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UNICAL VC bags African teaching authourity award

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The Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA) has conferred and award on Prof. Florence Obi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar.

Obi was conferred with Fellowship of a Distinguished Teacher Award by AFTRA at the Senate Chambers of the University on Monday in Calabar.

She was duly selected and recognised for the award by the 55 Member States of the Africa Union (AU).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AFTRA is the intergovernmental umbrella of the Ministries of Education and National Agencies regulating teaching in the 55 AU Member States.

Prof. Steve Nwokeocha, the AFTRA Executive Director Academics, said that Obi was chosen for promoting the teaching profession and for attaining the height of her teaching career, which have made her to stand out in the continent.

He explained that for her sake, millions of people can dream to become teachers and also the girl child can aspire to the highest position in life.

He said that in Nigeria, Obi is the 6th fellow and first woman in Nigeria to be conferred with the award.

“This is first time AFTRA is organising a continental event solely to honour a single individual. Having examined her pedigree, AFTRA was convinced that she deserves the honour,” he said.

Obi said that the award was the “peak” of the awards she had receive in her teaching profession.

She said her desire of bringing up the young ones and transforming them into great men and women had given her much joy and fulfilment.

“I am so fulfilled today because this is one award I will live to treasure simply because it is an award that came from the recognition of my contribution to my profession.

“It is an award that is international in nature. I feel honoured today that the 55 Member States of AFTRA have found me worthy for this award and recognition.

“As a fellow of AFTRA and for the fact that I am a professional teacher means that I have a lot to do to promote the profession.

“I have deep love for the teaching profession; and I know that the only profession that I can fit in excellently is the teaching profession,” she said.

She commended AFTRA for coming together with a view to promote academic excellence and the teaching profession in Africa. (NAN)

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How JAMB Registrar Resolves Over 5,000 Pending Complaints in Five Days

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Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Segun Aina
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The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Segun Aina, had relocated his seat to the SERVICOM so to resolve more than 5,000 pending complaints within five days, in a bid to improve service delivery to candidates.

‎This is disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Acting Director, Public Affairs and Protocol, JAMB, Fabian Benjamin.

‎Benjamin said the development followed Aina’s decision to strengthen the Board’s Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM) Unit to ensure the prompt resolution of outstanding complaints.

‎He said the Registrar had relocated his seat to the SERVICOM Unit to gain first-hand knowledge of the nature of services being sought by candidates and other clients and to facilitate the resolution of pending cases.

‎According to him, the move is in line with the Registrar’s Five Enduring Pillars, particularly the second pillar, “Service at Heart”.

He added that the Registrar’s move was to ensure his commitment to leveraging strategic communication to reposition the Board and deliver services commensurate with the fees paid by candidates.

‎He noted that Aina had directed SERVICOM Desk Officers to address complaints holistically and promptly.

‎Benjamin said the directive had already begun to yield positive results, with more than 5,000 pending and unresolved complaints addressed within five days.

‎He said the complaints covered a wide range of issues, including difficulties in creating profile codes by candidates who had previously registered with telephone numbers to which they no longer had access.

‎He added that biometric verification challenges were also addressed, including genuine cases of biometric failures encountered during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration or examination.

‎He further said that the Registrar also scrutinised the operations of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), where issues relating to lost phones and SIM cards, candidates who converted from Direct Entry (DE) to UTME, and candidates omitted from the National Matriculation List after graduation were identified and addressed.

‎He also noted that some previously unresolved payment-related issues were swiftly resolved, alongside complaints concerning inappropriate examination venues, e-PINs, technical challenges and difficulties with the uploading of documents.

‎According to him, other recurring complaints relating to changes of name, date of birth, state and local government of origin were also addressed.

‎The acting director said the initiative underscored the Registrar’s commitment to placing candidates and other clients at the centre of the Board’s operations.

‎He said JAMB would continue to strengthen its complaint-resolution mechanisms to ensure that candidates received timely and efficient services

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President Tinubu Gives Green Light for Hiring of 3,252 Teachers for Federal Unity Colleges

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Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa
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The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has rained encomiums on President Boka Tinubu for giving the green light to hire 3,252 verified Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) teachers for Federal Unity Colleges, saying the move is a defining action that reflects the President’s dedication to upgrading Nigeria’s education system and securing the country’s future.

In his view, the approval marks one of the boldest steps by the Tinubu Administration to close the persistent teacher gap in Federal Unity Colleges.

He said it also acknowledges the loyalty and long service of thousands of PTA teachers who have kept classrooms running nationwide.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by Special Adviser Media and Communications to the minister, Ikharo Attah. The statement said:

“The President has endorsed the recruitment exercise. First consideration will go to verified PTA teachers, many of whom have worked in our Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for nearly 25 years. This decision now gives them a pathway into the core federal civil service.”

Dr. Alausa framed the development as a key achievement under the Renewed Hope Agenda’s ongoing overhaul of education noting that the recruitment will help balance the teacher-to-student ratio in Unity Colleges and recognize educators who have sustained quality teaching despite years of job insecurity.
The minister said that the approval came after a full-scale audit carried out by an Inter-Ministerial Committee. The panel vetted eligible PTA teachers across all Federal Unity Colleges and confirmed 3,252 teachers in three categories: Education Officers, Assistant Education Officers, and Technical Instructors. He expressed optimism that their formal absorption into service will proceed once all required legal and administrative steps are completed.

Alausa added that integrating seasoned educators into the federal workforce will help retain critical institutional experience, raise classroom standards, and boost learning results in Unity Colleges, stressing that the exercise aligns with the Federal Government’s wider plan to elevate teacher quality and restore the colleges as hubs of academic excellence.

He further reaffirmed that the Federal Ministry of Education will partner with relevant government bodies to finalize the outstanding statutory procedures needed for the official recruitment clearance, in line with existing public service rules.

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FG Directs Tertiary Institutions to Expel Students Involved in Kidnapping

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The Federal Government has directed vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts across the country to dismiss any student found guilty of kidnapping or related criminal activities after a thorough investigation.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, gave the directive during a meeting with the management of the Federal University of Lafia in Abuja.

He said students involved in kidnapping have no place in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, stressing that campuses must not become safe havens for criminals.

The minister also instructed heads of tertiary institutions to strengthen internal intelligence systems and work closely with the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to improve campus security.

Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s policy that no government institution should negotiate with or pay ransom to kidnappers, warning that doing so encourages criminal activities.

He further announced that the Federal Government will support security projects in tertiary institutions through the TETFund 2027 intervention programme, including perimeter fencing and other security infrastructure.

The minister also restated the government’s commitment to expanding the Energising Education Programme to improve electricity supply in tertiary institutions across the country.

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