Education

 By Uzair Adam Imam 

“Mu Farka Youth Development Initiative,” in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and UNICEF, orchestrated an event that brought unparalleled joy to the faces of over two hundred children in Kano.  

The grand enrollment ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Kano State Hisbah Board, Kano Municipal, unfolding a new chapter of education and sparking excitement and hope among the children and their families. 

Nura Ahmad Muhammad, the Executive Director of Mu Farka Youth Development Initiative, radiated enthusiasm as he spoke about the collaborative effort with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and UNICEF.  

The foundation’s achievement involved enrolling more than 240 children, a significant number of whom were Almajiri and girls who had discontinued their studies for various reasons. 

As a beacon of educational empowerment, Mu Farka did not merely open the doors to classrooms but generously provided the children with essential reading materials, school bags, uniforms, and books.  

The foundation has placed education at the forefront of its initiatives.

This includes specialised programmes designed to teach the girl child and Almajiri various businesses, all while ensuring their protection from any form of abuse.  

Moreover, the foundation takes on the responsibility of safeguarding the health and well-being of these budding scholars. 

Nura Ahmad Muhammad urged the government to lend its support to such noble initiatives, emphasising the significant role communities play in nurturing the moral upbringing of children. 

The collaborative effort of Mu Farka, the Ministry of Women Affairs, and UNICEF showcased the potential for positive change when organisations and communities unite for a common cause. 

The jubilant voices of the children echoed stories of newfound joy and opportunity 

Fatima Tijjani from Dukawa, overwhelmed with happiness, expressed gratitude for being enrolled in school and fervently prayed for continued assistance from Allah.

She also appealed to the government to promote and support similar programmes. 

Usman Muhammad, another excited beneficiary, pledged to do his best to make the most of the educational opportunity presented to him.  

Zainab Sa`ad Muhammad, who had to pause her education due to financial constraints, now revels in the happiness of returning to the classroom. 

Students have their choices – Hajiya Jamila 

One notable aspect of Mu Farka’s initiative was affording the children the liberty to choose the school they wished to attend.  

Hajiya Jamila Garba Umar, expressing her excitement, affirmed the importance of considering proximity to prevent future challenges associated with transportation. 

Sheikh Nasir Abdullahi, the Imam of the Al-Hamsad Juma`a Mosque, applauded the event and called upon the government and affluent individuals in the community to join hands in supporting such impactful programs. 

He stressed the crucial role parents play in ensuring that the children enrolled in school continue their educational journey.

By Abdurrahman Muhammad

Following the report of how the Daily Nigerian journalist obtained a university degree from Cotonou in six weeks and participated in the NYSC scheme, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Education, had on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, suspended the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Togo and Benin Republic universities.

In a statement on its website, the National University Commission labelled the blacklisted foreign universities as ‘degree mills.’

The statement reads in part, “The under-listed “degree mills” have not been licensed by the Federal Government and have therefore been closed down for violating the Education (National Minimum Standards, etc.) Act of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

The affected institutions include five universities from the United States, three from the Republic of Benin, six from the United Kingdom, and three from Ghana.

Below is the list of the 18 foreign universities the Federal Government banned from operating within its borders.

1. University of Applied Sciences and Management, Port Novo, Republic of Benin or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.

2. Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.

3. The International University, Missouri, USA, Kano and Lagos Study Centres, or any of its campuses in Nigeria.

4. Collumbus University, UK, operating anywhere in Nigeria.

5. Tiu International University, UK, operating anywhere in Nigeria.

6. Pebbles University, UK, operating anywhere in Nigeria.

7. London External Studies UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.

8. Pilgrims University operating anywhere in Nigeria.

9. West African Christian University operating anywhere in Nigeria.

10. EC-Council University, USA, Ikeja Lagos Study Centre.

11. Concept College/Universities (London) Ilorin or any of its campuses in Nigeria.

12. Houdegbe North American University campuses in Nigeria.

13. Irish University Business School London, operating anywhere in Nigeria.

14. University of Education, Winneba Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria.

15. Cape Coast University, Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria.

16. African University Cooperative Development, Cotonou, Benin Republic, operating anywhere in Nigeria.

17. Pacific Western University, Denver, Colorado, Owerri Study Centre.

18. Evangel University of America and Chudick Management Academic, Lagos.

By Abdurrahman Muhammad

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has commended the Federal Government (FG) for suspending the accreditation of degrees obtained from the Republic of Benin and Togo. 

The ban on accreditation followed the discovery of irregular and fraudulent practices in the admission and course programs of some universities in the two countries.

MURIC’s commendation came through a statement issued by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday, 3rd January 2024. 

He said:

“A laudable move was made yesterday by the Federal Government (FG) when it suspended the accreditation of degrees from the Republic of Benin and Togo for their irregularities and fraudulent practices” (FG Suspends Accreditation Of Degree Certificates From Benin Republic, Togo – Channels TV).

“It will be recalled that Umar Audu, an investigative journalist of Daily Nigeria newspaper, reported recently that he bagged a degree within six weeks of being admitted into one of such universities and also served as a corper in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with the certificate obtained. The undercover journalist received both the transcript and certificate of the Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies (ESGT), Cotonou, Benin Republic, after six weeks only.

 It was this story that prompted FG to ban the accreditation of certificates obtained from universities in those countries (https://dailynigerian.com/undercover-how-daily-nigerian/). 

“MURIC lauds FG for banning those fraudulent certificates. The holders of such fake credentials pose a grave danger to the lives of Nigerians and the quality of public service, too. 

“We charge the ministries of education at both federal and state levels to be wary of holders of such certificates. Those found to have been employed with them should be shown the way out. Furthermore, the security agencies should fish out those behind the fraudulent admissions within Nigeria. Those are agents of the fake tertiary institutions in faraway Benin and Togo. They should be made to face the full wrath of the law.

“We demand an investigation into circumstances surrounding the clearance letter issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, which confirmed that the university (ESGT) is on the ministry’s list of accredited institutions. It was this letter which enabled NYSC to accept 51 fake graduates to serve in the scheme.  On its own part, NYSC authorities must take necessary action on the 51 fake corpers from ESGT who are serving illegally. They must be flushed out. 

“We also advise gullible but innocent Nigerians who have obtained the certificates to quickly set the machinery in motion to correct the anomaly. They should upgrade themselves by seeking authentic university admission either within or outside the country.

“Education may be the key to technological breakthrough and the concomitant industrial progress, but half-baked education and fake certificates are deadly dynamites in the system which is capable of destroying everything that may have been achieved.

“Before we draw the curtain, we find the undercover journalist equally worthy of encomiums. He went underground to unearth this educational fraud. He put his life on the line for the sake of his country. Umar Audu is worthy of emulation by his colleagues in the Fourth Estate of the Realm.”

By Zayyad I. Muhammad

Recently, the media have been awash by the news of bandits’ attacks in Taraba and Plateau states. On November 24, 2023, it was reported that gunmen in their numbers attacked and killed 20 people in the Yangtu Development Area of the Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State. In the early hours of Tuesday, December 19th, 2023, other gunmen attacked the Pupule community in Yoro Local Government Area of the same Taraba state, kidnapped Umaru Nyala, the chief of Yorro chiefdom, and also abducted 22 other people.

The Taraba State police command and other security operatives killed over 50 bandits terrorizing villages along the corridor of Bali Local Government Area on Tuesday, November 28th, 2023. On the other hand, on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, a group of bandits stormed the Gondon Maliki weekly market in Taraba State, kidnapped scores of people, and carted away food and wares using motorcycles.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, while condemning the gruesome murder of over 100 people in the Plateau, said, “The bandits seem to be ahead of the government.”

To be fair to all the Nigerian security operatives, they’ve done an excellent job in the Northwest states of Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina, in facing the menace of the bandits. These states have witnessed a visible improvement in security in areas being terrorized by the bandits, and the Abuja-Kaduna highway is secured while the Niger axis is a little bit silent.

It appears that the military onslaughts on the bandits and other terrorists have killed many of their leaders, and they have dispersed to the Northeast axis and some parts of the Plateau. Why did the bandits settle in these areas, especially the Northern parts of Taraba State – Yorro, Lau, Jalingo and Ardo Kola local government areas? Is it due to its topography, location or economy? Taraba State is among the poorest states in Nigeria but rich in agriculture and forestry. Probably the bandits found solace in Taraba due to its uniqueness in geography and agricultural activities. Furthermore, the Cameroonian mountains, which stretch almost to the entire Northern and Southern parts of Taraba, linking the state with the River Niger, will certainly provide a hiding place for criminals, bandits in particular.

The only way of this menace is for the state, federal and local communities to work together; collaboration is key to security management. For example, at its 8th and 9th meetings held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on September 9th, 2023, and in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, on November 24th and 25th, 2023, the Northeast Governors’ Forum expressed its concern about the new dimension of the growing banditry in Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba states, and this may be as a result of the concerted efforts of the military on neutralizing the bandits from other parts of the country. The governors called on the federal government to intervene and promised to work with and support all security agencies.

Managing security in a vast country like Nigeria with inadequate modern technology for security management can be very difficult, and our security operatives cannot be everywhere and anywhere at the same time. So what is the solution?

The re-invigoration of the kinetic and non-kinetic security approaches by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has resulted in many successes and breakthroughs; however, more intelligence gathering is needed; community engagement and direct communication with the bandits should be employed. In community engagement, the model being used by the Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri-led Adamawa state government in tackling farmer-herder conflict should be adopted; the community should be made to feel part of the solution in security management, thus providing intelligence and also being a watchdog for security operatives without being endangered.

Secondly, the reported ongoing ‘soft approach’ should be sustained and, indirect communication with the bandits. Most of them now also use social media; thus, a kind of smooth operation should be launched by the ONSA and other relevant bodies to recruit people who speak the languages of bandits to send convincing messages to them on the ills, disadvantages and evils associated with their dangerous ‘trade’ while showing them the beauty and benefits being enjoyed by their ‘kind’ who adopt normal lives, go to school both western and religious, but still maintain their culture, beliefs and inherited legal trade.

Furthermore, radio and TV are also tools to reach the bandits, as satellite TV and solar power technology have now made it possible to watch or listen to the world, wherever one is – bandits, hiding in thick forests, use solar power and satellite technology to charge their phones, watch TV and listen to the radio. Above all, justice and fair play by those in power in providing the basics of life and alleviating poverty and ignorance away from these bandits will surely assist a lot in reforming them back to society.

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja via zaymohd@yahoo.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies (FAIS) class of 2004 at Bayero University Kano (BUK) gathered at their 12th Annual General Meeting in Kano on Sunday to extend a helping hand to the families of 18 deceased classmates. 

Chairing the reunion, Sulaiman Muhammad Adamu noted that the event wasn’t merely about socialising but a platform to reminisce about the past, savour the present, and collectively envision the future while fortifying the bonds that tie them together. 

Daily Trust quoted Adamu to have said, “We are here to enhance unity among the members of this forum and support the families of our deceased colleagues who have passed away. We are supporting them in order to bring them in for more support.”

Disclosing that the support includes food items and a cash token amounting to N50,000 for each family, Adamu assured that the forum would continue to explore additional ways to assist the bereaved families. 

The beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the thoughtful gesture, acknowledging the significance of being remembered and included in the activities of their former classmates. 

This act of solidarity not only reflects the compassionate spirit of the FAIS class of 2004 but also serves as a testament to the enduring bonds forged during their university years.

By Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu

It is not every day that a series of coincidental events converge. Like the passage of Haley’s Comet, these events happen only once in one’s lifetime. I am eternally grateful to Allah (SWT) for enabling me to witness one of these coincidental events. 

While still in active service in the university, where I have been for the last 43 years, I feel fulfilled that three of my students who became my colleagues and friends in the Department of Education have now become Vice-Chancellors in the same period within three years of each other. These are Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas (VC Bayero University Kano, 2020), Prof. Abdulrashid Garba (VC, Khalifa Isyaku Rabi’u University Kano, 2023) and the most recent, Prof. Muhammad Ibrahim Yakasai (VC Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa, Jigawa State, 2023). 

During their career development, I nicknamed them “The Three Musketeers” because of their closeness to each other, coupled with the almost military approach they adopted to their career. They started their doctoral studies at the same time, finished at the same time, rose and became professors at the same time! Each was highly focused with a target in mind. Each has proven his mettle scholastically – with each spending extended periods as a Visiting Professor in foreign universities. The research area of each of them was truly a contribution to knowledge in the discipline. 

The term I chose to describe them is based on characters in a novel by Alexandre Dumas in 1844 called “The Three Musketeers”, which describes the adventures of three-foot soldiers who were close pals. I consider myself part of them because they are individually my friends. And these three Vice-Chancellors are really close, not just as professional colleagues but their families are also close. 

Of course, besides myself, they had other tutors in the Faculty of Education (Bayero University Kano). Still, I am the only one remaining out of all those who tutored them since all the others have retired. I am, therefore, the Last of the Mohicans (another literary reference, this time to James F. Cooper, 1826) and had the unique opportunity of seeing his career convergence in December 2023 when Prof. Muhammad Ibrahim Yakasai was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa, Jigawa State. 

It is a rare opportunity to see a celebration of such success, humility and friendship in each of them. Allah Ya taya su riƙo, amin.

Ishaka Mohammed

In a recent report by DAILY NIGERIAN, a reporter called Umar Audu worked under cover and obtained a degree certificate from Cotonou in Benin Republic within six weeks instead of four years, and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilised him for the mandatory national service. 

Although the report contains a lot of disturbing revelations, only one thing surprises me. The said Umar Audu is a genuine graduate in mass communication who participated in the NYSC scheme from 2018 to 2019. Yet, the agency mobilised him again in 2023 and captured his fingerprints without catching him for multiple registrations. It’s scary to realise such poor data management in a scheme which, since its creation, has been headed mostly by high-ranking military officers.

Concerned Nigerians have discussed the benefits of data harmonisation and the effects of its neglect. One of the numerous consequences of scattered data in Nigeria is the presence of people receiving multiple salaries from government ministries, agencies or departments. This is widespread in the same country where millions of citizens, regardless of their qualifications, battle with unemployment, hence suffering from poverty and hunger. With a standard database management system, the suffering of Nigerians can be reduced significantly. 

I sometimes wish that Nigeria would be a country with mandatory registration of children at birth. I dream of a country where every birth certificate would contain the bearer’s national identification number (NIN), which would be the chief of the eligibility criteria for free or affordable basic and secondary education, SIM registration, admission to tertiary institutions, employment, visa or passport application, etc.

I imagine a nation with a central database management system which makes everybody’s identification number and fingerprints verifiable. My ideal country is where every government ministry, agency or department can verify anyone’s date of birth, level of education, employment history, etc., using the person’s fingerprints. With all these in place, it would be impossible for one to simply outsmart a federal government agency just like Umar Audu did.

By the way, I commend everyone involved in that investigation. Stories of illegal Cotonou degrees can no longer be called baseless rumours. I’ve heard of similar racketeering in Kogi State but have yet to obtain any tangible proof.

By Aliyu Nuhu

I saw a post by a friend advising people not to check their symptoms on internet and should go to hospitals for all their complaints. He was partially correct, but wrong in underestimating the power and importance of internet-based knowledge.

Medicine recognizes home treatment for non emergency medical conditions. But there is a caveat that you should consult a doctor if symptoms persist or get worse.

Always remember that doctors themselves know a lot about their speciality, but they also know little in a vast ocean of knowledge in other fields of medicine. You can know better than them if you choose to read.

My son was given about fifteen medications to take after heart surgery. But because I have knowledge of the disease and drug options,I was able to engage the doctor and at the end the drugs were reduced to four. Take note that I did not reduce the medication on my own. I only used my knowledge of pharmacy to engage the doctor and get him to reduce them himself. Some of the drugs were to be taken for few weeks and to be discontinued. Some were doing the same job and one of them has to go. Some were to alleviate symptoms, and if the child didn’t have the symptoms what was the need for them? Some were for pains from surgery and if the wound was healed there was no need for them. I once educated a doctor for asking a child to take calcium for bone strength, but he obviously didn’t know that the body would need vitamin D to successfully process calcium. Medicine is so vast that doctors must also read the internet to keep abreast.

There are treat-at-home symptoms you can learn from internet. I successfully treated myself for common illnesses through internet and over the counter medications. Why should I for instance go to hospital to treat nail fungus? You are your own best doctor. Arm yourself with knowledge before approaching your doctor.

There are symptoms that you know you need professional help. You know the red flags for potentially life threatening symptoms. When you can’t breathe you don’t need anyone to tell you to rush to get medical help at the hospital. When you have severe headache and other symptoms you never had before you should know that you need an immediate medical emergency.

I know when to see a doctor. The important thing for you is to also know when to see your own doctor. Even when meeting with my doctor, my vast knowledge of medicine prepares me for drug options and procedural choices. Internet makes you even choose the right doctor. If you have blood in your urine check for the possible causes. The regular GP may not detect if your condition is postate cancer. Oncologist knows what other tests to do and confirm if you have the condition. If you have shortness of breath, painful arm, etc, the cardiologist is the person that will know that you need angiogram to know if there is blockage in the circulatory system.

We have good doctors no doubt but always know that we have imposters, some that did not even read medicine in the university. Our hospitals are populated with half-baked professionals that only knowledge could save you from their deadly mistakes.

A whole teaching hospital treated a relative of mine for cerebral malaria when she actually had tuberculosis of the spine. My son was diagnosed with truncus ateriosis when in actual fact he had tetralogy of fallot. Without internet I would have been lost. However, a careful check gave me better understanding of the symptoms and led me to the right laboratory that identified the right disease. Internet led me to the right doctors abroad.

It will be suicidal just to rely on doctors without having elementary knowledge of your symptoms and treatment options. Drugs have side effects and also, interaction issues with other drugs or foods. If you don’t read you won’t know. Your doctor is human and has many patients and will not have time to educate you. Educate yourself. Knowledge is not only power, but in medicine it can be a life-saver.

Aliyu Nuhu writes from Abuja, Nigeria.

By Ishaka Mohammed

In its latest recruitment exercise, which commenced on December 18, 2023, Kaduna State University (KASU) is demanding ten essays from every applicant seeking a lecturing position. 

The Daily Reality gathered from an applicant that the writing section is one of the ten steps in the application process. The essay topics revolve around technology in education, teaching philosophy, assessment formats, critical thinking development and journaling.

KASU opened its recruitment portal on December 18 for qualified individuals seeking lecturing jobs in the various departments. The positions include contract, internship, graduate assistant, assistant lecturer, lecturer II, lecturer I, senior lecturer and professor.

The application is completely online, and interested individuals are to create accounts at https://recruitment.kasu.edu.ng and submit their applications on or before December 31.

Founded in 2004, KASU has about 40 academic departments and is the only state university in Kaduna.

By Ibrahim Tukur

Teaching, a practice dating back to the inception of human civilization, remains the cornerstone of knowledge dissemination and societal development. Across diverse forms, teaching has wielded a profound influence in shaping our lives and the world at large. It is the vessel through which knowledge, information, and invaluable experiences are preserved and transmitted across generations. In the structured confines of schools, students engage with various disciplines, not solely to absorb knowledge but also to challenge, reframe and contribute to a brighter future.

Yet, despite being the progenitor of all professions, Nigeria seems to overlook the significance of the teaching profession. Unlike professions like law or medicine, where extensive training and years of study are prerequisites, teaching frequently appears as an accessible career path, sometimes attracting individuals without the essential pedagogical skills or comprehensive subject mastery.

This oversight manifests glaringly in the under-appreciation of teachers by the Nigerian government, notably in the form of insufficient compensation. The meagre salaries offered to educators fail to recognize the intricacies and demands inherent in their roles, severely limiting their ability to perform optimally and affecting their morale.

Additionally, the teaching landscape in Nigeria grapples with a multitude of challenges which impede effective delivery. Inadequate infrastructure, including scarcity of classrooms, laboratories, libraries and teaching materials, acts as a significant barrier to effective teaching and learning processes. This scarcity, coupled with a shortage of qualified educators and deficiencies in teaching methodologies, hampers students’ ability to reach their academic potential. The lack of comprehensive and quality teacher training programs stands as a significant challenge faced by educators in Nigeria.

Many teachers enter the profession without adequate preparation, lacking essential pedagogical skills and updated teaching methodologies. This deficiency in training directly impacts their ability to effectively engage students, cater to diverse learning needs, and employ innovative teaching techniques. Insufficient training also hampers educators’ efforts in adapting to evolving educational trends, impacting the quality of education imparted to students across various levels of schooling.

Consequently, Nigeria’s education system suffers, and the negative ramifications are dire. If not rectified, this neglect of teaching – the bedrock of all professions – will perpetuate the birth of under-qualified professionals. It’s a situation that could escalate brain drain, where competent educators seek opportunities abroad where their expertise is appreciated and duly rewarded.

Recognizing the pivotal role which teachers play in shaping society, there’s an urgent need for substantial reforms. It starts with acknowledging and properly compensating teachers for their arduous task of moulding minds and futures. Additionally, investing in comprehensive teacher training programs, extending the duration of educational courses to allow for a more thorough mastery of teaching methodologies, and implementing stringent selection processes for educators are imperative steps.

The government’s commitment to furnishing all schools with adequate resources and facilities is equally crucial. This holistic approach is essential to ensuring seamless teaching and learning experiences, vital for the nation’s educational advancement.

In conclusion, it’s paramount to accord teachers the reverence and support they deserve. Their pivotal role in shaping both individuals and the world demands not only acknowledgement but also concrete actions aimed at rectifying the systemic deficiencies currently hampering the teaching profession in Nigeria.

Ibrahim Tukur is a hearing-impaired individual who hails from Ingawa town in Katsina. He earned his first degree in Special Education/Sociology. He is a Disability Rights Advocate and can be reached via inventorngw@gmail.com.