Governor Babagana Zulum has launched a summit to reform the Almajiri education system in Borno State.  

The Almajiri education system is a traditional Islamic method of learning widely obtained across states in northern Nigeria.

The event held at the conference hall of Musa Usman Secretariat was graced by education stakeholders, religious leaders, and community advocates to discuss innovative strategies to integrate the Almajiri system with basic formal education.

The summit provided a platform for participants to discuss issues, share insights and propose actionable solutions to the challenges faced by the Almajiri education system.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Zulum emphasised the need to address the root causes of insecurity through the provision of education for all citizens of Borno. 

The governor stressed that improper teaching of Islamic studies has contributed to the emergence of Boko Haram insurgents in the state.

He noted that to curtail the adverse effects associated with Almajiri education, the Borno State Government has established the Arabic and Sangaya Education Board, introducing a unified curriculum for Sangaya and Islamic schools.

Zulum also stated that the reform includes establishing Higher Islamic Colleges that cater specifically to Almajiri children, blending religious and secular curricula and equipping them with skills vital for their personal development and future employment opportunities.

“The Sangaya Reform is a great development and will give Almajiri a better chance in life, particularly the introduction of integrating western education, vocational, numeracy and literacy skills into the centres, which are also described as Almajiri and Islamic schools,” Zulum said.

He added, “Distinguished guests and esteemed educationists, government’s intention was to streamline the informal and formal education systems to quality integrated Sangaya school for admission into colleges and universities.”

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Borno State Arabic and Sangaya Education Board, Shiekh Arabi Abulfatahi, expressed gratitude to Governor Zulum for giving the board the necessary support in discharging its duties.

The guest speakers, Professor Mustapha Gwadabe from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Professor Mohammed Alhaji from the University of Maiduguri, stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of the Almajiri system.

The Federal Government has imposed a six-week suspension on 13 students from the Federal Government College in Enugu State due to accusations of bullying.

This was announced in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folashade Boriowo.

Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa authorized the suspension following the circulation of a viral video that depicted some students at the school bullying others.

Alausa reiterated the ministry’s steadfast dedication to ensuring a secure and supportive learning environment in all federal schools nationwide.

He stated that a recent report submitted to the Federal Ministry of Education brought attention to the bullying incident at FUC, Enugu, sparking serious concerns about safety and discipline within the school setting.

The report read, ”The findings of the ministry, the incident involved the gang assault of an SS1 student (a day student) by a group of students on Nov. 7.

”The incident came to light showing the circulation of a disturbing video on social media platforms.

”In response, the Federal Ministry of Education established a disciplinary committee to investigate the matter.

”Based on the findings, all 13 students involved have been placed on a six-week suspension pending the report of the investigative committee.”

The minister also directed the School Based Management Committee to collaborate with security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation, including possible affiliations with external groups.

He added that immediate measures have been implemented to enhance security at the College by engaging law enforcement agents while also reviewing existing safety protocols.

”Additionally, counseling and rehabilitation support will be provided to address all forms of problems while promoting their reintegration into a positive school environment,” he said.

NAN

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) sounded the alarm on Tuesday about a scheme to undermine the welfare of public universities in Nigeria.

At an event in Abuja celebrating ASUU’s Heroes Day in 2024, ASUU National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, claimed that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are persistently working to dismantle Nigeria’s public education system.

The union expressed frustration over the stalled renegotiation of its 2009 agreement with the Federal Government, pointing out that, despite multiple Memoranda of Understanding and Action, the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement remains unresolved and unfinalized.

Prof. Osodeke also lamented that the situation has worsened due to the continued enforcement of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System in public universities, despite the Federal Executive Council’s previous announcement to remove the system from higher education institutions.

Osodeke also voiced concern that the Federal Government continued to unfairly withhold the union’s salaries for three and a half months, along with unpaid wage arrears, overdue promotions, and the unresolved Earned Academic Allowance.

Speaking further at the event, where ASUU honoured what it described as its “past and living heroes,” Osodeke commended the union’s members nationwide for their “courageous comradeship and sacrifices to the cause of our union, which forever resonate with the emancipation of Nigerian public university education and the suffering Nigerian people.”

He stated that the union plans to provide PhD scholarships to select members from different public universities nationwide. Each grant, worth N500,000, will be awarded following a thorough evaluation of proposals conducted by specialists in the relevant fields.

“Comrades, like in the past, this year’s celebration of our heroes also takes place as we continue the struggle to rescue Nigeria’s public universities from the suffocating clutches of the World Bank and the IMF, whose determination to destroy and bury our public university system has not abated.

“It is rather lamentable that we are still struggling to compel the renegotiation of our 2009 Agreement with the federal government, twelve years after it should have been concluded, and after four rounds of failed negotiations.

“It is most disheartening and egregious that despite the several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Memoranda of Action (MoAs), the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement is yet to be renegotiated and finalised,” he said.

Osodeke alleged that at the state level, ASUU members “are still being punished for fighting for the interests of members and the university system.”

He added, “Let me re-emphasise that we stand with our members at Kogi State University, Lagos State University, Ebonyi State University, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in their persecution for their principled support and solidarity in the struggle to defend the soul of public university education in Nigeria.

“As part of our Heroes Day celebration, this year, and in line with the NDC decision, the union will be offering PhD grants to some of our members across various public universities in the country.

“The grants, valued at five hundred thousand naira per recipient, will be based on the rigorous assessment of their proposals by experts in their respective disciplines.”

The event honored distinguished individuals, including Prof. T. Uzodinma Nwala, Prof. Bright Ekuerhare, Prof. Oye Oyediran, Mallam Bashir Kurfi, Prof. The Name Ikiddeh, Mr. S.A. Fadipe, and Prof. Sola Olukunle.

Additional honorees included Nasir Hussain, Tunde Oduleye, Prof. Rasheed Abubakar, Akin Oyebode, Mustapha A. Danesi, A.T. Wins, and Dr. Peter Ozo-Son.

The PUNCH

The candidate of the Labour Party (LP) during the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi has donated the sum of N60 million to two schools in Anambra State. 

During a visit on Monday, Obi presented N50 million to Peter University in Achina and later donated N10 million to the College of Nursing Sciences in Adazi Nnukwu.

Just last Thursday last week, Obi had earlier donated N60m to support local institutions with N50m going to the University on the Niger (UNINIGER) in Umunya, the university’s Iyi-Enu campus, to aid its expansion and infrastructure goals.

He also visited the School of Nursing at Iyienu Mission Hospital in Ogidi, where he contributed an additional N10 million to support healthcare training.

Writing on his official X account, Obi said that the contributions align with his longstanding commitment to fostering a productive Nigeria. 

“Health and education are the cornerstones of development,” Obi said. 

“A nation cannot progress without a healthy and educated workforce.” He highlighted the importance of prioritizing the future of Nigeria’s youth, given the country’s predominantly young population.

The donations are part of Obi’s broader vision of building a “New Nigeria” by investing in critical sectors that address poverty and improve citizens’ quality of life. 

He emphasised that such investments are crucial for creating a nation where citizens can contribute productively to economic growth and development.

The former governor of Anambra State extended gratitude to the proprietors, management, staff, and students of both institutions, commending their dedication to the fields of health and education.

UK universities are among the most prestigious in the world, but visa restrictions mean they are now attracting fewer international students — taking a heavy toll on their finances.

The restrictions are compounding problems caused by the UK’s departure from the European Union four years ago.

Almost 760,000 foreign students were enrolled in British universities in 2022, making Britain the second most popular destination after the US, in a highly competitive market.

Most come from India, followed by China and Nigeria.

But last year, the number of student visas fell by 5 per cent. Between July and September, student visa applications slumped 16 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The decline is a major cause of concern for higher education institutions since foreign students pay far more in fees than British students.

Leo Xui, 20 years old and from China, began studying population and health sciences at University College London in September.

“It’s good for my career,” he said of enrolling abroad. Thinking ahead to when he will return to China, he added: “I will be able to apply for a foreign company.”

His fees for the academic year are £31,000 (37,200 euros). British students attending universities in England have paid a maximum of £9,250 since 2017.

The Labour government, elected in the summer, announced last week that the cap would rise to £9,535 from next year, a move welcomed by universities who have been calling for an increase for years.

Universities UK (UUK), which represents 141 British higher education institutions, warned at its conference in September that funding per student is at its lowest level since 2004.

It estimates that the £9,250 fee is worth less than £6,000 because of inflation, leading to deficits in teaching and research.

– ‘Crunch’ –

“We are all feeling the crunch,” UUK president Sally Mapstone told the conference.

Universities have welcomed more foreign students in a bid to fill budget gaps, to the point where many are financially dependent on them.

According to a parliamentary report, foreign students make up more than half the student body at London’s University of the Arts and Cranfield University, a science and engineering institute just north of the British capital.

The Financial Times reported earlier this year that some universities, including York, have lowered their admission criteria to attract more students from abroad.

But the previous Conservative government, ousted from power in July, complicated the universities’ task by imposing restrictions on student visas as it sought to reduce record levels of regular migration.

It forbade foreign students from bringing family members with them, with a few exceptions, and prevented them from switching to work visas while studying.

In the first four months of 2024, there were 30,000 fewer applications from overseas than in the same period in 2023, according to official statistics.

“These hard numbers confirm our fear that the previous government’s changes have made the UK a less attractive study destination,” said Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think-tank.

– Overseas campuses –

Provost Ian Dunn of Coventry University, where more than a third of the 30,000 students are from overseas said the Tories’ “narrative was very destructive”.

The university had already been impacted by Brexit.

“We had 4,400 students from the European Union. Now we’re probably at 10 percent of that,” he said, adding that the situation was “difficult”.

A lecturer at another English university told AFP that teaching positions as well as courses had been cut.

“The drop in international students has dramatically worsened the crisis for us,” she said on condition of anonymity because she was not authorised to talk to the media.

“Some have preferred to go to Canada, Australia or the Netherlands, where courses are taught in English,” she added.

Coventry University may have found the answer by partnering with institutions overseas to open campuses in several countries, including Egypt, Morocco, India and China.

At the end of their studies, students may not have set foot in the UK but they still “obtain a degree from Coventry University”, said Dunn.

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a record-breaking N1.5 trillion education tax collection for 2024.

It attributed the increase to the upward review in Education Tax from 2.5 to 3 per cent.

Executive Secretary of the Fund, Sonny Echono stated this on Monday in Abuja at a one-day strategic interactive engagement with heads of beneficiary institutions.

He said: “The increase last year, in the Education Tax from 2.5% to 3% – authorized by the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represents a significant stride for TETFund.

“This change, culminating with a record-breaking Education Tax collection of approximately 1.5 trillion Naira so far this year, reinforces the government’s dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s educational framework”.

Details soon.