In today’s world employers receive about 200-500 applications for each scholarship opening. They just received a bunch of dates and numbers and little personal information of candidates. Therefore is it very difficult to judge a potential candidate without having interview and personal discussion. But calling for interview is expansive and it’s not possible to call every candidate for the Interview. Therefore it is very important that your scholarship application should stand out exceptionally in the crowd and get selected for the next stage. Scholarship-Positions.com is trying to provide helpful tips about how to apply for scholarships.
Watch out for scholarship scams:
Each year many students and parents are defrauded by scholarship scams. Never pay for a scholarship search. There is never a good reason to pay for a scholarship search. The information you will need is available for free.
Get full scholarship information:
Each scholarship has its own application procedure. It is important to read the materials carefully and to understand what information is requested. Make sure you get as much information about the scholarship as possible. Write, call or e-mail the provider of the scholarship to ensure you have full details of application procedures and what will be expected of the successful applicant. If the scholarship entails a particular project, find out the full objectives and intended methodology of the project. If the scholarship is being funded by a private enterprise, gather as much information as you can about the company, its philosophy and its goals. You can never have too much information. Carefully typed applications make the best impression.
Eligibility:
Apply only for those scholarships for which you are eligible.
It is highly doubtful that you will be awarded if you are not eligible for a scholarship. Check thoroughly to ensure that you are actually eligible for the scholarship before you embark on the application process. It is pointless to submit an application, no matter how perfect it may be, for a scholarship for which you are ineligible. Check for any gender, age, nationality, indigenous or other special group restrictions on applications and only apply if you definitely match the eligibility criteria. If in doubt, check first.
Things to consider before applying for scholarship:
People who will judge your application don’t know you.
They will just get a bunch of dates and numbers and little personal information. Even grades might be difficult to judge for them if they don’t know how they compare to those of other students in your local education system. Therefore, try to make as much of the more “personal” information as possible including your academic transcripts (but quality, not quantity!).
Take your time to write about “research experience” and “scientific interests”. Provide adequate reasoning as to why you want to do a study particular course and state your motivation in your own words. Marketing yourself is the key for a successful application.
But don’t overdo it!
It is interesting to see applications from potential Nobel-prize candidates wishing to start a Masters/PhD thesis, but not even big leaders will buy this. After all, people don’t expect you to know everything before you have even started your PhD. What most group leaders are looking for are smart and open young people who show some enthusiasm for science and research or any other area you are applying for scholarships.
Prepare a resume/CV:
Some scholarship applications will ask for your resume or CV. If you worked previously, list your experiences, but don’t sweat it if you don’t have much (or any!) work experience-many students don’t. Use your resume/CV to point out any awards and honors you’ve received, community service you’ve been involved with, and activities you’ve participated in.
Activities and Honors:
List all relevant activities and honors, but be selective. If you have more activities than can fit in the space provided do not include the ones that are not significant; the two days you spent last spring on a community clean-up day, for instance.
Read the criteria for selection carefully to understand what the reviewers are looking for.
For instance, the Presidential Scholarship looks for applicants who can show “leadership experience with [an] outstanding extracurricular record,” so include your volunteer and community service activities, emphasizing those in which you took a leadership role.
Most importantly, your activities should represent your varied talents and passions outside the class room. The reviewers are trying to get a sense of who you are and what you believe in. Make sure your activities reflect that.
Carefully choose your referees. Make sure the referee knows you well enough (e.g. from undergraduate work in his lab, multiple lectures, seminars, etc.) to give an opinion about you and write something on your behalf. This may be better than trying to get a letter from a “big fish” who might have seen your face but doesn’t know much about you and thus doesn’t need to have an interest in providing you with a good reference.
The ideal letter of recommendation: Your letters of recommendations should come from teachers or academic advisors who are familiar not only with your academic abilities, but with your personal interests and background and how those relate to your ability to carry out the program of study you wish to pursue. If the teacher or academic advisor is familiar with your extracurricular activities and leadership abilities, s/he should also incorporate that into the letter.
The letters should address the qualifications sought. Recommenders should address only those elements of your application on which they can comment confidently.
How to ask for a letter of recommendation: Start early. Discuss your plans with your recommenders now, before the application is even available. Let them know what you would like to study and why you want to apply for the scholarship. These discussions can help you clarify your goals and plans as well.
As soon as you have the application forms (applications for Incoming Freshmen Scholarships are available at your high school counselor’s office, the Office of Recruitment Services and the Scholarship Office around early October), schedule a meeting with your recommender. Give your recommender a written description of the scholarship and a copy of your personal statement and proposed academic program. You may also want to provide a copy of your transcript and an autobiography or resume highlighting activities and honors. You should also give your recommenders appropriately addressed envelopes with postage, if necessary. Be sure to also give them plenty of time to write the letter, do not wait until the last minute.
You may also want to remind the recommender that it should include your full name with middle initial. You would be surprised on how many include only the first name of the student within the body of the letter.
The Personal Statement: The Statement of Purpose (often called “letter of intent” or “application essay” by various educational institutions) is one of the most important components of your application process. This document provides the admissions committee with information that allows them to become more acquainted with who you are; what you want to study at graduate school and why; experiences you have in the field; and what you plan on doing with the degree once you have mastered it. A statement of Purpose also serves as a writing sample and interview.
The following section is an excerpt from the Yale University Undergraduate career Services’ publication entitled Applying for Fellowships.
“The personal statement presents an opportunity for you to speak about yourself. Your essay should show that you have ideas and opinions, are able to think logically, and can express yourself clearly, with economy and elegance.
Clear writing is the result of clear thinking. The first and most important task is to decide what you want to say. This is a short essay. You must be highly selective. Consider carefully what you wish to impress upon the reader. Remember the nature of your audience. It is composed of people who are probably as intelligent as you are, well educated, and vastly experienced in this work. Do not try to fool or second guess your reader; you will seem silly if you do. Do not write in a cute, coy, or gimmicky style: selection committees have heard it all already. Do show that you have thought deeply and broadly about what you have learned in your academic career and what you hope to learn next.
When you have written a first draft, start the work of refining, simplifying, and polishing. Do you say exactly what you mean? Is any section, sentence, or word superfluous, ambiguous, or awkward?
Are your verbs strong and active? Have you removed unneeded qualifiers? Are you sure that each accomplishment and interest you mention supports one of your main ideas? Do not apologize. Do not misrepresent yourself. You are writing as an adult who wishes to join the community of scholars and other professionals. You must write as a peer and potential member of such a community.
Correctness and style are vital. Neatness counts. Check and check again your spelling, the agreement of verbs and persons, syntax. Your thoroughness demonstrates that you have learned and mastered this art and that your future teachers and colleagues will not be troubled with sloppy thinking or writing.
Ask several individuals whose judgment you respect to read and criticize a draft of your essay. Possible reviewers include faculty members, writing tutors, and friends who can assess how well your essay represents you.”
Transcripts: If the application requires a transcript from all the schools you have attended, request this information as soon as possible. Whether you e-mail, fax, or call in your requests, mail a letter as a backup. Some schools charge a nominal fee for official transcripts. After a few weeks have passed, call the schools to ensure that the transcripts have been sent to the proper address. If by chance you have to hand-deliver a transcript, do not tamper with the seal – this may render the transcript invalid.
Proofread Your Application Carefully:
Use your computer’s spelling and grammar check features. Let someone else (parent, teacher, or friend) read and evaluate your application, another set of eyes always helps.
Niaja Shall Be Great!!!
World Bank Scholarship for 2010. Apply now.
In 1987, the World Bank, with funding from the Government of Japan, established the World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (WBGSP) for graduate studies in subjects related to economic development. Each year, the Program awards scholarships to individuals from World Bank member countries to undertake graduate studies at renowned universities throughout member countries of the Bank.
Now in its 23d year, the Regular Program has awarded 3,153 scholarships, selected from 58,944 applicants. In addition, 1,226 scholarships have been awarded in the various JJ/WBGSP Partnership Programs for a total of 4,379 awards.
The objective of the Scholarship and Fellowship Programs is to help create an international community of highly-trained professionals working in the field of economic and social development. The community will actively participate in the capacity building efforts in the developing countries.
Eligibility.
To apply for a JJ/WBGSP scholarship under the Regular Program, an applicant must:
* Be a national of a World Bank member country eligible to borrow.
* Be born after March 31, 1970.
* Have, by March 31, 2010, at least 2, preferably 4 to 5, years of recent full time professional experience acquired after a university degree, in the applicant’s home country or in another developing country.
* Hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
* Be in good health.
* Be of good character.
* Not be a permanent resident or a national of any industrialized country.
* Not be residing in an industrialized country for more than one year.
* Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, staff of the World Bank Group (the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, International Development Association, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, and International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes), consultant, or relative of the aforementioned.
Please note that applicants are encouraged to seek admissions in institutions listed in the website under Preferred Universities 2010-2011.
Paper copies of completed applications and all required supporting documents should be sent to:
The World Bank
Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
1818 H Street, NW – MSN J2-204
Washington, DC 20433
USA
Further Scholarship Information and Application
The application together with ALL supporting documentation must be received in the Scholarship Program Office by the deadline of March 31, 2010.
LINKS:
Application Guidelines
Preferred Universities in 2010-2011
How to Apply
Now in its 23d year, the Regular Program has awarded 3,153 scholarships, selected from 58,944 applicants. In addition, 1,226 scholarships have been awarded in the various JJ/WBGSP Partnership Programs for a total of 4,379 awards.
The objective of the Scholarship and Fellowship Programs is to help create an international community of highly-trained professionals working in the field of economic and social development. The community will actively participate in the capacity building efforts in the developing countries.
Eligibility.
To apply for a JJ/WBGSP scholarship under the Regular Program, an applicant must:
* Be a national of a World Bank member country eligible to borrow.
* Be born after March 31, 1970.
* Have, by March 31, 2010, at least 2, preferably 4 to 5, years of recent full time professional experience acquired after a university degree, in the applicant’s home country or in another developing country.
* Hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
* Be in good health.
* Be of good character.
* Not be a permanent resident or a national of any industrialized country.
* Not be residing in an industrialized country for more than one year.
* Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, staff of the World Bank Group (the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, International Development Association, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, and International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes), consultant, or relative of the aforementioned.
Please note that applicants are encouraged to seek admissions in institutions listed in the website under Preferred Universities 2010-2011.
Paper copies of completed applications and all required supporting documents should be sent to:
The World Bank
Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
1818 H Street, NW – MSN J2-204
Washington, DC 20433
USA
Further Scholarship Information and Application
The application together with ALL supporting documentation must be received in the Scholarship Program Office by the deadline of March 31, 2010.
LINKS:
Application Guidelines
Preferred Universities in 2010-2011
How to Apply
PTDF Scholarship Exam Date fixed.
The Petroleum Trust Development FUnd application has come and gone.
A total of 10,100 people filled the online form while 700 bought the form offline. The application has been processed and a date has been fixed for the exam.
Date: 8th March 2010
Venue: In all states of the country (check your email).
For materials for revision, contact me on 08038590219 or email me at etukudoblogs@hotmail.co.uk for the PAST QUESTION PAPER.
Good luck.
A total of 10,100 people filled the online form while 700 bought the form offline. The application has been processed and a date has been fixed for the exam.
Date: 8th March 2010
Venue: In all states of the country (check your email).
For materials for revision, contact me on 08038590219 or email me at etukudoblogs@hotmail.co.uk for the PAST QUESTION PAPER.
Good luck.
MTN Nigeria Scholarship List Of Successful Candidates 2010/2011 Released.
MTN Foundation is pleased to announce the names of the successful candidates to receive the MTNF Science & Technology Scholarship award for 2010/2011 academic year.
The following Students will be awarded Scholarships of N200,000.00 (Two hundred thousand Naira) each to cover tuition and book allowances for one academic year.
Please click your region to view if you are one of the succesful candidates:
* Northen Region
* Western Region
* Eastern Region
Bursaries will be presented to successful candidates at different award ceremonies to be held at the following venues:
* Bridge Waters, Okpara Avenue, Enugu on Friday, 19th February, 2010 at 10am for outstanding students from higher institutions in the Eastern Region
* Ahmadu Bello University, Kontagora Square, Zaria on Monday, 22nd February, 2010 at 10am for outstanding students from higher institutions in the Northern Region
* University of Lagos, Multi-purpose Hall, Akoka on Wednesday, 24th February, 2010 at 10am for outstanding students from higher institutions in the Western Region
The scholarship award is subject to a final verification process. As such, candidates whose names appear above are advised to come to the venue with a valid student identity card, as well as another form of identification such as a valid Driver’s license/ National ID or International Passport.
Kindly be informed that invitation for the ceremony is extended to ONLY the successful candidate and his/her parent.
The following Students will be awarded Scholarships of N200,000.00 (Two hundred thousand Naira) each to cover tuition and book allowances for one academic year.
Please click your region to view if you are one of the succesful candidates:
* Northen Region
* Western Region
* Eastern Region
Bursaries will be presented to successful candidates at different award ceremonies to be held at the following venues:
* Bridge Waters, Okpara Avenue, Enugu on Friday, 19th February, 2010 at 10am for outstanding students from higher institutions in the Eastern Region
* Ahmadu Bello University, Kontagora Square, Zaria on Monday, 22nd February, 2010 at 10am for outstanding students from higher institutions in the Northern Region
* University of Lagos, Multi-purpose Hall, Akoka on Wednesday, 24th February, 2010 at 10am for outstanding students from higher institutions in the Western Region
The scholarship award is subject to a final verification process. As such, candidates whose names appear above are advised to come to the venue with a valid student identity card, as well as another form of identification such as a valid Driver’s license/ National ID or International Passport.
Kindly be informed that invitation for the ceremony is extended to ONLY the successful candidate and his/her parent.
UK EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAMME. New
Applications are invited for the following Scholarships for Nigerians available to individuals interested in studying in the United Kingdom.
Course includes:
1. Degree Foundation in Business, Accounting, IT or Computing.
Type of Scholarship: Full Scholarship.
2. Pre-Masters/Post –Graduate in Business.
Type of Scholarship: Full Scholarship.
3. BA (Hons) in Business or Accounting. Fee: 6,000 GBP
4. BSc in Computing. Fee: 4,000 GBP
5. *Masters in Business Administration, MBA. Fee: 2,500 GBP
6. Other Degrees and Masters. Fee: 1,500 – 4,500 GBP
For an Application form, email- info@cxiglobal.com or visit www.cxiglobal.com.
For further details, call 07025452835, +447709290997, 07026383126.
Courtesy of Career Excel UK, Lagos State, Nigeria.
*GreenScholarships highly recommend that Nigerians wishing to study for a Masters degree in any course in the UK should apply for the Commonwealth DFID Shared Scholarship to fund their studies.
Course includes:
1. Degree Foundation in Business, Accounting, IT or Computing.
Type of Scholarship: Full Scholarship.
2. Pre-Masters/Post –Graduate in Business.
Type of Scholarship: Full Scholarship.
3. BA (Hons) in Business or Accounting. Fee: 6,000 GBP
4. BSc in Computing. Fee: 4,000 GBP
5. *Masters in Business Administration, MBA. Fee: 2,500 GBP
6. Other Degrees and Masters. Fee: 1,500 – 4,500 GBP
For an Application form, email- info@cxiglobal.com or visit www.cxiglobal.com.
For further details, call 07025452835, +447709290997, 07026383126.
Courtesy of Career Excel UK, Lagos State, Nigeria.
*GreenScholarships highly recommend that Nigerians wishing to study for a Masters degree in any course in the UK should apply for the Commonwealth DFID Shared Scholarship to fund their studies.
UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS 2009/2010 ACADEMIC SESSION. Latest
UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS 2009/2010 ACADEMIC SESSION.
Introduction:
The above named Scholarship for Nigerians is in tune with her Human Resource Development Programme offering a number of University Scholarships Awards here in Nigerian universities funded by a group of Ikorodu Indigenes resident in the USA known as AKD USA, to qualified students in universities in Nigeria who are bonafide indigenes of Ikorodu municipality.
Conditions of Application:
• Applicant must be an indigene of Ikorodu.
• Applicant must be in his/her first year in the university.
• Applicant must be indigent.
• Applicant must be scholarly in character and learning.
The Scholarship:
• To cover Tuition, Books and incidental expenses.
• To cover the duration of any course in the sciences.
• Tenable only in Nigeria.
Mode of Application:
Interested applicants are required to apply in writing, stating clearly their credentials to:
The Board Secretary,
Ikorodu Division Human Resource Development Board,
Abel Abu Akinpelu Committee Room,
Ikorodu Town Hall Premises,
Olubi Street, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Deadline: 4 weeks from today.
RSVP: Chief Tele Oduloye, Board Secretary (08033009606)
Introduction:
The above named Scholarship for Nigerians is in tune with her Human Resource Development Programme offering a number of University Scholarships Awards here in Nigerian universities funded by a group of Ikorodu Indigenes resident in the USA known as AKD USA, to qualified students in universities in Nigeria who are bonafide indigenes of Ikorodu municipality.
Conditions of Application:
• Applicant must be an indigene of Ikorodu.
• Applicant must be in his/her first year in the university.
• Applicant must be indigent.
• Applicant must be scholarly in character and learning.
The Scholarship:
• To cover Tuition, Books and incidental expenses.
• To cover the duration of any course in the sciences.
• Tenable only in Nigeria.
Mode of Application:
Interested applicants are required to apply in writing, stating clearly their credentials to:
The Board Secretary,
Ikorodu Division Human Resource Development Board,
Abel Abu Akinpelu Committee Room,
Ikorodu Town Hall Premises,
Olubi Street, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Deadline: 4 weeks from today.
RSVP: Chief Tele Oduloye, Board Secretary (08033009606)
GANI FAWEHINMI 2010 ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS.
GANI FAWEHINMI 2010 ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS.
FOUR(4) MILLION NAIRA SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FORTY(40) STUDENTS.
Introduction:
Applications are invited for Chief Gani Fawehinmi Annual Scholarship for Nigerians Awards. The award is for 40 (forty) students, each of whom will receive One hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000.00) for their education.
Criteria for Award:
1. Applicant must be poor and indigent.
2. Applicant must be registered students of Tertiary institutions in Nigeria i.e Universities, Polytechnics and College of Education.
3. Applicants must have good academic performances.
Mode of Application:
• Each applicant shall submit an application letter, not more than two pages. The letter must include the name of the candidate, course of study, year of study, state of origin, and why the candidate believes that he/she should be given the scholarship award.
• The application letter must be accompanied by:
(a) A photocopy of the candidate’s current Identity card.
(b) A letter from the candidate’s current Head of Department, including correct information of the candidate’s CGPA for the last academic semester.
(c) A letter from the Registrar certifying that the candidate is a student of such institution.
(d) A copy of the candidates registration form for the current semester.
The application letter, with all the supporting documents, should be forwarded (by hand or by postal delivery) to:
CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI SCHOLARSHIP BOARD,
c/o Gani Fawehinmi Chambers,
35, Adeniran Ajao Road, Ajao Estate, Anthony Village, Lagos State.
Or
P.O. Box 1114, Surulere, Lagos State.
NB: Deadline for submission of application is Wednesday, March 31st, 2010.
Interview and Award Ceremony:
Interview: All applicants will be interviewed on Wednesday, April 20th, 2010 at Gani Fawehinmi Chambers,
35, Adeniran Ajao Road, Ajao Estate, Anthony Village, Lagos State.
Award Ceremony:
Successful candidates will be awarded the Scholarships on Thursday, April 21st, 2010 at same venue by 12:00 Noon.
Announcer: Chairman, Gani Fawehinmi Scholarship Board.
FOUR(4) MILLION NAIRA SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FORTY(40) STUDENTS.
Introduction:
Applications are invited for Chief Gani Fawehinmi Annual Scholarship for Nigerians Awards. The award is for 40 (forty) students, each of whom will receive One hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000.00) for their education.
Criteria for Award:
1. Applicant must be poor and indigent.
2. Applicant must be registered students of Tertiary institutions in Nigeria i.e Universities, Polytechnics and College of Education.
3. Applicants must have good academic performances.
Mode of Application:
• Each applicant shall submit an application letter, not more than two pages. The letter must include the name of the candidate, course of study, year of study, state of origin, and why the candidate believes that he/she should be given the scholarship award.
• The application letter must be accompanied by:
(a) A photocopy of the candidate’s current Identity card.
(b) A letter from the candidate’s current Head of Department, including correct information of the candidate’s CGPA for the last academic semester.
(c) A letter from the Registrar certifying that the candidate is a student of such institution.
(d) A copy of the candidates registration form for the current semester.
The application letter, with all the supporting documents, should be forwarded (by hand or by postal delivery) to:
CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI SCHOLARSHIP BOARD,
c/o Gani Fawehinmi Chambers,
35, Adeniran Ajao Road, Ajao Estate, Anthony Village, Lagos State.
Or
P.O. Box 1114, Surulere, Lagos State.
NB: Deadline for submission of application is Wednesday, March 31st, 2010.
Interview and Award Ceremony:
Interview: All applicants will be interviewed on Wednesday, April 20th, 2010 at Gani Fawehinmi Chambers,
35, Adeniran Ajao Road, Ajao Estate, Anthony Village, Lagos State.
Award Ceremony:
Successful candidates will be awarded the Scholarships on Thursday, April 21st, 2010 at same venue by 12:00 Noon.
Announcer: Chairman, Gani Fawehinmi Scholarship Board.
WELLSPRING UNIVERSITY is offering Admission. Hurry Now!
Wellspring is a private university promoted by Management Science Centre and approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria. It operates on Christian ethics and principles and is under the mentorship of the great University of Benin, as advised by the National University Commission.
Applications are invited from suitable qualified candidates for admission to the 100 level programme of the following courses:
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL & MANAGEMENT SCIENCES.
1. Economics
2. Mass Communication
3. Accounting
4. Finance and Banking
5. Business Administration
6. Marketing
7. Estate Management and Valuation
8. International Relations and Diplomacy
9. Industrial Relations and Personnel Management
COLLEGE OF SCIENCES.
1. Biology
2. Micro-biology
3. Chemistry
4. Biochemistry
5. Industrial Chemistry
6. Mathematics
7. Statistics
8. Management Sciences
9. Physics
10. ICT
11. Accounting and Computer Science.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS.
Five(5) credit passes in WASC, SSCE, GCE, NECO, NABTEB. Credit pass in English Language is compulsory in all courses. Mathematics is also compulsory in certain courses.
METHOD OF APPLICATION.
1. Pay N6,500 into FIRST BANK of NIGERIA Account No. 2352030010788 or ZENITH BANK of NIGERIA Account No. 6113705076 or FIDELITY BANK of NIGERIA Account No. 022401010003223.
2. Assess application form on the university homepage at www.wellspringuniversity.net
3. Alternatively, candidates can obtain forms directly from the campus or from any of our Lagos centres.
POST UME SCREENING.
Date: February 20, 2010.
Time: 9:00am prompt.
Screening Centres in Benin City, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Asaba.
For more details, call 07042683282, 08191189031.
*HOSTEL FACILITIES AVAILABLE ON THE CAMPUS.
Applications are invited from suitable qualified candidates for admission to the 100 level programme of the following courses:
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL & MANAGEMENT SCIENCES.
1. Economics
2. Mass Communication
3. Accounting
4. Finance and Banking
5. Business Administration
6. Marketing
7. Estate Management and Valuation
8. International Relations and Diplomacy
9. Industrial Relations and Personnel Management
COLLEGE OF SCIENCES.
1. Biology
2. Micro-biology
3. Chemistry
4. Biochemistry
5. Industrial Chemistry
6. Mathematics
7. Statistics
8. Management Sciences
9. Physics
10. ICT
11. Accounting and Computer Science.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS.
Five(5) credit passes in WASC, SSCE, GCE, NECO, NABTEB. Credit pass in English Language is compulsory in all courses. Mathematics is also compulsory in certain courses.
METHOD OF APPLICATION.
1. Pay N6,500 into FIRST BANK of NIGERIA Account No. 2352030010788 or ZENITH BANK of NIGERIA Account No. 6113705076 or FIDELITY BANK of NIGERIA Account No. 022401010003223.
2. Assess application form on the university homepage at www.wellspringuniversity.net
3. Alternatively, candidates can obtain forms directly from the campus or from any of our Lagos centres.
POST UME SCREENING.
Date: February 20, 2010.
Time: 9:00am prompt.
Screening Centres in Benin City, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Asaba.
For more details, call 07042683282, 08191189031.
*HOSTEL FACILITIES AVAILABLE ON THE CAMPUS.
Attack on the Global Educational sector.
Brutal attacks” on teachers and pupils are being used as a tactic of terror and political violence, says an international report.
A report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization warns of a”significant increase” in attacks on education.
These include assassinations and bomb attacks on staff and pupils in 31 countries around the world.
The report warns of the”degradation” of communities facing such atrocities.
”Education under Attack 2010”, a report from the United Nations agency published on Wednesday, reveals a pattern of systematic attacks on teachers, pupils, schools and universities.
Warning of a rise in attacks in the past three years, the report highlights teachers being murdered in Thailand, the destruction of schools in Afghanistan, sexual attacks on schoolgirls in the Democratic Republic of Congo and ”narco-guerrillas” trying to control schools in Brazil.
It identifies new trends, including ”the direct killing and mass poisoning of pupils in Afghanistan and the mass abduction of pupils for recruitment as suicide bombers in Pakistan”.
The report begins with a case study - describing the attack on a group of schoolgirls and their teachers in southern Afghanistan in 2008, in which assailants, opposed to the education of women, poured battery acid on the pupils‘faces.
Report author, Brendan O‘Malley, says attacks on staff and pupils are much more widespread than had been previously recognized.
”The sheer volume of attacks on education documented demonstrates that the demolition of schools and assassination of pupils and teachers is by no means limited to supporters of the Taliban fighting in the hills of Afghanistan.”
Attacks intensified dramatically in Pakistan, India, Thailand and Afghanistan, says the report.
And it identifies several different strands behind the increase in attacks on education.
Attacks on schools can be used by rebels as way of attacking the state - such as Maoist insurgents in India.
They can also have specific goals - such as in Afghanistan - where attacks oppose the education of women.
Schools and teachers can be attacked as symbolic targets in ethnic, religious or ideological conflicts, such as assaults by Islamist separatists in Thailand, the report says.
And the intimidation of academics can be a way of silencing political opponents and restricting human rights campaigns.
Schools can also be destroyed in military action - with widespread damage caused to education by conflicts in Georgia, Pakistan and Gaza.
There are”grave concerns” in the report over the abuse of teacher trade unionists in Colombia - where 90 teachers were murdered between 2006 and 2008.
From http://www.nigeriadailynews.com/
A report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization warns of a”significant increase” in attacks on education.
These include assassinations and bomb attacks on staff and pupils in 31 countries around the world.
The report warns of the”degradation” of communities facing such atrocities.
”Education under Attack 2010”, a report from the United Nations agency published on Wednesday, reveals a pattern of systematic attacks on teachers, pupils, schools and universities.
Warning of a rise in attacks in the past three years, the report highlights teachers being murdered in Thailand, the destruction of schools in Afghanistan, sexual attacks on schoolgirls in the Democratic Republic of Congo and ”narco-guerrillas” trying to control schools in Brazil.
It identifies new trends, including ”the direct killing and mass poisoning of pupils in Afghanistan and the mass abduction of pupils for recruitment as suicide bombers in Pakistan”.
The report begins with a case study - describing the attack on a group of schoolgirls and their teachers in southern Afghanistan in 2008, in which assailants, opposed to the education of women, poured battery acid on the pupils‘faces.
Report author, Brendan O‘Malley, says attacks on staff and pupils are much more widespread than had been previously recognized.
”The sheer volume of attacks on education documented demonstrates that the demolition of schools and assassination of pupils and teachers is by no means limited to supporters of the Taliban fighting in the hills of Afghanistan.”
Attacks intensified dramatically in Pakistan, India, Thailand and Afghanistan, says the report.
And it identifies several different strands behind the increase in attacks on education.
Attacks on schools can be used by rebels as way of attacking the state - such as Maoist insurgents in India.
They can also have specific goals - such as in Afghanistan - where attacks oppose the education of women.
Schools and teachers can be attacked as symbolic targets in ethnic, religious or ideological conflicts, such as assaults by Islamist separatists in Thailand, the report says.
And the intimidation of academics can be a way of silencing political opponents and restricting human rights campaigns.
Schools can also be destroyed in military action - with widespread damage caused to education by conflicts in Georgia, Pakistan and Gaza.
There are”grave concerns” in the report over the abuse of teacher trade unionists in Colombia - where 90 teachers were murdered between 2006 and 2008.
From http://www.nigeriadailynews.com/
Ebonyi State offers Orphans and others scholarships.
No less than 20 orphans and vulnerable children, OVC, were recently at Abakaliki Vistula Centre, presented with cash and other scholarship materials by the wife of Ebonyi State Governor on behalf of a non governmental organization, the Netherlands Holdings.
Six undergraduates received N20,000 each, wile 14 secondary school students were presented with school uniforms, bags, sandals, text books, desks and other educational materials.
Representative of the Netherlands Holdings, Emeka Ogazi stated that the organization had been to different prisons in Enugu and Ebonyi States for the same purpose of giving alms to the less privileged, adding that in 2009, 38 persons benefited from the organization’s charity.
Wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Josephine Elechi said she was delighted be part of efforts to assist indigent children through educational support, stressing that her pet project, the Mother and Child Initiative, MCCI, has been committed to ensuring the improvement in the living conditions of vulnerable children, who she said have no source of help in their quest for survival.
The Governor’s wife said that her organization conducted a survey of orphans and vulnerable children across the local government areas of the state, which she said led to the presentation of educational support to encourage them.
From GreenScholarships we say BRAVO!!!
Six undergraduates received N20,000 each, wile 14 secondary school students were presented with school uniforms, bags, sandals, text books, desks and other educational materials.
Representative of the Netherlands Holdings, Emeka Ogazi stated that the organization had been to different prisons in Enugu and Ebonyi States for the same purpose of giving alms to the less privileged, adding that in 2009, 38 persons benefited from the organization’s charity.
Wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Josephine Elechi said she was delighted be part of efforts to assist indigent children through educational support, stressing that her pet project, the Mother and Child Initiative, MCCI, has been committed to ensuring the improvement in the living conditions of vulnerable children, who she said have no source of help in their quest for survival.
The Governor’s wife said that her organization conducted a survey of orphans and vulnerable children across the local government areas of the state, which she said led to the presentation of educational support to encourage them.
From GreenScholarships we say BRAVO!!!
Report: More Nigerian undergraduates seek tertiary education abroad.
As evident in the turnout of the 7th Canadian Education Fair held in Lagos over the weekend, more Nigerians dissatisfied with the present level of tertiary education in the country continue to seek education in foreign institutions.
At the Fair, held at the Lagoon Restaurant in Victoria Island, Lagos, Josiah Osagie, an SS3 student of White Sands School, Lekki, said studying in Nigerian universities is equivalent to redundancy in character and learning; thus, his desire to study Medicine in Canada, where he believes his opportunities are limitless.
“In Nigeria, the environment is not conducive. There are constant strikes, the teaching standards are unacceptable, nothing gets done! This country does not provide the opportunities I seek to make a positive difference in my life. So I have to help myself,” expressed Master Osagie.
Sharing the same view, Linda Ogazi, an SS1 student of Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, along with other students from over 17 secondary schools from Lagos State, said the Nigerian government has failed to encourage Nigerians to make them want to study in Nigeria.
“Canada’s education standard is higher. Their institutions are better funded, they have better equipment. You can even study and work while in Canada. But here, even if you get into school, there are no jobs,” said 14-year-old Miss Ogazi.
For Alan Kachi, a 16-year-old SS2 student of St. Gregory’s College, Ikoyi, who wants to be a petrochemical engineer, studying anywhere from Nigeria is a guarantee against harassment from cultists and victimisation from teachers.
Commenting, the director of Sharon Consultants Ltd., based in Canada and Nigeria, Bolajoko Adejobi, who, representing several Canadian institutions, helps international students with their admissions and visa packaging, said there has been an increase of Nigerians seeking to study in Canada.
“International admission seekers are increasing. At the Fair in Abuja, we had more post-secondary school leavers. But here in Lagos, we have seen more graduates seeking to study in Canada. And this is because Nigerian institutions are not internationally accredited,” Mrs. Adejobi said.
The Canadian Deputy High Commission’s Second Secretary working in the immigration sector, Mary Macleod, explained that though the Canadian government is receptive to international students, all immigrants must fulfil three mandatory visa requirements.
“You must prove you are going for the reason stated. You must have the money to do what you say you are going to do and that you will return afterwards to your country. And you must prove you are not inadmissible. It is on you to show these to us and not for us to find out,” Mrs. Macleod said.
She said applicants or their sponsors should present original bank statements from specific banks, showing that in the last six months, the required funds to cater for the period of the applicant’s stay in Canada are present. She also said for applicants with multiple sponsors, credible proof of each sponsor’s capacity and dedication to the applicant must be provided.
Stating that even with a visa, a permit must still be obtained before entering Canada, Mrs. Macleod said mature students, who have been out of school for a few years but now want to further their education, should provide evidence they have been building towards returning to school.
“Mature students have more to overcome in area of proof than a fresh school leaver. They can apply but they should have evidence that during their time out of school, they have been working, obtained Internet credits or did some certification programmes from reputable schools,” Mrs. Macleod added.
Confirming the disadvantage for mature students, Leo Barsony, the International Education Co-ordinator for Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario, Canada, said even when Canadian schools give letters of acceptance, applicants aged between 17-25 years stand better chances of being given visas.
“I have been doing this for 30 years and I don’t know how immigration works because I’ll send them two exact files but of different people and they’ll accept one but refuse the other. A person’s age is not a hindrance to schools but for immigration, it is,” said Mr. Barsony.
At the Fair, held at the Lagoon Restaurant in Victoria Island, Lagos, Josiah Osagie, an SS3 student of White Sands School, Lekki, said studying in Nigerian universities is equivalent to redundancy in character and learning; thus, his desire to study Medicine in Canada, where he believes his opportunities are limitless.
“In Nigeria, the environment is not conducive. There are constant strikes, the teaching standards are unacceptable, nothing gets done! This country does not provide the opportunities I seek to make a positive difference in my life. So I have to help myself,” expressed Master Osagie.
Sharing the same view, Linda Ogazi, an SS1 student of Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, along with other students from over 17 secondary schools from Lagos State, said the Nigerian government has failed to encourage Nigerians to make them want to study in Nigeria.
“Canada’s education standard is higher. Their institutions are better funded, they have better equipment. You can even study and work while in Canada. But here, even if you get into school, there are no jobs,” said 14-year-old Miss Ogazi.
For Alan Kachi, a 16-year-old SS2 student of St. Gregory’s College, Ikoyi, who wants to be a petrochemical engineer, studying anywhere from Nigeria is a guarantee against harassment from cultists and victimisation from teachers.
Commenting, the director of Sharon Consultants Ltd., based in Canada and Nigeria, Bolajoko Adejobi, who, representing several Canadian institutions, helps international students with their admissions and visa packaging, said there has been an increase of Nigerians seeking to study in Canada.
“International admission seekers are increasing. At the Fair in Abuja, we had more post-secondary school leavers. But here in Lagos, we have seen more graduates seeking to study in Canada. And this is because Nigerian institutions are not internationally accredited,” Mrs. Adejobi said.
The Canadian Deputy High Commission’s Second Secretary working in the immigration sector, Mary Macleod, explained that though the Canadian government is receptive to international students, all immigrants must fulfil three mandatory visa requirements.
“You must prove you are going for the reason stated. You must have the money to do what you say you are going to do and that you will return afterwards to your country. And you must prove you are not inadmissible. It is on you to show these to us and not for us to find out,” Mrs. Macleod said.
She said applicants or their sponsors should present original bank statements from specific banks, showing that in the last six months, the required funds to cater for the period of the applicant’s stay in Canada are present. She also said for applicants with multiple sponsors, credible proof of each sponsor’s capacity and dedication to the applicant must be provided.
Stating that even with a visa, a permit must still be obtained before entering Canada, Mrs. Macleod said mature students, who have been out of school for a few years but now want to further their education, should provide evidence they have been building towards returning to school.
“Mature students have more to overcome in area of proof than a fresh school leaver. They can apply but they should have evidence that during their time out of school, they have been working, obtained Internet credits or did some certification programmes from reputable schools,” Mrs. Macleod added.
Confirming the disadvantage for mature students, Leo Barsony, the International Education Co-ordinator for Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario, Canada, said even when Canadian schools give letters of acceptance, applicants aged between 17-25 years stand better chances of being given visas.
“I have been doing this for 30 years and I don’t know how immigration works because I’ll send them two exact files but of different people and they’ll accept one but refuse the other. A person’s age is not a hindrance to schools but for immigration, it is,” said Mr. Barsony.
NEVER PAIRED AT VAL!
It’s the day after the all anticipated St Valentines day and I am sure so glad for all lovers or friends out there who are privileged and fortunate to have someone special to have shared the day with.
If anyone told me one week ago that I would be all by myself on Valentines day, I would simply laugh the person off. But luckily enough I wasn’t only alone, I was sober.
You know one thing I got to realise about love over the week? Love hurts! Yes it does, it hurts in a scintillating and complicated way and it can make you do things or feel things you never envisaged you would ever do; not even in your wildest dreams.
Anyways, I know I am supposed to be in the love celebrating mood but I am not and I guess am not the only one in this boat. Don’t fret! Life can still be fun when you are alone if you don’t remain alone in your room like I had wanted to do earlier acting gloomy and low. I went to church after which I took sometime to play some good music. After a while chose to go Gaming-yes- my PlayStation2 really kept me going till later in the evening when I went to see my lovely aunty, Mrs Iquo Udo, to ask for a place in her bank for the next four months while I await my NYSC posting. Guess what-She is thinking of taking me in. Later that evening I had a self evaluation time out while doing some retrospective thinking.
You feel like you were with em?
Common now.
But trust me I came up that by this time next year, not only will I be in love, I would have the pretty damsel crazily all over me blessing the day we met while finding rest and contentment in me.
Oh! Almost forgot. We talked today and she has her mind made up so......
I'll move ON.
If anyone told me one week ago that I would be all by myself on Valentines day, I would simply laugh the person off. But luckily enough I wasn’t only alone, I was sober.
You know one thing I got to realise about love over the week? Love hurts! Yes it does, it hurts in a scintillating and complicated way and it can make you do things or feel things you never envisaged you would ever do; not even in your wildest dreams.
Anyways, I know I am supposed to be in the love celebrating mood but I am not and I guess am not the only one in this boat. Don’t fret! Life can still be fun when you are alone if you don’t remain alone in your room like I had wanted to do earlier acting gloomy and low. I went to church after which I took sometime to play some good music. After a while chose to go Gaming-yes- my PlayStation2 really kept me going till later in the evening when I went to see my lovely aunty, Mrs Iquo Udo, to ask for a place in her bank for the next four months while I await my NYSC posting. Guess what-She is thinking of taking me in. Later that evening I had a self evaluation time out while doing some retrospective thinking.
You feel like you were with em?
Common now.
But trust me I came up that by this time next year, not only will I be in love, I would have the pretty damsel crazily all over me blessing the day we met while finding rest and contentment in me.
Oh! Almost forgot. We talked today and she has her mind made up so......
I'll move ON.
University Don laments neglect of technical and vocational education in Nigeria.
The head of the Department of Technical Education at the Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr. Mohammed Aliyu, said on Monday that the deliberate neglect of technical and vocational education in the country could affect the country’s march towards technological advancement.
Aliyu stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital at the opening of a five-day Capacity Building Workshop for Technical and Vocational Education Teachers on Pedagogical Skills.
The programme was organised by the Africa Development Fund-Assisted Skills Training and Vocational Education Project in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education.
The workshop, according to the ADF-Assisted Project Coordinator, Dr. Ebele Nwofor, is meant to build the capacity of technical and vocational teachers.
Nwafor also said that it was only when the teachers’ capacity were enhanced through proper training that they could pass on necessary knowledge to their students.
Aliyu enumerated the various challenges confronting technical and vocational education in the country to include lack of adequate infrastructure, lack of competent personnel and inadequate technical institutions.
He said the number of technical-based colleges was still very negligible when compared to the high number of secondary schools in the country.
He noted with concern that the government and the stakeholders were still not serious with the need to establish more technical colleges.
He highlighted the importance of technical education system in a nation and noted that no country could survive without paying serious attention to technical and vocational education.
He said, ‘‘If you look at the way things are, how many technical colleges do we have in Nigeria. How many secondary schools do we have? Can you give me the comparison?
“This is to tell you how the government and the stakeholders are still not aware of the need to establish more technical colleges,” he said.
However, Aliyu said the National Board for Technical Education and other stakeholders had been trying to reposition, hence the intervention of agencies like the ADF-Assisted Project.
Nwofor, in her speech, said the project which covered 10 schools was being sponsored by the African Development Bank in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education. The Federal Government pays 11 per cent counterpart fund while ADB provides the rest.
She said under the project, six selected teachers from each of the schools participated in train the trainers workshop, saying the Northern edition was held last month while the Akure’s edition was for the three remaining schools.
The participants were drawn from the Federal Science and Technical Colleges in Ikare Akoko, Ondo State; Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and Ohanzu, Abia State.
Aliyu stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital at the opening of a five-day Capacity Building Workshop for Technical and Vocational Education Teachers on Pedagogical Skills.
The programme was organised by the Africa Development Fund-Assisted Skills Training and Vocational Education Project in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education.
The workshop, according to the ADF-Assisted Project Coordinator, Dr. Ebele Nwofor, is meant to build the capacity of technical and vocational teachers.
Nwafor also said that it was only when the teachers’ capacity were enhanced through proper training that they could pass on necessary knowledge to their students.
Aliyu enumerated the various challenges confronting technical and vocational education in the country to include lack of adequate infrastructure, lack of competent personnel and inadequate technical institutions.
He said the number of technical-based colleges was still very negligible when compared to the high number of secondary schools in the country.
He noted with concern that the government and the stakeholders were still not serious with the need to establish more technical colleges.
He highlighted the importance of technical education system in a nation and noted that no country could survive without paying serious attention to technical and vocational education.
He said, ‘‘If you look at the way things are, how many technical colleges do we have in Nigeria. How many secondary schools do we have? Can you give me the comparison?
“This is to tell you how the government and the stakeholders are still not aware of the need to establish more technical colleges,” he said.
However, Aliyu said the National Board for Technical Education and other stakeholders had been trying to reposition, hence the intervention of agencies like the ADF-Assisted Project.
Nwofor, in her speech, said the project which covered 10 schools was being sponsored by the African Development Bank in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education. The Federal Government pays 11 per cent counterpart fund while ADB provides the rest.
She said under the project, six selected teachers from each of the schools participated in train the trainers workshop, saying the Northern edition was held last month while the Akure’s edition was for the three remaining schools.
The participants were drawn from the Federal Science and Technical Colleges in Ikare Akoko, Ondo State; Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and Ohanzu, Abia State.
Cowbell Mathematics Competition 2010 holds on February 13.
At the mention of the word, mathematics, people get jittery and the tendency is to avoid the subject. And those who are brave enough to embrace it, see the course as a means to certain professional discipline. But incidentally, the application of mathematics goes beyond academics and schooling.
Living is all about calculations. On daily basis, man is unconsciously adding, subtracting and rationalizing in the pursuit of his regular economic activities and survival. Unknown to many of us, mathematics has become a parameter to stimulating logic in decision-making and generating ideas.
Promasidor Nigeria Limited has brought mathematics to the fore. The milk and seasoning company introduced Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) in 1998, thus re-igniting the interest of secondary school students and their schools in the subject once again.
Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition was first held in the Lagos metropolis. By the year 1999, the scope had expanded to include Anambra, Kaduna and Plateau states. Oyo and Imo were included in 2000.
By the fourth edition, the competition had gone national covering the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
Addressing journalists recently at the press briefing of the 2010 Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition, the Managing Director of Promasidor Limited, Chief Keith Richards, said the main objectives of the competition is to awaken the consciousness and interest in mathematics among students and generally improve performance in the subject.
He stated further, “We want to redress the myth that mathematics is a very difficult and impossible subject to pass. Through this competition, we want to create a credible platform for identifying outstanding students and encouraging recognition of exceptional ability.”
The competition which is of junior and senior categories will be held in two stages. The first stage is the state level. It’s scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 13, 2010, in 130 centers across the 36 states and the federal capital.
The three top best students in both categories of the first stage examination in each state will be presented cash awards of N20,000, N15,000 and N10,000 respectively while the mathematics teacher of the first prize winner in each state for both the senior and junior categories will smile home with the sum of N15,000.
The best student in each category from each state and the federal capital (74 students in all) will participate in the second and final stage examination to be held in Lagos on Saturday, April 17, 2010.
“All expenses of these students accompanied by their mathematics teachers will be paid by the company”, said Richards.
According to the Managing Director, the best 10 students from each category at the second stage examination will be celebrated as Cowbell Milk’s Mathematicians in the presence of all stakeholders including the Honourable Minister of Education at the final prize-giving Award ceremony that is scheduled to hold at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday, May 13, 2010.
The Chief Executive revealed that that the star prize winners of both categories will be presented N130,000, a trophy and a medal each, while the second and third place winners will attract cash awards of a N100,000 and N75,000 respectively in addition to a plaque and medal.
“Each mathematics teacher of the winning candidates will clinch the sum of N20, 000. The schools of these three top students also have their prizes. All the schools of the top three winners will be presented mathematics textbooks, metal sign post and plaque. But the schools of the star prize winners will have classroom tables and chair,” he added.
Richards further noted that Cowbell Milk would continue to support the National Mathematics Centre and would be sponsoring the best two candidates in the senior category of Cowbell NASSMAC 2009 edition, Onuegbu Tobechukwu C and Arene Chukwuemeka to this year’s Pan Africa Mathematics Olympiad.
Living is all about calculations. On daily basis, man is unconsciously adding, subtracting and rationalizing in the pursuit of his regular economic activities and survival. Unknown to many of us, mathematics has become a parameter to stimulating logic in decision-making and generating ideas.
Promasidor Nigeria Limited has brought mathematics to the fore. The milk and seasoning company introduced Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) in 1998, thus re-igniting the interest of secondary school students and their schools in the subject once again.
Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition was first held in the Lagos metropolis. By the year 1999, the scope had expanded to include Anambra, Kaduna and Plateau states. Oyo and Imo were included in 2000.
By the fourth edition, the competition had gone national covering the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
Addressing journalists recently at the press briefing of the 2010 Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition, the Managing Director of Promasidor Limited, Chief Keith Richards, said the main objectives of the competition is to awaken the consciousness and interest in mathematics among students and generally improve performance in the subject.
He stated further, “We want to redress the myth that mathematics is a very difficult and impossible subject to pass. Through this competition, we want to create a credible platform for identifying outstanding students and encouraging recognition of exceptional ability.”
The competition which is of junior and senior categories will be held in two stages. The first stage is the state level. It’s scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 13, 2010, in 130 centers across the 36 states and the federal capital.
The three top best students in both categories of the first stage examination in each state will be presented cash awards of N20,000, N15,000 and N10,000 respectively while the mathematics teacher of the first prize winner in each state for both the senior and junior categories will smile home with the sum of N15,000.
The best student in each category from each state and the federal capital (74 students in all) will participate in the second and final stage examination to be held in Lagos on Saturday, April 17, 2010.
“All expenses of these students accompanied by their mathematics teachers will be paid by the company”, said Richards.
According to the Managing Director, the best 10 students from each category at the second stage examination will be celebrated as Cowbell Milk’s Mathematicians in the presence of all stakeholders including the Honourable Minister of Education at the final prize-giving Award ceremony that is scheduled to hold at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday, May 13, 2010.
The Chief Executive revealed that that the star prize winners of both categories will be presented N130,000, a trophy and a medal each, while the second and third place winners will attract cash awards of a N100,000 and N75,000 respectively in addition to a plaque and medal.
“Each mathematics teacher of the winning candidates will clinch the sum of N20, 000. The schools of these three top students also have their prizes. All the schools of the top three winners will be presented mathematics textbooks, metal sign post and plaque. But the schools of the star prize winners will have classroom tables and chair,” he added.
Richards further noted that Cowbell Milk would continue to support the National Mathematics Centre and would be sponsoring the best two candidates in the senior category of Cowbell NASSMAC 2009 edition, Onuegbu Tobechukwu C and Arene Chukwuemeka to this year’s Pan Africa Mathematics Olympiad.
EBSU students furious over increased fees.
Irate students of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki took to the streets recently to protest the increase in tuition and other fees by the institution, even as non-indigenous students decried the discriminatory fee regime announced by the institution.
Numbering close to 2000, the students marched from the Ishieke campus of the multi-campus institution chanting war songs and ransacking vehicles in search of their colleagues who were fleeing from the charged atmosphere.
Though the protest was relatively peaceful, the protesters went through the three campuses, brandishing placards, some of which bore inscriptions: "We say no to marginalization", "We are all South Easterners and Nigerians", "Ebonyi indigenes are not discriminated against in other schools," among other unprintable allegations against the school authorities.
It would be recalled that Ebonyi State University recently unfolded a fee regime that showed an upward review of all the fees payable in the institution and an adjustment of fees payable by students from other states that showed a wide disparity.
Under the new fee regime for instance, school fees for the indigenes were pegged at N57, 000.00 per session while the students from other states are to cough out N100, 000; for Medical Sciences and Surgery under concessional arrangement the indigenes are to pay N500, 000 while others are to pay N800, 000.00.
The students protested against the development, saying that admissions were skewed in such a way that those admitted on merit were too few so that a greater number had to struggle for the overpriced special admission called concessional admission.
The protesters also revealed that the hike in fees was also followed up with astronomic increase in the rent payable for private hostel accommodation for non-indigenes since the school has few hostel facilities for students.
Leadership of the students union said though they were in solidarity with the protesters, they had to prepare for their examinations so as not to prolong their graduation schedule.
None of the officials of the institution could be reached for comments as the security officers locked the entrance to the CAS campus where the offices of the principal officers are situated even as police men massed around the gate to preempt a breach of the law.
However, the Special Assistant to Governor Martin Elechi on Higher Education, Mr Mike Otuma, told newsmen that the discriminatory fee system had to be devised as according to him the state government was eager to address the issue educational backwardness by looking inwards emphasizing that the institution was created for that purpose.
He added: "As the federal government does not want to assist us much in turning around our educational tide, we want to create avenues where our people would avail themselves of educational opportunities provided by the government. We expect that the students should not had taken their grievance to that level because the increase affected all categories of students as it is clear to all that government need funds to provide adequate facilities to enhance learning in schools".
"To show its magnanimity towards their plight, the government after due consultation with the school authorities, students union government and other relevant stakeholders, reduced the hike by 10 per cent," he stated adding that the government was ready to listen to the complaints of the students at all time provided they present them appropriately.
One may ask, Why the eatern part of Nigeria?
Numbering close to 2000, the students marched from the Ishieke campus of the multi-campus institution chanting war songs and ransacking vehicles in search of their colleagues who were fleeing from the charged atmosphere.
Though the protest was relatively peaceful, the protesters went through the three campuses, brandishing placards, some of which bore inscriptions: "We say no to marginalization", "We are all South Easterners and Nigerians", "Ebonyi indigenes are not discriminated against in other schools," among other unprintable allegations against the school authorities.
It would be recalled that Ebonyi State University recently unfolded a fee regime that showed an upward review of all the fees payable in the institution and an adjustment of fees payable by students from other states that showed a wide disparity.
Under the new fee regime for instance, school fees for the indigenes were pegged at N57, 000.00 per session while the students from other states are to cough out N100, 000; for Medical Sciences and Surgery under concessional arrangement the indigenes are to pay N500, 000 while others are to pay N800, 000.00.
The students protested against the development, saying that admissions were skewed in such a way that those admitted on merit were too few so that a greater number had to struggle for the overpriced special admission called concessional admission.
The protesters also revealed that the hike in fees was also followed up with astronomic increase in the rent payable for private hostel accommodation for non-indigenes since the school has few hostel facilities for students.
Leadership of the students union said though they were in solidarity with the protesters, they had to prepare for their examinations so as not to prolong their graduation schedule.
None of the officials of the institution could be reached for comments as the security officers locked the entrance to the CAS campus where the offices of the principal officers are situated even as police men massed around the gate to preempt a breach of the law.
However, the Special Assistant to Governor Martin Elechi on Higher Education, Mr Mike Otuma, told newsmen that the discriminatory fee system had to be devised as according to him the state government was eager to address the issue educational backwardness by looking inwards emphasizing that the institution was created for that purpose.
He added: "As the federal government does not want to assist us much in turning around our educational tide, we want to create avenues where our people would avail themselves of educational opportunities provided by the government. We expect that the students should not had taken their grievance to that level because the increase affected all categories of students as it is clear to all that government need funds to provide adequate facilities to enhance learning in schools".
"To show its magnanimity towards their plight, the government after due consultation with the school authorities, students union government and other relevant stakeholders, reduced the hike by 10 per cent," he stated adding that the government was ready to listen to the complaints of the students at all time provided they present them appropriately.
One may ask, Why the eatern part of Nigeria?
Why education in Canada is attractive, by Gauthier
Parents and their wards that are interested in tertiary education outside Nigeria would have a wide variety to choose from, at the Canadian Education Fair, which begins at the Lagoon Restaurant, Lagos tomorrow. The Abuja version took place yesterday.
According to the Deputy Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. Jean Gauthier, about 30 Canadian institutions and agencies, including Universities, Colleges and secondary schools will be at the fair to share information about their capabilities and programmes available for Nigerian students.
Enthusiastic but cautious parents, who need a great deal of compelling evidence on why they need to send their wards to Canada for academic studies, would be well received at the fair by representatives of the various Canadian institutions who will be waiting to unveil the various advantages, Guathier affirmed at a briefing in Lagos last week.
Besides, representatives of the Canadian High Commission will also be present to explain the Study Permits and Visa processes. Some Nigerian banks will showcase products available to international students.
One of the most compelling attractions for opting to study in Canada is the low cost of tertiary education, when compared to other countries. According to information provided by the High Commission, a prospective candidate who wants to study Medicine in Canada would need about US $20, 775 for tuition yearly, rather than $28, 985 needed for tuition the same course per year in the United Kingdom (UK), or $ 26, 814 in the United States. For undergraduate studies in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), a student opting for Canada would need to pay $10, 431 tuition fee yearly, whereas, he could be required to pay $18, 301 in the UK or $27, 445 in the USA for the same programme.
Gauthier also explained other advantages of studying in Canada: safe, secure environment; cutting edge technology and research laboratories; opportunities for cooperative education and internships, work on and off campus; practical programmes designed with employers, which, in the end, could offer work placements too.
The Commission's Media Consultant, Mr. Ogie Eboigbe also listed several advantages that come with studying in Canada. Apart from the comparatively cheaper tuition, Eboigbe pointed to the cultural diversity of Canada, and the high number of Nigerians living there, which combine to make Canada's atmosphere homely.
Canada is the second largest country in the world, has 33 million people in three territories and 10 provinces, with a stable parliamentary democracy. It spends more per capita on its education system than any other industrialized country.
According to the Deputy Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. Jean Gauthier, about 30 Canadian institutions and agencies, including Universities, Colleges and secondary schools will be at the fair to share information about their capabilities and programmes available for Nigerian students.
Enthusiastic but cautious parents, who need a great deal of compelling evidence on why they need to send their wards to Canada for academic studies, would be well received at the fair by representatives of the various Canadian institutions who will be waiting to unveil the various advantages, Guathier affirmed at a briefing in Lagos last week.
Besides, representatives of the Canadian High Commission will also be present to explain the Study Permits and Visa processes. Some Nigerian banks will showcase products available to international students.
One of the most compelling attractions for opting to study in Canada is the low cost of tertiary education, when compared to other countries. According to information provided by the High Commission, a prospective candidate who wants to study Medicine in Canada would need about US $20, 775 for tuition yearly, rather than $28, 985 needed for tuition the same course per year in the United Kingdom (UK), or $ 26, 814 in the United States. For undergraduate studies in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), a student opting for Canada would need to pay $10, 431 tuition fee yearly, whereas, he could be required to pay $18, 301 in the UK or $27, 445 in the USA for the same programme.
Gauthier also explained other advantages of studying in Canada: safe, secure environment; cutting edge technology and research laboratories; opportunities for cooperative education and internships, work on and off campus; practical programmes designed with employers, which, in the end, could offer work placements too.
The Commission's Media Consultant, Mr. Ogie Eboigbe also listed several advantages that come with studying in Canada. Apart from the comparatively cheaper tuition, Eboigbe pointed to the cultural diversity of Canada, and the high number of Nigerians living there, which combine to make Canada's atmosphere homely.
Canada is the second largest country in the world, has 33 million people in three territories and 10 provinces, with a stable parliamentary democracy. It spends more per capita on its education system than any other industrialized country.
Kaduna's free education policy has been successful.
Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Bashir Balarabe, recently spoke extensively to SAXONE AKHAINE on the state government's efforts to improve the quality of its primary education sub-sector. Excerpts:
How has the implementation of government's free and compulsory primary education programme fared in the state since it was introduced and what has been the response from parents?
The programme has fared very well because it is really free and no charges are made except for certain levies, which are some form of arrangement between the teachers and the parents. That has nothing to do with the government or any authority. That levy is allowed simply because no allowance is given to the headmaster as running cost and there could be some needs.
If you have about 1,000 or 2,000 pupils in a school, you definitely need some amount of money because a child can fall sick and you need panda and you have to buy it. You don't expect the teacher to use his money or salary to provide for the child. The same applies to sporting apparatus. We need them because we need to encourage the children to exercise their bodies. Therefore, some of these sporting materials have to be provided in the school and we do not expect the teacher to use his money to do that.
Any minor financial requirement has to be settled by the school authority, not by the teacher and that is why we allow this PTA levy to exist. Even at that, under no circumstance should a child be sent out of school for non-payment of that levy. His Excellency has made that very clear and that is an order. Anybody that involves himself in any illegal collection will be dealt with.
The response from the parents is really very encouraging. New schools are being established across the state; more classes are being constructed and teachers are being recruited to ensure that everybody has access to the basic education programme.
The Kaduna State Government votes 27 per cent of its budget for the education sub-sector. How has this impacted on your activities?
It has impacted very positively on education delivery in the state because without this enhanced budgetary allocation, the state would not have been in a position to repair the number of classes that have been repaired at the moment or establish the number of schools that has been established, or increase the number of classes.
That has also made it possible for us to introduce instructional materials and uniforms, which were not being supplied before. All these are the benefits of the enhanced budgetary allocation that the state government has provided. It has also made it possible for the state government to establish a boarding school for the almajirai. This is very important because the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme aims at ensuring that each school age child gets access to basic education.
The number of the almajirai is very large. About one quarter of the total population of our children in Kaduna State is almajirai that are roaming the streets. They may not be our children. They may be children from other states because Kaduna is very central place as the capital of the north. You find many of them coming from other states to settle here. The name of the school is By Lingual Boarding primary school for Almajirai.
So, if a large segment of the children we have in the society are not actually captured in the UBE scheme, then it is not achieving the desired result. It has to be at least 90 per cent to achieve its aim. So, if that chunk of children are out of the UBE programme, then something is wrong. That is why the government is establishing the boarding primary school in order to capture the almajirai.
They will learn the Islamic or Qur'an recitation and also the western education because teachers will be provided. In addition to that, we have Qur'anic schools in various villages and towns and have isolated about 40 of them for the pilot basis and we are planning to send teachers that will teach them western education and some important skills.
They will read their Qur'an and benefit from western education. By so doing, their normal learning is not affected because there will be an arrangement between the teachers and the local government education authority on when western education should be taught and when the Qur'anic education should be taught. We hope that as time goes on, we will capture more of them. The initial figure for the take-off of the boarding primary school is 1,500 and we are starting from primary one.
Apart from the almajirai, there are other child-beggars on the streets...
You are right. This one is now on a pilot basis and gradually, it will be extended to other local government areas. But for the one that is being established now, there is the intention to establish one in each of the senatorial zones.
But this issue must have a regional approach to the solution. If Kaduna State is providing this kind of facilities, what about Katsina? Almajirai from Katsina will be flowing in here, those from Kano will also be coming in and as time goes on, the Kaduna State Government will find it difficult to accommodate them.
So, there is the regional approach that is in the pipeline and everybody will emulate what Kaduna State is doing in order to achieve what we call the basic education programme.
Still on the Almajirai school, in view of the recent Boko Haram crisis, how will you ensure that children are not taught negative tendencies?
We have arranged seminars and workshops for the teachers across the state. This issue has been raised and discussed and they have been warned to desist from any negative tendencies and they are abiding by that. We do not actually allow them to participate in the programme if we feel that their character is questionable.
Do you have a particular curriculum that guides the almajirai schools?
We are using the primary school curriculum for them. I am sure that the brilliant ones will proceed to junior secondary schools as well to the university, because the teaching is going to be comprehensive. In any case, I want to say that it is a blessing for us to introduce western education into the almajirai system, because the teacher that will be teaching them western education in those schools will be in a position to assess what is happening and report. He will be in a position to give them what we call 'special guidance' on what they should do and what they should not do.
Again, we have the Bureau for Religious Affairs and they are involved in the process as far as the learning of the almajirai is concerned. Within the board, we have people who are very vast in Islamic education. If they visit these schools and find out that negative teaching is going on, they will warn the teachers and the authority to actually deal with the situation.
Is the board also in charge of teacher's welfare? What packages have you introduced to motivate teachers in the state?
Teachers' welfare is an issue that is being addressed by the state government as well as the local government. However, what I have not told you is the houses that are going to be provided for the teachers. There is that intention to provide some houses for the teachers in the rural areas because the teachers stay in the urban areas and walk to the schools every morning. That has very negative effect on the teaching and learning of the schools.
If these houses are built, the teachers will stay there and there will be interaction between them and the parents as well as the students so that teaching and learning can actually improve. There is also the End Well scheme. It is a scheme in which every teacher contributes at least N500 monthly from his salary.
That will accumulate till his retirement, when he is expected to collect whatever he has contributed plus 60 per cent interest. No bank will ever give you 60 per cent interest for money you kept with it. It is very encouraging because by the time you retire, you have something to fall back on rather than waiting for your gratuity, which takes sometime to come. Immediately you retire, you get your money within 24 hours.
What are the major challenges you face?
There are a number of challenges. But the major ones have to do with the issue of dilapidated structures that this administration inherited. The structures were in very bad shape and were not conducive for quality learning to take place. We also have the problem of congestion as you find about 60 pupils in a class in some schools and sometimes, you find up to 80 in a class. In that situation, the environment is not friendly for both the teachers and the pupils. No effective teaching and learning can actually take place in that kind of environment.
We also have the problem of teachers because we have very limited number of trained teachers in our schools. The National Certificate of Education (NCE) is supposed to be the minimum qualification for teachers in our primary schools and without qualified teachers in the school, certainly, the quality of teaching and learning will be very low and this has been something of great concern to the society.
There is also the problem of the morale of teachers, which is not very positive. Their pay package was not enhanced and they have been struggling for the payment of the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS), which the federal government actually promised and that was a very serious challenge on our part because we realised that if the morale is low, the output will be low.
Then, we also had the challenge of improving the teaching and learning environment because we require institutional materials since without the instructional materials, the teachers cannot teach very well and the learner cannot learn very well. So, the situation becomes very difficult for both parties. Instructional materials are very vital. A student will have to look at it, read it and understand it. But because of the absence of these instructional materials, the achievement in terms of learning was very low and not very encouraging.
There is also the problem of uniforms. In view of the socio-economic situation of some parents, which is not encouraging, don't send their children to school. Even when they are sent, some of the children feel unfriendly and uneasy seeing their friends with good uniforms while they don't have good ones. Because of this, they cannot pay attention to what they are taught. These are some of the very serious challenges, but the state government is really addressing them.
In terms of addressing these challenges, when the present administration came into office, he (governor) directed that there should be a survey of all our primary schools and even the secondary schools. This is to know how dilapidated they are and what is actually needed for them to be improved and the number of classes required by the schools. This was actually carried out and the report is being followed religiously by His Excellency, and a number of schools have been established while a number of classes have been constructed.
In the same vein, a number of dilapidated structures are being rehabilitated. So, the congestion has been reduced. More importantly, the congestion is being addressed by the action already taken by the state government to build more classes. Right now, we don't have any problem of congestion in our state. In any case, the issue of congestion was only in the urban areas and not in the rural areas.
When we talk about teacher, His Excellency was the chairman of committee set up by the federal government to look into the implementation of the TSS. He was able to come up with a report of at least an additional 27.5 per cent increase on teacher's salary. That has been approved and is being implemented. Very few states have actually implemented that salary structure and Kaduna State is one of the few states that have implemented this and even the arrears have being settled by the government.
We have cases of omission and even those ones are being addressed. As for instructional materials, this is very important and His Excellency has provided adequate funds for that purpose and right now, there is a programme which we call free textbooks and instructional materials. Those textbooks are free and no parent is expected to pay anything for that.
With that, the quality of teachers has to be improved and the environment has to be improved upon. We discovered that once you have the books and read them, you have the opportunity to interact and instead of the teaching being teacher-centred, it's now pupil-centred. Each of the pupils now has instructional materials to go through and the enrolment has improved. At the moment, the enrolment figure is really high and this also has to do with the provision of uniforms by the government.
For example, there are a number of schools that when our tailors went there, they find about 200 pupils, but when they went back to provide the uniform, they will find about 300. That is a very big challenge for us. As for teachers, the governor has already directed all the local government to recruit qualified teachers and that is going on right now. In addition to that, there is a special programme by the federal government, which is called the federal teacher scheme. Under the scheme, the federal government employs NCE holders and posts them to various states across the country that requires additional teachers like Kaduna.
In the first instance, we had 1,800 and the federal government pays their allowances while the state government pays N3,000 in lieu of accommodation. That is very encouraging and it has helped the state to reduce the problem of unqualified teachers. With the recruitment that is being done by the local government, the issue of unqualified teachers if further reduced.
Those who are not qualified whom we inherited at the inception of this government have arranged a special training programme for them with the various institutions such as the National Teachers Institute (NTI) the Federal College of Education and the Kaduna State College of Education. The courses are run on part time basis so that it does not affect the normal teaching and learning activities in their various schools. We have given them a time frame within which they have to qualify or be flushed out. So, efforts are being made by the teachers and everybody concerned to make sure that they improve their teaching qualification.
Last year, the federal government raised an alarm that most states were not coming to access their UBE fund by providing their counterpart funding and using the fund for the purpose it is meant. With Kaduna State, what is the situation?
In Kaduna State, our report is good in that respect because we have accessed up to 2009 and are now waiting for 2010. We are just waiting for permission from the federal government to tell us that the 2010 grant is ready and as soon as we get that directive, we will provide the matching grant and access our funds. Many states have not even accessed up to 2006/2007 grant. We have accessed up to 2009 and we don't have problem with that.
How has the implementation of government's free and compulsory primary education programme fared in the state since it was introduced and what has been the response from parents?
The programme has fared very well because it is really free and no charges are made except for certain levies, which are some form of arrangement between the teachers and the parents. That has nothing to do with the government or any authority. That levy is allowed simply because no allowance is given to the headmaster as running cost and there could be some needs.
If you have about 1,000 or 2,000 pupils in a school, you definitely need some amount of money because a child can fall sick and you need panda and you have to buy it. You don't expect the teacher to use his money or salary to provide for the child. The same applies to sporting apparatus. We need them because we need to encourage the children to exercise their bodies. Therefore, some of these sporting materials have to be provided in the school and we do not expect the teacher to use his money to do that.
Any minor financial requirement has to be settled by the school authority, not by the teacher and that is why we allow this PTA levy to exist. Even at that, under no circumstance should a child be sent out of school for non-payment of that levy. His Excellency has made that very clear and that is an order. Anybody that involves himself in any illegal collection will be dealt with.
The response from the parents is really very encouraging. New schools are being established across the state; more classes are being constructed and teachers are being recruited to ensure that everybody has access to the basic education programme.
The Kaduna State Government votes 27 per cent of its budget for the education sub-sector. How has this impacted on your activities?
It has impacted very positively on education delivery in the state because without this enhanced budgetary allocation, the state would not have been in a position to repair the number of classes that have been repaired at the moment or establish the number of schools that has been established, or increase the number of classes.
That has also made it possible for us to introduce instructional materials and uniforms, which were not being supplied before. All these are the benefits of the enhanced budgetary allocation that the state government has provided. It has also made it possible for the state government to establish a boarding school for the almajirai. This is very important because the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme aims at ensuring that each school age child gets access to basic education.
The number of the almajirai is very large. About one quarter of the total population of our children in Kaduna State is almajirai that are roaming the streets. They may not be our children. They may be children from other states because Kaduna is very central place as the capital of the north. You find many of them coming from other states to settle here. The name of the school is By Lingual Boarding primary school for Almajirai.
So, if a large segment of the children we have in the society are not actually captured in the UBE scheme, then it is not achieving the desired result. It has to be at least 90 per cent to achieve its aim. So, if that chunk of children are out of the UBE programme, then something is wrong. That is why the government is establishing the boarding primary school in order to capture the almajirai.
They will learn the Islamic or Qur'an recitation and also the western education because teachers will be provided. In addition to that, we have Qur'anic schools in various villages and towns and have isolated about 40 of them for the pilot basis and we are planning to send teachers that will teach them western education and some important skills.
They will read their Qur'an and benefit from western education. By so doing, their normal learning is not affected because there will be an arrangement between the teachers and the local government education authority on when western education should be taught and when the Qur'anic education should be taught. We hope that as time goes on, we will capture more of them. The initial figure for the take-off of the boarding primary school is 1,500 and we are starting from primary one.
Apart from the almajirai, there are other child-beggars on the streets...
You are right. This one is now on a pilot basis and gradually, it will be extended to other local government areas. But for the one that is being established now, there is the intention to establish one in each of the senatorial zones.
But this issue must have a regional approach to the solution. If Kaduna State is providing this kind of facilities, what about Katsina? Almajirai from Katsina will be flowing in here, those from Kano will also be coming in and as time goes on, the Kaduna State Government will find it difficult to accommodate them.
So, there is the regional approach that is in the pipeline and everybody will emulate what Kaduna State is doing in order to achieve what we call the basic education programme.
Still on the Almajirai school, in view of the recent Boko Haram crisis, how will you ensure that children are not taught negative tendencies?
We have arranged seminars and workshops for the teachers across the state. This issue has been raised and discussed and they have been warned to desist from any negative tendencies and they are abiding by that. We do not actually allow them to participate in the programme if we feel that their character is questionable.
Do you have a particular curriculum that guides the almajirai schools?
We are using the primary school curriculum for them. I am sure that the brilliant ones will proceed to junior secondary schools as well to the university, because the teaching is going to be comprehensive. In any case, I want to say that it is a blessing for us to introduce western education into the almajirai system, because the teacher that will be teaching them western education in those schools will be in a position to assess what is happening and report. He will be in a position to give them what we call 'special guidance' on what they should do and what they should not do.
Again, we have the Bureau for Religious Affairs and they are involved in the process as far as the learning of the almajirai is concerned. Within the board, we have people who are very vast in Islamic education. If they visit these schools and find out that negative teaching is going on, they will warn the teachers and the authority to actually deal with the situation.
Is the board also in charge of teacher's welfare? What packages have you introduced to motivate teachers in the state?
Teachers' welfare is an issue that is being addressed by the state government as well as the local government. However, what I have not told you is the houses that are going to be provided for the teachers. There is that intention to provide some houses for the teachers in the rural areas because the teachers stay in the urban areas and walk to the schools every morning. That has very negative effect on the teaching and learning of the schools.
If these houses are built, the teachers will stay there and there will be interaction between them and the parents as well as the students so that teaching and learning can actually improve. There is also the End Well scheme. It is a scheme in which every teacher contributes at least N500 monthly from his salary.
That will accumulate till his retirement, when he is expected to collect whatever he has contributed plus 60 per cent interest. No bank will ever give you 60 per cent interest for money you kept with it. It is very encouraging because by the time you retire, you have something to fall back on rather than waiting for your gratuity, which takes sometime to come. Immediately you retire, you get your money within 24 hours.
What are the major challenges you face?
There are a number of challenges. But the major ones have to do with the issue of dilapidated structures that this administration inherited. The structures were in very bad shape and were not conducive for quality learning to take place. We also have the problem of congestion as you find about 60 pupils in a class in some schools and sometimes, you find up to 80 in a class. In that situation, the environment is not friendly for both the teachers and the pupils. No effective teaching and learning can actually take place in that kind of environment.
We also have the problem of teachers because we have very limited number of trained teachers in our schools. The National Certificate of Education (NCE) is supposed to be the minimum qualification for teachers in our primary schools and without qualified teachers in the school, certainly, the quality of teaching and learning will be very low and this has been something of great concern to the society.
There is also the problem of the morale of teachers, which is not very positive. Their pay package was not enhanced and they have been struggling for the payment of the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS), which the federal government actually promised and that was a very serious challenge on our part because we realised that if the morale is low, the output will be low.
Then, we also had the challenge of improving the teaching and learning environment because we require institutional materials since without the instructional materials, the teachers cannot teach very well and the learner cannot learn very well. So, the situation becomes very difficult for both parties. Instructional materials are very vital. A student will have to look at it, read it and understand it. But because of the absence of these instructional materials, the achievement in terms of learning was very low and not very encouraging.
There is also the problem of uniforms. In view of the socio-economic situation of some parents, which is not encouraging, don't send their children to school. Even when they are sent, some of the children feel unfriendly and uneasy seeing their friends with good uniforms while they don't have good ones. Because of this, they cannot pay attention to what they are taught. These are some of the very serious challenges, but the state government is really addressing them.
In terms of addressing these challenges, when the present administration came into office, he (governor) directed that there should be a survey of all our primary schools and even the secondary schools. This is to know how dilapidated they are and what is actually needed for them to be improved and the number of classes required by the schools. This was actually carried out and the report is being followed religiously by His Excellency, and a number of schools have been established while a number of classes have been constructed.
In the same vein, a number of dilapidated structures are being rehabilitated. So, the congestion has been reduced. More importantly, the congestion is being addressed by the action already taken by the state government to build more classes. Right now, we don't have any problem of congestion in our state. In any case, the issue of congestion was only in the urban areas and not in the rural areas.
When we talk about teacher, His Excellency was the chairman of committee set up by the federal government to look into the implementation of the TSS. He was able to come up with a report of at least an additional 27.5 per cent increase on teacher's salary. That has been approved and is being implemented. Very few states have actually implemented that salary structure and Kaduna State is one of the few states that have implemented this and even the arrears have being settled by the government.
We have cases of omission and even those ones are being addressed. As for instructional materials, this is very important and His Excellency has provided adequate funds for that purpose and right now, there is a programme which we call free textbooks and instructional materials. Those textbooks are free and no parent is expected to pay anything for that.
With that, the quality of teachers has to be improved and the environment has to be improved upon. We discovered that once you have the books and read them, you have the opportunity to interact and instead of the teaching being teacher-centred, it's now pupil-centred. Each of the pupils now has instructional materials to go through and the enrolment has improved. At the moment, the enrolment figure is really high and this also has to do with the provision of uniforms by the government.
For example, there are a number of schools that when our tailors went there, they find about 200 pupils, but when they went back to provide the uniform, they will find about 300. That is a very big challenge for us. As for teachers, the governor has already directed all the local government to recruit qualified teachers and that is going on right now. In addition to that, there is a special programme by the federal government, which is called the federal teacher scheme. Under the scheme, the federal government employs NCE holders and posts them to various states across the country that requires additional teachers like Kaduna.
In the first instance, we had 1,800 and the federal government pays their allowances while the state government pays N3,000 in lieu of accommodation. That is very encouraging and it has helped the state to reduce the problem of unqualified teachers. With the recruitment that is being done by the local government, the issue of unqualified teachers if further reduced.
Those who are not qualified whom we inherited at the inception of this government have arranged a special training programme for them with the various institutions such as the National Teachers Institute (NTI) the Federal College of Education and the Kaduna State College of Education. The courses are run on part time basis so that it does not affect the normal teaching and learning activities in their various schools. We have given them a time frame within which they have to qualify or be flushed out. So, efforts are being made by the teachers and everybody concerned to make sure that they improve their teaching qualification.
Last year, the federal government raised an alarm that most states were not coming to access their UBE fund by providing their counterpart funding and using the fund for the purpose it is meant. With Kaduna State, what is the situation?
In Kaduna State, our report is good in that respect because we have accessed up to 2009 and are now waiting for 2010. We are just waiting for permission from the federal government to tell us that the 2010 grant is ready and as soon as we get that directive, we will provide the matching grant and access our funds. Many states have not even accessed up to 2006/2007 grant. We have accessed up to 2009 and we don't have problem with that.
BREAKING NEWS!!! UNN Reopens after Crisis.
The University of Nigeria Governing Council has ordered the reopening of the Nsukka campus closed down after a violent demonstration by the students.
It directed final year and post-graduate students to return on February 10, while examination for the final year students will start on February 15. Other students are to return on February 15 and start their examinations on February 19.
A statement by the acting Registrar, Mr Anthony Okonta at the weekend said the decision to re-open the school was reached after an emergency meeting of the Governing Council of the university. "The decision is in the overall interest of the students, in particular, to bring the academic calendar of the Nsukka campus in line with the other campuses," it said. It directed all returning students to obtain a letter of undertaking, signed by their parents or guardian, to be of good behaviour throughout their stay in the school.
All students' union activities had been suspended on the Nsukka campus, pending the resumption of normal academic activities, the statement added.
It said the Governing Council, in conjunction with the Senate, would further decide the terms of readmission of students after the Administrative Panel must have completed its report.
It directed final year and post-graduate students to return on February 10, while examination for the final year students will start on February 15. Other students are to return on February 15 and start their examinations on February 19.
A statement by the acting Registrar, Mr Anthony Okonta at the weekend said the decision to re-open the school was reached after an emergency meeting of the Governing Council of the university. "The decision is in the overall interest of the students, in particular, to bring the academic calendar of the Nsukka campus in line with the other campuses," it said. It directed all returning students to obtain a letter of undertaking, signed by their parents or guardian, to be of good behaviour throughout their stay in the school.
All students' union activities had been suspended on the Nsukka campus, pending the resumption of normal academic activities, the statement added.
It said the Governing Council, in conjunction with the Senate, would further decide the terms of readmission of students after the Administrative Panel must have completed its report.
Swiss Government Scholarships for International Students 2010
Swiss Government Scholarships
(for foreign students wishing to complete their education at a Swiss university)
Swiss Government Scholarships are awarded by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS). They are by definition intended exclusively for foreign students who wish to complete their education at a Swiss university or federal institute of technology, such as the UNIGE.
They are awarded in accordance with a list of countries eligible for Swiss Federal Scholarships, drawn up at the beginning of every year.
The scholarships are reserved exclusively for candidates already in possession of a university degree from their home country. Applications are to be submitted to Swiss diplomatic representation in the candidate’s country of origin.
Candidates are strongly advised to begin taking the necessary steps roughly a year in advance.
Scholarships are granted for an academic year of nine months. An extension may be granted if the scholarship is needed to finance an educational programme lasting more than two semesters, and only if the recipient of the scholarship has successfully passed his or her first year of study.
The University of Geneva applicatin deadline is 28 February
(for foreign students wishing to complete their education at a Swiss university)
Swiss Government Scholarships are awarded by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS). They are by definition intended exclusively for foreign students who wish to complete their education at a Swiss university or federal institute of technology, such as the UNIGE.
They are awarded in accordance with a list of countries eligible for Swiss Federal Scholarships, drawn up at the beginning of every year.
The scholarships are reserved exclusively for candidates already in possession of a university degree from their home country. Applications are to be submitted to Swiss diplomatic representation in the candidate’s country of origin.
Candidates are strongly advised to begin taking the necessary steps roughly a year in advance.
Scholarships are granted for an academic year of nine months. An extension may be granted if the scholarship is needed to finance an educational programme lasting more than two semesters, and only if the recipient of the scholarship has successfully passed his or her first year of study.
The University of Geneva applicatin deadline is 28 February
You can study in Australian. Wonderful Atmosphere
If you are considering studying abroad for your college education, there are a number of different countries that you might have on your list of potential destinations. For about 80,000 international students each year, Australia is one of those countries.
For those of you who are not familiar with college life in Australia, this article will provide you with a general overview of what you can expect as a student down under.
Academic Differences
One of the most unique qualities about higher education in Australia is the way that classes are taught. Many students equate learning with spending lots of time in a classroom simply because that is the type of environment that they are used to in their home country. In Australia, however, a greater emphasis is placed on teaching students how to think critically and be independent learners rather than having them spend excessive amounts of time in the classroom.
Most undergraduate programs in Australia are designed to be completed in three years, while most countries have programs that require at least four years to complete. The reason that undergraduate programs take less time to complete in Australia is because the majority of the coursework deals directly with the student’s major. General education courses and electives are not the focus in Australian colleges and universities.
As far as individual courses go, students can expect to have a combination of larger lectures and small group sessions. The emphasis in classes is research and independent learning, and students are expected to regularly contribute original ideas rather than simply repeating what they have learned in class. This type of learning enables students to become more self-confident and self-sufficient long before they have completed their studies.
International Environment
In most of the colleges and universities in Australia, international students make up about 30% of the student body. Australia has increasingly become a popular destination for college students from around the world who are looking to expand their horizons and gain experience in an environment that is completely different from what they are used to.
Also making Australia a popular choice for international students is their relatively low cost of living. Australia has consistently rated among the top five countries in the world for maintaining a low cost of living, yet offering residents a clean and safe place to live.
For students who are thinking about living off campus, however, it should be noted that housing and apartment rates have reportedly been on the rise in recent years. For the most part, housing costs vary greatly depending on what part of Australia you choose to live, but as a general rule, be prepared for rent costs that may be quite high.
Most international students would probably be better off choosing to live on campus rather than trying to obtain housing on their own. An alternative that might make this option more affordable, however, would be to find one or two people to share a home with so that the rent and utilities costs could be divided equally.
For those of you who are not familiar with college life in Australia, this article will provide you with a general overview of what you can expect as a student down under.
Academic Differences
One of the most unique qualities about higher education in Australia is the way that classes are taught. Many students equate learning with spending lots of time in a classroom simply because that is the type of environment that they are used to in their home country. In Australia, however, a greater emphasis is placed on teaching students how to think critically and be independent learners rather than having them spend excessive amounts of time in the classroom.
Most undergraduate programs in Australia are designed to be completed in three years, while most countries have programs that require at least four years to complete. The reason that undergraduate programs take less time to complete in Australia is because the majority of the coursework deals directly with the student’s major. General education courses and electives are not the focus in Australian colleges and universities.
As far as individual courses go, students can expect to have a combination of larger lectures and small group sessions. The emphasis in classes is research and independent learning, and students are expected to regularly contribute original ideas rather than simply repeating what they have learned in class. This type of learning enables students to become more self-confident and self-sufficient long before they have completed their studies.
International Environment
In most of the colleges and universities in Australia, international students make up about 30% of the student body. Australia has increasingly become a popular destination for college students from around the world who are looking to expand their horizons and gain experience in an environment that is completely different from what they are used to.
Also making Australia a popular choice for international students is their relatively low cost of living. Australia has consistently rated among the top five countries in the world for maintaining a low cost of living, yet offering residents a clean and safe place to live.
For students who are thinking about living off campus, however, it should be noted that housing and apartment rates have reportedly been on the rise in recent years. For the most part, housing costs vary greatly depending on what part of Australia you choose to live, but as a general rule, be prepared for rent costs that may be quite high.
Most international students would probably be better off choosing to live on campus rather than trying to obtain housing on their own. An alternative that might make this option more affordable, however, would be to find one or two people to share a home with so that the rent and utilities costs could be divided equally.
All the same, if you can afford it, Australia is a place to study.
Thinking of Studying in Canada? Read This.
More than 100,000 students from around the world including Nigeria choose to study in Canada each year. Some people choose to study in Canada so that they can learn English and/or French, while many others choose this country for a variety of other academic pursuits.
Canadian student visas permit international students to find a full-or part-time job on campus, and may also allow you to extend your stay for a designated period of time once you are living in the country. For people who study in New Brunswick, Manitoba, or Quebec, it is also possible to obtain work off campus, but you will need to obtain a work permit in order to do so.
If you want to study in Canada, there are some steps you will need to take well in advance of attempting to move there. It is important to keep in mind that all international students must have a Student Authorization and Visa before they can be admitted into Canada to continue their studies.
In addition, potential students must also meet the requirements of the Canadian Immigration Act and Regulations(this can be got from the Canadian Immigration Website). As a general rule, it takes about two months for a Canadian Student Visa to be processed unlike the Swedish Embassy in Abuja.
Eligibility for Student Visas
In order to be eligible for a Canadian Student Visa, you will need to meet the following criteria:
- Pass a medical exam (in most cases)
- Obtain a temporary resident visa
- Be in possession of an acceptance letter from the educational institution that you want to attend
- Be able to demonstrate that you intend to return home once your studies are complete
- Provide evidence that you have enough funds to pay your school fees, and that you are planning to live either on campus or at least close to campus
How to Finance your Education in the UK
Finding the money to finance their educations is one of the biggest obstacles that international students especially Nigerians face after deciding that they want to study in the United Kingdom or abroad. As a general rule, there are not very many sources of funding, so students must take the initiative early on to seek out different financing options. Some I have listed in earlier post.
But these can always help:
Financial Aid Loans
Fortunately, there are some universities in the UK that offer financial aid options to international students. UK.internationalstudent.com has compiled a database that lists the different universities in the United Kingdom that offer some sort of financial aid to students who live overseas.
Regardless of whether you have already decided on a particular major or not, you might want to begin your research by reviewing the list of universities that offer financial aid so that you can directly contact the ones you are interested in. In addition to offering more traditional types of financial aid, most of the universities listed in the database also regularly award scholarships to international students who meet certain criteria.
Scholarships
Searching for scholarships is an excellent idea for international students who want to study abroad. Try not to be discouraged if you do not have exemplary grades or an outstanding overall academic record. In some cases, there are certain types of scholarships that may be awarded to international students based on alternative criteria rather than relying solely on a student’s past grades.
Some scholarships are awarded directly through universities, so in some instances the opportunities you have will depend on the particular schools for which you submit an application. In other instances, you will be able to find some scholarship opportunities that are available to all international students regardless of which university they decide to attend.
Beware of Scams
Because scholarships are so popular among all college students, there are a number of “organizations” that exist solely to try to scam people out of money rather than helping them obtain money for school.
To help you avoid scholarship scams, you first need to understand how they generally operate. As a general rule, you should beware of the following when searching for scholarships:
- Loan fees – if a company wants you to pay them any type of loan fee up front, it should raise a red flag. Legitimate companies will not ask you to pay them money up front for a loan or scholarship.
- Company and Scholarship names – as you browse through lists and websites of potential scholarship opportunities, be very cautious when you see words such as “government”, “national”, or “official” in the name of the actual scholarship or in the company name. Often times, these are scams.
- Application fees – there should never be an application fee for any type of legitimate scholarship. Likewise, you should never have to pay any other type of fee to apply for this kind of aid.
- Scholarships that are guaranteed – no legitimate company can promise, or guarantee, that you will be awarded a scholarship.
Africa-India Capacity Building Scholarships 2010. Nigerians are Eligible!
The Nyerere Programme of the African Union has received support under the Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Framework for Cooperation of the Africa-India Partnership, for special scholarships for Africans in the field of Agriculture, in the following areas:
(i) Doctoral Degree in Agriculture
(ii) Masters’ Degree in Agriculture
(i) Doctoral Degree in Agriculture
Under the programme, the Indian Government is offering 25 places to Africans in Indian Universities and Institutions, each year over a 4-year period. In this regard, the Commission of the African Union invites applications from prospective candidates who wish to undertake postgraduate studies at the PhD level in any reputable Indian University/Institution in the 2010 academic year. The applicant should possess a Masters’ degree with at least 3 years post graduation experience, and must not exceed 50 years of age.
The PhD programme must not exceed three years duration.
The Government of India will provide a stipend of 15,000 Indian Rupees per month, to cover tuition fee, hostel fee, mess, medical, contingency and travel within the country during the course. For joining the programme, the cost of air travel in economy class by the shortest possible route will be met by the Indian Government subject to the actual fare not exceeding 75,000 Indian Rupees.
Masters’ Degree in Agriculture
Under the programme, the Indian Government is offering 50 places to Africans in Indian Universities and Institutions, each year over a 4-year. In this regard and for 2010, the Commission of the African Union invites applications from prospective candidates who wish to undertake postgraduate studies at the Masters’ level in the field of Agriculture in a reputable Indian University/Institution. Applicants should possess at least a Second Class Upper Honors degree or its equivalent, with at least two years post graduation experience, and must not exceed 40 years of age.
The Masters programme must not exceed two years duration.
The Government of India will provide a stipend of 12,000 Indian Rupees per month, to cover tuition fee, hostel fee, mess, medical, contingency and travel within the country during the course. For joining the programme, the cost of air travel in economy class by the shortest possible route will be met by the Indian Government subject to the actual fare not exceeding 75,000 Indian Rupees.
METHOD OF APPLICATION
Interested candidates should send in their applications to the address below including by Email, attaching the following:
1. Updated Curriculum Vitae.
2. Copies of academic and professional certificates duly certified.
3. A two-page proposal of their research topic and its benefit to Africa.
4. Letter of endorsement from employer, to the addresses below.
In most of the Indian Agriculture Universities the academic session starts in August every year, but applications must be received by the Indian authorities by the end of February 2010.
It should be noted that the medium of communication in Indian Universities/Institutions is English language.
CLOSING DATE: 15th February, 2010
Applications should be sent to the following address:
Coordinator, Scholarship Unit,
Education Division,
Africa Union Commission,
P.O. Box 3243,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
E-mail: mwalimunyerere@africa-union.org
OlgaA@africa-union.org
Fax: 251 551 7844
Site Internet: www.africa-union.org
Further Scholarship Information (doc)
(i) Doctoral Degree in Agriculture
(ii) Masters’ Degree in Agriculture
(i) Doctoral Degree in Agriculture
Under the programme, the Indian Government is offering 25 places to Africans in Indian Universities and Institutions, each year over a 4-year period. In this regard, the Commission of the African Union invites applications from prospective candidates who wish to undertake postgraduate studies at the PhD level in any reputable Indian University/Institution in the 2010 academic year. The applicant should possess a Masters’ degree with at least 3 years post graduation experience, and must not exceed 50 years of age.
The PhD programme must not exceed three years duration.
The Government of India will provide a stipend of 15,000 Indian Rupees per month, to cover tuition fee, hostel fee, mess, medical, contingency and travel within the country during the course. For joining the programme, the cost of air travel in economy class by the shortest possible route will be met by the Indian Government subject to the actual fare not exceeding 75,000 Indian Rupees.
Masters’ Degree in Agriculture
Under the programme, the Indian Government is offering 50 places to Africans in Indian Universities and Institutions, each year over a 4-year. In this regard and for 2010, the Commission of the African Union invites applications from prospective candidates who wish to undertake postgraduate studies at the Masters’ level in the field of Agriculture in a reputable Indian University/Institution. Applicants should possess at least a Second Class Upper Honors degree or its equivalent, with at least two years post graduation experience, and must not exceed 40 years of age.
The Masters programme must not exceed two years duration.
The Government of India will provide a stipend of 12,000 Indian Rupees per month, to cover tuition fee, hostel fee, mess, medical, contingency and travel within the country during the course. For joining the programme, the cost of air travel in economy class by the shortest possible route will be met by the Indian Government subject to the actual fare not exceeding 75,000 Indian Rupees.
METHOD OF APPLICATION
Interested candidates should send in their applications to the address below including by Email, attaching the following:
1. Updated Curriculum Vitae.
2. Copies of academic and professional certificates duly certified.
3. A two-page proposal of their research topic and its benefit to Africa.
4. Letter of endorsement from employer, to the addresses below.
In the case of University teachers, a letter of endorsement from University Vice-Chancellors/Presidents.
It should be noted that the medium of communication in Indian Universities/Institutions is English language.
CLOSING DATE: 15th February, 2010
Applications should be sent to the following address:
Coordinator, Scholarship Unit,
Education Division,
Africa Union Commission,
P.O. Box 3243,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
E-mail: mwalimunyerere@africa-union.org
OlgaA@africa-union.org
Fax: 251 551 7844
Site Internet: www.africa-union.org
Further Scholarship Information (doc)
NEW!!! Charles Sturt University Australia Scholarship for Nigerians
This year, the Charles Sturt University Study Centres is pleased to offer a limited number of scholarships for new international students from who begin their studies at the Charles Sturt University Study Centre Sydney or Melbourne this year.
Partial Living Allowance scholarships
This scholarship is valued at 20% of the tuition fees paid on your first 8 subjects (valued up to A$3,600) and is open to students from the following countries:
- Australia (postgraduate study only)
- Africa (Nigeria)
- Latin America
- Russia
- Iran
- Thailand
- Indonesia
- Europe
- Japan
- Korea
- Taiwan
- Philippines
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Why Charles Sturt University?
- Study at a leading Australian university
- Outstanding employment opportunities
- Reputable degree – well recognized worldwide
- Practical, industry aligned courses
- Taught by dedicated industry experts
- Access to web enhanced learning
- Smaller class and tutorial sizes
- City centre locations – Sydney and Melbourne
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Academic scholarships
The CSU Study Centres is also thrilled to announce the availability of a limited number of academic scholarships for high achievers who have excellent academic grades. This scholarship is valued at 20% of the tuition fees paid on your first 8 subjects (valued up to A$3,600) and is open to students from anywhere in the world.
Scholarships are strictly limited so enrol now to secure your place!
Terms and conditions apply and to find out more, contact an Enrolment Advisor online today or call 1300 856 278 from Australia and +61 2 9291 9308 from outside Australia.
Website: www.studygroup.edu.au/csu
