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FG Reintroduces Bursary In Varsities, Colleges Of Education …Varsity Students To Get N75,000 Stipend, CoEs Students N50,000 …New Retirement Age For Teachers Takes Off
The Federal Government has announced the reintroduction of the bursary in universities and colleges of education across the country, saying it would liaise with the 36 states Ministry of Education, including the FCT Education Board, with a view to effecting it.
The government explained that its collaboration with states and the Federal Capital Territory was to identify the respective course of study required respectively by each state, saying an award of N150,000 had been proposed for undergraduates and N100,000 only to NCE students.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who said this in his keynote address delivered at the 2021 World Teachers Day celebration at Eagle Square in Abuja, yesterday, said the reintroduction of the bursary was part of the resolutions of the National Implementation Committee constituted by the government following President Muhammdu Buhari’s pronouncement in repositioning the nation’s education sector and the teaching profession in particular, during 2020 World Teachers Day celebration.
According to the minister,”Beneficiaries must attend public institutions only and sign a bond to serve their state for five years on graduation.”
The fund,he said,”would be sourced from UBEC, TETFund, and managed by the Federal Scholarship Board.”
He said his ministry “shall collaborate with agencies like NTI, TRCN, CPN, NUC, NCCE, UBEC, PTDF, TETFund, and non-governmental organizations organize training programmes in pedagogy andinformation and communication technology for academic and non-academic staff.”
While disclosing that “UBEC, TETFund, and PTDF would assist in funding theannual training”,Adamu said: “Government should partner with developers/recognizedinstitutions like Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSLB), FME Staff Welfare, and NUT to finance affordable homes for teachers on Build, Operate and Transfer basis.
“The type of house to be constructed is based on a rangedetermined by grade level and personal choice – 2/3 bedroom home for middle-level officers and 4 bedroomhomes/duplex for senior-level and directorate cadre,” he explained.
Speaking on a special salary scale for teachers in basic and secondaryschools, including provisions for rural posting, scienceteachers and peculiar allowances, he said: “Advocacy and sensitization to critical stakeholders like representatives of state governments, through governor’sforum, ALGON, NUT, NAPPS, OPSON, etc. for their buy-in” will be explored.
He said there would be the survey of the six geo-political zones of the country toascertain from states and local governments theprevailing situations in their respective states and localgovernments for an informed decision.
The committee’s document, he said,”is awaiting presentation to the National Council on Establishment, Head of Civil Service of the Federation andthe Federal Executive Council for adoption.
“I assure you all those frantic efforts are being made to implement the resolutions to complement the delivery of effective and equitable sound education that will foster development and contribute to the evolution of a strong, democratic, egalitarian,a prosperous, indivisible, and indissoluble sovereign nation,” the minister said.
Speaking further on the bursary, the minister said that the Federal Government has approved the sum of N75,000 as a stipend per semester for students undergoing degree programmes in Education in public universities in Nigeria.
Also, the Nigeria Certificate in Education students will get N50,000 as a stipend per semester as part of the deliberate effort of the government to attract the best brains into the teaching profession as promised by President Muhammadu Buhari, last year.
Adamu, whose speech was read by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, said his ministry would collaborate with the state governments to ensure automatic employment for the students on graduation.
He said, “Undergraduate students of B.Ed / B.A. Ed/ BSc. Ed in Public institutions are to receive stipends of N75,000.00 per semester while NCE students will get N50,000.00 as stipends per semester.
“Federal Government should find the modality through which respective states’ governments could provide automatic employment for NCE graduates at Basic Education level.”
The Federal Government also said that it has begun the pilot implementation of new retirement age for teachers.
President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier at the 2020 World Teachers Day Celebration approved 65 years or 40 years of service for teacher’s retirement age, and other incentives for teachers.
Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, disclosed this while marking the 2021 World Teachers Day in Abuja.
The 2021 edition of the celebration has the theme: “Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery”.
Buhari said that the ministry had also commenced education officers’ guidelines to ensure seamless implementation.
He said that this had been negotiated and outstanding salaries of affected teachers would soon be paid before December.
“The 2020 World Teachers Day in Nigeria was phenomenal as all that is needed to invigorate and revitalise the teaching profession was packaged and the minister of education was mandated to implement it accordingly.
“I am not going to recount the entire components for implementation; however, the Federal Ministry of Education has commenced the pilot implementation of the increase in retirement age to 65 or 40 years of service for teachers.
“I know that for teachers to effectively be at the heart of education recovery there is need for continuous re-tooling.
“Teachers and all those connected with teaching and learning will henceforth undergo annual training on modern techniques of teaching and learning.
“This will include digital literacy trainings in pedagogy, Information and Communication Technology and others, he said.
He said that education parastatals and other non-governmental organisations would partner with the government to achieve this feat.
He, therefore, promised collaboration with the defence ministry to ensure the protection of children in schools across the country.
The event witnessed the presentation of President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award to outstanding teachers and schools across the country.
The awards are classified into different categories such as the 2021 best teachers in public, private schools, best public and private schools and best school administration.
Among the awardees are Mrs Bridget Nwabueze, as best teacher in public schools; Mr Samuel Ogunleye, as the best teacher in private school; and the best public schools is Bolade Junior Grammer School, Oshodi.
Also, the best private school in the country goes to Greater Tomorrow International College, Arigidi, Ondo State, while the best school administrator is Mr Nuhu Musa from the Federal Capital Territory.
The event also witnessed parade from teachers in the 36 states of the federation, including the FCT, with FCT teachers winning the award.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.