Category: Education

The Africa Community School (ACS) and the Africa International College (AIC), in a bid to giving back to the society have impacted no fewer than 109 learners with scholarships gulping about N70 million.

The Executive Secretary of the schools, Mrs Caroline Yakubu disclosed this at a news conference to herald their 20th Anniversary Celebration in Abuja on Wednesday.

Yakubu said the schools also collaborated with some public schools in the locality by supporting them with materials to help learners.

”The items include furniture, books and other learning materials. Besides, the folks and indigenes that reside around our locations have been employed within their appropriate skills.

“More importantly, God has helped us to positively impact the educational pursuit of many learners that have passed through our schools.

“In Africa Community School (ACS), over 109 students have benefited from our internal scholarship and support schemes totaling nearly N70 million and still counting.

“At the other end, in Africa International College (AIC), we have reached out to over 92 students totaling about N90 million. For the two schools, God has enabled us to support the training of more than 200 learners with over N160 million spent on them.

“These are verifiable persons and figures. These were students who, through no fault of theirs, lost one or both parents, while they were with us or children from proven economically disadvantaged families,” she said.

Yakubu said that the school had made it a policy that once a child is admitted into the schools and he/she loses any or both parents, that child must not be withdrawn on the account of inability to pay school fees.

The executive secretary noted that the funds were all internally generated with some support from a few former parents and individuals.

She, therefore, called for support from the government to assist private educational sector to thrive in the business of bringing values out of Nigerian students through creation of an enabling environment.

She said that many times, the private sector provides social amenities to grow their businesses and still contends with multiple taxes from the government.

“The place and role of private schools in our educational system cannot be over emphasised. During the military era, they tried to nationalise many private schools, including mission schools. How did it end?

“Unquantifiable losses were the experiences and we are still paying heavily for the errors.

”In the FCT alone, there are over 2,400 private schools and about 830 public schools. Again, imagine with me, an FCT where there are no privately run schools. What would be the implications all round?,” she added.

In the same vein, the Chairman of the School Board, Mr Nda Yakubu, pleaded with the government to look into the multiplicity of taxes that are not regulated.

He said that if not checked , the cost would be transferred to parents through hike in fees.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Africa Community School (ACS) and the Africa International College (AIC), in a bid to giving back to the society have impacted no fewer than 109 learners with scholarships gulping about N70 million.

The Executive Secretary of the schools, Mrs Caroline Yakubu disclosed this at a news conference to herald their 20th Anniversary Celebration in Abuja on Wednesday.

Yakubu said the schools also collaborated with some public schools in the locality by supporting them with materials to help learners.

”The items include furniture, books and other learning materials. Besides, the folks and indigenes that reside around our locations have been employed within their appropriate skills.

“More importantly, God has helped us to positively impact the educational pursuit of many learners that have passed through our schools.

“In Africa Community School (ACS), over 109 students have benefited from our internal scholarship and support schemes totaling nearly N70 million and still counting.

“At the other end, in Africa International College (AIC), we have reached out to over 92 students totaling about N90 million. For the two schools, God has enabled us to support the training of more than 200 learners with over N160 million spent on them.

“These are verifiable persons and figures. These were students who, through no fault of theirs, lost one or both parents, while they were with us or children from proven economically disadvantaged families,” she said.

Yakubu said that the school had made it a policy that once a child is admitted into the schools and he/she loses any or both parents, that child must not be withdrawn on the account of inability to pay school fees.

The executive secretary noted that the funds were all internally generated with some support from a few former parents and individuals.

She, therefore, called for support from the government to assist private educational sector to thrive in the business of bringing values out of Nigerian students through creation of an enabling environment.

She said that many times, the private sector provides social amenities to grow their businesses and still contends with multiple taxes from the government.

“The place and role of private schools in our educational system cannot be over emphasised. During the military era, they tried to nationalise many private schools, including mission schools. How did it end?

“Unquantifiable losses were the experiences and we are still paying heavily for the errors.

”In the FCT alone, there are over 2,400 private schools and about 830 public schools. Again, imagine with me, an FCT where there are no privately run schools. What would be the implications all round?,” she added.

In the same vein, the Chairman of the School Board, Mr Nda Yakubu, pleaded with the government to look into the multiplicity of taxes that are not regulated.

He said that if not checked , the cost would be transferred to parents through hike in fees.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’allah has disclosed that students who intend to study in the university must undertake and present a drug test before admission.

Na’allah, who made this known at the 27th Pre- Convocation briefing in Abuja on Wednesday said the institution is working with NDLEA to help students involved in drug abuse and to rehabilitate them.

He said drug status of students is important in order to help students to be free from drugs.

Though he said the students would not be sent out from school if involved in drug abuse, but rather be rehabilitated in collaboration with the NDLEA.

The vice chancellor also disclosed that 7,128 undergraduate students would be graduating at the school’s convocation slated for Saturday, on Oct. 7.

He listed those that would be graduating to also include 100 PhDs, 326 academic Masters and 346 Professional Masters.

He said 40 students would be graduating with First Class , 474 with Second Class Upper, 944 Second Class Lower, 174 with 3rd Class and One Pass degree.

He, however, said the university had banned Pass degree going forward.

He added that the university would also confer Honorary Doctorate Degree of Letters on Prof. Toyin Falola of the University of Texas, Houston for his role in the development and growth of the institution and other African universities at large.

The vice chancellor also explained that the institution would be introducing Russia Language as part of the general courses that students must pass before graduating.

This, he said is to make new knowledge available to students.

“The university has developed into a global university with the offering of different languages, which include Japanese, French, Portuguese among others.

“Efforts are though being made to bring in full some of the foreign languages as degrees programmes but the varsity has made it a compulsory in General Studies that every student must study and pass a foreign language before graduation.

“We are going to offer Russia language in addition to the foreign languages we offer. Students are made to offer and pass one of these foreign languages,”he said.

While noting the efforts made by the university to achieve its mandates, he said it has embarked on fund raising for alumni, philanthropists and also identifying foundations that would help in sponsoring researches, trainings and others.

He also disclosed the National Universities Commission (NUC) had approved 26 new academic programmes for the university.

According to him the university will now offer some of the new courses starting from 2023/2024 academic session.

The courses include Nursing, Communication and Media Studies, Pharmacy, Tourism and hospitality, Agricultural engineering ,among others.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’allah has disclosed that students who intend to study in the university must undertake and present a drug test before admission.

Na’allah, who made this known at the 27th Pre- Convocation briefing in Abuja on Wednesday said the institution is working with NDLEA to help students involved in drug abuse and to rehabilitate them.

He said drug status of students is important in order to help students to be free from drugs.

Though he said the students would not be sent out from school if involved in drug abuse, but rather be rehabilitated in collaboration with the NDLEA.

The vice chancellor also disclosed that 7,128 undergraduate students would be graduating at the school’s convocation slated for Saturday, on Oct. 7.

He listed those that would be graduating to also include 100 PhDs, 326 academic Masters and 346 Professional Masters.

He said 40 students would be graduating with First Class , 474 with Second Class Upper, 944 Second Class Lower, 174 with 3rd Class and One Pass degree.

He, however, said the university had banned Pass degree going forward.

He added that the university would also confer Honorary Doctorate Degree of Letters on Prof. Toyin Falola of the University of Texas, Houston for his role in the development and growth of the institution and other African universities at large.

The vice chancellor also explained that the institution would be introducing Russia Language as part of the general courses that students must pass before graduating.

This, he said is to make new knowledge available to students.

“The university has developed into a global university with the offering of different languages, which include Japanese, French, Portuguese among others.

“Efforts are though being made to bring in full some of the foreign languages as degrees programmes but the varsity has made it a compulsory in General Studies that every student must study and pass a foreign language before graduation.

“We are going to offer Russia language in addition to the foreign languages we offer. Students are made to offer and pass one of these foreign languages,”he said.

While noting the efforts made by the university to achieve its mandates, he said it has embarked on fund raising for alumni, philanthropists and also identifying foundations that would help in sponsoring researches, trainings and others.

He also disclosed the National Universities Commission (NUC) had approved 26 new academic programmes for the university.

According to him the university will now offer some of the new courses starting from 2023/2024 academic session.

The courses include Nursing, Communication and Media Studies, Pharmacy, Tourism and hospitality, Agricultural engineering ,among others.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation Natalia /Goagoses said the belief that technical education is second to other education is not true as it is key to any country’s development.

/Goagoses during the official opening of the 3rd National Skills Competition which commenced at Ongwediva on Monday said all developed countries were developed by their skilled society, and “why Namibia is still underdeveloped is because we put technical education second.”

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) can be a powerful tool for supporting economic growth and development, both at the individual and community level, she stressed.

Speaking at the same occasion Namibia Training Authority (NTA) deputy chairperson Esther Hoveka stated that a total of 157 competitors are competing in 14 skills areas, aspiring to the prestigious title of Namibian champion.

The winners at the national skills competition are using the event to prepare for WorldSkills Lyon 2024 which will take place in France in September, with more than 30 local and continental training institutions and industry exhibitors participating in this year’s event, which promises to be a platform driven by interactivity, simulation, virtual reality and demonstration, she said.

“In terms of the Skills Conference, more than 300 delegates are expected to deliberate on a very apt and current theme of ‘youth development and empowerment’ and how best to generate opportunities to bridge the unemployment gap,” she said.

She further said that outside the competition, WorldSkills Namibia fosters cooperation and development between industry and training institutions, whereas it also promotes the benefits of and needs for skilled professionals through knowledge exchange and capacity building and infusing international quality into their local technical and vocational qualifications.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Oshikoto Regional Governor Penda Ya Ndakolo has urged the youth to apply for the Youth for Green Hydrogen (Y4H2) Scholarship Programme.

Ndakolo, speaking at the SASSCAL regional outreach workshop for the green hydrogen scholarships on Monday at Omuthiya said the scholarships will greatly benefit the country and the students as it is investing in skills development that can produce the necessary skills to grow the country’s economy, create jobs and meet the development needs of young people.

“To the youth, this is a fully-funded programme, so grab this opportunity with both hands as scholarships of this nature are very rare as this will help you and your parents to not only take the burden of financial pressure off your shoulders but give you a chance to pursue your dream career and make a difference,” said Ndakolo.

The governor said that his office only receives N.dollars 100 000 annually from Central Government for office administrative costs and his office receives letters from students from the region requesting for financial assistance for their studies on a monthly basis.

“Opportunities like this to further study give our future generation hope for a better future, and as a region we fully welcome these opportunity because our young people are eager to learn,” he said.

A media statement availed to Nampa by SASSCAL’s Kevin Stephanus on Monday, stated that N.dollars 100 million was funded by Germany’s Ministry of Education and Research for the green hydrogen scholarship programme, as was highlighted by Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, Itah Kandjii-Murangi.

“The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) has been appointed to do outreach workshops from 18 to 30 September 2023 to provide valuable information on the scholarship application process, eligibility criteria, and the broader goals of the scholarship programme,” reads the statement.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency