*Govt begins sales of forms
THE Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has
called on Lagos State Government to reverse the
N10,000 placement test fee for pupils seeking
admission into the state’s Model Colleges/
Upgraded Junior Secondary Schools (JSSI) for
the 2015/2016 academic session.
Al statement made available to The Guardian
and signed by the National Coordinator, Hassan
Taiwo Soweto
and National Secretary, Michael Ogundele,
informed that the
b decision of Governor Fashola led administration
to charge parents and guardians N10, 000 fee
for screening test into the state’s Model schools
is unlawful.
social responsibility and given the glaring deficit
in Nigeria’s school population especially to the
disadvantage of the girl child, it is expected that
government would make effort to ensure that
less of the cost of education is put on parents
and guardians in order to promote enrolment.
We demand that the decision to charge the said
amount be immediately reversed in the interest
of the good people of the State.”
“It is unfortunate that soon after the Lagos
State University (LASU) was rescued from a
debilitating astronomical hike in fees, the Lagos
State government is looking towards the Junior
Secondary subsector to implement its anti-poor
motives and agenda for public education.”
“We urge the State government to live up to its
much-advertised free education policy. It is
nothing but a show of shame when a
government claims to be implementing free
education while it at the same time imposes on
parents and guardians all kinds of charges
running into thousands.”
Meanwhile a statement previously released by
the State’s Ministry of Education, informed that
the State has commenced the sales of forms for
the screening test for admission of primary six
pupils into JSS1 of its Model Colleges/Upgraded
Junior Secondary Schools for the 2015/2016
academic session.
The State Commissioner for Education, Mrs.
Olayinka Oladunjoye, in the statement, explained
that two versions of the screening tests will be
adopted this year adding that there will be the
Computer Based Test (CBT), open to only about
b 20 to 30 interested candidates that will like to
participate in the pilot scheme and the regular
Pencil Based Test (PBT) with computer answer
sheet.
She informed that the registration of
candidates could be done through a customised
CD that will be issued to candidates by the
State Examination Board upon the payment of
the sum of N10,000 per candidate payable into
any branch of Fidelity bank with account number
5030000739, agency code 4280011 and revenue
code 40200045; Skye bank with account number
1770602459, agency code 280011 and revenue
code 40200045; and FCMB with account number
L 0135582205, agency code 4280011 and revenue
code 40200045.
She further stated that the screening test is
the only yardstick for admission of pupils into
JSS1 in any of the state’s 15 Model Colleges
across the six education districts.
The screening test is scheduled to hold on
Saturday, May 9, 2015 at the various designated
centers, while the pilot scheme of the CBT will
hold at the ICT/Computer Centre of the State
Examinations Board, Agege.
She urged members of the public, parents,
guardians, head teachers, proprietors and
proprietress of primary schools in the state to
beware of the information and be guided
accordingly.
The 15 Model Colleges/Upgraded Schools
include Lagos State Model Junior College,
Meiran; Vetland Junior Grammar School, Ifako
Iyaiye; Lagos State Model Junior College,
Igbokuta; Lagos State Civil Service Model Junior
College, Igbogbo; Oriwu Model Junior College,
Ikorodu; Government Junior College, Ikorodu;
Eva Adelaja Memorial Junior Secondary School,
Bariga; Lagos State Model Junior College,
Badore; Lagos State Model Junior College,
Igbonla; and Lagos State Model Junior College,
Agbowa.
Others are Government Junior College, Ketu-Epe;
Epe Junior Grammar School, Epe; Lagos State
Model Junior College, Kankon; Lagos State
Model Junior College, Ojo; and Badagry Junior
Grammar School, Badagry.
The sales of forms will close on Friday, April 3,
2015.
Monday, February 2, 2015
N10,000 entrance exam fee into Lagos model schools condemned
Friday, January 30, 2015
DEEPEN seeks increase in media coverage of education
To facilitate a more enabling environment and a more effective market that would provide increased quality of education for private schools, Developing Effective Private Education Nigeria (DEEPEN), a programme funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), has identified the need for improved media coverage of education programmes.
This became imperative following a discovery that the private sector engages large chunk of pupils in Lagos Private Schools. In September 2013, DEEPEN embarked on a five-year programme on how the media market can help children, parents, teachers, policy makers, school owners and managers in getting quality information to make informed decision.
The innovative programme initiated by DFID was designed to use a market-development approach to improve learning outcomes in Lagos private schools, through making markets work for the poor methodology.
Speaking at a media forum tagged, “A
Commercially Viable Approach to Increasing Education Coverage in the Media”, Team Leader of DEEPEN, Mr. Gboyega Ilusanya, stated that recent analysis revealed that private schools are major players on the Lagos education scene, dominating at the pre-school and primary levels and serving children from all levels of household income.
He reminded that most of these private
schools, for several reasons, are not licensed to operate, yet they are found in the system delivering educational services to pupils and their parents. Thus the need for creating useful information and quality education programmes that would serve as a guide for all stakeholders.
He said: “With estimated five million Lagos parents with children in over 15,000 private schools and 2,000 public schools, the state has one of the largest private education markets in the world and credible effort to improve human capital clearly needs to include the private sector which is now the main provider of
education, even for children from low-income households.”
“The five-year project which will be concluded by 2018, is anticipating a vibrant and dynamic market for private education especially in low-cost schools across Lagos.
It is also expected that the sector would be characterised by learning innovations and quality improvement for children at all levels of household income, as well as to have a private school that responds to parental demands and adapt to meet their expectations for better education.”
To achieve these, Gboyega informed that the role of the media is very crucial, thus the need for increase in media education coverage to help parents make informed decision and spur school managers to best practices.
His words, “DEEPEN has conducted detailed market analysis to identify the main constraints and challenges for improved private education in Lagos, and as part of the five-year activities we are to work with the media, getting them to sit and discuss how education coverage in the media can be improved in a commercially viable way and what would be the necessary support.”
“A recent assessment of current practices
around the media coverage of education in Lagos showed a widespread of lack of dedicated education programmes on radio and Television but an appreciable and regular coverage of education by the print media.
“The assessment showed that the majority of broadcast media practitioners consider education programmes as mainly for children as part of their community service and corporate social responsibility; and as unpopular and commercially unattractive.
However, Deputy Team Leader, Stephen
Bayley, during the media workshop, remarked that the current low coverage of education by the media, especially the broadcast media, can be reversed not only to make relevant information available to education stakeholders but to generate revenue for media houses and supporting organisations.
There are millions of education stakeholders who are potential audience for issue based, quality education content. Parents need information that will aid their decision-making processes around their children’s education, they will welcome a platform to regularly discuss and debate education issues.
The media can help parents meet these needs and generate substantial revenue from advertisers and sponsors targeting this massive market.
“Our findings revealed that at least there are 26 radio, 12 television and 20print media currently operating regularly in Lagos; more than 50 per cent of broadcast media have no dedicated, issue-based education programme,
while appreciable, regular education coverage by print media
On his part, the Intervention Leader, Tolase Olatinwo charged participants to refocus on their target audience for education contents and programmes and engage in education programmes that could stimulate audience views, appeal to parents, as well as attract sponsors and advertisers, so as to build quality education system in Lagos state.
He said parents, children, schools and policy makers need information to add value to their work since relevant information helps in decision-making.
The forum was attended by education
correspondents in the print and broadcast
industry in Lagos State, who unanimously stated that entertainment has lessened the importance of education, as most sponsors and advertisers have interest in sponsoring entertainment programmes rather than educational programmes.
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