Nigerian govt to privatise public schools ‘not doing well’ — Minister of State for Education

The federal government would privatize the public-owned schools “not doing well” to enable better management, the minister of state for education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba , has said.

Speaking at the first edition of Re-Ignite Public Affairs National Dialogue Series Webinar on Saturday, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba said a public and private sector collaboration is a way to move the education sector forward in the country.

The event, which was organised in collaboration with Businessday newspapers, was moderated by Modupe Adefeso-Olateju, an education policy expert specialising in public-private partnerships.

The theme of the event was “Nigeria at 60, Education: Navigating a new Normal”.

The minister said that the ministry was already working out a framework to bring in private sector players to come in and adopt public schools that were not doing well.

“We are going to be changing to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), curriculum and enhance it.

“Also, we are stepping up with private sector players because we have realised that we cannot do it alone. It is essential we bring everyone on board through public-private partnerships.

“For instance, we have a lot of public schools that are not doing well; so, instead of building new schools, let us concession some of these schools to those who have the capacity to adopt and close-manage them very well.

“These are the kinds of projects we want to do and I proposed this when I was the Chairman of TETFUND,” he said.

Mr Nwajiuba said that government does not have all of the funds but have regulators.

Speaking on schools resumption in the face of COVID-19, he said the government’s priority was to safeguard itself, learners and teachers in navigating the new normal.

“Most of the things we are working on are toward carrying learners forward in the new system during this pandemic,” Nwajiuba said.

Also, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services, Julius Ihonvbere, said: “COVID-19 has provided Nigeria with a good opportunity to develop its infrastructure.

“The pandemic has exposed the underbelly of the weaknesses of the society and the political class not just in Nigeria but all over the world, hence a good opportunity for us to rethink and reset,” he said.

He added that it was not too late for the country to do the needful, noting that commitment, leadership and resources were key in addressing both the content and context of education.

In his remarks, Yomi Okusanya, Group Managing Director of CMC Connect (Perception Managers), said the aim of the webinar was to discuss key findings to support policy development and direction of government.

The 19th northern states have rolled out five guidelines to be met before participating in WASSEC and supporting the reopening of schools.

The five conditions, according to the communique of the 19th northern states education commissioners involved in Student Exchange Programme, SEP, among others, is to addressed the challenges affecting SEP by various States Government to ensure high standard of learning in schools. 

In the communique issued Yesterday’ at the end of the vertual meeting on school reopening and other matters held on Thursday 9th July, 2020, commissioners also demanded that Sports, quiz and debating competition among schools in the region reintroduced and other interventions implemented to bring back the lost glory of the students exchange programme.

The Communique signed by the Commissioner of Education, Kaduna State and Chairman School Exchange Programme, Mr.Shehu Usman Muhammed, Ph.D, further resolved that schools should be opened only when it is safe to do so and when states have complied with the minimum COVID-19 safety protocols as outlined by the NCDC. 

“We will participate in WASSCE and other examinations only when it is safe to reopen schools and when coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education. 

“States should carry out a wholistic assessment of schools to determine their readiness to reopen and submit report to their respective governors for consideration. 

“The states should also take steps to provide critical facilities required for reopening of schools as specified by the NCDC. 

“Schools’ infrastructure, such as dilapidated classrooms, students hostels, source of safe water, sanitary facilities, including hand washing equipment and security should be improved, while clearing of grasses and fumigation of the schools surroundings should be conducted to support learning and ensure safety when schools resume. 

SEP earlier observed that the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu’s stand on postponement of school reopening was commendable declareed their full support for the decision. 

“The ministers’ reasons for keeping schools closed was appropriate in ensuring that children remain safe while efforts were being made to make schools safe from COVID-19 before reopening will be considered. 

“There is the need for the minister to coordinate meetings in the education sector to find common ground and agree on safe reopening of schools. 

“The Federal Government needs to support states in putting safety measures in place for school reopening as parts of its COVID-19 Social Intervention Project, considering that many states may not have the financial strength to embark on such a huge capital extensive project. 

“This could be done with support from development partners or through loans”, they stated. 

On the ban of child begging in the name of Almajiri system of education by northern state, SEP commended the governors, it however, Stated that they should come up with a legal framework to enforce the ban and carry out massive awareness campaign to enlighten the public and enlist the support of parents and caregivers. 

The meeting had, in attendance, 13 states namely; Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Niger, Nassarawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Kogi, Kwara, Katsina, Kano, Borno and Jigawa.

WAEC: Parents meet FG Monday, insist on school resumption

The National Parents Teachers’ Association of Nigeria has said it is confused about the proclamation by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, that schoolchildren nationwide would not be allowed to sit the West African Senior School Certificate Examination slated for August 4 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NAPTAN National President, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday, said the association had resolved to meet Adamu by Monday to seek an amicable solution.

NAPTAN had in the last week of May called on the government to reopen schools nationwide “to pupils who will be sitting external examinations of the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council.”

The association said parents had resolved to work together with schools to put measures in place such as the provision of face masks, handwashing containers and hand sanitisers to minimise the risks of virus contraction by the pupils.

Reacting to Adamu’s directive that pupils would not be able to sit the WASSCE this year, Danjuma said parents were confused and that they would seek an audience with the government on the matter.

He said, “Surprisingly, we heard from the Federal Ministry of Education that the government has suspended the reopening of schools. This is very confusing; we don’t know what to do. We are waiting for whatever will come after this.

“On our side at NAPTAN, we are planning to go to the ministry and meet with the minister or his representatives to hear from them. It should be on Monday.”

The Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, had during the press briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 last Monday announced that the 2020 WASSCE conducted by WAEC would hold between August 4 and September 5.

But Adamu said on Wednesday that all federal schools would remain closed until it was safe to reopen them. He also urged state governments that had announced school resumption plans to rescind such.

Magu failed to account for interest on N550bn recovered loot – Panel (See Detailed Allegations )

A prior presidential panel, which investigated the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, indicted him, a report published by the News Agency of Nigeria has alleged.

The report, according to NAN, noted that the embattled EFCC boss had been unable to account for the interest generated from N550bn cash recovered from 2015 to 2020.

The panel is separate from the panel led by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, which is currently probing Magu and other top officials of the agency.

The chairman of the previous committee was Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim and the members were DIG Anthony Ogbizi; a member from Federal Ministry of Justice; Mualledi Dogondaji from the EFCC; Hassan Abdullahi from the DSS; an unnamed member from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation; Chinedu Ifediora from the NFIU, while Mr Kazeem Attitebi served as the secretary.

The committee’s report, it was learnt, became the basis for the setting up of the Salami-led panel.

The report titled, ‘Final Report of the Presidential Investigation Committee on the EFCC Federal Government Recovered Assets and Finances from May 2015 to May 2020’ was obtained by the Federal Government-owned News Agency of Nigeria.

The report read in part, “Failure to report on the interest on actual lodgements clearly establishes that the interest element of over N550bn has been re-looted relating to the period under review.

“This is an apparent case of manipulation of data in a very brazen and unprofessional manner and this has greatly eroded the public confidence in the anti-corruption efforts.”

The panel said it was quite disturbing that conflicting figures were being circulated in the public space by the EFCC as the amount of recovered funds.

It said these inconsistencies cast serious doubt on the accuracy of figures submitted by the EFCC.

The committee said it was of the view that the EFCC could not be said to have fully accounted for cash recoveries made by it, noting that there were discrepancies between what the embattled chairman reported and the lodgements the commission made.

It added, “It must be pointed out that the discrepancy of more than N31bn does not include interest accrued in this account since it was opened.

 

Magu failed to account for interest on N550bn recovered loot – Panel

“It therefore cast serious doubt on the credibility of the figures and means that substantial amount of money has not been accurately accounted for.”

NAN observed that the report had also confirmed the concerns of the public about contradictory recovery figures emanating from Magu.

The Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets revealed how the investigative reports on EFCC’s activities by the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit exposed acts of corruption and money laundering against some EFCC officials, including Magu.

The report added, “The NFIU reports established that the acting chairman has been using different sources to siphon money from the EFCC.

“The report has shown that a particular Bureau de Change, owned by Ahmed Shanono linked to the acting chairman based in Kaduna, has more than 158 accounts and has been receiving huge sums of funds.”

The committee accused Magu of paying a prominent Lagos-based senior advocate N28m.

…alleges he acquired N573m Dubai property through pastor

The panel accused the suspended EFCC boss of using one Pastor Omale to launder funds abroad.

Omale’s name was uncovered through an investigative report on EFCC’s activities by the NFIU.

According to the report, the unknown clergyman is alleged to have bought a property on behalf of Magu worth N573m in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“As an unknown pastor, the NFIU’s report showed the huge movement of funds ranging from N573,228,040.41,” the report said.

NAN also gathered that efforts had been intensified to expose the real identity of the pastor with a view to arraigning him for prosecution, if found culpable.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the said pastor to get his reaction were not successful. Several calls made to his mobile phone were not answered while the text message sent to him had yet to be replied as of 12:52am.

The committee accused the suspended EFCC boss of mishandling the probe of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The suspended EFCC boss was accused of failing to cooperate with authorities in the United Kingdom to facilitate effective prosecution of the case.

The report read in part, “In the Diezani Alison-Madueke case, the acting chairman is failing to further cooperate with the UK NCA (National Crime Agency) to enable them to charge the former minister to court in the UK.

“The acting chairman, despite his knowledge that Mrs Alison-Madueke will not be extradited to Nigeria until after her trial in the UK, has consistently been accusing the UK government on the pages of print and electronic media of not wanting to extradite her to Nigeria.”

Magu was also accused of deliberately refusing to provide documentary evidence that would make the office of the Attorney-General to commence the extradition process of Diezani Madueke.

“This has strained the EFCC’s relationship with Europe, our most strategic partner,’’ the report further observed.

NAN reported that Magu, who is being held at the Police headquarters, Abuja, is expected to reappear before the Salami probe panel on Monday to defend himself against several allegations.

No sacred cows in Buhari’s govt, EFCC bigger than Magu – Presidency

The Presidency on Saturday said those who held the belief that the ongoing investigation of the suspended the EFCC acting chairman was an indication of the regime’s failing anti-corruption fight had missed the point.

It said rather, the development was further proof that the fight was real and active.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, titled ‘Presidency’s statement on the suspension of Mr Ibrahim Magu’, said this was the first time the Presidency would react officially since Magu’s travails started on Monday when he was arrested and brought before the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel.

The statement added, “There is no better indication that the fight is real and active than the will to investigate allegations in an open and transparent manner against those who have been charged to be custodians of this very system.

“Under this President and government, this is our mantra and guiding principle. There are no sacred cows, and for those who think they have a halo over their heads, their days are also numbered.

“Mr Magu was not immune – and regardless of the obvious embarrassment that potential acts of wrongdoing by him, given the office he held, may appear for the government.

“No other administration in the history of Nigeria would have moved to bring into the light and public domain such an allegation.”

Shehu explained that a series of documented allegations were made against Magu, noting that a preliminary review of the allegations levelled against him and several other members of his staff revealed that there were grounds for a detailed investigation to be conducted, hence, an investigative panel was constituted in compliance with the extant laws governing the convening of such a body.

Justifying Magu’s suspension, Shehu added, “As is the proper procedure, when allegations are made against the chief executive of an institution, and in this case an institution that ought to be seen as beyond reproach, the chief executive has to step down from his post and allow for a transparent and unhindered investigation.”

He said Magu’s suspension would allow the EFCC to continue its work without the cloud of investigation hanging over its head, noting that the EFCC does not revolve around the personality of an individual and as such could not be seen through the prism of any individual.

He added, “Mr Magu is being availed the opportunity to defend himself and answer the allegations against him. This is how it should be, as is the fact that under the Laws of Nigeria every citizen is presumed and remains innocent until proven guilty.

“What is however important is that there must be accountability and transparency and our people must realise that they would be held to account. This is the building block in the fight against corruption, the establishment of the concept of accountability and the recognition of the rule of law.”

Counsel for Magu, Mr Tosin Ojaomo, on Saturday, expressed confidence that his client would be released from detention on Monday.

Ojaomo said that "he had met Magu at the detention facility at the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Garki Area 10, in Abuja, and had a client-lawyer interview with him for about an hour on Saturday.

Ojaomo said, “Magu is not on trial. He has been appearing before the panel which is just a fact-finding panel. Our only concern is that he is in detention. We strongly believe that he will be released on Monday unfailingly.

“Our application for bail is receiving attention. Those celebrating that Magu is gone should be ready to face more crisis as long as they continue to partake in corruption.”

Ojaomo said on Saturday that Magu, whom he reportedly met in high spirits, denied Malami’s allegations during their client-lawyer interview session at the FCID facility on Saturday.

The lawyer added, “He told me the allegations are frivolous, vexatious and are all concocted to blackmail him and subject him to public ridicule and opprobrium, nothingclash

Police Commence Recruitment Exercise, Calls For Applications [Portal Opens 14th July 2020]

The Nigerian Police Force has commenced recruitment exercise for new constables.

This was revealed this morning by Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba.

He said that, qualified and suitable candidates who feels fitted for the job can apply, those that there ages are within the range of 17 and 25 are eligible to apply.

Mba equally asserted that, such applicabts must have gotten five credits, Mathematics and English inclusive from West African Examination Council, WEAC, General Certificate of Examination, GCE, or National Examination Council, NECO.

The recruitment will be done online through www.policerecruitment.gov. ng, beginning from July 14 to August 25.

"The names of the successful applicants will be published in national dailies on 14th of September 2020. It will be published on other platforms as well." Mba asserted.

The Nigerian Police Force main duties or obligations are to safeguard lives, properties as well as maintenance of law and order so that the society will be safe for all and sundry.