Education
Fashola Provides N1.5bn Research Fund For Students
The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has called on students in tertiary institutions in the state to forward and access the N1.5 billion research fund provided by the government to develop new innovations and solutions.
Fashola made the call during an event to mark his 2,200 days in office held at the Main Auditorium, Lagos State University (LASU), recently.
He said the fund was to challenge the youths to begin to develop new strategies through adoptive, innovation and creative thinking, adding that graduates of the nation’s tertiary institutions had not been trained to become employers of labour but job seekers.
According to him, since the fund was floated, no one had come up to apply for it, saying that the future of the country is in the ability of the present generation to develop ideas and models to solving problems, stressing that “currently for this year, the sum of N1.500,000 was budgeted and to my knowledge, no person has applied for the research fund’.
He stressed that current state of the nation necessitates a review of the training methods in order to meet the needs of the society.
The event which was in honour of the Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Professor Oluwole Familoni, who later spoke to The Tide correspondent in Lagos said the ceremony was unique as it highlighted the Lagos State Government’s Energy Conservation efforts.
Familoni noted that the main objective of the home edutainment network was to initiate the rudiments of project-oriented research from the secondary school level.
Again, it was to reward creative and brilliant science projects of students and schools in Lagos State and encourage a high level of girl-child involvement in science education as a platform to create more awareness on importance of science education in Nigeria.
The event, “Home Edutainment Network”, aimed at launching Nigeria in Guinness World Record for the largest science practical training ever held.
Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu has inaugurated the newly constituted Governing Councils of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) and the University of Education and Entrepreneurship (UEE), Akamkpa.
At the ceremony on Thursday in Calabar, the Governor urged the members to drive institutional excellence, ensure accountability, and align with global best practices.
Governor Otu acknowledged that UNICROSS had long suffered from what many perceived as gross neglect, particularly in terms of physical development.
“After a deep thought and consultation, and having considered all available facts and evidence, I am today opening a new chapter in the relationship between government and its institutions of higher education,” the Governor declared.
He emphasised that while his administration is committed to a renewed focus on higher education, this attention must be matched with transparency and responsibility by the universities’ management.
The same expectation, he said, applies to the University of Education and Entrepreneurship in Akamkpa.
Governor Otu stated that the appointments into both councils and management were carefully considered and reflect the state’s finest minds and seasoned professionals.
“I have taken pains in appointing some of the best that the State has in both the Governing Councils and Management of the institutions. I implore you to apply your wealth of experience in making the institutions world-class,” he charged.
He also stressed the importance of respecting the distinct roles of Councils and management, pointing out that most university problems emanate from role conflict or interference. He tasked each of the councils to stick strictly to its clearly defined functions.
The Governor encouraged council members to leverage their networks to attract new sources of funding and value to their institutions.
“Do not limit yourselves to already known threads of resource sources.”, he said.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has announced a 50 percent reduction in tuition fees for all Kaduna State-owned tertiary institutions, describing it as a major step toward removing barriers to higher education.
Speaking through his Principal Private Secretary, Professor Bello Ayuba, at the inauguration of the Kaduna State University Chapter of the Kaduna State Students Union, the Governor said the policy has made it easier for students from low-income backgrounds to pursue university education in the state.
He expressed gratitude to the students for presenting him with the Sword of Honour Award and for recognising the achievements of his administration, which were highlighted during the event’s public lecture.
He promised, “Government will continue to support students and the youth generally to realize their ambitions. On your part, make sure that an atmosphere of peace prevails to allow for government’s development programmes to run their full course.’’
The Governor advised students not to allow agents of disunity and chaos to use them to destabilize their communities and steer them away from their career goals.
Governor Sani reminded the students and lecturers at the event that ‘’no meaningful development can be achieved in a state of chaos, disunity and mutual mistrust.’’
However, he said that ‘’going by your conduct over the period that I have been at the helm of affairs of our state so far, you are reliable partners of progress and I can count on you every step of the way.’’
The governor recalled that Kaduna State was under siege owing to the insecurity in some of the local government areas, which had dire consequences on agricultural and business activities.
He noted that the security challenges have now been drastically reduced owing to the combined commitment of security agencies, resulting in safer high ways, people returning to farms and the opening of local markets.
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The governor further said that the Birnin Gwari cattle market which had been closed for over 10 years, has been reopened, so have the other markets in security challenged areas in Giwa local government.
The Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, has called on the university community to reflect on the season’s significance and embody the values of love, compassion and kindness.
In his Easter message, Prof. Zeb-Obipi said, “As we celebrate Easter, I want us to take a moment to reflect on the significance of this season. Easter is a time of renewal, hope, and joy, reminding us of the triumph of life over adversity.”
The Vice Chancellor expressed optimism about the university’s future, stating, “It brings the reassurance and hope that our tomorrow as a university would be better than our today and yesterday.”
He urged the community to strive for excellence, noting that the values of love, compassion and kindness embodied in Easter should inspire them to make a positive impact in the world.
Prof. Zeb-Obipi commended the dedication, resilience and passion of staff and students, saying, “I am grateful for the dedication, resilience and passion that our staff and students bring to our university community. Your hard work and commitment are the driving forces behind our pursuit of excellence in teaching, learning, research, community service, and other valuable extra-curricular activities.”
He emphasised the importance of community, empathy and support, stating, “As we celebrate Easter, let us remember the importance of community, empathy, and support for one another. May we continue to foster an environment that promotes inclusivity, creativity, and intellectual curiosity with a sufficiently bonding sense of community.”
The Vice Chancellor concluded by wishing everyone a joyous Easter celebration with loved ones, praying, “May this season bring you peace, happiness, and spiritual growth.”