The Federal Government has finally resolved to go ahead with the January 18 , 2021 resumption date for schools nationwide despite the pressure being mounted by some organisations , including the Academic Staff Union of Universities , against reopening of schools amid the second wave of the pandemic .
The decision to retain the date, was taken after due consultations between the Ministry of Education and critical stakeholders in the education sector .
The Minister of Education, Adamu , confirmed to news correspondent on the telephone that his ministry had resolved to retain the January 18 resumption date .
He said , “ You will recall that at the Monday briefing of the PTF, I mentioned that the task force directed our ministry to review the January 18 planned resumption date and come back with a decision on whether to retain it or further extend the school closure .
“ Based on that directive , senior officials in the ministry met on the matter . We took a decision on the matter .
“ Apart from that , we decided to also consult with other stakeholders, like state commissioners for education . We have also done that .
“ The outcome of our consultation is that majority of the stakeholders want the January 18 resumption date to remain .
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnic has described the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information introduced by the Federal Government as fraud, calling for its scrapping .
The SSANIP members made this demand during their protest held at The Polytechnic, Ibadan .
The workers , who converged on Ibadan from polytechnics across the South – West also demanded payment of salary arrears of their members in Osun , Ondo , and Ogun states .
The National Vice President of SSANIP , Ayo Bankole , who led scores of other members of the association decried the deduction of pension contributions from their salaries without remitting same to pension fund administration .
He said , “Our demands are the immediate implementation of the NEEDS assessment report and the release of funds for the development of the Polytechnic sub – sector as had been done for the universities , without further delay .
“ The necessary inputs of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics in the proposed new scheme of service by the NBTE , before its release .
“ Directed attention to issues of non -payment of complete salaries , arrears of the new minimum wage for staff in the polytechnic sub – sector , hazard and shift duty allowances to medical staff in the polytechnics , draconian tax regime from consolidated rather than basic salaries of our members and non – release of pension funds to the various Pension Funds Administrators.
“ A re – prioritisation of policy by the Benue , Ondo, Ogun, Osun , Cross – River and Kano State governments toward the non – payment of complete /outstanding salaries as well as the withholding of union cheque – off dues in the Polytechnics and Colleges of Health Technology
“ The immediate resolution of all lingering issues around the IPPIS platform , even after almost a year since coming on board.
“ The immediate constitution of governing councils in all federal and state polytechnics . The immediate recourse to the implementation of the new minimum wage in all state polytechnics in the zone . ”
The authorities of the University of Lagos have approved January 25 as the resumption date for academic activities.
Head of the Media Unit of the university, Mrs Olufadeke Akinleye , said the institution would commence online classes on the announced date due to the second wave of COVID- 19 .
Meanwhile, after more than nine months of closure , the University of Jos will on January 22 reopen to continue its academic activities for the 2019 /2020 session .
The University announced this in a statement signed by it’ s Deputy Registrar , Information and Publications , Abdullahi Abdullahi .
Abdullahi said , “ The Senate of the University of Jos has considered and approved an amended Academic Calendar for 2019 /2020 Session of the University .
“ At its 4 th Special Meeting for the 2019 /2020 Session held on Monday 11 th January 2021 , Senate approved that students are to resume for the continuation of the 2019 / 2020 Session as from Friday 22 nd January 2021 with the reopening of the various campuses of the University . According to the amended Academic Calendar, lectures would continue as from Monday , 25 th January 2021 . ”
The United Nations Children ’ s Fund says closure of schools due to the COVID- 19 pandemic will impact negatively on the development, safety and wellbeing of children globally , noting that schools are not drivers of the viral disease .
UNICEF also warned that the effects of closing school for another year will be felt for generations to come .
The agency in a statement maintained that despite overwhelming evidence that schools were not drivers of the pandemic , steps have been taken to ensure that they remained shut .
“ In the case of lockdowns , schools must be among the first to reopen once authorities start lifting restrictions.
“ Catch- up classes should be prioritised to ensure that children who have been unable to learn remotely are not left behind .
“ If children are faced with another year of school closures , the effects will be felt for generations to come , ” UNICEF warned .
The National Examinations Council has released the 2020 Senior School Certificate Examination results .
This was disclosed by the Registrar , Professor Godswill Obioma while speaking at the NECO headquarters in Minna , Niger State .
The registrar said four schools in Adamawa State , two in Kaduna State , two in Kastina State , two in Niger State , one in Taraba State and one in the FCT were derecognised by the Council for engaging in mass cheating .
He said the Council also blacklisted 24 supervisors who engaged in aiding and abetting , connivance with non -candidates to write answers on chalkboards and poor supervision.
He said , “ You will recall that the first case of Covid – 19 in Nigeria was reported in February 2020 , in Ogun State and since then a new norm has been introduced in the scheme of things . This new norm has altered not only our way of life but also affected our schedule of activities. For instance , our 2020 SSCE ( I ) would have been written from 28 th May 2020 to 10 th July 2020 .
“ However , due to the Covid – 19 Pandemic , the Examination was rescheduled to hold from Monday 5 th October 2020 to Wednesday 18 th November 2020 . It is rather unfortunate to note that barely two weeks into the commencement of the Examinations, the EndSARS protests erupted across some states in the country leading to the imposition of curfew and closure of schools by some State Governments in order to safeguard lives and property , thus truncating the process of examinations once more. For the security of personnel and materials , the examinations were suspended nationwide pending when normalcy returned . On return of normalcy , the examinations that were initially scheduled to end on Wednesday , 18 th November 2020 continued till 28 th of November 2020 . ”
For the candidates who missed some papers due to the EndSARS protests in their state , Obioma said the Council has made arrangements for them to sit for the papers .
He said , “ We wish to inform the general public that the Council has made special arrangements for those candidates who missed some papers due to the EndSARS protests in those states . The affected candidates will now sit for those papers missed during the forthcoming 2020 SSCE ( External ) scheduled from Monday 1 st February 2021 to Wednesday 3 rd March 2021 .
“ These special arrangements will be at no extra cost to these candidates . Upon the release of the 2020 SSCE Internal results , those of the affected candidates will be pending for the papers missed and would be subsequently updated after the supplementary examination results are released . ”
The Vice- Chancellor of the University of Benin , Prof Lilian Salami, says the school management is ready to resume academic activities in a safe and secure manner.
She said the university management will enforce strict compliance to COVID- 19 protocols to protect students and members of staff from being exposed to coronavirus infections .
The vice – chancellor spoke while featuring on NTA Good Morning Nigeria breakfast show monitored by newsmen.
Salami said , “ I want to say categorically that Vice- Chancellors are responsible persons having gone through the furnace. We will not in any way want to expose our staff , our students to any danger .
“ Having said that , public – funded universities are far from what they ought to be . We have said this over and over that there is poor funding, infrastructure are down and decayed . The ratio of staff to students is quite large that for proper learning to take place, we have to address these issues .
“ We know that these issues exist but how long are we going to wait until these issues are taken care of ? These should not continue to be used as reasons why schools should not reopen . We will make do with what we have now available. For instance , we know that residential students are about 10 to 15 per cent of total students ’ population . We will as much as possible enforce compliance and that is all we can do .
“ Yes , they (students ) are very restless ; yes , they will want to go and visit friends but we will try as much as possible – and I think all Vice -Chancellors will do that – to protect our students and our staff so that we don ’ t unduly expose them to COVID- 19 . But to think that if all of these are not taken care of , we will not reopen , I can assure you that in the next ten years , the kids will all be home .
University workers under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities and Non – Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions protested what they described as the injustice of the Federal Government. Among their grievances are the irregularities in the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System and distribution of the earned allowances .
During the protest held at the entrance gate of the University of Abuja , the SSANU and NASU demanded that the government should pay them their minimum wage as promised and in conformity with what has been paid to other ministries since 2019 .
One of the leaders of the protesters ’ Branch Treasurer of NASU in UNIABUJA , Sadiat Hassan , said they would embark on strike if the government did not act accordingly.
She said , “We are protesting against the irregularities in IPPIS payment and demanding the renegotiation of our 2009 agreement which has been long overdue .
“ We are also protesting against the non – payment of our earned allowances and injustice that was done by the Federal Government in the distribution of the earned allowances because they gave a particular union 75 per cent and the other unions 25 per cent.
“ This is against the agreement held in October (last year) that the money was for all the unions . So , we expect them to do justice to everybody because this is earned allowances .
“ We earn our allowances just like every other union . So , we want justice. We also want the government to pay us our minimum wage as promised as they have paid other ministries since 2019 .
“ That is why we are communicating with them that they should give us our rights because Universities or tertiary institutions in Nigeria do not comprise only the teaching staff alone .
“ There are also other administrative staff that are doing very relevant jobs in various offices. So , we shouldn ’ t be taken for granted because, without our services, the University system cannot perform because we know that we are also important.
“ We are also law – abiding citizens ; that is why we decided to go with them when they came for IPPIS. Now , we have enrolled, our problems continue, in fact , more than even what we are having before . That is why we are calling on them now to address these irregularities , else we will be ready to down tools in our various institutions. ”
The Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19, said schools in the country will resume on January 18 until the Ministry of Education announces further directive .
PTF National Coordinator , Dr Sani Aliyu , stated this while featuring on a television programme monitored by newsmen.
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu , had on Monday , said the Federal Government would review the January 18 earlier date fixed for resumption of schools across Nigeria .
Aliyu said , “As regards schools , I just want to make a clarification , what the minister said yesterday was that they were going to review, he didn ’ t say that they were going to change the date . He said they will review the situation and let the nation know .
“ So , for the moment , it is still 18 th January until the ministry of education comes back either with an alternative date or reconfirm that . ”
“ It is however very instructive to stress that factors that have contributed to rise in numbers from late November 2020 included increased local and international travels , business and religious activities, reopening of schools without strict compliance with COVID- 19 safety measures.
“ The full import of the fore – going is to press further on the need for us all to elevate the level of our vigilance and compliance with the recommended non – pharmaceutical interventions , ” he had said .
The Federal Government said it would review the January 18 earlier date fixed for resumption of schools across the country.
It attributed the decision to the second wave of COVID – 19 currently ravaging the country.
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu , disclosed this while answering questions during a press briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 in Abuja .
The minister said , “ On the January 18 resumption date , we are reviewing it. We are going to review it .
“ At the PTF meeting today , we considered it , and tomorrow , the ministry is going to take it up . ”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board says it will work with security agencies to prosecute any institution or candidate found breaching its admission ’ s code of operations .
The board announced this in its latest Weekly Bulletin made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja .
It said that henceforth , stringent measures , including prosecution , would be taken against erring candidate or institution once a prima facie case has been established against them.
The decision, the board explained , is part of its resolution after the management meeting on the imperative of ridding the admissions process of unwholesome practices.
JAMB ’ s Registrar , Prof . Ishaq Oloyede , was quoted as saying that measures were being put in place to curb admission infractions.
He said that although the Central Admissions Process System had made the admission process transparent , fair and equitable , some stakeholders were, however , working hard to circumvent the system .
“ The board , with zero tolerance for corrupt acts, will not fold its arms and allow unscrupulous elements to drag it back .
“ For the gains of CAPS ’ initiative not to be eroded and to ensure that there are consequences for flouting government ’ s directive on complying with the process , the board has concluded all arrangements with relevant security agencies .
“ These agencies are ready to prosecute any stakeholder , candidate or admissions officers found wanting , ’’ Oloyede was quoted as saying.
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