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2024 WASSCE will go on despite strike- WAEC insists

The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), has insisted that despite the nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) the ongoing examination will continue.

The NLC and TUC had flagged a nationwide strike on Monday after a four-hour meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly on Sunday evening in Abuja, failed to produce the desired results.

Following the commencement of the industrial action, a statement by the Head of National Officer, Branch Controller, WAEC, T.A.Y Lawson, on Monday, disregarded the strike, saying the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination goes on as scheduled.

“The attention of the management has been drawn to a notice of the commencement of the indefinite strike by NLC and TUC effective from Monday, 3rd June, 2024.

“Please be formally informed that the conduct of WASSCE SC 2024 goes on as scheduled,” the statement noted in part.

According to the statement, the commission said that as much as it shared the concern of the unions and the generality of Nigerians, the exams would go on across the member countries of WAEC and the Nigerian child should not be put to a disadvantage of missing the exams.

“For the aforesaid reason, WAEC will conduct the exams and school principals, supervisors, parents and the general public should please take note and make adequate arrangements for their children to sit for the exam,” the statement added,

The list of subjects to be sat for on Monday include; Physics 3 (Practical) (Alternative B), Computer Studies 3 (Practical), Insurance 2 (Essay), and Insurance 1 (Objective)

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Education

Otti renames Abia State Polytechnic after Ogbonnaya Onu

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has renamed the Abia State Polytechnic after Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.

The institution will henceforth be known as Dr Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba.

Otti made the declaration at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, on Thursday when he received the body of the first elected civilian governor of old Abia State, Ogbonnaya Onu, at the inter-denominational service organized in his honour.

Otti who said that the death of Onu in April this year created a social and political void that will be very difficult to fill, condoled the people of Abia and Ebonyi states , particularly Governor Francis Nwifuru, Onu’s widow and children.

He described the former minister of as an accomplished statesman and trailblazer whose remarkable run in politics offered him the platform to serve as the first democratically-elected governor of Abia State, Minister of the Federal Republic, former National Chairman of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), a former presidential candidate and a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Abia governor recalled how Ogbonnaya Onu gave up the presidential ticket of the now defunct All Peoples Party (APP) in the build up to the 1999 general elections because of his belief in the long term unity of the nation.

“Dr Onu did not only lay the foundation for the dynamic and structured development of all parts of the state, he set up major administrative and service-delivery structures that are still functioning till today.

“Dr Ogbonnaya Onu’s administrative genius inspired the setting up of the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, the Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, and the National Ambassador Newspaper.

“It is also important to recall that it was under Governor Onu that the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, now Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUAU), was established.

“It is on this note distinguished ladies and gentlemen that we as a State have decided to immortalize him by renaming the Abia State Polytechnic Aba after him.

“The Polytechnic will henceforth, be known as as Dr Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba,” Otti said.

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Education

New Minister for Education reverses 18 years University entry policy

The 18 years entry age for university admission has been reversed by the newly appointed Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa.

The 18 years entry policy initiated by Professor Tahir Mamman, former Minister of Education, had generated controversy.

Addressing journalists upon assumption of office on Tuesday, Alausa said the policy was detrimental to the Federal Government.

Alausa said the reversal of the policy was aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

He said the policy is also not sustainable for the education sector, explaining that the 16-year-age limit would be maintained and exceptions would be granted for “gifted children”.

The new minister added that going forward, Nigeria’s education system will be 80 percent practical and 20 percent classroom/theoretical.

Alausa said practical education will help to curb the unemployment situation in Nigeria as tertiary institutions will not continue churning out graduates on a yearly basis without jobs for Nigerians.

He said the Federal Government will work with private sector operators for the training of students to unleash their potentials.

Alausa was among the 10 ministers who got new portfolios after last month’s cabinet reshuffle which led to the exit of his predecessor.

He was formerly Minister of State for Health.

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Education

UK govt to raise university tuition fees in 2025

The administration of Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the United Kingdom is planning to increase tuition fees in universities in the country effective from September 2025, a report by The Telegraph of London has indicated.

The increase is going to be the first in eight years.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, is expected to announce the tuition fees rise in line with the Retail Price Index inflation.

The fee rise is expected to come into force from September 2025, meaning that it will affect A-level students who are currently applying to universities.

Tuition fees have remained frozen at £9,250 since 2017. It is unclear which month’s inflation figures the Labour Party government will choose to link fees to, but matching them to the current rate of 2.7 per cent would see fees rise to about £9,500 from next year.

Previous reports suggested that the government would raise tuition fees to £10,500 over the next five years.

The move follows growing concerns that many institutions are now facing financial crisis, with 40 per cent of English universities expecting to slump into a deficit this year.

The Coalition government tripled tuition fees to £9,000 in 2012. Fees only increased after that to hit £9,250 in 2017, where they remain frozen today despite soaring inflation over the past few years.

The Russell Group of elite universities has argued that the cap on tuition fees means they are now making a loss of about £4,000 per UK student.

University finances have also suffered from a dramatic drop in lucrative international students following a Tory crackdown on dependent visas.

Home Office figures showed 16 per cent fewer visa applications were made between July and September than in the same period in 2023.

Foreign students, who typically pay triple or even quadruple domestic students, had been largely propping up the sector. A sudden fall in numbers has removed a crucial lifeline for universities and amplified calls for immediate action from the new government.

Sources close to discussions told The Telegraph they were hoping that a small tuition fee rise would be announced in the budget last week as an acknowledgement by Rachel Reeves of the severity of the situation.

However, the Chancellor held off from unveiling any new funding for the higher education sector in her maiden budget.

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