TIME MANAGEMENT FOR STUDENTS

In a world that moves with a jet speed, everything is required to catch up with the pace in order not to become redundant or cut out of relevance.

Students are not left out of this race. In fact, it is now more important for learners to know how to cope with the many things that confront and compete for their attention almost at the same time these days.

Today, many students are found to be lagging behind in term of time management as it is seriously affecting their learning outcome. Now, an average student or pupil has his studies, domestic chores, own personal challenges, contributing in raising family finance among other things to contend with. This is unavoidably so due to the prevailing socio-economic challenges.

In the past centuries, students received priority and were less stressed but, the reverse is the order now as they have to struggle with adults for everything- opportunities, benefits... in their society. Since the social order has changed to the model that makes students become so vulnerable, it is necessary that a sane society would provide them support that will help them to survive the myriad of demands on their time. Many have been adversely affected academically and otherwise by the non-availability of this support system.

Effective time management is a basic and necessary survival skill. It is not enough to just gloss over it. The required techniques should be taught to students to enable them allocate their time judiciously in order to make the best out of it. Every student has same twenty-four hours of a day as adults.
Teaching of time management to students is not just the responsibility of schools only. Every family member- parent, guardian, aunt, uncle... should be involved.

The first setback to this idea is the general poor attitude to time. Most people lack the right culture to time management. Schools should be more organized or articulate in the presentation of the teaching of this subject matter.

Festus O. Odeyale        

EDUCATION MINISTRY: ITS STRATEGIC VALUES & ROLES IN ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN

Source: Google
In the Private sector, effective organisations usually align all their resources to support all initiatives towards delivering and achieving their set objectives. The Public sector is however not an exempt in this regard.

In view of the on-going anti-corruption campaign of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Ministry of Education occupies a very strategic position with so much inherent potential which can facilitate the success of the campaign. As it is now, the government at the centre is fighting corruption which is the #Fruit but fails to align the ministry to tackle the #Root which is #ExamMalpractice. As a matter of fact, the anti-corruption campaign is only a chase of the symptoms but not the causes because of the failure of the government to realise the strategic value of the Education Ministry to the war against corruption. Therefore, the social menace called exam malpractice is assuming an impregnable status of a ferocious monster. It is fast becoming a fad to cheat in any examinations today. Subtly, the nefarious practice has attained the height of impunity and what was once regarded as a vice in the past is now a virtue which the system celebrates.

The strategic roles of the Education Ministry to the fight against corruption should not be undermined. There is inevitable need to challenge the leadership of the ministry to be awaken to this reality. The Presidency and the Nigerian people must demand it as a deliverable or contribution from the sector to the anti-corruption crusade. Enough of the aloofness or indifference of the education Leadership to the rampaging social menace- #ExamMalpractice which is fast consuming the Students and Pupils alike and in extenso, the country. The social vice, today, is seriously affecting disciplined schools which frown at examination malpractice by way of loss of patronage through withdrawal of students/pupils from their schools by parents to the schools which give room for misconduct. Wonder what this portends?

Now is the time for the three tiers of government to realise that anti-corruption war should start from schools with the model of "Catch Them Young" with "Zero Tolerance" for #ExamMalpractice. Specify performance target and set success benchmark for personnel to achieve. The Personnel department should align the civil servants to pursue the identified and clearly communicated goals in their various schools and classes.

National Assembly and the State Assemblies should support the campaign against exam-malpractice with the provision of legislation that will stem the tide. Should they fail to do this, then, there will be no end to certificate scandal rocking the hallowed chambers and distracting legislative processes. In the same vein, the Judiciary should do the needful when the need arises.

What then are the strategic values of the Ministry of Education to the anti-corruption crusade?

*It is positioned to nip the root (exam-malpractice) at the onset.
*It has the avalanche of human capital (civil servant population) to prosecute the war at little or no cost
*It possesses a wide coverage (nationwide)- Personnel and schools available in every community
*It can easily create and design a curriculum to re-orientate the growing children at little or no cost
*It can easily partner with other agencies like WAEC, JAMB, NAPPS, ANCOPPS etc to make a difference
And many more to explore.

FINANCIAL EDUCATION TO START SOON IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS- CBN

Source:Google

Teaching of Financial Education in primary and secondary schools will commence from the next academic session following the development of its curriculum by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development council (NERDC).  

The information was disclosed by the  Head of Consumer Education, CBN, khadija Kasim yesterday in Abuja during the event marking the celebration of the Global Money Week. 

According to her, the curriculum is designed to teach children about savings, investment and financial concepts so as to keep them informed from young age and enable them use financial services responsibly. The Nigerian Council on Education has approved the curriculum and it will be introduced in pilot states across the six geo-political zones nationwide beginning from October 2017.

SCHOOL MERGER: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNFORESEEN

Source:Google
Considering the endless high proliferation of privately owned schools with the consequent poor, inadequate facilities and low standard of education, one cannot but bemoan the future of Nigeria. Competitively, the Nigerian students and pupils are at a gross disadvantage. No wonder the quality of labour supply to the labour market by the numerous tertiary institutions are remarked incompetent and unsuitable for employment needs.

To improve the situation, particularly in term of quality and the standard of education, a school of thought posit that all sub-standard-schools should be merged with the well-established counterparts.The view is that a pool of resources by the merging schools will afford them resources that will enable them to provide standard and quality education.

Premised on the fore-going, our correspondent during an interview with Mr.S.A Otubule, an Educationist and School Administrator, countered the view. He said that the idea is not practicable in the education industry because of many inherent factors that will frustrate it. According to him, "it is only theorectical, not practiceable".

Otubule said that the proliferation of schools particularly, the sub-standard ones is as a result of  the institutionalised corruption and laxity of government which people explore. He said that the damage has been done permanently to education. So, caution should be applied in an effort to revamp the system. He disclosed that the best government can do is to monitor and enforce standards only in an advisory capacity. Quoting him, "you cannot shut down an existing and thriving school just because it has no purpose-built classroom blocks or any other standard requirements for establishing a school".

The School Administrator further buttressed his view with the fact that most owners of the well-established schools will be unwilling to merge with their sub-standard counterparts. That a school with own challenges will not accept to inherit any problems of another school intending to merge with it. Another issue he raised is motives of establishing a school. He said that interests in this regard will conflict as an owner who is purely business-minded will prefer to compromise standards to reduce cost, whereas the counterpart is ready for quality at whatever cost. Also mentioned as intrinsic problem is the lack or inadequate experience and skills of managing a school. And that should merger be forced by legislation, only well-established schools will be favoured as the exercise will be in their own terms. Cited as well are the impacts of merger on parents and learners.

When asked if merger should be restricted only to schools of equal status or levels and not the previous model, Otubule stated that  the purpose of merger is defeated from onset then. He explained that such model will give room for double standards which will eventually mess up the objectives. He retorted that "instead of solving the existing problems, a new set of challenges will be created".

Suggesting solutions to the issue of revamping the system, he stated that government should raise the standard for existing schools, build more standardised schools and make its quality assurance inspectorate monitor the system in an advisory fashion.

JAMB: UTME 2017 FORMS FOR SALE FROM MARCH 20

Source: Google
The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will commence the sale of the much expected Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms on March 20th for the year 20172018 exercise.

The official position of the body was made known on Monday, March 13, 2017 by the Head of JAMB's Public Relations, Dr.Fabian Benjamin. He said the date was fixed following an agreement that was reached on the harmonization of the examination timetable at a meeting with other examination bodies on January 24th.

Quoting him,  “We will begin the sale of the admission forms on March 20, while UTME is scheduled to hold in May. “We are ready to commence the sales of the 2017/2018 admission forms for UTME and Direct Entry forms on the said date’’. 

It was also clarified by the board that the proposed mock examination which the body plans , would be optional or not be a pre-requirement for writing the main exam. It explains that mock exam is only meant to make candidates 'feel' what the main exam will be like and prepare them well for it in the month of May.

NIGER STATE: 100 TEACHERS TRAINED BY FOREIGN UNIVERSITY

 
Source: Google

In order to transform the education sector of Niger state, the state government has trained 100 teachers in partnership with the University of Cambridge, UK. 

 

The information was disclosed by the Niger State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hajiya Fatima Madugu during the 2017 budget proposal defence at the State House of Assembly.

According to her, N89million was paid for the training of the teachers on quality of instruction and modern teaching technologies for class use. 

 

In the same vein, the commissioner stated that the state has hired consultants to identify the problems and challenges facing education in the state and that they are almost through with the project. Hajiya fatima Madugu who seems unsatisfied with the 44 per cent performance of 2016 budget of the sector, said the 2017 budget would focus on rehabilitation and renovation of more schools in the state.

However, Bako Alfa, the Chairman, house committee on Education, Science and Technology and members cautioned the ministry against reckless spending. The warning was made at the instance of the N174million which the ministry earlier incurred on the hiring of consultants to transform the education sector. The committee wondered why the ministry did not look inward to engage technocrats and experts within the education ministry in order to save cost particularly at a time of dwindling revenue base.

Job Vacancy: Book-Keeper/Inventory Officer

Source: Google

Position: Book-Keeper/Inventory Officer

Requirement:
*HND/B.Sc in any social sciences.
*Not more than 30 years old
*2 years of experience in cashiering/stores/bookkeeping/account.
*Must be able to use Peachtree accounting application

Salary: N50,000 monthly.

Location: Ikeja, lagos.

How to:
Email your Resume/CV to dotunjegede@gmail.com

Urgent.