JAMB says varsities, polytechnics, others can start Post-UTME test Sept. 7

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has shifted the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (post-UTME) screening for the 2020 admission processes till Sept.7 in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country.

The board said the shift in the date of the admission process from the earlier announced Aug. 21 was to accommodate candidates who would be taking part in this year’s school-based Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Board Registrar, made this known on Monday, after a consultative virtual meeting with Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts of tertiary institutions.
According to him, the view of JAMB is that while we go on consulting at a point when it becomes necessary for decision, we should all come together and take decisions.

“Presently as you are aware, WAEC starts the Senior School Certificate Examination on Aug. 17, it will go on till Sept. 7.

“Similarly, on Sept. 2 or thereabout, NABTEB will commence its own examination that will go on till Oct. 15, and immediately after that, NECO starts from the 5th to Nov.18.
“Rather than making candidates run, particularly, when they will have to write their school certificate exam in different towns and rush to universities elsewhere for post-UTME, like somebody rushing from Sokoto to Ibadan for post-UTME, we believe as a custodian of the highest sector of the education system, we should avoid that,” Oloyede said.

The JAMB boss said institutions whose post-UTME screening was mandatory for candidates would have to spread such exercise in two phases.

“For those institutions who want to take post-UTME, that cannot be earlier than the 7th of September and it will be held twice – from 7th September to 4th of October, and then it will be held for the second time on the 18th of November to mop up those who are taking their school certificate examination,” he said.

Oloyede, who commended the various submissions of heads of tertiary institutions during the meeting, said institutions that conducted admissions without the administration of any-post UTME screening, should also ensure candidates whose SSCE results would be released toward the end of the year were not denied participation in the admission exercise.

He said that the board had withheld results of candidates that sat for the 2020 UTME at Correctional Service Centres (prisons) over suspected infractions.

“There are candidates who took exams in the correctional centres that we know are not prisoners, so we wrote to the correctional centres to explain how that happens, because we did not want non-prisoners to take advantage of the concessions we give to inmates,” Oloyede said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the virtual meeting attracted 488 participants from across all states in the country.

It was attended by JAMB’s Director of Administration, Aliyu Muhammed; Director of Finance, Muktar Bello; Director of Information Communication Technology, Fabian Okoro,; Director of Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, among others. (NAN)

School reopening: JAMB considers new date for admissions

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), said that it is considering new date for the commencement of 2020 admission exercise due to recent changes in academic calendar for secondary students, particularly those in exiting classes.

JAMB said it had earlier announced August 22nd as the date for commencement of 2020 admission exercise, but will meet with stakeholders on Monday to brainstorm on the possibility of new date that would better accommodate the vagaries of the COVID-19 pandemic.

JAMB spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, in a statement released in Abuja, on Sunday, said that “as a responsive organisation whose mantra is equity and fairness, the Board desires that every aspiring candidate who had taken its 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) be given equal opportunity to compete with peers for the available openings.

“This is the reason for another meeting with all the institutions with a view to amending the earlier and mutually-agreed date for the conduct of Post-UTME screening and other processes.

“As intellectuals, it is incumbent on JAMB and the various tertiary institutions to always provide practical solutions to perceived challenges for the smooth running of the sector without being prompted by the government. Such solutions, when arrived at, would then be forwarded to the relevant Ministries or Agencies for further inputs and necessary approvals.

“It’s in view of this that the Board is working to pre-empt any unpalatable situation that may arise if institutions conduct their admissions without accommodating the vast number of candidates that are about to take their O’level examinations.”

Fabian disclosed that, consequently, the Board would, at the meeting, be looking at the possibility of ensuring that the various institutions either delay or prolong their screening exercises to accommodate candidates who will be taking the 2020 O’level examinations.

…Warns Private School Owners on Illegal Fees

Oyo State government has announced the readiness of the State’s Teaching Service Commission (Oyo TESCOM) to conduct computer-based test (CBT) for all candidates applying for teaching appointment, starting from Tuesday 11th August, 2020.

The Chairman, Oyo TESCOM, Pastor Akinade Alamu stated this on a radio programme in Ibadan on Thursday while answering questions pertaining to developments on the State’s teaching appointment.

Alamu had recently informed the general public that all applicants for the teaching appointment would have to upload their credentials to the State’s website to allow for equal participation and open process.

He said the examination would run through the week from 7am till 6pm except on Sunday, reiterating the fact that whoever that could not upload his or her credentials to TESCOM’s portal before Tuesday should not bother to write the test.

“The examination will be starting on Tuesday, 11th August, 2020 and will run through the week till Saturday, they will be starting daily from 7am till 6pm and the results will be communicated to the applicants through the email they put in their registration and through SMS.

“No applicant’s complaints will be attended to at the CBT centers, if anybody has complaints, let them come to the TESCOM office, we wish them the best in the examination.”

Alamu hailed the State administration’s resolve to conduct computer-based examination for all candidates applying for teaching appointment in the State, as according to him, the move has portrayed the government as being open in all its governance processes.

Reacting to the issue of private school owners demanding a quarter of school fees for periods students were at home due to Covid-19 pandemic from their students, the TESCOM Chairman said the private schools ought to have consulted with parents and other stakeholders before deciding on such.

He asked the private school owners concerned to see the effects of covid-19 as that which affected them and parents as well, urging them to desist from charging the students without appreciating the consequence of the current situation on the financial strength of individual home.

In a statement released by a Socio-Cultural Group in Oke-Ogun, the Oke-Ogun Alliance for Justice highlighted below:

Re-Ibadan Indigenes Allege Marginalization in Appointment of VC in UI

If Ibadan people can complain of marginalization, what will Oke-Ogun do? Since the creation of Oyo State, Ibadan has always produced the Governor except during military rule, the golden era of Chief Bola Ige and the accidental emergence of an Ogbomoso man some years ago. While many states in Nigeria elect governors on rotational basis across the zones that constitute them, Oyo State has witnessed the excruciating dominance of Ibadan in terms of governance by governors of Ibadan extraction.

For the sake of clarity, the following indigenes of Ibadan have been governors of Oyo State since the second republic: Chief Omololu Olunloyo, Chief Kolapo Ishola, Alhaji Lam Adesina, Alhaji Rashid Ladoja, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Engineer Seyi Makinde. With the above fact and the occurrence in the Oyo State political atmosphere, Ibadan is not ready to concede the governorship seat to any other region in the state nor wishes to spread development evenly in the state.

While about 65% of the state resources is expended on Ibadan, despite been saturated with development, the development of other zones of the state, especially Oke Ogun, has remained a subject of campaign by successive governors.

While many towns in Oyo State, raise prayer warriors for them to be considered in the appointment of state commissioners in successive governments, about 60% of political appointment goes to Ibadan alone.

If the maxim of ‘ he who comes with equity must come with clean hands ‘ is anything to go by, the people of Ibadan lack the moral rectitude to complain of marginalization on the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the University of ibadan.

It is note worthy, that the appointment of Vice Chancellor is not a political appointment, over which Ibadan has mastery of manipulation against other zones in Oyo State. The process is also not driven by ethnic sentiment or desire for dominance.

University of Ibadan, being the Nation’s premier University, has many Professors who hail from different towns and cities across Nigeria.
Their different ethnic background or towns of origin is not relevant in the appointment of a Vice Chancellor, what is relevant is their respective qualifications, experience and their programmes for the development of the University. For the sake of sanity in the Ivory tower, Ibadan should allow the process to run its natural course. There are other eminently qualified Professors in the race. Professor Dele Layiwola is one.

It is necessary to avoid the pollution of our academic environment, with nepotism and desire to dominate others. It is our humble opinion, that the call on the President, to IMPOSE an Ibadan indigene as the next Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan is a desecration of of the established procedure, defilement of the academic culture, self-serving and unpatriotic.

It is our considered opinion, that in the 21st century, the consideration for the appointment of a Vice Chancellor should not be his state or town of origin, but his academic and moral qualifications.

It is inconceivable, that Ibadan could dream of dominating UI , the way she had dominated Oyo State for a very long time. It should be noted that UI is a Federal University and the circumstance of its location does not make it the property of Ibadan to be used for the benefit of Ibadan ànd her indigenes alone.

He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

Nigerian University Suspends Student who Hacked Premium Times Website

The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) on Wednesday announced the indefinite suspension on its student who hacked PREMIUM TIMES website in February.

The university said by attacking PREMIUM TIMES, Afolabi Emmanuel, a final year student of Food Science and Technology, committed “an act that constitutes misconduct and misuse of University IT infrastructure.”

Adegbenro Adebanjo, FUTA’s head of corporate communications, said in a statement emailed to PREMIUM TIMES said Mr Emmanuel’s suspension took effect from March 18 and that he had been instructed to keep away from the campus.

Mr Adebanjo said, “In the letter of suspension dated August 5, 2020, the University noted that it received a complaint from PREMIUM TIMES about a Denial of Service, DOS attack on its website between 28th and 29th February 2020 through a concerted vulnerability scanning by a person using IT infrastructure of the University.

“Following the complaint, the University management initiated an investigation and it was discovered that Emmanuel carried out the alleged act of misconduct using the login credentials of two members of staff, without authorization, to perpetrate the act.

“The notification of indefinite suspension letter addressed to Emmanuel and his sponsors reads in part, ‘In the extant Student’s Handbook of Information, your action is a misconduct to abuse the use of University IT Infrastructure. While still putting in place an arrangement to give you an opportunity to explain yourself, you are hereby placed on an indefinite suspension retroactively from 18th March 2020.’

“In effect, Emmanuel should not be found anywhere in or near the precincts of the Federal University throughout the period of his indefinite suspension.

“The University deplores such behaviour and reiterates that it will continue to visit such aberrant act with the full weight of the rules and regulations governing students behaviour and conduct off and on the campus. For the avoidance of doubt, only students who are worthy in learning and character can lay claim to and be addressed as FUTA students.”

WAEC has released the Final International Timetable for the conduct of WASSCE for Senior Secondary School Candidates, 2020. The exam is set to commence August 17 and ends September 12. This was contained in a press release attached below

National Universities Commission (NUC) has begun the collection of data to assess the readiness of all universities for a possible resumption date for academic activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Executive secretary of the Commission, Abubakar Adamu Rasheed disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the ongoing contributions of Nigerian universities to national response to COVID-19.

Represented by Deputy Executive Secretary Academics, Dr Suleiman Ramon Yusuf, the NUC boss stated that efforts are also ongoing in finding solution to Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike and reopening of universities.

You will recall that last week, NUC released a statement urging all Universities to submit prepared documents showing their readiness to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols if the universities should be allowed to resume.

Ahead of the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) which has been slated for 17th of this Month, Oyo state government has affirmed that necessary machinery has been in motion for the Oyo State Students to excel in the external examination.

The Chairman of the State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Pastor Akinade Alamu, disclosed this on Monday in a chat with Noble FM’s correspondent, Micheal Oladejo.

Pastor Alamu who frowned at the insinuation that there may likely be a mass failure in the state due to the short notice by WAEC in choosing 17th of August as the commencement date for the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), explained that the state government had made hay while the sun shines, thus, there is no cause for alarm.

Pastor Akinade maintained that there would be a continuation of the intervention program for the SS3 Class until the commencement of WASSCE on August 17, 2020.

While giving updates on the ongoing teachers’ recruitment in the state, the TESCOM boss hinted that about 70thousand applicants’ data have been uploaded and the commission will conduct a Computer-based test for the applicants before the 15th of August, 2020.

The TESCOM chairman added that the commission has concluded interviews for about one thousand non-teaching staff who intended to upgrade to full-time teachers and the results of the interviews will be released in due course.

You will recall that the Oyo State Government, in conformity with the agreement reached by the Federal and State Governments with the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), adjusted its school calendar to suit the commencement date of the 2020 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

LASG Monitors Public, Private Schools’ Compliance with Resumption Safety Protocol

Commissioner Says Students Must Not Exceed 20 per Class

The Lagos State Ministry of Education, on Monday, embarked on a monitoring exercise to public and private schools in its effort to ensure compliance to the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines for schools reopening.

The Honourable Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, who led the monitoring team to assess the process of resumption and ensured that all safety protocols were strictly observed in order to reduce the risk of anyone contracting the disease.

In a chat with news correspondents during the inspection tour of some public and private Schools in Yaba, Surulere and Apapa under the State’s Education District IV, Adefisayo expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness of the schools visited, adding that the State Government is very concerned about the safety of students and their teachers.

While stressing that the students and teachers wellbeing is of utmost importance to the State Government, the Commissioner noted that the inspection tour will continue till all Schools are covered, adding that any school accommodating other students apart from SS3 and TEC3 contrary to the State government’s directive this period will face disciplinary action.

She emphasised that the resumption became necessary for the students to write their WASSCE Examinations and encouraged them to put in their best in the forthcoming exams taking place in two weeks’ time in order to excel, urging them to shun all vices, work hard and stay focused on their studies.

Adefisayo also implored teachers to take care of themselves and to take up the role of enforcement and compliance with the COVID-19 protocols by the students, hinting that the bulk of these efforts lie in their hands as they are the custodians of the students while in school.

She reiterated that students must not exceed 20 per class in compliance with physical distancing and called on parents/guardians to monitor the children/wards closely as their roles are germane and complimentary at this period, stressing that all hands must be on deck to curb the spread and flatten the curve as the State government is determined to contain the disease.

The Commissioner added that asides her visitation to schools, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Tutors-General/Permanent Secretaries of the Six Education Districts, Office of Education Quality Assurance and other top officials of the Ministry were also on the field across the State to ensure that maximum compliance and coordination are achieved.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja added that the Lagos State Government has provided free face masks and sanitisers for all students.

She noted that aside from fumigating the schools and ensuring a clean and conducive environment for learning, the State Government has also provided facilities such as wash hand basins and potable water.

Adelaja, therefore, maintained that all policies made by the government for compliance with COVID-19 protocols will be observed, noting that visitors and food vendors are not allowed into the school premises during this period.