Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says the state would connect no fewer than 100 schools to internet by the end of May.

The governor said this during the inauguration of Lagos State Schools Infrastructure Projects and four school buildings.

He said that the state government had started to roll out fibre optics across state-owned schools to aid learning through high-speed internet connectivity.

According to him, the broadband Internet infrastructure will be completed and inaugurated in 100 schools selected for the pilot scheme.

He said ”We are currently in about 65 schools but before the end of the month, we will be in 100 schools. I will go round to commission internet fibre connectivity in the first 100 schools that we have in Lagos state”.

”What that will do is not only give you access to the world, it will also ensure that all of your computer connectivity, the speed that is required for you to be able to access the entire world on your palm, it is at your disposal”.

He added ”So that you can compete with other students around the world. And so this fibre will be going round all schools over a period of time, but for the first 100 schools, we will be commissioning them before the end of this month”.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said  the state was rapidly changing, with globalisation and technological advancement and there was urgent need to prepare the children for the future.

During a ministerial briefing on May 4, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Hakeem Fahm had said the state government was implementing the deployment of 6,000km of Fibre Metro Network connection across the state.

Fahm said that 3,000km of Fibre Metro Network connection had been deployed in 2020 and additional 3,000km in 2021 across the state, as part of the comprehensive Smart City Programme to provide a 24-hour driven economy.

The House of Representatives in Nigeria have unveiled plans to investigate the utilisation of the N43 billion Safe School Initiative and other donations. 

Breakdown of the funds accrued for the implementation of the programme showed that $20 million was donated for the take-off of the Safe School Initiative project in 2014 and as at 2018 a total of $1,720,246 (N41 billion) has been realised as donations from countries and donor agencies. 

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on the ‘Need to investigate the failure of N2 billion Safe School Initiative Intervention Programme’ sponsored by Honourable Aniekan Umanah. 

While frowning on the plight of millions of Nigerian children out of school, Honourable Umanah observed that the activities of the insurgents and bandits had further exacerbated the already low levels of enrollment in education and literacy in the country as 910 schools have been destroyed between 2009 and 2016 while several schools have been forced to shut down due to security concerns in the last six months. 

In the bid to address the challenge, the House urged the Federal Government to collaborate with state governments to restore, revive and revalidate the safe school initiative and deploy special security personnel to schools in Nigeria. 

To this end, the House mandated the Committee on Basic Education and Services to carry out an investigation into the use of over N2 billion released for the safe school initiative alongside other donations from foreign countries and organisations and report back within six days for further legislative action.

The National Youth Service Corps in Abuja, inaugurated the maiden edition of the Director-General’s Community Development Service (CDS) award.

The Director-General of NYSC, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, at the inauguration of the CDS activities for 2021, said that it was to revive the commitment of youth corps members to the scheme.

Ibrahim said that the idea behind the award is to spur corps members and CDS officers to wake up from their slumber and realise that CDS is no longer business as usual.

He noted that the CDS was one of the cardinal programmes of the scheme that served as a platform for creative thinking towards technological development.

He said that the CDS also brought to fore corps members resourcefulness, productivity, and appreciation of cross-cultural similarities and differences.

The director-general added that the activity helped develop corps members, patriotism, good interpersonal relationship, leadership skills, team spirit, endurance, selflessness amongst other virtues.

He, however, noted sadly that in recent years, CDS activities had continued to dwindle due to poor incentives for corps members that executed projects and lack of support from community leaders.

Ibrahim added that inadequate financial and material resources, technical challenges also impeded the conduct of CDS activities.

Director, CDS and Special Project, Abdulrazak Salawu, said that over time the exercise had proven to be a catalyst for national development.

Salawu said that the active involvement of corps members in community development projects in all nooks and crannies of the country had contributed significantly to different developments across the nation.

He noted that the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) introduced in 2014 was one of the notable CDS programmes of the scheme aimed at medical outreaches, especially in remote locations.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Mohammed Bello, commended the scheme for organising the progamme.

The minister who was represented by the Secretary of FCT Social Development Secretariat, Kelvin Ike, said that the scheme conjured the most fertile ground for more impactful landmarks in the development of local communities nationwide via CDS programmes.

He assured the director-general that the FCTA held special consideration for handiwork, outstanding performance and personal contribution of corps members to their host communities.

The award was presented to different categories which include NYSC films, NYSC National Cultural Troupe, Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD), NYSC Sports and Cultural Festival, NYSC HIV/AIDS programme, Traditional (Group) CDS, Personal CDS and Collaborative CDS.

The best group CDS award was bagged by the Adamawa Gender Vanguard and Charity CDS group.

The best individual CDS award went to Oduma Fidelis Mbam, a graduate of dental technology a native of Ebonyi, who served in Adamawa.

The best collaborative CDS partner award went to UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the best CDS officers’ award went to Rita Alo from ENGINE, Gender Vanguard, and Charity CDS group in FCT.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Education Secretariat has reiterated the safety of school-age students in various schools across the territory.

The Director, Administration and Finance of the secretariat, Leramoh Abdulrazaq made the commitment at a news conference in Abuja.

Abdulrazaq said it was imperative to again allay the concerns of parents, guardians and stakeholders of the safety of their wards in schools operating within the FCT.

He said that the insecurity challenges across the country had been of utmost concern to the FCT authority and had continued to put all efforts and strategies together to safeguard its territory.

Abdulrazaq said that no security breach had been recorded in FCT, while debunking reports that FCT schools had been closed.

He said that in the face of emerging security challenges, the secretariat had continued to strengthen its security personnel and surveillance with strict adherence to security tips.

Abdulrazaq called on parents, guardians and stakeholders not to relent in complementing the government’s efforts and sustaining the various safety measures the FCT administration had put in place.

He assured them of their wards’ safety under the Education Secretariat custody, stressing that FCT Schools remained safe with effective and efficient learning and teaching taking place unhindered.

Lagos State House of Assembly has expressed readiness to establish a research legislative institute of training and re-training of legislative members.

The Bill to establish the Lagos State Legislative and Research Institute passed through second reading during plenary.

The Bill, a private member Bill, was applauded by lawmakers as a Bill to aid knowledge gathering and information on legislative matters across the globe.

In his reaction, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, opined that the Bill would allow for efficient and effective legislation.

In his words “This Bill is viable to us and also for other legislatures in service of the Parliament and other States can share in it as the Centre will be a learning space for councils and Local Government Chairmen, promoting and deepening democracy in our State.

He maintained that the Institute will also engage international Legislative bodies like African Parliamentary Union where we can acquire more knowledge through the Centre.

In his contribution, a member representing Eti-Osa II, Gbolahan Yishawu, noted that the benefit of the Bill will include among many, the induction training of new Legislative members and a refresher course for existing members; training of Legislative staff of the House; fiscal training in the areas of lawmaking.

He said education is a lifelong learning, medium of transfer of knowledge from one generation to another and to have an Institution to formalise the sharing of knowledge across the entire scope is a welcome and noble idea and everything must be done to improve the capacity of lawmakers.

Also, the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade maintained that the Bill has its numerous merits capable of promoting the activities in the State, adding that the other State Houses of Assemblies will also benefit from the Bill when passed.