Home Blog Page 1075

Students Already Paying Too Much for Education – Osodeke

0

President, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke has said that Nigerian university students were paying high tuition fees.

He said it would be counterproductive and ill advised for the government to introduce new circle of fees in the system in the harsh economic realities of the times.

Osodeke expressed the view at the National Summit on Tertiary Education Reform 2022, organized by the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives with the theme “Reimagining Tertiary Education in Nigeria: issues, challenges and Solutions”.

“The students are already paying too much fees in the universities. They can not be made to pay more”, he said.

Osedeke however tasked the government on more investment in the education system and the welfare of the lecturers.

Also speaking at a panel discussion, the Minister of Works and Housing, Raji Fashola emphasized the need to decentralize the funding of education in Nigeria, adding that there should be more way to fund the universities other than government channel.

Similarly, the President of the University of Lagos Alumni Association, Dr. John Momoh urged the universities to look in the direction of their alumini associations and the business communities to help generate funds.

Also speaking, Professor Uduak Ekpo of University of Calabar said it was wrong to expect lecturers to raise funds for the universities, stressing it would be a distraction.

Ekpo said the lecturers were essentially for research and development.

Mothers of Overweight Babies risk Diabetes – Expert

0

A Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, Dr. Chinyere Udo has said women with a history of giving birth to large babies have a higher risk of having diabetes mellitus.

The Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist at Evercare Hospital, in a statement defined Diabetes mellitus as a chronic disorder that would occur when the body could neither produce sufficient insulin nor be able to effectively use the insulin it produced.

It also added that November 14, which was designated as World Diabetes Day and titled, ‘Access to diabetes education’ aimed at creating awareness on diabetes mellitus among healthcare workers, people living with the condition, their families and the community.

Read Also: Reason Children should not watch TV while eating – Dietician 

“Deficiency of this hormone, results in persistently elevated blood glucose levels, the hallmark of diabetes. Diabetes, especially when poorly controlled, is associated with severe complications leading to limitations in the quality of life or death. Diabetes complications include increased susceptibility to infections, heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb amputations. While diabetes may affect anyone, certain persons – obese persons, individuals with a sedentary lifestyle, those with a family history of diabetes, and women with a history of giving birth to large babies have a higher risk.”

She added that there were different forms of diabetes including Type 1 diabetes, which was the more frequent type in childhood, saying it could occur at any age.

‘Type 1 diabetes is not preventable and people who have it need insulin to survive.

The statement added that in commemoration of World Diabetes Day, Evercare Hospital Lekki, advocated for more public education about diabetes, and it offered free diabetes screening to residents in its immediate community as part of its CSR.

Pres. Buhari Unveils Re-Designed Naira Notes

0

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday finally unveiled the re-designed Naira Notes as proposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele had on Tuesday said that the president will unveil the newly designed N1,000, N500 and N200 notes.

The unveiling today, marks the first time in 19 years, Nigeria will be redesigning it’s currency notes.

At a briefing after the ceremony before the Federal Executive Council meeting, the CBN governor debunked insinuations suggesting that the early unveiling of the new notes is a means to target some Nigerians.

Emefiele appealed to members of the public, urging them to desist from making such speculation, adding that that there is no need to perpetuate any such information.

According to him, the CBN will intensify the monitoring process and interrogate the process of withdrawals.

Emefiele maintained that there will be heavy restriction on the volume of cash that people can withdraw over the counter, as it works with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to monitor the purpose of any heavy transactions.

The redesigned currency note he asserts can never be counterfeited, adding that to forestall such occurrence, the CBN will redesign the notes after every five to eight years.

Following the unveiling of the new notes which begins circulation today, the CBN governor announced that the apex bank is now more determined to make Nigeria a cashless economy, as in other climes.

During the ceremony which held before the council meeting, President buhari underscored the importance of re-designing the new naira notes. He explained that it will aide the country address the issue of Illicit financial flows, corruption, improve the nation’s economy, as well as ensure and advancement in the value of the naira.

Noting that the currency redesign will also boost the CBN’s Monetary policy initiative, President Buhari stated that the first set of currency which was printed locally by the Nigeria printing and minting company, will fundamentally prevent counterfeiting of the naira notes.

The president, however, appealed to Nigerians and urged them to embrace the new policy to re-design the naira.

Pakistan PM Set To Appoint New Army Chief

0

Pakistan’s nuclear-armed army will soon have a new commander, with the prime minister’s office confirming that it had received a list of names of six senior generals for arguably the most powerful post in the country.

The current chief of army staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, is to step down on November 29 after serving for six years.

The office of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted on Wednesday that it had received the names for the positions of army chief as well as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee.

“The Prime Minister will take a decision on the appointments as per the laid down procedure,” it noted.

Bajwa took charge of the 600,000-strong army for three years in November 2016. He was granted an extension in August 2019 by then-Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The confirmation from the prime minister’s office followed confusion, claims and counter-claims on Tuesday night that played out in the news as well as on social media, triggering speculation of strained ties between the government and the military.

The military is considered to be Pakistan’s most powerful institution and has ruled the country for more than three decades of the 75 years since it gained independence in 1947, and also imposed martial law thrice.

Defence minister Khawaja Asif tweeted that the list of names would be sent to the prime minister’s office in “due time” after a private broadcaster reported that the names were in.

“The Prime Minister has not received the summary as yet. God willing, receipt of the summary to PMO will be done in due time,” he posted.

However, past midnight, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, confirmed, through a tweet, that the six names had been sent to the defence ministry.

The defence minister took to Twitter an hour later to confirm the list’s status.

Asif tried to downplay what appeared to be a deadlock over the choice for the top job. He said in a TV interview that the government and military don’t have any differences and any claims to the contrary were unfounded.

Neither the ISPR nor the ministry mentioned the names of the top generals, who are, in order of seniority: Lt General Asim Munir, Lt General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Lt General Azhar Abbas, Lt General Nauman Mehmood, Lt General Faiz Hameed and Lt General Mohammad Amir.

Commenting on the uncertainty around the appointment, Singapore-based security analyst Abdul Basit said the never-ending political tussles and power games have come at the cost of governance in Pakistan.

UTME 2023: JAMB Issues Advisory Against Indecent Dressing

0

Ahead of the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry Examination, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has issued advisories against the use of henna otherwise known as “laali”, bogus jewelry, outrageous outfits among others.

Our correspondent also gathered that the board took the decision following observations that such mode of dressings and adornment led to distractions during examinations organised by the board.

In the advisory exclusively obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, the board said, “Henna when applied on the fingers obstructs the smooth biometric verification of the candidates’ fingers. Also in an attempt by candidates to clean their fancy henna drawings, they used chemicals that damaged the whorls on their fingers, hence making biometric verification and authentication difficult.

“The Board reiterated its position of “No Biometrics, No examination rule” and urged candidates to desist from any act that could jeopardise their chances of taking the UTME.

On indecent dressing, the Board warned candidates “against indecent dressing, which in some cases, had constituted a major distraction to candidates, embarrassing even the candidates wearing such dresses as others pass offensive glances at them thereby destabilising their comportment for the examination.

“In some cases, it has been used to aid and abet examination malpractices. The Board views such improper dressing as a serious breach of the UTME ethics, adding that provocative and seductive dressing as well as willful and deliberate exposure of one’s body to the public will no longer be condoned as they are capable of causing distraction to candidates and examination officials alike.”

The advisory listed indecent dressing to include, but not limited to, “sleeveless tops, body hugs, knickers, transparent clothes, canopy headties, bogus fashion jewelries, spaghetti tops, and off-shoulders, among others.”

The Board reiterated that pencils were allowed into the examination hall for the UTME.

Ukraine Readies For Winter Admits Power Cuts

0
Catherine, 70, looks out the window while holding a candle for light inside her house during a power outage, in Borodyanka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022. Airstrikes cut power and water supplies to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians on Tuesday, part of what the country's president called an expanding Russian campaign to drive the nation into the cold and dark and make peace talks impossible. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Ukraine is bracing for winter as most of the Russian damage to Ukrainian power-generating facilities has been “colossal.”

The CEO of Ukraine’s national power grid operator Ukrenergo said that hardly any of the country’s key substations have been left unscathed.

Kherson in particular is the region that’s in more need of power.

“Practically all thermal and hydro generations, meaning major power stations, have been damaged by missile attacks.”

During an address to France’s Congress of Mayors on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Russia for focusing on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and using the cold winter as a “weapon of destruction.”

Zelenskyy then called on French mayors to provide assistance to his country.

To help with energy shortage back home, Zelenskyy said the country would set up what are being called “invincibility centers” nationwide.

“If massive Russian strikes were to happen again and if we would have the understanding that power would not be restored within a few hours, then the work of these invincibility centers will be activated.

All the basic necessities will be provided – this is electricity, telephone services, internet, heating, water, first aid medicines.”

68 Injured As Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Hits Northwest Turkey

0

A magnitude-5.9 earthquake hit a town in northwestern Turkey early Wednesday, causing damage to some buildings and widespread panic. At least 68 people were injured, mostly while trying to flee homes.

The quake was centered in the town of Golkaya, in Duzce province, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Istanbul, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said.

It struck at 4:08 a.m. (0108 GMT) and was felt in Istanbul, in the capital Ankara and other parts of the region. Dozens of aftershocks were reported, including one with a magnitude of 4.3.

The quake woke people from their sleep and many rushed out of buildings in panic in the province that experienced a deadly earthquake 23 years ago.

At least 68 people were treated in hospitals for injuries in Duzce and nearby regions, mostly sustained during the panic, including from jumping from balconies or windows. A 28-year-old Afghan was in serious condition after suffering a brain hemorrhage, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.

Schools in the region were closed as a precaution.

“Although the earthquake caused damage to many buildings in Golkaya, fortunately, we did not experience any serious destruction or loss,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an address to his ruling party’s legislators.

Europe’s Space Agency Picks First Disabled Astronaut Recruit

0

The European Space Agency on Wednesday selected a disabled former athlete to be among its newest astronaut recruits as part of its first recruitment drive in over a decade that aimed to bring diversity to space travel.

Six new astronauts were announced including two women as well as parastronaut John McFall, a British former Paralympic sprinter who will take part in a potentially groundbreaking feasibility study to explore whether physical disability will impair space travel.

To date, no major Western space agency has ever put a “para-astronaut” into space, according to the ESA.

The new recruits were among the more than 22,000 applicants who came forward in the hiring push announced February of last year by Europe’s equivalent to NASA. More women than ever and some 200 people with disabilities applied.

ESA specifically sought out people with physical disabilities, for a first-of-its-kind effort to determine what adaptations would be necessary to space stations to accommodate them.

Across the Atlantic, Houston is taking note. Dan Huot, a spokesman for NASA’s Johnson Space Center, home to the American agency’s astronaut corps, told the AP that “we at NASA are watching ESA’s para-astronaut selection process with great interest.”

Varsity Debunks Sexual Harassment Allegations

0

The Covenant University has debunked allegations that female students of the school are being sexually harassed and raped by workers of the intuition.

It was reportedly gathered that people had been accusing some workers of sexually harassing and raping female undergraduates of the institution.

The screenshot of another message that was also shared on Twitter alleged that workers of the school were raping students who broke rules of the institution, adding that a student who got pregnant for a worker got expelled.studentship.

However, an official from the Media Office of the institution, described the social media posts as false and the work of a mischievous person.

“It’s not true. It is a very false tweet or whatever it was. The person behind it must be mischievous.”

She added that the tweet was a surprise to her because no student had come forward to complain about anything related to the allegations in the tweet.

EKSU ASUU Says Buhari Has Hidden Agenda for Education

0

The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti Chapter, Dr Kayode Arogundade, on Wednesday, accused the President Muhammadu Buhari of nursing hidden negative agenda for education.

Arogundade, who also named the ministers of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige and Education, Adamu Adamu, as accomplices, said that Nigerians were waiting for the agenda to hatch, calling on the citizenry to force the Federal Government to do the needful for the education sector and university lecturers to avert another round of action.

The ASUU chairman spoke in Ado Ekiti during a protest by ASUU-EKSU members to express displeasure with the Federal Government’s “no-work-no-pay policy and payment of half salary to university lecturers.”

Among inscriptions on the placards of the protesting ASUU-EKSU members are “Only a criminal will support half salary and IPPIS”, “Teachers teach the nation, but Buhari cheats the nation”, and “ASUU-EKSU says government at all levels should prioritise funding of education”.

Arogundade said, “We are expressing our displeasure concerning the Federal Government’s draconian decision of no-work-no-pay introduced by Ngige and sanctioned by the Federal government. Our interest is that we are not casual workers, nobody is paying us wages, what we are getting is salaries”.

According to him, it is criminal for anybody to think of imposing no-work-no-pay to the extent of paying half salary because people decide to agitate for their rights and demands.

He said, “They don’t want the Nigerian educational system to flourish. The educational system today is suffering at the hands of our leaders. Foreign universities are now feeding fat on us. You can imagine how much parents are looking for each year to sponsor their wards to foreign universities.

“I am of the opinion that Ngige, Adamu and Buhari have an agenda that is not known to Nigerians, we are just waiting patiently to see when they will hatch that agenda. If they don’t have agenda, the three of them cannot sleep and be facing the same direction that leads to nowhere. I know the agenda cannot be in the general interest of Nigerians.

“Just Tuesday, President Buhari signed the new wage for the Judiciary, what is it that the academic staff are asking for? It is a living wage, he has signed for others, but he has refused to sign for academic staff. Then the question is – Is it that there is something that the Judiciary is doing for him that the academic staff are not doing?

“Our understanding is that if they have their children around here, they will not be treating Nigerian universities and lecturers this way. The only thing they are doing is that they want to pitch us against the students in a way that we get disillusioned and the students will be discouraged in the educational system.

“We are appealing to all Nigerians to speak to the Federal Government that they should not wait for us to start another round of action. We are getting used to it, you have not paid us for eight months this year, we are not dead, we are still alive, so government should not push us to a state whereby we become so adamant to the extent that we don’t care whatever happens,” he said.