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Provost Replies COEASU, Says FCET Bichi boasts of 200 PhDs lecturers, others

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FCE Bichi

 

 

The Federal College of Education (FCE), Technical, Bichi in Kano State, on Thursday says it has over 200 PhDs lecturers and other cadre of academics in its service, to enhance teaching and learning environment at the institution.

The Provost, Prof. Bashir Muhammed-Fagge, stated this while reacting to alleged impropriety levelled against the school management by the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).

The union on April 13, embarked on a one-week warning strike to press home their demands and compel the school management address issues affecting welfare of its members.

Some of the contentious issues included poor learning environment, decay infrastructure, and  pervading insecurity.

Others are non remittance of N25 million outstanding staff multipurpose cooperative society deductions and non payment of 10 months peculiar allowances.

COEASU FCE Bichi Down Tools, To Protest Poor Working Conditions, Lack Of Issuance of TRCN Certiifcate to College Graduands
In swift reaction, Muhammad-Fagge dismissed the allegations, saying the school had increased the number of teaching and non teaching staff in the past few years.

Muhammad-Fagge said: “I want to vehemently disagree with them on that. When I joined as the Provost of the institution, there were only six lecturers with PhD, but today we have over 200.

“The same thing with the infrastructures. If you go round the school, no single building has not been renovated. And we have built a new permanent site with five new schools, which will be commissioned soon.

“We have e-library, laboratories, our lectures are prompt, we have increased the number of academic staff from 250 to about 750. And students who graduated were trained with skills acquisition to the level that when they graduate they can employ themselves and need not to go and seek a job.”

According to him, the management of the institution has adopted proactive measures to address issues raised by the striking union, adding that they have already put all mechanisms in place to that effect.

Muhammed-Fagge said the management was already in negotiations with the union to resolve the issues amicably.

“There is bound to be disagreement or skirmishes between the employer and employee because the relationship between the duo is usually characterised by these, but it is always an issue of resolution through dialogue.

“Among other issues raised is cooperative society, that the Management is owing them N25 million. Between 2015 and 2016, there was the introduction of a Tertiary Single Treasury Account (TSA).

“And the personnel cost of all Federal colleges were slashed down and all were paying incomplete salaries. But in this college, we paid a complete salary up till the end of the period.”

Muhammad-Fagge said the school have not experienced salary shortfall, adding that the management of the school engaged the union to deliberate on the issues bordering salary deduction and deductions.

According to him, the Federal Government paid 50 per cent of salary shortfall accrued sequel to the introduction of Treasury Single Account  (TSA).

The management, he said, would settle the outstanding 50 per cent balance of as soon as funds were available.

On the issue of security and cleaners, the Provost,  said the school was utilising the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), to pay wages of the affected casual workers.

He lamented tnat the institution had recorded significant drop in revenues due to the COVID-19 lockdown and closure of the school.

The provost noted that paucity funds had adversely affected payment of registeation for Teachers’ Registration Council (TRCN).

“The students are supposed to pay for the TRCN, what the students pay for the registration is not enough.

“Therefore, the college decided to use overhead to settle the TRCN, unfortunately with no revenues to pay the security and cleaners and other issues such as fuel, how can we pay for the TRCN,” he said.

According  to him, the managenent of the college has evolved effectuve mechanisms to fully fund the TRCN and allow the students to obtain the TRCN certificates.

The management, he  said,  was working to ensure payment of peculiar academic allowance owed the lecturers, noting negotiations were on between the Federal Government and the union to facilitate payment.

“We set up a task force committee because we realised that over 1,300 students have not paid their school fees.

“Aboout N70 million is expected to be generated from payment of school fees, and the union requested for N38 million.

“So, if we get the students to pay their school fees, we could be able to address all the demands by the union.”

Muhammad-Fagge said that college accorded premium to address nagging issues raised by the union to enhance its operations and achieve academic excellence.

“The issue of no work, no pay will be the last option, if all others had been exhausted. We are negotiating and since they didn’t embark on a full blown strike.”

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Rivers Crisis:Former Senate President Urges Tinubu To Call Wike To Order

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Senator Adolpos Wabara ,Former Senate President

Former Senate President and Chairman Board of Trustees, BOT, of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to caution his appointee and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike to avoid plunging Rivers State into a “needless political crisis”.

This is coming on the heels of the move by pro- Wike lawmakers, to impeach Gov. Siminalayi Fubara.

This is coming on the heels of the move by pro- Wike lawmakers, to impeach Gov. Siminalayi Fubara.

Wabara also condemned the call by APC Chairman in Rivers, Tony Okocha, for the House of Assembly to immediately commence impeachment proceedings against the Fubara.

The former Senate President who accused Wike of stoking the face-off between Gov. Fubara and the lawmakers, warned that Nigeria might not survive any instability in Rivers State considering the state’s economic importance to the country

Senator Wabara appealed to President Tinubu to prevail on Wike to give peace a chance and allow his successor to discharge his constitutional roles without undue influence.

“I want to appeal to Mr President to call his appointee, Nyesom Wike to order so that his actions in Rivers do not confirm the suspicion that APC has an agenda to turn Nigeria into one party state. Wike should allow peace to reign in Rivers State.

” Mr President should appreciate the importance of Rivers as a major revenue base of the country, and should the trouble they are stoking erupt, Nigeria will definitely not escape the aftermath.”

The PDP BoT Chairman, further advised members of the Rivers House of Assembly not to yield themselves as agents of distabilization of the state “because history will not be kind to them.”

He reminded the gladiators to carefully weigh the grave implications of any attempt to forcefully remove a democratically-elected Governor or President from office.

The former Senate President who warned that the PDP would not tolerate any further intimidation or persecution of the Governor, urged “all those involved in the political brouhaha in Rivers to give peace a chance”.

On the mass exodus of PDP members in Abia State, Senator Wabara who said such scenario was not unexpected, however, urged the party faithful not to panic.

He said that the elders of the party had initiated moves to half further exit of members, describing the development as the after effect of the impunity of the last PDP-led administration in the state, and its utter disregard to internal democracy and party supremacy.

Wabara further noted that some chieftains who are leaving the party are doing so for self protection while some join the bandwagon without any deep thought of their action.

He urged PDP members in the state to remain resolute and support the on-going efforts to rebuild and reposition the party for a winning spree in 2027.

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Gombe Schools Are Safe- Prof. Maigari Assures

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Professor Aishatu Maigari Gombe state commissioner for education

 

In response to concerns about the safety of schools in Gombe State,the Commissioner of Education Professor Aishatu Maigari,has assured that schools in the state are safe.

Responding to questions from newsmen regarding school security, the Commissioner refuted rumors suggesting that schools were closed due to insecurity.

She clarified that the government decided to close schools earlier than scheduled due to various factors, including the Ramadan fast, Sallah, Easter breaks, and excessive heat.

Professor Maigari elaborated that the decision was made considering that out of the remaining two weeks, approximately ten days would be devoted to public holidays. Therefore, only four days were deducted from the academic calendar.

The Commissioner gave the public the assurance that the school calendar remained on track, because the government was implementing measures to enhance school security.

Professor Maigari therefore called on the community, stakeholders, parents, and guardians to collaborate with the government in ensuring the safety of schools.

Amidst these reassurances, Professor Maigari’s statements aim to alleviate concerns and reinforce confidence in the safety and continuity of education in Gombe State.

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Port Harcourt school smashes UTME as 50% of candidates score above 300

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Garba Usman Gero

Bishop Okoye Spiritan Secondary School has smashed the just concluded UTME as 35 students accounting for 50 percent of the entire candidates from the school, got above 300. While unveiling the result, the principal Rev. Fr Jude Ekemgba C. S. Sp, said he was filled with joy to announce the superlative performance of the students.

He attributed the success to the collective hard work of the students, staff and management. He praised the staff for their sacrifices and the students for opening their hearts to learn and to prepare adequately, which paved way for the huge success recorded. On his part the Vice principal/Dean of Studies Rev Fr Edoziem John Paul C.S.Sp described the result as a product of hardwork, strategic planning and the blessing of God.

He noted that though the school has always ranked among the best performing schools, the 2024 UTME result is a consolidation. The clergy also thanked the students and teachers for their collective role in producing the heart warming result. Also speaking the student who got the highest score of 366 Emmanuel Jeremiah returned all glory to God and thanked the school for the rigorous training that repositioned them to achieve the feat.

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