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BUK begins online lectures next semester
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The Bayero University Kano said all Post Graduate programs in the university especially at Ph. D level will be holding lectures online, beginning from second semester.
Kano Focus reports this was contained in a weekly bulletin released by the University on Friday.
According to the bulletin, the vice chancellor of the University Sagir Adamu Abbas revealed this on Monday when he went round to monitor the commencement of lectures and assess the level of compliance with the Covid-19 protocols by both staff and students.
Mr Adamu a professor of education said the Centre for Information Technology of the University is making frantic efforts to kick start the virtual learning.
He added that the University has secured a license for zoom meeting, as the management is putting adequate arrangement with a view to starting the online teaching beginning from second semester of the current academic session.
He also revealed that the license was the largest in the country amongst the tertiary institutions with the capacity of holding twenty parallel sessions simultaneously with about 500 participants.
The Vice Chancellor, acknowledged the quantum of challenges facing tertiary institutions especially in developing countries on how to conduct their academic activities in conformity with the protocols of Covid-19.
Particularly given the fact that the system was not designed for an online mode of conducting lectures.
“However, as it is now, and for us to survive, it becomes imperative to devise a means to adapt to the new normal caused by the global pandemic of Covid-19,” He said.
He added that apart from the Ph.D degree programs, others that would be conducting their lectures via online mode are the General Studies Program (GSP) at undergraduate levels.
He said this was specifically introduced as part of the response by the government on the need for educational institutions to rise up to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic without making the students miss their lectures.
The Vice Chancellor noted that the virtual mode of lecture would be gradual.
He said it was hoped that in the very near future all courses and programmes would be taught virtually in which case all the needed facilities would be provided.
Professor Abbas charged students to observe all the protocols of curtailing the spread of the virus through wearing of face masks, social distancing, regular washing of hands and the application of hand sanitizers at all the times.
He said the University management would not hesitate to sanction any staff or student who refuse to obey the protocols.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The government has introduced new guidelines for fee increment.
Kano State Government has prohibited private and voluntary schools from arbitrarily increasing fees and forcing parents to purchase materials directly from the schools.
KANO FOCUS reports that Executive Secretary of the Kano State Private and Voluntary Institution’s Board( KSPVIB,) Comrade Baba Abubakar Umar, gave the warning in an interview with journalists.
The Executive Secretary said that some schools have been taking advantage of parents through hidden charges and exorbitant fees.
He said to address this issue, the board has introduced new guidelines.
According to him, “Schools must convene a Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) meeting to discuss any fee increments”.
He also stated that school must then write to the board seeking approval for the increase, attaching the attendance sheet from the PTA meeting.
He added that”At least two-thirds of parents must be present at the PTA meeting”
Comrade Abubakar dated that, the board has received complaints from parents who were charged excessive fees or amounts different from what was initially agreed upon.
He therefore disclosed that despite the current economic situation, schools must be realistic and fair in their charges.
“The board will work with relevant authorities to prosecute schools that operate illegally or evade taxes”
He however maintained that the board is committed to ensuring that schools provide safe learning environments and employ qualified teachers.
“Parents are encouraged to report any schools with substandard teaching or unsafe conditions”
Comrade Abubakar emphasised that, new census forms will be distributed to private and voluntary schools to ensure accurate data collection and effective monitoring. Saying that the board remains open to dialogue and discussions with schools willing to comply with the law.
He commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for his commitment to education, allocating 30% of the state’s budget to the sector and declaring a state of emergency.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported that two people have died and two others were injured following the collapse of a two-storey building in Noman’s Land, Fagge Local Government Area of Kano.
KANO FOCUS reports that the NEMA Coordinator, Kano Territorial Officer, Dr. Nuraddeen Abdullahi, who confirmed the incident on Thursday, said the agency received a distress call around 2:00 a.m. from a Good Samaritan about the building collapse.
Dr. Abdullahi stated, “The agency received a distress call today at about 2:00 a.m. from a Good Samaritan that a two-storey building collapsed in Noman’s Land Quarters, Kano.”
He further said, “Upon receiving the information, we quickly dispatched our rescue team to the scene.”
Dr. Abdullahi added, “Four persons were rescued by our team—a husband, wife, and two children. Unfortunately, the two children were confirmed dead, while the couple were rushed to the Armed Forces Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment.”
The NEMA Coordinator also noted that search and rescue operations were still ongoing to find any persons trapped in the building.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano students from Kano are the top applicants of the student loan scheme, data from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has revealed.
KANO FOCUS reports that NELFUND, in a data chart posted via its official X handle, @nelfnigeria on Friday, highlighted the number of applicants per state of origin.
According to the data chart, students originally from Kano State topped the list of applicants with 17,122 applicants; Borno followed suit with 13,798 applicants while Benue had 11,754 applicants. The three states were the only states with over 11, 000 applicants.
The implementation of the student loan scheme is President Bola Tinubu’s flagship project in the education sector.
Barely a month after his inauguration as president, Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Act, which creates a legal framework for granting loans to indigent or low-income Nigerians to facilitate the payment of their fees in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The law, reenacted earlier this year, created the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
NELFUND is saddled with the responsibility of handling all loan requests, grants, disbursement, and recovery.
The fund, according to the act, is to be funded from multiple streams and will engage in other productive activities.
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