Bingham University Nasarawa has matriculated 1,980 undergraduate and postgraduate students for the 2021/2022 academic session.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Williams Qurix, administered the oath of matriculation on the students at the 17th matriculation ceremony for the 2021/2022 academic session in Nasarawa on Thursday.

The VC advised the students to desist from activities inimical to their future.

Qurix said the university had continued to pursue excellence in all facets, in line with its visions to become a world class institution in knowledge and skills, while inculcating moral and spiritual values.

He said that this development had made the university to be ranked 47th from the recently released ranking of Nigerian universities by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The VC further said the university had put in place opportunities for self- development of the students.

He called in the students to keep to the vision and mission of the university, as this was the only way to come out clearly in excellence, skills and self- reliance.

Qurix said the school had also created platform to ensure zero tolerance for cultism through the development of general courses that had been tailored to teach spiritual wellbeing and development of the students.

He said the university introduced a fee discount of 40 per cent to indigent students to enable students in this category complete their academics.

“Last year, the university matriculated 3,377 undergraduate and 387 postgraduate students for the 2020/2021 academic session.

“It may interest you to know that a total of 4,560 candidates applied to the university this year, out of this number, a total of 1,560 were granted admission to study various courses.

“In the same vein, 420 postgraduate students in various programmes are matriculated. This brings to total the number of matriculating students at 1,980,” he said.

The vice-chancellor also advised parents and guardians to always keep “close eyes’’ on their children and wards to nurture them probably, saying it was a collective responsibility.

On infrastructure and facilities, the VC said the university had built new hostels to add to the existing ones due to the increase in the number of students admitted.

On research, Qurix said the university had continued to collaborate with reputable international and local Institutions to boost the drive for research and development.

He listed the institutions as Sumy State University, Ukraine, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) UK, University of Wolverhampton UK, the Global Studio for African Centred Architecture and the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, among others.

The Director, Institute of Governance and Development Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Andrew Zamani, urged the students to do what matters, productive and beneficial to them.

Zamani also advised the students to eschew laziness but live a God-centred life and commit themselves to their studies and the diverse learning opportunities offered by the university.

Edo State has said from the beginning of September 2022, it will discard the junior, senior secondary schools system of education, 20 years after it was recommended for implementation.

Instead, it will revert to basic, lower basic and upper basic secondary school system.

Commissioner for Education, Joan Osa-Oviawe, disclosed this on Thursday in Benin, at a one-day workshop to engage stakeholders and chart a path towards the realization of the goal.

The participants were drawn from primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and other stakeholders in the education sector.

Addressing participants at the workshop, Osa-Oviawe disclosed that the disarticulation will commence from Idogbo Secondary School, in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.

“As a state, we want to have an education policy that will span all tiers of education, from early childhood to tertiary education.

“One of the key components that we are looking at in our policy formulation exercise is disarticulation.

“According to the 2004 Universal Basic Education Act domesticated in Edo State as a law, basic education is free and compulsory and it comprises the first nine years of schooling, plus one-year early childhood education.

“The policy has been in place for over 20 years, but not yet implemented across the country.

“Looking ahead and stepping in the forefront of the education reform in Nigeria, Governor Godwin Obaseki has given the directive, as a matter of urgency and immediate policy implementation for the Ministry of Education in the State, to begin the process of disarticulating juniors from senior secondary schools across the state.”

“Going forward in Edo state, by the next academic year (September 2022), we are not going to have junior secondary schools, but rather will revert to basic, lower basic, upper basic secondary schools.

“To advance the disarticulation policy, at the national level, the Federal Government recently inaugurated the National Secondary School Commission.

She noted that the new policy will include the private schools as there is no dichotomy in the Edo State school system as both government and private schools must embrace the policies.

Osa-Oviawe further stated, “No more skipping grace both in secondary schools and the basic level as external candidates will no longer be allowed in our State.

“Any principal, both in private and public schools, who disobey government directives will be seriously sanctioned.

“With this reform, we are trying to clean up the system in Edo State. The clearance for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) this year has been automated and proprietors don’t need to come to the ministry; all clearance will be done online and notice of clearance will be sent to deserving schools online.”

A participant at the workshop and Rector of the Edo Polytechnic Usen, Prof. Abiodun Falodun, commended the state government for the move of formulating a new education policy.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it has extended the service year of 33 Corps members in Nasarawa State for absconding from their places of primary assignment during the service year.

Coordinator of the scheme in the state, Abdullahi Jikamshi, made this known in Lafia on Thursday during the Passing-out Parade of the 2021 Batch “A” corps members.

Jikamshi said the affected corps members would have their service year extended or repeat the entire service year in accordance with the provisions of the NYSC bye-laws.

He applauded the 1142 corps members who successfully completed the service year without any disciplinary issue, urging them to be good ambassadors of the scheme wherever they find themselves.

“I wish you God’s grace as you enter into the labour market, may you be highly favoured.

“For those of you who have decided to be entrepreneurs and not job seekers, may you be equally fruitful in your endeavours,” he said.

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State applauded the outgoing corps members for their invaluable service to the state.

Sule, represented by Mr Lucky Yargwa, the state Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, said the many life-transforming projects carried out by them had contributed to the development of many communities.

“In some cases, a number of you stepped down life-changing skills you acquired through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the NYSC, teaching members of your host communities the skills that will empower them economically.

“We acknowledged the role played by you in the state’s health sector, including the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers programme.

“Under the auspices of this programme, you are complementing our efforts towards ensuring that our people have access to basic medical care in no small measure,” he said.