Education
NGO Wants Consistency In Education Policy Implementation
Malam Bello Dogondaji, President, African Network for Bamboo and Raltam (ANBAR), has stressed the need for consistency in policy formulation and implementation in the education sector.
Dogondaji, who is the Chairman of the Parent Teachers Association of Model Islamic Schools, Kubwa, was commenting on the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) decision to restore the junior secondary component of the Unity Colleges.
He told newsmen in an interview last Saturday in Abuja that the 6-3-3-4 system of education introduced in the ‘80s, was a well thought out policy and wondered why the junior secondary component of it was excised from the Unity Colleges.
Dogondaji noted that the component was removed after the 6-3-3-4 system had been operated successfully for many years.
“The removal of the junior secondary component of the unity colleges created a gap in the country’s education and many parents whose children were affected were in a dilemma as what to do to give their children wholesome education.
“The FEC should be commended for rescuing the country’s education from the inconsistency in policy implementation, which has been the bane of the country’s education,’’ he said.
Dogondaji expressed the need for Muslims to collaborate and cooperate in the establishment of schools that would cater to the needs of their children.
“Our children need to be given the opportunity to acquire Islamic and western education at the same time and this can best be provided by Muslims through collaboration and cooperation.
“Unless we come together and collaborate to establish model schools, we cannot achieve the objective of giving our children the kind of education that they need,’’ he said.
Commenting on the same issue earlier in his opening speech at the Prize Giving Day of Model Islamic Schools, Malam Abdusha-shakoor Alatise, the Head Teacher, stressed the need for states in the Northern part of the country to discard the almajiri system.
“They should introduce model Islamic schools like ours, which offer integrated Islamic education and enroll all almajiris into such schools,’’ he said.
Alatise said that graduates of the almajiri system were deficient educationally and could not fit into modern society, adding that they could only survive by doing menial jobs or begging.
He said that the almajiris system should be done away with because the almajiris were deprived of parental care, while at the same time facing an uncertain future.
Our correspondent reports that the highlight of the occasion was the presentation of prizes to the best students and certificates to the graduating students.
The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board has released the names of 5,600 newly recruited primary school teachers and 80 caregivers in the State.
The SUBEB Chairman, Nureni Adeniran, who announced this in Ibadan, the state capital, on Friday, explained that the list had been duly approved by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde.
“The newly appointed teachers and caregivers are the first batch of successful applicants from the recent recruitment exercise carried out by the board,” he said.
“The list will be uploaded on the portal and will be available for candidates to check their names from the portal.
A Professor of Accountancy in the Department of Accounting , Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Prof Lawyer Chukwumah Obara has advocated the adoption of African traditional values as a managerial tool to eradicate systemic corruption and mismanagement of public funds in governance.
According to him , the use of such African traditional methods like shrine oath-taking by public servants will deter such public officials from misappropriation of public funds while in office. He said accounting system is evolutionary science that recognises the practice of some pragmatic ideological practices such as African norms and values to fight corruption and mismanagement of funds that is predominantly noticed in both public and private governance.
Prof Obara stated this while delivering his inaugural lecture at the 106th inaugural lecture series of the state university with the topic, “Pragmatic Ideologies and Visionary Accounting: Reinforcing the Helmet, “ held at the Senate auditorium,last Wednesday.
He noted that all the 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory in the country can convinently survive without any federal allocation if they embrace pragmatic ideological accounting systems that are visionary accounting methods.
“Every State must adopt pragmatic approaches in their accounting system,there should be accountability and transparency, ,we must be flexible in our Constitution as constitutional rigidity is bane of the growth of the nation and we must go back to our root , traditional values and that will promote wonderful accounting system and the world will celebrate us,”he stated.
The erudite scholar noted that Accounting science helmet provides a safety umbrella to shade RAIR from shady accounting practices and can serve as both protective measure and forward looking.
Mr Vice Chancellor,in the foregoing senses, reinforcement can increase the probability that the accounting’ behaviour will occur again in similar situations.This implies that reinforcing the helmet is a powerful tool in shaping accountants behaviour, learning and development and this can lead to more effective strategies in accounting therapy and everyday interactions”,he stated.
The lecture examined the evolution of philosophical thought in accounting, notion of pragmatic ideologies in accounting, visionary accounting paradigm , transparency , differences and similarities,the helmet metaphor : balancing protection progress.
He posisted that accounting plays vital role in the socio-economic development of nations , stressing that Accounting is the instrument for financial management , transparency, and resource allocation.
“Over the years ,the accounting system has undergone significant transformations influenced by historical developments , regulatory reforms, and the adoption of global standards which serve as the helmet reinforcing and protecting socio_economic development.”
Reinforcement is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology and learning theory, particularly in the context of operant conditioning. it refers to any stimulus or event that increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated in the future.It can be understood as a mechanism that encourages certain behaviors through rewards or consequences,”he stated.
In concluding, Prof Obara stated that Nigeria’s economic landscape demands an accounting profession that is both pragmatic and visionary .
Earlier in his speech,the Vice Chancellor of the university Prof Nlerum Sunday Okogbule represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Prof Victor Akujuru the lecture said is valuable and is capable to advancing the growth and development of any society if adopted, even as he commended the lecturer for a thoughtful and impacted inaugural lecture.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A team of board members and directors of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board led by Member in charge of Supervision / Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha visited Ogboloma,a riverine community in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of the State to inspect a six classroom block built single handedly by the community recently.
Speaking at the King’s palace shortly after inspecting the building and facilities in the school, Chief Anucha, who represented the board chairman, Alabo David Briggs, commended the people of Ogboloma for remaining united and working in synergy for the good of the community and the younger generation.
While assuring them that the board chairman would surely be briefed on the effort so far made by the community in encouraging education in the area, Anucha expressed optimism that he (Briggs) will not hesitate to give his approval for the school to kick off and called on the people to see education as the responsibility of all.
He used the medium to thank the King of Ogboloma His Highness Micah Brother, the councilor, Hon. Thomas Carlson; CDC Chairman, Lucky Brave Egba, Chiefs and elders and youths for working in synergy for the progress of community.
Also speaking, the board member in charge of projects Dr. Walson Ominini lauded the people for promoting education in the area, assuring them that their effort will not be in vain.
Earlier in his speech, the King of Ogboloma, His King Micah Brother thanked the bfor finding time to visit the community, pointing out that the six classroom block was the singular effort of the community and appealed to the board chairman to give approval for the school to kick off.
The King who spoke through the councillor representing the area, Hon. Thomas Carlson narrated how children in the community are trekking long distances to neighbouring communities in search of quality education and sometimes would be bitten by snakes called on the board to come to their aid as government presence is not in any way felt in the community.
The chiefs also spoke, thanking the board officers for coming to see things for themselves.
By: Akujobi Amadi