with the quality of our education and the educational structure itself. Our children are not learning what they should and the way they should to become effective 21st century citizens.

Teachers generally lack the requisite skills and knowledge to transfer to the children and, our teaching methodologies and materials are out-dated for the world of today. Teachers are no longer valued in society as they should be, and the Education sector is not an attractive career option for our youth.

Consequently, we introduced a Teachers4Change Project which involves a one (1) year continuous school development program focusing on Teacher Training & Development and Mentoring for Public Primary school teachers which commenced in Lagos State. Teachers are provided with class room instructions for 3 terms, practical knowledge transfer and school visits to best practice private schools.

4. You have just launched a new campaign on education. What is this campaign about?

We have just launched the istandforeducation campaign and project. We aim to create awareness of the crisis in education and generate support for these issues in our capacity as private sector/NGOs. As individuals, we should begin to own and be responsible for the transformation needed in Education.

There are several credible organizations working in this area already. We have just launched the nationwide campaign
and hope to have about one million (1,000,000) signed up individuals on our platform. The target of this campaign is to attract citizens of all walks of life (the populace) who are concerned about what is happening in our education sector.

We will then be able to call on some of the signed up individuals to volunteer
to teach, work on education projects, mentor students and teachers and get active in various education interventions.

With our website/education portal –
www.istandforeducation.org – we will make available to the populace information on education issues and news and begin to sensitize the populace on what is happening with our children in Nigerian schools.

The istandforeducation project will also
showcase key education projects and initiatives undertaken by various organizations & NGOs. The populace will then be able to see and assess private sector/NGO presence in education and be a part of the change process.

We hope that such projects may also receive financial assistance from those interested in helping.
We will work closely with organizations assisting in the education sector.

5. What role can the public play in supporting the istandforeducation project?

The istandforeducation campaign through the social media is targeted at drumming up attention and creating awareness about the education situation in Nigeria. We also hope it will promote discourse and conversations about the important education related issues and their solutions.

Our means of doing this is through an
awareness campaign driven by the internet and social media. The campaign will be driven on Instagram, twitter, Facebook and our portal istandforeducation.org (a purpose built website with ability to take a roll call of individual sign- ups for support and assistance).

Please go online to istandforeducation.org and sign up immediately and also take a decision to
join the cause for action.

You should also upload your photo to your favourite social media site and tag at least 4 people asking them to do the same for Education.

Please don’t forget to include in your social media post #istandforeducation and www.istandforeducation.org and remind the 4 people you tagged to do the same.

We look forward to your support as we drive changes in our education sector and create a better future for our Teachers and children.

JOIN US ON

istandforeducation.org

istandforeducation Nike’s work in Education is implemented in her
role as a Member of the Human Capital Committee of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), an appointed Member of the Human Capital Committee of the National
Competitiveness Council of Nigeria.

She is a Fellow of the Aspen Leadership Institute (US)/ Africa Leadership West Africa (ALIWA). As a Director of SASRF, she is active in the education
sector, especially in the area of Teacher
Education and Development.

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Know more about Autistic Children

Wikipedia says ; Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction , verbal and non-verbal communication , and restricted and repetitive behavior.

Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life. The signs typically develop gradually, but some children with autism will reach their developmental milestones at a normal pace and then regress.

Understanding the underlying reasons for behaviour is
very important in helping professionals to devise
strategies to help a child on the autism spectrum.
Without at least a background knowledge of the
challenges that having autism can create, a child’s
behaviour can be misinterpreted and their needs will not
be met in the most appropriate way. A teacher or early
years practitioner will therefore need a knowledge of
autism and how to structure situations to promote
learning as well as observational skills and the capacity
to motivate and involve.
Other people’s opinions may have little or no influence
on the behaviour of children on the autism spectrum
and the child may say and do exactly as they want.
Adults who do not know the child or know about autism
may misunderstand the child’s behaviour and view it as
naughty, difficult or lazy when in fact the child did not
understand the situation or task, or did not read the
adult’s intentions or mood correctly.
Typical behaviour
The kind of behaviours professionals look for in
diagnosing autism are:
Delay or absence of spoken language including loss of
early acquired language
Unusual uses of language
Difficulties in playing with other children
Inappropriate eye contact with others
Unusual play activities and interests and failure to share
in the interests or play of others
Communicating wants by taking an adult’s hand and
leading to the desired object or activity
Failure to point out objects with the index finger
Unusual response to certain sounds, sights and textures
Resistance to changes in familiar routines
Repetitive actions or questions
A preference for following their own agenda.
There are a number of subgroups within the spectrum of
autism but all children on the autistic spectrum share a
triad of impairments some of which impact on their
behaviour, for example difficulties with thinking and
behaving flexibly may be evidenced by obsessional or
repetitive activities. Some children on the autism
spectrum may have unusual sleep patterns. Many will
have difficulty in understanding the social behaviour of
others and in behaving in socially appropriate ways.
Other factors besides autism can also affect a child’s
behaviour – personality, environment, family
characteristics and the child’s skills and interests.
Children on the autism spectrum may have other
conditions which can impact on behaviour – for
example ADHD, dyspraxia and obsessive-compulsive
disorder.

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Here are ten things every child with autism
wishes you knew:
1. I am a child.
My autism is part of who I am, not all of who
I am. Are you just one thing, or are you a
person with thoughts, feelings, preferences,
ideas, talents, and dreams? Are you fat
(overweight), myopic (wear glasses) or klutzy
(uncoordinated)? Those may be things that I
see first when I meet you, but you’re more
than just that, aren’t you?
As an adult, you have control over how you
define yourself. If you want to single out one
characteristic, you can make that known. As a
child, I am still unfolding. Neither you nor I yet
know what I may be capable of. If you think of
me as just one thing, you run the danger of
setting up an expectation that may be too
low. And if I get a sense that you don’t think I
“can do it,” my natural response will be, why
try?
2. My senses are out of sync.
This means that ordinary sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, and touches that you may not
even notice can be downright painful for me.
My environment often feels hostile. I may
appear withdrawn or belligerent or mean to
you, but I’m just trying to defend myself.
Here’s why a simple trip to the grocery store
may be agonizing for me.
My hearing may be hyperacute. Dozens of
people jabber at once. The loudspeaker booms
today’s special. Music blares from the sound
system. Registers beep and cough, a coffee
grinder chugs. The meat cutter screeches,
babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent
lighting hums. My brain can’t filter all the
input and I’m in overload!
My sense of smell may be highly sensitive.
The fish at the meat counter isn’t quite fresh,
the guy standing next to us hasn’t showered
today, the deli is handing out sausage
samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a
poopy diaper, they’re mopping up pickles on
aisle three with ammonia. I feel like throwing
up.
And there’s so much hitting my eyes! The
fluorescent light is not only too bright, it
flickers. The space seems to be moving; the
pulsating light bounces off everything and
distorts what I am seeing. There are too many
items for me to be able to focus (my brain
may compensate with tunnel vision), swirling
fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in
constant motion. All this affects how I feel just
standing there, and now I can’t even tell
where my body is in space.
3. Distinguish between won’t (I choose not to)
and can’t (I am not able to).
It isn’t that I don’t listen to instructions. It’s
that I can’t understand you. When you call to
me from across the room, I hear “*&^%$#@,
Jordan. #$%^*&^%$&*.” Instead, come over to
me, get my attention, and speak in plain
words: “Jordan, put your book in your desk.
It’s time to go to lunch.” This tells me what
you want me to do and what is going to
happen next. Now it’s much easier for me to
comply.
4. I’m a concrete thinker. I interpret language
literally.
You confuse me by saying, “Hold your horses,
cowboy!” when what you mean is, “Stop
running.” Don’t tell me something is “a piece
of cake” when there’s no dessert in sight and
what you mean is, “This will be easy for you
to do.” When you say, “It’s pouring cats and
dogs,” I see pets coming out of a pitcher. Tell
me, “It’s raining hard.”
Idioms, puns, nuances, inferences, metaphors,
allusions, and sarcasm are lost on me.
5. Listen to all the ways I’m trying to
communicate.
It’s hard for me to tell you what I need when I
don’t have a way to describe my feelings. I
may be hungry, frustrated, frightened, or
confused but right now I can’t find those
words. Be alert for body language, withdrawal,
agitation or other signs that tell you
something is wrong. They’re there.
Or, you may hear me compensate for not
having all the words I need by sounding like a
little professor or movie star, rattling off words
or whole scripts well beyond my
developmental age. I’ve memorized these
messages from the world around me because I
know I am expected to speak when spoken to.
They may come from books, television, or the
speech of other people. Grown-ups call it
echolalia. I may not understand the context or
the terminology I’m using. I just know that it
gets me off the hook for coming up with a
reply.
6. Picture this! I’m visually oriented.
Show me how to do something rather than
just telling me. And be prepared to show me
many times. Lots of patient practice helps me
learn.
Visual supports help me move through my
day. They relieve me of the stress of having to
remember what comes next, make for smooth
transition between activities, and help me
manage my time and meet your expectations.
I need to see something to learn it, because
spoken words are like steam to me; they
evaporate in an instant, before I have a chance
to make sense of them. I don’t have instant-
processing skills. Instructions and information
presented to me visually can stay in front of
me for as long as I need, and will be just the
same when I come back to them later.
Without this, I live the constant frustration of
knowing that I’m missing big blocks of
information and expectations, and am helpless
to do anything about it.
7. Focus and build on what I can do rather
than what I can’t do.
Like any person, I can’t learn in an
environment where I’m constantly made to
feel that I’m not good enough and that I need
fixing. I avoid trying anything new when I’m
sure all I’ll get is criticism, no matter how
“constructive” you think you’re being. Look for
my strengths and you will find them. There is
more than one right way to do most things.
8. Help me with social interactions.
It may look like I don’t want to play with the
other kids on the playground, but it may be
that I simply do not know how to start a
conversation or join their play. Teach me how
to play with others. Encourage other children
to invite me to play along. I might be
delighted to be included.
I do best in structured play activities that have
a clear beginning and end. I don’t know how
to read facial expressions, body language, or
the emotions of others. Coach me. If I laugh
when Emily falls off the slide, it’s not that I
think it’s funny. It’s that I don’t know what to
say. Talk to me about Emily’s feelings and
teach me to ask, “Are you okay?”
9. Identify what triggers my meltdowns.
Meltdowns and blow-ups are more horrid for
me than they are for you. They occur because
one or more of my senses has gone into
overload, or because I’ve been pushed past
the limit of my social abilities. If you can
figure out why my meltdowns occur, they can
be prevented. Keep a log noting times,
settings, people, and activities. A pattern may
emerge.
Remember that everything I do is a form of
communication. It tells you, when my words
cannot, how I’m reacting to what is happening
around me. My behavior may have a physical
cause. Food allergies and sensitivities sleep
problems and gastrointestinal problems can all
affect my behavior. Look for signs, because I
may not be able to tell you about these
things.
10. Love me unconditionally.
Throw away thoughts like, “If you would just
—” and “Why can’t you—?” You didn’t fulfill
every expectation your parents had for you
and you wouldn’t like being constantly
reminded of it. I didn’t choose to have autism.
Remember that it’s happening to me, not you.
Without your support, my chances of growing
up to be successful and independent are slim.
With your support and guidance, the
possibilities are broader than you might think.
Three words we both need to live by:
Patience. Patience. Patience.
View my autism as a different ability rather
than a disability. Look past what you may see
as limitations and see my strengths. I may not
be good at eye contact or conversation, but
have you noticed that I don’t lie, cheat at
games, or pass judgment on other people?
I rely on you. All that I might become won’t
happen without you as my foundation. Be my
advocate, be my guide, love me for who I am,
and we’ll see how far I can go.

Coutesy: http://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk

www.ellennotbohm.com

Teaching Children with Autism 1

Your classroom is already a diverse place. With the rising inclusion of students with autism in general education settings, the challenges associated with managing a classroom will grow.

This section outlines a simple and highly flexible six-step plan you and your teaching team can use to prepare for the inclusion of a child with autism in your classroom.

Step 1: Educate Yourself

You must have a working understanding of autism and what that means for your students. Sometimes children with autism may behave in inappropriate or disruptive ways, but their behaviors are more related to their autism than they are deliberate, disrespectful acts.

Learning about autism and about how it specifically affects your student is the first step to success. Your education about autism will evolve as your
relationship with your student and their family develops; your knowledge about the disorder and skills in dealing with its impact on the classroom will also continue to grow.

Maintaining an open attitude to learning and working closely with the parents and school team will help you (and your student) succeed in the long term.

Step 2: Reach Out to the Parents

Parents are your first and best source of information
about their child. Step two is all about establishing a
working partnership with the families of the students
you serve. Not only will you meet before the school year
begins, but it is critical to establish methods and
patterns of communication for which there is mutual
agreement.
Building trust with parents is essential. Communication
with families about the progress of the student should
be ongoing. While the information you exchange may
often focus on current classroom challenges, strategies
employed, and ideas for alternative solutions, do not
forget to include positive feedback about
accomplishments and milestones reached.

Step 3: Prepare the Classroom

There are ways you can accommodate some of the needs of students with autism in your classroom that will enhance their opportunity to learn without sacrificing your plans for rest of the class.

Of course, there are practical limitations on how much you can modify the physical characteristics of your classroom, but even a few modifications to support a child with autism can have remarkable results for everyone.

Step 4: Educate Peers and Promote Social Goals

You must make every effort to promote acceptance of a student with autism as a full member and integral part of the class, even if that student only attends class for a few hours each week. As a teacher, you must create a social environment that encourages positive interactions between the student with autism and his or her typically developing peers throughout the day.

Children with autism, by definition, have difficulties with social skill development and understanding language and social cues. With appropriate assistance, however, children with autism can engage with peers and establish mutually enjoyable and lasting interpersonal relationships.

Research shows that typically developing children have more positive attitudes, increased understanding, and greater acceptance of their peers with autism when provided with clear, accurate, and straightforward information about the disorder. Assuming there are no
restrictions on disclosing that your student has autism, educating your class about autism and how it can affect their classmate can be an effective way to increase positive, social interactions between the child with autism and his classroom peers.

Remember that many social interactions occur in settings outside the classroom. Without prior planning and extra help, students with autism may end up isolated during these unstructured times.

You may want to create a “circle of friends,” or a rotating group of
responsible peer buddies for the student with autism; they will not abandon him or her, serve as a model of appropriate social behavior, and protect against teasing or bullying. This strategy should also be considered for use outside of school.

Nigeria made it to 2014 Hult Prize of $1,000,000

NIGERIA’S flag bearer in the sixth Annual Hult Prize, the American University of Nigeria has advanced to the regional finals of the competition, which winners will receive $1,000,000 in startup funding.

This year there were more than 4, 000
applications from among which the AUN team, which comprises of Hafsat Adamu, Blessing Douglas, and Lucy Okonkwo was offered a place to compete. AUN’s team is the only one from Nigeria to advance to the Dubai stage of the
competition.

“Part of what qualified us is our university’s development mission and commitment to fostering development in our region and the continent, together with the students’ strong, longstanding record of academic excellence and
community engagement,” said AUN’s President Margee Ensign, An instructor in Business & Entrepreneurship, Fardeen Dodo, who coached last year’s team, said the competition will enrich the students’
college experience.

“Besides the competition, students will benefit from several workshops, networking, and entrepreneurial learning events run by a number of professionals and trail-blazing global experts, including Stuart Fleming of Enviroserve, Garett
Awad of the Scholl Centre of Entrepreneurship, Ali Edrissi of JP Morgan (UK), and Khaled Gazawi, the CEO of Grameen-Jameel.”

Dodo who added that the step attained so far by the students was “…demonstration of how far our students are ready to go, to action up our vision of development and commitment to addressing the longstanding social challenges that confront Nigeria and Africa at large.”

In partnership with President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative, the innovative programme aims to solve the planet’s most pressing challenges.

Student teams compete in six cities around the world for a chance to secure the $1m prize money meant to launch a sustainable social venture.

The 2015 Hult Prize will focus on building
start-ups that provide sustainable, high quality, and early education solutions to 10 million children under the age of six in urban slums and beyond by 2020.

This year’s challenge was selected and set by former American president, Bill Clinton, who said, “The Hult Prize is about
more than the solution to the problem; it’s about how the world has to work in the 21st century.”

In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of the Hult Prize Foundation, Ahmad Ashkar said, “Servicing the world’s poorest through profitable and sustainable enterprise is not just good for the world; it’s great business.

Our pioneering platform builds
ecosystems by leveraging crowd and we
couldn’t be happier that the American University of Nigeria will be joining our mission with their participation in the 6th annual Hult Prize.”

The Hult Prize gives entrepreneurs from around the world a platform to innovate and revolutionize the way society thinks about servicing the poor.

Each team selected was
chosen from more than 20, 000 applications received from over 500 colleges and universities in over 150 countries. The Hult Prize regional final competitions will take place on March 13
and 14, 2015, in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai, and Shanghai. The AUN Hult team will compete in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Following the regional finals, one winning team from each host city will move into a summer business incubator, where participants will receive mentorship, advisory, and strategic planning training as they create prototypes and set-up to launch their new social business.

A final round of competition will be hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative at its annual meeting in September this year, where CGI delegates will select a winning team, and the prize to be personally awarded by Clinton, who described, the Hult Prize as “a wonderful example of the creative cooperation needed to build a world with shared opportunity, shared responsibility, and shared prosperity, and each year I look forward to seeing the many outstanding ideas the competition produces.”

To learn more, visit www.hultprize.org

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Monday, February 16, 2015

Cool facts 5

Do you know that;

Oprah gave birth at 14yrs to a baby who died in the hospital weeks later

Robert De Niro was part of a New York Street gang

The founder of the Mother's Day later fought to have it abolished

A month after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, a typhoon hit the city killing another 2,000 people

A single strand of spaghetti is called spaghetto

Beards are your fastest growing hairs

"Breaking Bad," Jesse was originally set to die at the end of season 1

Natural selection favors shorter girls

The less you use yo brain’s frontal lobes, the "hotter" you think you are

How long you exercise is more vital than how hard you do it

Referees are unconsciously biased in favor of players wearing red

Squeezing testicles too tightly can release too much adrenaline & kill you

There is an officially recognized School of Wizardry in California

"Mortgage" comes from a French word that means "death contract"

In France, you can marry a dead person

Tupac never won a grammy & actually received more awards after his death

1 in 5 women buy Valentine's gifts for themselves

Looking at beautiful paintings can ease physical pain

68% experience "phantom vibration syndrome"
..mistakenly thinking your phone is buzzing in yo pocket

We tend to enjoy the suffering of people we envy

82% believe in an afterlife

In Ohio, it's illegal to run out of gas

The word "impossible" has dropped in use by 50% over the last 100yrs

Average woman in UK will own 111 handbags in her lifetime

Hitler was born on 4/20, "weed day"

"Ultracrepidarian"
..Somebody who gives opinions on subjects they know nothing about

Kim Kardashian had x-rays taken of her butt to prove its authenticity

Qn:
A normal stop sign has the shape of what geometrical figure?

Qn:
What's the only fruit that carries its seeds on the outside?

Qn:

If a rubber band weighs 40 milligrams, how many of them will weigh one kilogram?

See more facts here

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Cool Facts 4

Do you know that;

South Sudan is the newest country on Earth

Nearly 1 in 5 firearms on Earth is AK-47

Things written by pencil are technically written in stone

Modern people have ~ fewer friends than people did decades ago

The world's youngest grandmother was only 17 years old

Men spend nearly a yr of their life simply staring at women

The brain treats rejection like physical pain

Giving birth can cause an orgasm

“Beats" by Dre headphones, which can sell for as much as $450, only cost ~ $14 to produce

A man produces enough sperm in 2 weeks to impregnate every fertile woman on the planet

An Egyptian city was discovered underwater in 2013 after being lost for 1,200 years in the Mediterranean

In the USA, people from Ohio are the most likely to use curse words

Deipnophobia is the fear of dinner parties

Thai people will type "555" instead of "Hahaha" in texts b'se the # 5 is pronounced "Ha"

After the death of genius Albert Einstein, his brain was removed by a pathologist & put in a jar for future study

Justin Bieber has more Twitter followers than Spain has people

The medical term for "butt crack" is "intergluteal cleft"

There's a Titanic wiII being built
..Will set sail in 2017

Every year, 1,000 letters arrive in Jerusalem addressed to God

The only country to register zero births in 1983 was the Vatican City

Viruses can get viruses

9th of February 2015 Is Tuesday in Beijing

Adult females are generally called cows

Cleveland spelled backwards is
"DNA level C"

Mountain Dew was developed to be a whiskey mixer

When your stomach grumbles, it's called "borborygmus"

Sperm contains zinc & calcium which fight tooth decay

You blink ~25,000x a day

Until 1974, it was Illegal to appear in public in Chicago if you are ugly

"Nyotaimori," the act of eating sushi off of a naked woman

Islam, Christianity & Judaism worship the same God, but in different ways

Male rape doesn’t exist as a criminal offense under UK law

It is illegal to be fat in Japan
..max waistline for anyone 40yrs+ is 35.4 inches

The average car in Britain is parked for 96% of the time

As you get older, your lips get thinner

Qn:
Which country had the world's first flags?

Qn:
How many animals did Moses take onto the ark?

Qn:
What's Hypnagogia:

UNILAG wins debating championship tourney

The University of Lagos has emerged winners of the second All Nigerian Universities Debating Championship.

Messrs Nathan Odiase and Temitope Ojelade led the university to victory in the tournament.

The competition, which the university hosted, started on January 24, and ended on January 29, 2015.

The University of Calabar emerged second while the Imo State University came third in the competition, which featured 17 universities.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the UNILAG Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Rahamon Bello, thanked all the participants for their commitment to excellence..He said, “There are over 200 institutions and for us to have 17 universities shows that you people are the best and I want you to count yourselves lucky.”

Also, the Dean, Students’ Affairs Division, Prof. Tunde Babawale, who expressed joy that UNILAG hosted and won the championship, noted that it provided a platform for UNILAG students to sharpen their skills within the limited available resources.

Similarly, Mr. Victor Onuoha, who represented the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, underscored the importance of the championship.

He also applauded the adjudicators, participating universities and UNILAG for being a wonderful host.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Our Online Learning is qualitative says OAU

After matriculating students into the New Online Distance learning, Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University have assured their online distance-learning students of quality academic delivery.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Bamitale Omole, gave the assurance during the matriculation of pioneer students of the Online Distance Learning Programme.

The university’s Centre for Distance Learning runs the programme, which at present offers degree courses in Accounting and Nursing. Omole, who urged the students to be committed to
their studies, noted that their certificates would not be inferior to those obtained via the conventional approach.

He said, “You have the singular honour of being the first set of students in our eLearning programme. I congratulate you on being pioneers of the eLearning revolution in the country. “I want to assure you that distant learning mode of
admission does not imply in any way inferiority in status, compared to our conventional students either in terms of lecture delivery or of the certificates you
receive at the end of your programmes.

“Our university guards jealously the integrity of its degrees and diplomas whether obtained in the conventional or distance learning mode. Hence, your
various curricula have gone through the usual high standards of excellence of the university Senate for which OAU is well known.”

The OAUCDL Director, Prof. Bode Asubiojo, also promised that the centre would continue to provide quality education in line with the university’s tradition. Asubiojo said, “Our primary charge at the centre is to provide quality education to the teeming number of Nigerian youths who possess the prerequisite qualifications for entry to universities but are denied admission owing to inadequate facilities on campus.

“It also targets the working class who are desirous of pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes while retaining their jobs. The Online Distance Learning programme allows us to deliver on this objective.” Asubiojo, who said the programme had already received the National Universities Commission’s accreditation, noted that its students use customised study tablets (Vigitabs) for learning.

He added, “This development is the first of its kind in Nigeria and we are pleased with it. We have replicated the classroom experience on a tablet device for
students. For the first time, students can receive lectures, submit assignments, participate in forums, take quizzes and even rewind their lecturers, all from the comfort of their homes, offices or wherever they may be in Nigeria or abroad.”

For more info kindly visit: www.oaucdl.edu.ng

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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

Oritamefa Baptist school pupil emerges quiz winner

A pupil of the Oritamefa Baptist Model Secondary School, Oluwasayo Babalola, has emerged the winner of the second Joseph Ayo Babalola University National
Quiz for senior secondary school pupils.

The first and second runners-up went to Olayide Ibrahim of the Straitgate College Ishara Remo, Ogun State and Ifeoluwa Oyelami of the St. Anthony’s High School, Ilesa, Osun State respectively.

For coming tops, Babalola received a scholarship to study at the university and N50, 000. His school also received some library materials and a desktop computer.

Ibrahim also received 50 per cent discount on tuition in the university and N40, 000, while Oyelami got 25 per cent discount on fees and N30, 000.

Schools also got desktop computers among other items.

According to the organisers, no fewer than 80 secondary schools from across the country participated in the quiz.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sola Fajana, said the competition was to promote healthy competition and academic excellence among pupils.

Courtesy: www.punchng.com

"Girls Should pursue career in ICT" says FG

Federal Government has begun collaboration with Huawei, an information and communication technology solutions provider, to train 1,000 girls in ICT.

The measure is to empower female pupils with basic ICT skills with a view to improving their employment chances.

The initiative, tagged “Huawei 1,000 MCT/Girls ICT Training programme,” is the brainchild of the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology.

The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, represented by the Technical Assistant (Research), in the ministry, Olufunke Baruwa, made this known at the inauguration of the ICT Club of the Pyramid of Excellence Schools in Abuja.

Johnson said the programme would help to reduce the imbalance in ICT adoption between men and women in the country.

She added, “The ICT sector is emerging as the fastest growing sector in Nigeria, recording a 30 per cent year- on-year growth with the potential to significantly
contribute to increasing the social welfare of men and women in the future.

“Towards this end, the Federal Government is committed to changing the perception of young people to ICT and encouraging positive interest and engagement in their academics as well as to pursue future careers in ICT.”

The minister explained that the government, in its determination to encourage Nigerian pupils to develop an early interest in ICT, established the ICT club.

According to her, the initiative is an early intervention project to demystify ICTs and project technology as a viable career option that can empower and impact positively on the future of our youngsters.

She further stressed, “The aim of the club is to remove the barriers that discourage students from embracing ICTs through quizzes, ICT games, application
development, animation, website development, blogging, graphics design, computer programming, assembling and dissembling computers and creating short films.

Periodically mentors will be invited to give inspiring talks and participate in various ICT related activities that will interest the students.”

The minister said her ministry being a key partner in the Growing Women and Girls Initiative was empowering women and girls through specific technology initiatives.

Johnson said, “To help overcome digital divide in Nigeria, the Ministry of l Communication Technology has committed itself to setting up various projects such as The SmartWoman Nigeria Project, MCT/Huawei 1000
ICT Girls Training, and The Digital Girls Club.

“Among these projects, the Digital Girls Club which is an extra-curriculum activity has been designed for secondary schools girls across the country.

This curriculum enables the girls to focus on hands-on and practical learning thereby providing opportunities for
practical knowledge.

It also encourages girls to work in teams to build and create technology thus providing learning in a fun and engaging way.”

She explained that the SmartWoman Project of the government was a mobile service conceived to support the advancement, development and education of women via the ICT platforms.

She added, “This disparity in adoption of ICT by women and girls globally reveal a big gulf between women and men in the adoption of ICTs that needs to be bridged.

It is our hope that the effective implementation of these initiatives in schools across the country will go a long way in removing the barriers that discourage girls from embracing careers in ICTs.”

According to Johnson, her ministry will ensure that the Nigerian child has greater chances and opportunities in the ICT sector because of the immense contributions it can bring to their lives.

Courtesy: www.punchng.com

Medical school, teaching hospital in FUTA soon

The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, has said that the institution will soon establish a medical school as well as a teaching hospital to complement its School of Basic Sciences.

Adebiyi said this on Monday following the National Universities Commission’s approval granted to the university to establish a School of Health and Health Technology.

According to Adebiyi, the new department will take off next academic session with courses, such as Physiology, Anatomy, Dental Technology and Optometry.

Daramola said, “We’ve received the nod to set up departments of Anatomy and Physiology having previously established a Department of Biochemistry.

So, we are starting with degrees in the basic medical sciences and ultimately to end up with a teaching hospital.

These two new departments are precursors of a medical school because we already have Biochemistry in the School of Sciences.

‘‘Besides, we cannot have health-related courses without having the core, which is medicine. You cannot have optometry and other ancillary courses without a Teaching Hospital, which is at the core.

Some of the courses we are starting with are basic medical sciences. If you are familiar with the training of medical doctors, they start with what is called basic medical sciences.

It is when they are well-grounded in these, that they go to the clinical,” Daramola said.

NDIC presents resource centre to GCI

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation on Thursday 12th of February 2015, inaugurated a N30m Education Resource Centre it built
for the Government College Ibadan.

This came as the corporation’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Umaru Ibrahim, promised that the organisation would not relent in supporting the growth of education in the country.

Ibrahim spoke through the firm’s Director, Asset Management Department, Mr. Bashir Umar. Ibrahim said, “The corporation will not relent in its efforts toward its educational support programme in line with its corporate social responsibility policy by granting financial assistance to education institutions for the growth of the sector in Nigeria.

The donation of the education resource centre to GCI is heart-warming and intended to sustain the academic pedigree of the foremost post primary education institution in the country.”

Also, the Chairman, Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre, Dr. Lekan Are, who spoke on the occasion, commended the NDIC for donating the centre.

He also urged other individuals and corporate organisations to support the state government’s transformation agenda.

Are, a former president of the alumni association of the school, called on the state government to improve on its support for the school in order to restore its academic excellence.

He said, “The Old Boys Association and the Parent-Teacher-Association are trying their best for the institution, but we still require the support and commitment of the government.

Many facilities and property that used to be the pride of the school have vanished because of poor maintenance culture.

“People that should not be here in this school are here and it is no more the school for those that passed and are qualified through examinations and interviews but for those who are posted there by the ministry of education.

When they say the result of school certificate examination is bad, I tell you, it is the fault of the ministry because it just brings anybody here.”

Courtesy: www.punchng.com

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