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Presidency working toward stabilising education, keeping students in schools

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Presidency working toward stabilising education, keeping students in schools
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said that the presidency was working towards stabilising the educational system to get parents retaining their children to learn in the country’s tertiary institutions.
Shehu said this on the sideline of the 11th Graduation Ceremony of Glisten International Academy, in Abuja on Saturday.
The theme of the ceremony is ” “Exponential Visibility: Breaking the Glass Ceiling.
The special assistant whose son is also graduating from the school, advised the students to make good use of their studies
“For the graduating students, I want to say that they have a major decision to make which is  going to the next level in their education pursuit .
“You can see that a lot of foreign institutions are extending invitation  to the students at discounted rate to study oversees .
” I will say that Nigerian Universities are equally as good and even better and we are hoping that we will be able to stabilise the university education in the country so that  parents don’t have to pay exorbitantly to educate their children abroad.
“University education in Nigeria should be the best for our children,” he said.
Shehu, while reacting to the recent extension of the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)  by one month, called on parents to join the government in begging the union to return to classroom.
” It came like a bolt in the sky. We are shocked because it came at a time the president is giving full commitment to resolving the ASUU strike and having the students and teachers back in the school.
” The extension, I believe should not have been done because the spirit at which the government now is trying to resolve the problems of ASUU is such that there should also be a benefit of doubt in favour of the government on the part of ASUU,” he said.
He, therefore, hoped that early resolution would be done so that normalcy would return, saying the lecturers could return to classroom while discussions on their issues could proceed.
“The strike is unnecessarily extended and this should not have been the case.
“I want to advise parents to join government in begging ASUU to end this strike as the government is doing its part and parents are worried and they should start talking to ASUU,” he added.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the school, Hajia Samira Jibir, said it was high time schools embraced technology as a medium of teaching.
Jibir advised the students to go out and shine to a brighter future as well as for them to value yourselves, immediate society and the world at large.
 ” If we are to get it right, then as stated by JohnDewey, ‘If we are to teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.”
“Our today is ruled by technology, we then must embrace and adapt to technological based education,” she said.
Also, the Chief Education Management Professional of the school, Mr Charles Eneh, said that the cognitive and inclusive learning method used by the school distinguished it among group of schools in the country.
Eneh said that the school had experienced graduation in the past 11 years and as such, recorded improvements in its operations.
“It has been something that one can remember and I must tell you it’s been improving from year to year.
” Every year, there is something new and the quality of students we are producing is all about improvement.
“In Glisten International Academy, it’s not just the cognitive we look at, the psychomotor are also given importance. I must tell you, we operate an inclusive school, we practise differentiated learning and we make the students to think critically and bring out something.
The Chief Care Professional, Mrs Prisca Godwill said that the school monitored its academic progress when they left the country to acquire additional certificates and skills.
Goodwill said that the students also returned to the country after their studies oversea to contribute to the development of the country.
” Most times when they leave the shores of the country, we have the alumni association so with this group, we actually monitor the progress of the students.
” One way or the other, we have what we call progress report and sometimes we get feedback from schools, calling directly and the response we get has been amazing,” she said.
Some of the best graduating students expressed their joy as they were being called out to receive awards for their outstanding performances throughout their time in school.
Mr Ahmed Khalifa, the overall best graduating student, thanked those that played one role or the other in the realisation of his success.
” I am honoured for the opportunity I have gotten from everyone,  both my parents, the management and staff of the school to the stage that we are.
” And we hope that in the higher institutions we will be able to manifest and become who we wish to be tomorrow,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aasiya Siddiqui and Jemimah Oshadami came second and third respectively in the overall category.
Some tertiary institutions such as the Philomath University Abuja, Canadian University, Dubai, American University, among others have offered scholarships to students of the school based on percentage.

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Simon Ekpa’s Arrest Will Restore Peace In South East, Says Enugu Gov’t

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The Enugu State Government has commended the Republic of Finland for the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based leader of the proscribed separatist group, Autopilots.

Ekpa has been accused of orchestrating violence and chaos in Nigeria’s South East region.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the government described Ekpa as a “common criminal, con man, and terrorist” who has exploited the Igbo people while claiming to represent their interests.

RELATED NEWS: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations

“The Enugu State Government welcomes the arrest of the Finland-based terrorist, Simon Ekpa,” the statement read.

“His arrest and trial will no doubt go a long way in strengthening peace, security, and stability in all parts of the South East.”

The state government accused Ekpa of sponsoring violent activities that have resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of property, and disruption of the region’s economic activities.

It stated that Ekpa’s actions were driven by personal greed and not genuine concern for the Igbo people.

Onyia said, “Ekpa is a murderer and fraudster who delights in killing his people and living large off their misery.

“He thrives on manipulating, exploiting, and extorting the people on the pretext of fighting for their interest and for the restoration of Biafra.”

The government emphasized its readiness to provide evidence of Ekpa’s alleged crimes to support his prosecution, whether in Finland or Nigeria.

“This arrest is in line with the demand of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration, which has repeatedly made it known that Ekpa is a megalomaniac, common criminal, murderer, and fraudster who takes joy in feeding fat on the manipulated emotions of Ndigbo and inflicting misery on the South East region,” the statement added.

The government further criticized Ekpa for fostering a climate of fear and insecurity that has harmed the entrepreneurial spirit and economic growth of the Igbo people.

“Ekpa has for long, and unfortunately from Finland, made a living by creating a siege climate and mentality in the South East, destroying lives, property, and the Igbo trademark of entrepreneurship and hard work,” Onyia said.

The Enugu State Government expressed optimism that Ekpa’s arrest would mark a turning point in the quest for peace and stability in the South East, urging residents to remain vigilant and supportive of ongoing efforts to restore normalcy in the region.

 

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JUST IN: COP29 Proposes $250bn Annual Climate Finance Target For Developing Nations

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The COP29 presidency has unveiled an ambitious climate finance plan, calling on developed nations to provide $250 billion annually to developing countries by 2035.

The proposal, part of a broader initiative to mobilize $1.3 trillion from public and private sources each year, seeks to address the mounting challenges posed by climate change.

The five-page draft text, released on Friday, emphasizes the need for developed nations to lead the charge in financing climate action.

RELATED NEWS: COP29: Climate Summit Faces Deadlock Over Vague Funding Proposals For Vulnerable Nations

According to the document, this financial commitment is seen as a critical step toward combating the climate crisis and fostering sustainable development globally.

“In this context, it is decided to set a goal in extension of the goal referred to in paragraph 53 of decision 1/CP.21, with developed country Parties taking the lead, to USD 250 billion per year by 2035 for developing country Parties for climate action,” the draft states.

The announcement follows the release of an earlier 10-page draft on Thursday, which drew significant criticism from Global South delegations.

Many expressed frustration that the document lacked clear financial commitments from wealthier nations, falling short of expectations to support adaptation and mitigation efforts.

“There is a clear need to address the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, especially given the diverse circumstances shaping national priorities,” a negotiator from a developing country delegation remarked.

The updated proposal aims to address some of these concerns by outlining more specific targets. However, skepticism remains among some negotiators, who feel the revisions still fail to adequately address their demands.

Meanwhile, developed countries have raised their own reservations about the proposed plan.

A European negotiator, speaking to Reuters, described the $250 billion annual target as unrealistic and criticized the lack of measures to expand the pool of contributing countries.

“No one is comfortable with the number because it’s high, and there’s almost nothing on broadening the contributor base,” the negotiator said.

The mixed reactions underscore the persistent divide between developed and developing nations in climate negotiations.

While the draft text aims to reconcile these differences, the gap between expectations and commitments remains a significant hurdle.

 

 

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Moghalu Prescribes Good Governance As Panacea To Ethnic Agitation

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The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.

In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’

ALSO READ: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations

The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.

He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.

Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.

“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.

“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from

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