Headlines
UTME: 78 visually impaired candidates write 2022 exams in Kano Centre
Nasiru Yusuf
About 78 visually impaired candidates have Thursday commenced writing 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Kano centre.
KANO FOCUS reports that the examination was conducted by the Equal Opportunity Group set up by the chairman of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Is-haq Oloyede.
Addressing the candidates at the Kano centre located at School of Continuing Education (SCE) Bayero University, Kano the coordinator of the centre, Muhammad Yahuza Bello said a total of 383 visually impaired candidates are writing this year’s examination in eleven centres nationwide.
Mr Bello, who is the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, said the centres are Abuja, Ado-Ekiti, Bauchi, Benin, Enugu, Jos, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos, Oyo and Yola.
He said additional centres were created this year to bring the venue of the examination closer to the candidates, especially with the security situation in the country.
The academic said the Kano centre had received the data of 172 candidates who were said to be visually challenged. However, after contacting them, it was found out that about 70 were not challenged but wrongly registered as visually impaired.
He added that after notifying JAMB, the Board made adequate arrangements for the candidates where they participates in the regular examination.
However, Mr Bello said they could not reach out to 20 other candidates said to be challenged because the phone number they registered was not functional.
He revealed that the visually challenged candidates take the same test items as those who are not.
“The mode of the examination administration is blended using PCs, traditional braille slate and stylus or typewriters in writing answers to questions that are read by out by a subject expert.
“This is in alignment with the current development of Nigeria’s higher education system with regard to the education of the blind,” Mr Okebukola said.
According to him, JAMB takes full responsibility for hotel accommodations and feeding of the candidates in the 11 centres and pays generous transport supplementation.
Besides this, Mr Bello said each visually challenged candidate receives a slate and stylus from JAMB that will be used during the study when admitted to a tertiary institution.
He said 110 visually impaired candidates out of the 332 who sat for the UTME in 2021 have secured admission into universities and other tertiary institutions.
Some candidates from Kaduna State Yusuf Isyaku and Madeline Danladi said they want to study Mass Communication and guidance and counselling respectively.
The candidates applauded JAMB for making adequate provision that makes the examination easier for visually impaired candidates.
Headlines
AGILE Project: Kano awards ₦23.1bn contract for construction of 49 new secondary schools
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has awarded contracts worth over ₦23.1 billion for the construction of 49 new junior and senior secondary schools across the state’s 44 local government areas under the AGILE Project.
KANO FOCUS reports that the development, approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, is aimed at strengthening educational infrastructure and improving access to quality education across the state.
The contract signing ceremony was held on Friday, where contractors received official approval documents to commence work on the projects in their respective locations.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Information, Ibrahim Adam.
According to the statement, the schools to be constructed under the AGILE Project comprise both Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), strategically distributed across the state to address infrastructural deficits in the education sector.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, reiterated the administration’s commitment to revitalising the education sector and creating a conducive learning environment for students.
He said the initiative would significantly reduce classroom congestion, expand access to education, and improve teaching and learning conditions in schools across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the AGILE Project is part of broader efforts by the Kano State Government to enhance educational development, particularly in improving infrastructure and supporting increased school enrollment and retention.
Headlines
SFH appoints Dayyabu Yusuf to lead strategic health partnerships, RevoHealth HMO
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Society for Family Health has appointed Dayyabu Mahmud Yusuf as Group Director, Impact Partnership and Engagement, as well as Managing Director of RevoHealth HMO Ltd., in a move aimed at strengthening healthcare access and sustainable health systems across Nigeria and Africa.
KANO FOCUS reports that the appointment was announced on the organisation’s official Facebook page on Saturday.
According to SFH, the new leadership appointment signals the beginning of a fresh phase focused on improving impact, expanding access to healthcare services, and advancing sustainable health transformation initiatives across the continent.
The organisation stated that the appointment reflects its commitment to building integrated health systems and promoting innovative platforms in healthcare financing, workforce development, advisory services, and sustainable health interventions.
SFH expressed confidence that Yusuf’s leadership would further strengthen the organisation’s impact and deliver lasting value to communities across Nigeria and beyond.
Yusuf is a seasoned public health professional with more than 18 years of experience in the design and implementation of public health, social marketing, and health systems strengthening programmes in Nigeria.
He is widely recognised as a health systems expert, health economist, programme management specialist, and community engagement practitioner, with extensive experience in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH), HIV/AIDS, malaria, child survival, and nutrition interventions.
He has also built strong technical expertise across the family planning and maternal, newborn and child health continuum, while leading large and complex teams on multiple development programmes.
Yusuf possesses strong advocacy and stakeholder engagement skills, having worked closely with senior government officials, lawmakers, and influential traditional and religious leaders to drive institutional and behavioural changes that support effective programme implementation.
A seasoned trainer, Yusuf has trained various cadres of health professionals and is known for his practical expertise in participatory community engagement approaches.
He holds a degree in Microbiology and a Master’s degree in Health Economics from Bayero University Kano, as well as an MSc in Microbiology from University of Abuja.
Headlines
Kwankwaso commends IGP over probe into Dadiyata’s disappearance
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
A former Governor of Kano State Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, for ordering a fresh investigation into the disappearance of activist and lecturer Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.
KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso made the remarks in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Saturday following recent testimony by a former aide to an ex-state governor, who allegedly claimed that police officers were responsible for Dadiyata’s disappearance in Kaduna.
Dadiyata, a lecturer and social media commentator, was abducted in 2019, and his whereabouts have remained unknown since then.
According to Kwankwaso, he and his associates have consistently advocated for a thorough investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
He described the Inspector-General’s directive for a comprehensive investigation as a “decisive and long-overdue action,” expressing hope that the process would uncover the truth behind the disappearance.
The former governor also urged police authorities to place individuals named in the allegations under close surveillance to prevent interference with the investigation.
Kwankwaso further called on the government to ensure that Dadiyata, if found alive, and his family receive adequate compensation for the trauma and hardship they have endured over the years.
He commended members of the public for sustaining advocacy efforts on the case and also praised Abba Hikima Fagge for what he described as his important role in the latest developments surrounding the investigation.
Kwankwaso expressed optimism that the renewed probe would ultimately deliver truth and justice in the case.
