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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

Yusuf Buhari, son of President Muhammadu Buhari, has now completed his mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which he started last year after surviving a power bike crash in 2017.
It would be recalled that Yusuf and his friend, Bashir Gwandu, were severely injured along Gwarimpa road in Abuja on December 26, 2017.
He was riding his power bike when the crash occurred.
Yusuf was admitted at an emergency ward at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Days later, he was flown abroad for further medical treatment and returned to Nigeria in February, 2018.
However, Yusuf’s state of service and place of primary assignment (PPA) was not disclosed.
The president’s son bagged his Master’s Degree in the United Kingdom in July 2016.
He and Zahra graduated from the University of Surrey, Guildford.
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Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, on Friday officially announced Feb. 15 to Feb. 19 as a mid-term break for students of all the Unity Schools across the country.
Adamu made the announcement at the ”7th edition of the Ministerial News Briefing” in Abuja.
“Our students in unity schools are not of voting age but we adjusted the mid-term break to make it fall within the elections period.
“The date for the mid-term break will be from Friday, Feb. 15 to Tuesday, Feb. 19. This is for only unity schools in the country.
“We are not shutting down other schools.
“The essence of this break is to enable parents have maximum time to go and cast their votes and have the freedom to bring their children and wards back to school.
“Even if the child is not of voting age, the parent is of voting age. The break is only for presidential elections.
“There is no break for governorship elections,” he said.
While reacting to the strike that was called off by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Feb. 7, Adamu commended everyone involved in the negotiations.
“All was for the development of the country’s educational system.
“I am happy to announce that ASUU has called off its strike.
“In spite of my anger and anxiety with ASUU, I must also commend their patriotism and public spiritedness because the last few weeks were about the struggle for education system and not their allowances,” he said.
The minister expressed optimism that Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) would also suspend its two months strike before Monday.
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The Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, has commenced exams for its students despite the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

The school on Monday commenced its 2017/2018 second semester exams.

The media had reported that ASUU had, on November 4 2018, embarked on industrial action.

Since then, academic activities have been suspended in various universities.

However, some departments in OAU are carrying on with academics as they have lecturers who are not members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The lecturers said they are members of the Congress Of Nigeria University Academics, CONUA, adding that the industrial action was not binding on them.

Students of English and Literary Studies department have been receiving lectures and sat for exams on Monday.

The university’s public relations officer, Abiodun Olarenwaju told TheCable that the school calendar would not be extended.

“There’s nothing that suggests we are going to extend any calendar. Don’t let us be speculative, when we get to the bridge we will cross it.

“The senate of the university is in charge of the academic activities, if they find it to extend, they will and if not, there’s nothing anybody can do about it. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and don’t let us be speculative

“Whether they are going to extend it or not has not stopped the students from reading, they should read.”
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ASUU President Professor Biodun Ogunyemi

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project(SERAP) has sent an urgent appeal to two UN special rapporteurs urging them to “prevail upon the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reach an agreement to end the ongoing strike action by ASUU.
SERAP said the strike continues to have real and dire consequences on the right to higher education, specifically university education, as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party.”
In the urgent appeal dated 28 December 2018 and signed by SERAP senior legal adviser Bamisope Adeyanju, the organization said: “By failing to prevent and end the ongoing strike action by ASUU, the Nigerian government has defied and breached the explicit requirements of the right to equal access to higher education by Nigerian children and young people, under article 13(2)(c) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.”
The urgent appeal sent to Ms. Koumbou Boly Barry, Special Rapporteur on the right to education and Professor Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights argues that: “The failure by the Nigerian government to reach an agreement with ASUU has also implicitly made access to higher education a privilege of the rich and well-to-do rather than a right of every Nigerian child and young person, as students in private schools continue to attend classes while those in public universities stay at home.
According to SERAP, “The failure to end the ongoing strike action by ASUU is also a fundamental breach of the right to higher education without discrimination or exclusion, as strike actions continue to penalise economically disadvantaged parents who have no means or lack the capacity to pay to send their children to private schools.
The urgent appeal read in part: “The obligations of the Nigerian government to create the conditions necessary for the enjoyment of the right to education include to take preventive measures to address the root causes of strike action by ASUU and to take steps to end any strike action in a timely manner when it occurs.”
“It is the responsibility of the government to preserve and strengthen education as a public good and a matter of public interest. Without the urgent intervention of the Special Rapporteurs, the ongoing strike action by ASUU would continue and this would continue to impede access to university education for the poor and marginalized.”
“SERAP is concerned that Nigerian students in public universities have suffered many years of academic disruption as a result of the failure of successive Nigerian governments to address the root causes of strike action by ASUU and to timely reach agreement to end strike action and its devastating consequences on the right to equal and quality higher education.”
“Persistent strike actions in the education sector have continued to cause disruption of classes and undermine both the quality and duration of students’ education.”
“We note that the right to strike is one of the fundamental means available to workers to promote their interests. However, we are seriously concerned that the failure by both the Nigerian government and ASUU to make substantial progress in negotiations and reach amicable settlement to end the unduly prolonged strike action has undermined the right of Nigerian children and young people to higher education.”
“The ongoing strike action by ASUU in Nigeria if not urgently addressed would continue to have grave consequences for the youth of our country as well as the country’s development and progress as a whole.”
“Universal access is an essential prerequisite for the exercise of the right to education. But the failure by the Nigerian government to end the strike action by ASUU has contributed to denying students from disadvantaged backgrounds equal access to university education, as these students are unable or lack the capacity to pay to access private schools.”
“This situation has aggravated existing disparities in access to university education in the country, further marginalizing economically disadvantaged parents and students.”
“SERAP believes that providing Nigerian children and young people equal access to higher education should be the core public service functions of the Nigerian government. Providing public schools ranks at the very apex of the function of a State.”
“SERAP believes that equal access of Nigerian children and young people to quality and uninterrupted education including at the university level would contribute to producing citizens who are fundamentally equal and people who actively participate in society. It would enable people to enjoy the rights as well as fulfil obligations that are associated with citizenship.”
“According to our information, members of ASUU suspended their academic responsibilities in the first week of November 2018, and weeks of negotiations with the Nigerian government since then have yielded no amicable settlement or agreement. ASUU is alleging failure by the Nigerian authorities to implement 2009 agreement and the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding.”
“SERAP notes that article 13(2)(c) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights explicitly guarantees the right to higher education, which includes university education. According to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, states parties are required to make higher education including university education available on equal basis, and to ensure the progressive introduction of free education at all levels of education.”
“States parties including Nigeria have obligations to ensure that the liberty of providing education set out in article 13(4) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights does not lead to extreme disparities of educational opportunity for some groups in society.”
“The rights and values enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) all point to the right to the provision of equal access to quality education including at the university level. These rights include human rights, such as the right to equality and the right to human dignity as well as numerous other civil and political rights, such as access to information, which cannot be properly understood or exercised if one is inadequately trained and uneducated.”
*Press Statement
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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is to commence sale of forms on 10th January, 2019 for the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The sales of form, according to the examination body, will take place within six weeks while the examination will hold in March after the general elections.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, thanked the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for releasing its election timetable on time.
The timely release of the election timetable has helped the examination body to plan the conduct of its examination in the new year.
Oloyede, who read out the new rules guiding the 2019 examinations to the owners and operators of the Computer-Based Test Centres (CBT), confirmed that a total of 718 CBT centres have been registered to take part in the examination.
The forum had in attendance the Chairman of the Governing Board of the examination body, Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe; Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun; Head of Nigeria Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Mr. Isaac Adenipekun.
JAMB Registrar Oloyede
The Forum critically appraised the new rules guiding the conduct of the examination in 2019.
According to the Registrar, some of the new guidelines, especially in connection with the CBT operators include the abolition of the scanning of passport photographs of candidates and real-time picture capture in its place.
Others are biometric capturing of 10 fingers, entries review and correctness confirmation, printing of registration slip only by using biometric authentication to confirm valid finger-print, and collection of reading text and compact disc (CD).
Oloyede said; “We have reviewed all our activities in the past years and we must commend some of our partners who made us proud. There were the bad eggs and a total of 50 of these bad eggs among the CBT centres were sanctioned in 2018 with many of them currently facing prosecution.
“This year, to avoid infractions such as the illegal movement of routers and extension of registration points, there is no longer offline registration as all accredited CBT centres have been empowered for real-time online registration
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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Nasarawa State has recommended that seven corps members posted to the state face disciplinary measures for committing various offences during their service year.
Mrs Zainab Isah, NYSC Coordinator in the state, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lafia.
NAN reports that the NYSC in the state supervised a low-key Passing out Parade (POP) for the 2017 Batch “B” Stream II corps members in Lafia, and other local government areas of the state.
Isah said the affected corps members would face punishment after final ratification by the Nasarawa State NYSC Governing Board.
She said that some of them faced the possibility of having their service year extended by various periods for contravening the NYSC bye-laws.
“Some corps members erred during the service year. We have seven corps members that have disciplinary cases.
“Some of them missed the monthly allowances because they embarked on unauthorised journeys and others left their places of primary assignment without permission among other offences.
“For those who absconded, the allowances they missed are what would be used to pay them as they served their punishment and the period of the extension depended on the gravity of the misconduct,’’ she said.
The NYSC state coordinator said the decision to punish the erring corps members was based on the recommendation of the state NYSC Disciplinary Committee.
She added that it, however, had to be ratified by the NYSC governing board.
“We have a committee on corps discipline, comprising all Assistant Directors and all heads of branches in the secretariat.
“This body looks into the cases and invites the corps members concerned to defend themselves.
“At the end, a decision is taken strictly in accordance with our laws but the decision takes effect after the NYSC governing board has ratified it,’’ Isah said.
The coordinator advised the 524 corps members comprising 340 males and 184 females, who were passing out, to take advantage of the skills they acquired during their service year for self-employment.
She urged them to take advantage of the training to support themselves pending when a government job would come.
Isah thanked the state government for supporting NYSC and pleaded that corps members, who performed exceptionally and made significant impact in their primary assignments, should be absorbed in the state’s civil service.
She said that only three of the corps members that were passing out would be given awards for their exemplary service during the year.
The NYSC coordinator added that this would also need ratification from the NYSC governing board in the state.
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Two months after lecturers embarked on strike, their union, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), has suspended the action.
President of the union, Mr. Nuhu Ogirima, said on Wednesday at a briefing in Abuja after its expanded National Executive Council meeting.
Ogirima said the suspension became necessary following reassurances from government to meet some of the key demands of the workers.
According to him, the suspension is to enable the government implement the agreements.
Ogirima, however, said the union will reconvene in January to re-access the government’s commitment and will not hesitate to resume the strike if it reneges in the agreement.
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Former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Nasir Isa; President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi and the Vice President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, at a news conference

The meeting between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday in Abuja has ended without any agreement.
Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President, while speaking to newsmen after the closed door meeting, said negotiation was ongoing and the meeting continued.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, which started at 5 p.m. at the Federal Ministry of Education, was to find a lasting solution to the ongoing strike.
The union embarked on the strike three weeks ago over the funding of Nigerian universities and an alleged plan by the Federal Government to increase students’ fees and introduce an education bank.
The union is also demanding the implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) agreement by both parties in 2017.
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The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Friday expressed sadness over the death of 11 students of University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in an auto accident on Tuesday.
A total of 11 students of UNIMAID died in the accident on Nov. 20 on their way to Damaturu from Maiduguri following the ASUU strike.
The National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Mr Best Okereafor, gave the condolence in a statement issued in Enugu on Friday.
He stated that “NANS mourns the fallen Nigerian students and in same vain attribute the demise to the ongoing Academic Staff Unions of Universities (ASUU) strike.
“NANS believes that if the strike was not ongoing; the students would have been in school, studying.
“NANS is calling on the Federal Government to save our future and consider the souls of these fallen innocent Nigerian students often told that they are the leaders of tomorrow. Can we lead in grave?
“In as much as we believe in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, NANS is on this sad note, calling on Federal Government to make students happy by meeting the demands of the striking ASUU and Colleges of Education lecturers without further delay.”
According to him, ASUU should not politicise the industrial action but consider the lives of Nigerian students by shifting grounds.
“We appreciate the ASUU agitations as some are students oriented and we are part of the struggle as we are most affected as well.”
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The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Chapter of the  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has announced that its members would boycott the 2018 convocation of the university.
The Chairman of the chapter, Dr Ifeanyichukwu Abada, made the announcement in Nsukka on Thursday at a news conference after a congress to update members of the union on the ongoing nationwide ASUU strike.
He said the union agreed at the congress to write the Vice-Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, to suspend the 2018 convocation of the university, billed to start on Nov. 26 and end on Dec. 2.
“One of the resolutions reached at this congress is that Ozumba should suspend arrangements for the 48th convocation of the university until the ongoing ASUU strike is suspended.
“If he refuses and decides to go ahead with the convocation, academic staff of UNN will boycott all the activities lined up for the convocation
“I wonder what the convocation will look like in the absence of lecturers, heads of departments, directors and deans of faculties, who have the responsibility of presenting graduating students to the university during convocations.’’
Abada said that severe sanctions would be imposed on any academic, who might sabotage the union by participating in the convocation if the university decided to go ahead with it.
“ASUU executives in Nsukka zone, who attended this congress are in support that the convocation should be cancelled since the ongoing ASUU nationwide strike is total and comprehensive.
“Serious sanctions will be placed on any academic staff who participates in the convocation if UNN decides to go ahead with it.
“If some universities in the country can cancel their convocations because of ongoing ASUU nationwide strike, I see no reason why UNN will not do same.”
The unionist said the congress was happy with the compliance of UNN workers with the ongoing strike of the union, urging the members to keep it up.
“The congress is happy that the strike since it started has been total and comprehensive in UNN.
“The total compliance has paralysed academic activities at both the Nsukka Campus and the Enugu Campus of the university.
“The nationwide strike embarked upon by academic staff of public universities in the country will continue until the Federal Government meets the demands of the union,” he said.
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The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a rights group on Wednesday commended the Lagos State Government for approving the use of Hijab for female Muslim students in all public schools.
The Director, MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, gave the commendation in Lagos while reacting to a circular released by the state government on 13th Nov, in which the approval was given.
Akintola described the step as a monumental decision, and commended the patience and steadfastness of Muslim residents and associations in Lagos State.
“The wind of change is sweeping across the South-West and no state government wants to be caught within the camp of reactionaries.
“We call on all government agencies and employers of labour to note this development. It is a monumental decision. The patience exhibited by Lagos Muslims has paid off.
“A quiet and peaceful revolution is ongoing and it is in the best interest of all men and women of goodwill to join the train before it leaves the station so that they may not be left behind.
“Reports reaching MURIC headquarters say the Tutor-General Permanent Secretary (TGPS) of District 6 has also issued a circular directing all school principals within the jurisdiction to allow female Muslim students who wish to use the Hijab to do so.
“We are yet to hear anything from Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. We are therefore calling on the remaining five TGPS to follow suit. Delay will simply mean insubordination and sabotage of government’s good intention.
“We congratulate the Lagos State chapters of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), the Muslim Congress (TMC), the Muslim Teachers Association of Nigeria (MUTAN) and the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN).
“We commend them for their steadfastness, patience and forbearance.
“In conclusion, we charge all the Islamic organisations in the state to immediately set up monitoring units for the successful implementation of the state government’s directive.
“Muslim parents should be mobilised to visit schools for the purpose of ensuring compliance, while we warn that nobody should take the law into his or her hands.
“Defaulting principals and recalcitrant teachers should be reported to the nearest office of Islamic organisations,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that an appeal court in 2016 overturned the judgement of a Lagos State High Court which banned the use of Hijab in public primary and secondary schools in the state.
NAN also reports that the Lagos State Government is currently at the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the appellate court.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to increase the yearly allocation to education sector as the current five per cent to the sector was inadequate.
He said the current allocation to the sector was too small to propel the desired growth of the economy and pointed out that the United Nations target of 26 per cent was ideal.
He assured Nigerians that allocations to the sector would be improved as revenue increases and described education as a major engine for the development of any country.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, President Buhari gave the assurance when he addressed Nigerian community in Paris, France.
He also said: “We are currently reviewing investments in the entire infrastructure of the country like road, rail and power, including investing more in education. We will certainly need to do more in education.”
President Buhari also called on the Nigerian elite, both at home and in the diaspora, to do more in contributing to the educational sector.
He expressed surprise that the elite tolerated the fall in standards and structures of educational institutions despite oil windfalls in the past that would have made all the difference.
“I am doing my best now to utilize our resources to develop the country. We are already getting results on road, rail and power. My frustration is that some people still have plenty stolen money stashed in Europe, US and other countries,” he said.
The President further stated that returning stolen assets will bolster the administration’s current efforts of investing more in critical infrastructure that directly impact on the livelihood of Nigerians.
Beyond that, the President said the war against terrorism will be reinforced with new weapons and hardware for the military, while the challenge of abduction and kidnapping in some parts of the country will receive more attention with better gathering of intelligence.
“We campaigned on three key issues; security, improving the economy, and fighting corruption, and we have not been controverted by anyone that we have not recorded some results,” he said.
On Nigerians in diaspora participating in elections, the President said the population of citizens in various countries across the world already necessitate their inclusion to elect leaders, noting that it might not happen in the 2019 elections as INEC had been more focused on strengthening and consolidating on its achievements of conducting credible elections within the country.
The President said it could happen in future.
He added that the Nigerian constitution had taken into cognizance the need for representation in the political structures in order to ensure harmony and development, urging more people to pick interest in governance and quality representation.
In her remarks, Nigerian Ambassador to France, Dr. Modupe Enitan Irele, said the Nigerian community in France had demonstrated a high sense of responsibility, dedication and morality, adding that the large number of professionals had been encouraged to also contribute to the country’s development.
“Nigerians here are law-abiding, peaceful and resourceful,” she said.
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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced the commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike with immediate effect.

The decision was announced at the end of an emergency meeting on Sunday night.

This came just as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is also preparing to commence a nationwide strike on Tuesday, October 6th, 2018 over a disagreement between the organised labour union and the governments on the N30,000 minimum wage.

Briefing newsmen after the closed-door meeting, ASUU president, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, said the strike will be total and with immediate effect.

He listed the reasons for their action to include: Failure on the side of the government to honour the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed between the union and the federal government in 2017.

He also mentioned that renegotiation with ASUU which the government intentionally ignored with impunity was part of the reasons for the strike.

Professor Ogunyemi, therefore, directed all the state chapters to ensure full compliance until their demands are met.
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Pop Star Shakira asked her home country Colombia on Friday to pump more money into education to achieve peace and equality among citizens.
“When some children don’t receive the same education as those who live in better conditions we can’t talk about a country in peace, we can’t talk about a country with equality, because education is what equalises us,” Shakira told journalists.
She spoke during a visit to close her El Dorado tour and break ground at two schools to be built by her charitable foundation.
The singer, whose full name is Shakira Mebarak, attended two ceremonies in Cartagena and her hometown of Barranquilla at the sites of the future schools, signing her autograph in the cement cornerstones.
She said that support for education should not just come from celebrities.
The 41-year-old singer founded her Pies Descalzos charity in 1997, when she was just 18. It takes its name from her third album – her first international success – and translates to “bare feet.”
The foundation already has four schools in Cartagena, Barranquilla, Quibdo and Soacha.
It will spend some $4.6 million on the new Cartagena school, in the Villa de Aranjuez neighbourhood, and another $4.3 million on the project in Barranquilla’s Nuevo Bosque, in company with several private donors.
The schools will serve areas with over-subscribed educational facilities, said the pop star.
Colombia’s previous government signed a peace deal in 2016 with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels to end more than five decades of war. Another guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and myriad crime gangs remain active.
The new right-wing government of President Ivan Duque, who took office in August, has called off peace talks with the ELN until the group frees all its hostages.
Shakira’s 54-show El Dorado tour, which began in Hamburg in June, will come to an end on Saturday in Bogota, Colombia’s capital.
The tour had been set to begin in November last year, but was postponed to allow the singer to heal a hemorrhage on her right vocal cord.
The five-time Grammy Award winner, whose 2001 song “Whenever, Wherever” was a Spanish-to-English crossover hit, is one of Colombia’s biggest musical exports, alongside singers Juanes and Maluma.
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The United States Consulate General Lagos, in collaboration with RoboRAVE International, a U.S.-based robotics education academy, trained 187 Nigerian students on robotics.
Robotics deals with the design, construction, operation and use of robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback and information processing.
These technologies are used to develop machines that can substitute for humans and replicate human actions.
Speaking during the robotics workshop on Saturday in Lagos, the U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer, Mr Russell Brooks, said that there was the need to acquire the required skills for the technology’s future.
Brooks said that the training was toward the U.S. Consulate’s mission to encourage good relationship between Nigeria and the U.S.
He said that the workshop was meant to boost technology education in Nigeria by engaging the participating students in hands-on robotics activities.
According to him, the training is to stimulate students’ interest in maths and sciences, as well as careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
“At some point in life, you are going to look for job to earn money to support your family.
“In order to do that, you are going to need to acquire the required skills.
“The future of technology is going to be based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), hence, the need for robotics training,’’ he said.
The Director, RoboRAVE Nigeria, Mr Kingsley Imade, said that the national event was the second edition in Nigeria and was to prepare students for the future.
Imade said that RoboRAVE would be having states training in schools in Ondo, Enugu, Asaba, Yenagoa and Osogbo.
He said that the third edition of the national robotics workshop would be held in October 2019.
The 187 students are from 29 primary and secondary schools across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, and Edo States, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The workshop was facilitated by an international faculty, including RoboRAVE International Director of Global Programmes, Mr Russ Fisher-Ives and RoboRAVE North America Director, Mr Brian Montoya. (NAN)
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The Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) has said that 35 inmates of the Jos prison will participate in the 2018 Nov/Dec Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) of the National Examination Council (NECO).
DSP Luka Ayedoo, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Plateau Command of NPS made this known in a statement in Jos on Sunday.
Ayedoo said that the inmates who comprised of 32 males and three females were adequately prepared to take social science and commercial subjects in the examination.
According to him, the examination fees of the inmates were paid by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), as part of activities marking its 47th anniversary.
“35 inmates of Jos Prison have been duly registered for the 2018 NECO external examination.
“The inmates 32 of who are male and 3 females have been prepared to take subjects in social sciences and commercials.
“This examination is one of the numerous reform programs available to prepare inmates towards smooth reintegration into the society, upon discharge,’’ Ayedoo said.
The PRO explained that the Service had deployed resources to attract productive partnership towards providing quality education and vocational skills for inmates across the command.
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The Nigerian Law School has released the results for the 2018 Bar final examination, with 161 students bagging a first class.

This is by far the highest ever in the history of legal education in Nigeria.

According to a statement by the Council of Legal Education, signed by Isa Hayatou Chiroma, the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, 5,846 students took the examination.

Of the 5,846 candidates, 4,633 passed the exams, representing 79.25 per cent of the total students.

In 2017, only 29 students bagged a first class, setting a record as the highest ever.

In 2018, 965 students were recorded to have failed the examination, representing 16.51 per cent of those who took the Bar finals.

The Call to Bar ceremony is set to hold on November 27, 28, and 29 in Abuja.
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A Trustee of the Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) Emeritus Prof. Otonti Nduka has said that Nigeria must prioritise education if the nation hopes to attain its developmental objectives.
In an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday, Nduka said education had been relegated to the background for too long and it had resulted in the problems being witnessed in all sectors and at all levels.
He said that although he was an optimist, he feared that the nation was not ready to address the problems of education now and even in the nearest future.
“I am an optimist but from what has been happening, there has not been much prospect of getting out our problems anytime soon.
“I hope we would get there some day but it is a very long time from now for I have not seen any real move to do so,” he said.
Nduka said that there was no state in Nigeria that was treating its education ministry as a priority.
According to the elder statesman, in the days of the regions, a very high percentage of the budget was allocated to education but ever since the era of oil, education became relegated to the background.
He said that it was unacceptable that only between six to nine per cent of the budget was voted to education and that those appointed to head the education ministry were usually not core educationist.
“Education has not being given the priority it deserves, an educationist rarely mans the education ministry and we have been paying the price,” he added.
In a separate interview, another trustee, Prof. Uduogie Ivowi said that there were good polices but government lacked the political will to implement them.
According to him, there is the Education for All policy of the government yet, there are about 13 millions of children that are out of school.
He said that the narrative is unacceptable and does not speak well of the largest black country in the world.
“We tend to toil with education, teachers salary not being paid, how do you intend to motivate them to teach well.
“If they do not teach well, the outcome will be low and that will affect national development; government has to take education far more seriously than as it is happening now,” he said.
Also, the Media Specialist of NAE, Mr Sylvester Onoja stressed the need to give adequate attention to the girl-child education in the country.
Onoja said that when you train a girl-child, you train a nation and that the future of any nation is dependent on the girl-child.
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.
Protest in plateau over killings as NUT embarks on prayers on Teachers’ Day

The Plateau Chapter of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) on Friday held a special prayer session for intercession to end killings in the state.
Speaking at the event to mark the 2018 World Teachers’ Day on Friday in Jos, Mr Ayuba Gana, the NUT Chairman in Plateau said the state was marking the day solemnly because of the spate of killings.
Gana said the prayer was to seek God’s intervention in the security challenges in the state which had destroyed lives and property and threatened access to quality education for children.
“We are praying against the killings because it threatens the future of our children.
“They cannot go to school in this situation; this is a concern to us and should be to every member of the society
“ We have lost many teachers and school children in these killings; we do not want our situation to be like that of Borno where many schools have been abandoned because of security challenges.
“The prayer session is also to seek for wisdom and grace for teachers to discharge their duties diligently irrespective of the challenges they are facing,’’ he said.
He said the prayer was further geared towards seeking improvement in their welfare alleging that they were last promoted in 2016 even though many teachers were currently due for promotion.
“ Many teachers are stagnated in their current positions, our annual increment has been irregular and many retired teachers are yet to receive their entitlements and are suffering ill health.
“We are still receiving half salary since the approval of the N18, 000 minimum wage and in many rural schools, there are inadequate teachers “ he said.
Gana said the theme for the 2018 celebration, "the Right to Education means the Right to a Qualified Teacher" was apt as it showed the importance of teachers in improving access to quality education.
One of the teachers, Mr Bashir Isah stressed the need for sponsors of attacks in the state to be exposed just as the people must endeavour to live in peace.
Mrs Martha Ibrahim on her part, prayed for improved welfare for teachers and better enabling environment for teaching and learning.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that over 100 primary school teachers across the 17 local government areas in Plateau converged on the NUT secretariat for the special prayer session.
NAN also reports that World Teachers Day is marked annually on Oct. 5 to highlight the contributions of teachers to ensure a better society while seeking better welfare for them.
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The Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri in Imo is the best polytechnic in Nigeria, according to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Masa’udu Kazaure made this known in Kaduna on Thursday, at the end of the Second Regular Meeting of the NBTE Governing Board. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Modupe Adelabu.
Kazaure explained that the polytechnic emerged the best after scoring 85.08 per cent in the assessment of 112 federal, state and private polytechnics in the country, in the pilot ranking of Nigerian polytechnics.
He said that the exercise covered 2015/2016 and 206/2017 academic sessions.
He said that the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun came second with 73.08 per cent, while Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State came third with 72.31 per cent.
Other polytechnics in the top 10 included The Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State, ranked fourth with 67.69 per cent; Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger, fifth, 65.38 per cent; and Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo, sixth, with 63.85 per cent.
Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, Enugu State, seventh, with 62.31 per cent. Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Ondo State and Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos State were ranked eighth with 60.77 per cent.
Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra was ranked 11th with 60.00 per cent and Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi, occupied the 12th position with 59.23 per cent.
The NBTE boss also said that when disaggregated by ownership, the Federal Polytechnic Nekede also emerged the best Federal Polytechnic in the country followed by Federal Polytechnic Ilaro and Kaduna Polytechnic.
“The Polytechnic Ibadan, IMT and Rufus Giwa polytechnics were the highest ranked among state polytechnics, while Lagos City Polytechnic is the highest ranked private polytechnic and the 16th in the country.
“Dorben Polytechnic and Heritage Polytechnic were the second and third best private polytechnic in the country.
Kazaure explained that the polytechnics were ranked based on total number of programmes with full accreditation in the last two years and percentage of programmes with full accreditation.
“Other criteria include proportion of academic staff showing the right mix, that is, chief lecturer and principal lecturer down to assistant lecturer; and ability of institution to introduce programme in new and emerging fields.
“They were equally assessed based on capacity building of staff both within and outside Nigeria, teaching quality, including staff /student ratio and ratio of full-time to part-time staff.
“Other areas are availability of current Campus Master Plan, Strategic Plan, and Academic Brief; percentage of academic staff with relevant higher qualification and professional registration; and 70:30
technology-non-technology enrolment ratio.
“Another consideration was the incorporation of entrepreneurship education into the institute’s curriculum and fully established Entrepreneurship Development Centre,” he said.
He said other issues discussed by the board borders on quality assurance, accreditation, resource inspection visits and proliferation of illegal technical and health institutions in the country.
He said that 191 out of the 239 programmes in 41 polytechnics visited for accreditation between June and September 2018 were granted full accreditation while 48 got interim accreditation.
He also said that 117 programmes were scrutinised for resource inspection within the same period and 94 programmes were granted interim accreditation to commence operation, while 23 were denied.
“Four proposed private polytechnics were also visited for approval and licensing within the period under review and only one was recommended while three were asked to remedy some identified deficiencies.
“The governing board also approved a memorandum of understanding with Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria to reduce the burden of duplication of quality assurance visitation and accreditation activities.
“The board also agreed to hold meetings with relevant stakeholders to put an end to proliferation of illegal technical institutions and unapproved private health institutions operating in the county.
“The board particularly commended the effort of the Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr Paul Dogo for expressing concern to the board on illegal health institutions operating in the state,” he said.
Kazaure added that the board equally frowned at the conversion of colleges of agriculture to polytechnics by some state governments and agreed to take necessary actions to put a stop to the development. 
FDY/LR News
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