Here are the headlines as they were published in the dailies.
allmedia24.com
FULL LIST: The 107 private universities facing probe for degree racketeering
In a sweeping initiative, the Federal Ministry of Education has launched a comprehensive investigation into a total of 147 private universities currently operational in Nigeria, with a focus of 107 institutions established within the past 15 years. The inquiry, led by Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, involves a seven-member inter-ministerial committee tasked with scrutinizing potential degree racketeering
The committee, which includes prominent figures such as Prof. Ishaq Oloyede from the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board(JAMB), Minister of Youths, Jamila Bio-Ibrahim and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, is mandated of assess various aspects of the Universities. This includes evaluating infrastructure, management structures, financial backing for programs, and staffing, encompassing full-time, contract, adjunct and visiting positions. Read more: https://allmedia24.com/full-list-the-107-private-universities-facing-probe-for-degree-racketeering/#
The Nation
FULL LIST: 107 private varsities to be investigated by FG
The federal government through the Federal Ministry of Education on Tuesday, January 9, launched a probe of degree racketeering in foreign and local private universities.
A seven-member inter-ministerial committee will investigate the allegations within eight weeks.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, mandated it to review the role of any ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) or their officials in the facilitation of the recognition and procurement of fake certificates in question.
The committee includes members such as the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Minister of Youths, Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, among others. Read more: https://thenationonlineng.net/full-list-107-private-varsities-to-be-investigated-by-fg/
UNILAG to graduate 379 first class students at 54th convocation
The University of Lagos says a total of 340 students will be graduating with first class at its 54th convocation scheduled for Jan. 17.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, disclosed this at a news conference to announce activities lined up for the ceremony on Wednesday, in Lagos.
According to her, the 340 are among the overall 17,464 students that will graduate during the period. Read more: https://thenationonlineng.net/unilag-to-graduate-379-first-class-students-at-54th-convocation/
The Punch
Bauchi gov solicits TETFund support for state-owned institutions
The Bauchi State Government has solicited support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for its state-owned institutions to train technical manpower in agriculture, oil and gas, and other fields critical to national development.
The state governor, Bala Mohammed, who made the appeal during a visit to TETFund on Tuesday in Abuja, stressed the importance of human capital development in confronting challenges of underdevelopment, poverty and unemployment.
A statement released by the Fund on Wednesday quoted Mohammed as noting that the state requires support for its newly-established College of Education, Technical, as well as an intervention in vocational training, where artisans – craftsmen, bricklayers and welders, will be trained. Read more: https://punchng.com/bauchi-gov-solicits-tetfund-support-for-state-owned-institutions/
Tribune
‘Degree Mills’: FG sets up panel to probe private, foreign varsities
The Federal Government has inaugurated an eight-man inter-ministerial committee to investigate the activities of private universities established in the last 15 years.
The committee, headed by Professor J.D. Amin as chairman, is also mandated to probe degree certificate racketeering by both foreign and local universities in Nigeria.
The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, who inaugurated the inter-ministerial committee on degree mills in the country on Tuesday in Abuja, said this would help sanitise the system and protect the integrity of educational qualifications in Nigeria. Read more: https://tribuneonlineng.com/degree-mills-fg-sets-up-panel-to-probe-private-foreign-varsities/
Resumption: Lagos govt tasks teachers, students on improved performance
The Lagos State government has urged teachers, non-teaching staff, students in the state to make year 2024 count for excellent performance in their various teaching and learning deliveries as schools resumed for the second term of the 2023/2024 academic session.
The state’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun gave this admonition while monitoring students’ resumption in some schools in the state on Monday.
In a statement made available by the head of public affairs unit of the ministry, Mr Ganiu Lawal, the commissioner noted that the wish of the state government is to ensure that its limited resources are deployed effectively to ensure the safety and improved performance of students and school workers in the new year. Read more: https://tribuneonlineng.com/resumption-lagos-govt-tasks-teachers-students-on-improved-performance/
Nine fake professors listed by NUC not in our payroll — FUTMinna
The management of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, has said that its attention has been drawn to a news report that has received wide coverage on the Internet and other social media across the world that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has uncovered about 100 fake professors in Nigerian universities.
This was following the news of about 100 fake professors said to have been uncovered in Nigerian universities by the National Universities Commission (NUC) recently, now generating ripples across the country.
The university stated this in a press statement signed by the Deputy Director of Information, Publications, and Public Relations Unit of the university, Mrs Lydia W. Legbo, a copy of which was obtained by the Nigerian Tribune on Monday in Minna, Niger’s capital. Read more: https://tribuneonlineng.com/nine-fake-professors-listed-by-nuc-not-in-our-payroll-futminna/
Vanguard
Nigeria’s suspension of degree certificates from other countries: Trimming the edge of the problem
n a recent publication by some Nigerian newspapers, it was mentioned that the Minister of Education in Nigeria, Tahir Mamman, declared that “the Federal Government said more countries, including Uganda, Kenya and Niger Republic will be sanctioned following the suspension of accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo”. Read more: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/01/nigerias-suspension-of-degree-certificates-from-other-countries-trimming-the-edge-of-the-problem/
ThisDay
Babcock University Has No Fake Professor, Says Management
Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, has condemned a faceless online post that claimed that the institution and some others have fake professors.
Last week, a list purported to be from the NUC named 100 professors across both private and public universities, as fake.
In a statement, the acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, disowned the viral list saying that it is fake, untrue, and a figment of the imagination of the authors. Read more: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/01/10/babcock-university-has-no-fake-professor-says-management
Africa Check
Did Nigeria’s university commission uncover 100 fake professors? No, list trending on WhatsApp and Facebook is fake and misleading claim dates back to 2019
A message circulating on WhatsApp and Facebook in Nigeria in early 2024 claims that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has discovered about 100 fake professors in the country’s university system.
The message includes screenshots that list the supposed fake professors. It reads: “Full list of 230 fake professors discovered in 23 top Nigerian Universities. In terms of tribe, Yoruba have the highest number. In terms of gender, The female gender have the highest number. While Bayero University Kano has the highest number with 20.”
The claim can be found here, here, here, here and here. Read more: https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/meta-programme-fact-checks/did-nigerias-university-commission-uncover-100-fake
YEN.com
Nigerian Teacher Gets Emotional after Seeing Note Student Gave Her, Shares it: “Reach out to Her”
A Chemistry teacher has shared the heartwarming note she received from her student on the school’s resumption day.
Upon opening it, she found some money and a message from the thoughtful female student that made her emotional.
She contemplated returning the money with extra and sought advice from netizens on what to do. Read more: https://yen.com.gh/people/249126-reach-nigerian-teacher-emotional-note-student-gave-shares-it/
Daily Post
Alleged sexual assault: Court grants UNICAL Prof temporary bail to undergo eye surgery
An Abuja Federal High Court on Wednesday ordered the release of Prof Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, UNICAL, on temporary bail to enable him undergo glaucoma surgery.
Justice James Omotosho gave the order following an application by Ndifon’s counsel, Okon Efut, SAN, which was not opposed by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, lawyer to Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
Justice Omotosho, who said he had considered Ndifon’s oral bail application, admitted him to bail in the sum of N250 million with a surety who must swear to an affidavit of means and deposit his or her travel passport with the court registry. Read more: https://dailypost.ng/2024/01/10/alleged-sexual-assault-court-grants-unical-prof-temporary-bail-to-undergo-eye-surgery/
The Guardian
Six brilliant, indigent students receive UI ASUU scholarship
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan (UI) chapter, yesterday, awarded scholarships to six indigents but brilliant students of the university in its 2023 Indigent Students Scholarship Award.
Chairman, UI chapter of ASUU, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, who spoke after presenting the award to the beneficiaries, said the award were in two categories (ASUU National Award and ASUU UI branch Award), adding that two out of the beneficiaries won N200,000 each for national category, while the remaining four got N100,000 each for the branch award. Read more: https://guardian.ng/news/six-brilliant-indigent-students-receive-ui-asuu-scholarship/
Govs abdicate duties to TETFund, Echono laments
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has lamented that some governors have abdicated responsibilities to tertiary institutions in their states to the agency.
This is even as the intervention agency has pledged support to the newly established College of Education (Technical) in Bauchi State.
TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, stated this when he received Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed who was on a working visit to his office, in Abuja. Read more: https://guardian.ng/news/govs-abdicate-duties-to-tetfund-echono-laments/
Leadership
Integrate Digital Citizenship Education Into School Curriculum, Expert Tell Gov’t
A digital parenting Coach, Ifeyinwa Okafor, has asked the government and other stakeholders to invest in the education sector by integrating digital citizenship education into the school curriculum.
The digital citizenship education advocate made the request in a press statement on Tuesday, noting that the role of technology in advancing the educational sector cannot be compromised.
She said that globally, this is the standard as digital citizenship represents a new dimension of citizenship education that focuses on teaching students to work, live, and share in digital environments in a positive way. Read more: https://leadership.ng/integrate-digital-citizenship-education-into-school-curriculum-expert-tell-govt/
FULL LIST: The 107 Private Universities Facing Probe For Degree Racketeering
The Federal Ministry of Education launched an investigation into degree fraud in local and foreign private universities on Tuesday, January 9. A seven-member inter-ministerial committee will conduct the probe over an eight-week period.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has tasked the committee with scrutinizing the involvement of any ministries, departments, or agencies (MDAs) and their officials in facilitating the acquisition and validation of fraudulent certificates.
The committee comprises members such as Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), as well as Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, the Minister of Youths, and Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, among others. Read more: https://leadership.ng/full-list-the-107-private-universities-facing-probe-for-degree-racketeering/
Diaspora Nigerians Sponsor Training Of 2,000 Imo Youths On Skill Acquisition
Two Nigerians based in the United States and Germany, have sponsored the training of about 2,000 youths from their community on different skills.
According to the duo – Mr. John Durumba and Dr. Azubuike Erinugha – they decided to embark on the project in view of the prevailing unemployment situation in Nigeria with its attendant increase in crime rate.
They said they conceived the idea about two years ago as their personal contributions to assist indigent community members and indirectly take children away from the streets, discourage drug addiction and make the country a better place to live. Read more: https://leadership.ng/diaspora-nigerians-sponsor-training-of-2000-imo-youths-on-skill-acquisition/
The Sun
Educationist tasks schools on quality service delivery
A former Assistant Director, Federal Ministry of Education and Coordinator of ‘The Wife’, Pastor Grace Oge Nwannukwu has made a passionate appeal to school owners to improve on standard of quality service delivery.
Nwannukwu, a former teacher with Kings’ and Queens’ College, Lagos, spoke at one-day parents and youths training event held recently with the theme: “Raising the Next Generation”.
The event attracted pupils from Kumbus Kids School, Ijesha, A-Z ALL Phase Academy, Ijesha, Miradix Nursery and Primary School, Surulere, Bachel Schools, Ayobo, Great Obadaso School, Ayobo among others. Read more: https://sunnewsonline.com/educationist-tasks-schools-on-quality-service-delivery/