Over 70% Candidates Fail WAEC

Over 70 percent of candidates who participated in this year’s WAEC exams have failed, the Head, National Office of the Council, Charles Eguridu announced yesterday. Mr Eguridu while announcing the results said, out of the total number of 241,161 candidates who sat for the examinations, only 72,522 scored five credits with the two key subjects, giving a pass rate of 29.27 percent. A record which only supersedes that of 2013 by only 1 percent.

It will also be recalled that there was also a massive failure last year when only 86,612 candidates passed out of a total number of 298,971 candidates who wrote the examinations.

A Nigerian Becomes First Black Woman To Graduate With First Class Degree From UK University

A Nigerian, Osarieme Omonuwa, broke the jinx at the University of Reading to become the first black woman to earn a first class degree in the history of the 121-year-old institution.

At 22, Osarieme Anita Omonuwa could be described as a genius just waiting to be called a legal legend in Nigeria. There are many reasons for that. Her determination to excel and continuous drive to conquer new academic heights are proofs that for this young lawyer, the future holds great things.

On a recent week, the International Conference Center in Abuja, the venue of this year’s ceremony for the lawyers called to the bar erupted with a thunderous applause as Omonuwa marched forward to receive her numerous academic laurels. It was a day she would live to remember.

ASUU Won’t Go On Strike Again Says Minister Of Education

The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, is optimistic that the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities will not embark on any industrial action soon despite threats by the union to do so.

Shekarau said this on Monday during an impact assessment tour of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

The university teachers have been threatening an indefinite strike following allegation of non-implementation of agreement reached between ASUU and the Federal Government.

MOUAU VC protests marginalisation, fund starvation

The Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of
Agriculture Umudike , Abia State, Professor Hilary
Edeoga, has vigorously protested the non release of the
university’s take-off grant 22 years after its establishment,
and the partial release of its annual capital allocations.
Edeoga who registered his protest when the House of
Representatives Committee on Education visited the
institution as part of its oversight function, alleged that the
unfair treatment being meted out to the university by the
federal government amounted to marginalisation of its host
geopolitical zone- the South East.

3 Students Shot As Unijos Protests And Riots Enter Day 2

The protest over an increase in school fees has escalated as it has taken a violent turn.

Eye witness reports have it that 3 students have been shot by soldiers trying to stop the protests. None of them were fatal but they have been rushed to the hospital.
The school registrar has sent out a letter indicating that school has closed, and students should vacate hostel premises by 2 pm today.

Students are reporting that school will closed down till January.

WAEC Introduces Painting, Decorating, Photography And 36 Other Subjects

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has introduced 39 new subjects in its examinations. The announcement was made during the council's monthly seminar held on January 31st, 2014. The 39 subjects which fall into two categories; Electives (4) and Trades (35) would commence in this year's May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination.



Speaking on the new initiative, The Council's Acting Head, Test Development Division, Mrs. Olayinka Ajibade said it's in accordance with the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council's (NERDC) new secondary school curriculum.

"The implementation of the new SSCE curricula began in September 2011, meaning that the maiden public examinations based on the new/ revised curricula are expected to be held in May/ June 2014. Each WASSCE syllabus is derived from the senior secondary education curriculum. In addition to the 39 new subjects for which NERDC engaged in curriculum development, curriculum review was also carried out for 35 existing subjects."

Students would be required to take four core subjects (English Language, General Mathematics, Civic Education and Trade/ Entrepreneurial Studies) and four other subjects from Humanities, Science, Technology and Business Studies depending on their interest. Subjects in the Electives category include Computer Studies, Insurance, Store Management and Office Practice- while Painting and Decorating, Photography, Salesmanship, Plumbing and Pipe Fitting, Upholstery etc fall in the Trades category.

Unilorin Lecturers To Teach From Homes By 2014

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Ilorin, Obafemi said that the development would make it possible for lecturers to be able to send assignments to their students via the Internet.

“As from Jan. 2014, University of Ilorin lecturers would be able to send assignments to their students through the Internet from the comfort of their homes,’’ adding that students would also be able to respond respond via the same channel.

He said that the school had ordered for 25,000 pieces of mini iPads from the U.S. for the students, to enable the lecturers to send assignments to them from home.
He noted that the iPads were already fully loaded with the students’ courses and each student would get one as they resume in January.

ASUU Finally Calls Off Strike!

Finally! ASUU has called off its 5 month old strike.
Meanwhile, The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has set up an 18 member committee to monitor the utilization of the N200 billion fund given to universities by the Federal Government as part of its deal with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

 NANS president, Comrade Yinka Gbadebo said the committee was to ensure that there was transparency in the utilization of the Fund and to forestall further incidence of Industrial Action.

ASUU to Hold ‘Decider’ NEC Meeting Today

According to THISDAY, as students in the nation’s universities await the official response of their lecturers under the auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the much awaited meeting of the union’s National Executive Committee (NEC) would hold today.

ASUU had last Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the federal government on the agreement it reached with the government.
The meeting is scheduled to hold at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, the Niger State capital.

Asuu And Fg Finally Reach Agreement

After over five months of protest, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is ready to call off its industrial action.

The decision came after the Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the Federal Government on Wednesday evening in Abuja.

The Union was represented by its Chairman, Nasir Fagge, while the Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, stood in for the government. Both confirmed the news to State House correspondents.

However, ASUU will address members of the press soon.

ASUU Members Are Now Like Rebels--President Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan says the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities since July 1, 2013 over the non-implementation of 2009 agreement with the Federal Government is no longer a trade dispute but a subversive action against his government.
While trying to justify the ultimatum given to ASUU, President Jonathan said:

“What ASUU is doing is no longer trade union. I have intervened in other labour issues before now, once I invite them, they respond and after the meeting they take decision and call off the strike. 
“But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2 pm and the meeting ended the next day in the early hours of the morning. As far as the government of Nigeria was concerned, all the critical people that should be in a meeting were there, so what else do they want?"

ASUU Says Jonathan Is A Joker, Insists Threat Can't End Strike

The Goodluck Jonathan administration has given the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, one week ultimatum to call off the ongoing strike or risk mass sack. The directive was given on Thursday on behalf of the government, in Abuja, by the acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike.
But in a swift reaction, ASUU rubbished the threat by the Jonathan Government to sack any lecturer who fails to report back to school on December 4, 2013. While condemning the threat, ASUU said:

“It is a pity if the federal government is not willing to perfect the resolutions reached with union.This is why we find it difficult to trust our leaders by their words. How can someone be threatening to sack lecturers when universities are already short-staffed by almost 60,000? We are not in Military era. The Military tried it and failed. This one will fail again.”

The union added that the threat latest will not only fail but worsen the situation and "make the strike linger more than necessary."
With this threat, ASUU said it is now very clear that the Federal government was not ready to implement any of the resolutions it reached with the union.

FG Condemns ASUU’s New Conditions To Call Off Strike

University teachers are seeking audience with President Goodluck Jonathan.
They delivered yesterday a letter containing the request to the Supervising Minister for Education, Chief. Nyesom Wike.

Also, top leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), led by National President, Dr. Nasir Issa Fagge, converged yesterday on Abuja for the last stage of discussions with the Federal Government.

The leaders were awaiting the President’s invitation on the three conditions they tabled for the almost five -month strike to be called off.

The conditions are:

• commitment from the President that any review or reconsideration or renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement will not substantially affect the Agreement which is the cause of the ongoing strike;

• immediate payment of all outstanding salary arrears and allowances of varsity teachers without victimisation; and

•a written commitment from the President that the Federal Government will commit N225billion annually to the funding of universities for the next four years.
ASUU’s letter was delivered to the Minister through its Liaison Officer in Abuja.
But the minister has described the demand as outrageous.

Ebonyi university reopens for lecture

The management of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, in eastern Nigeria on Monday ordered all the lecturers and students to return to classes immediately.

In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the Registrar, Mr Sam Egwu, said academic activities would resume on all the campuses of the university on Tuesday 26 November, saying the authorities have the support of 80 per cent of the academic staff.

The academic staff, in compliance with the directive of the national union, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, went on strike from 1 July. ASUU is still seeking an audience with President Goodluck Jonathan to reach a decision on whether to call off the strike.

• Dr. Fagge: ASUU president

The ESU statement said: “we have waited patiently for the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve the impasse (strike) to no avail. The management of Ebonyi State University has, therefore, resolved to commence academic activities on Tuesday.

“We, therefore, use this medium to inform all concerned that teaching and learning will begin fully on Tuesday, to enable us to cover what we have lost to the strike” , the statement said.

The decision to reopen the school was reached at a management meeting held on 20 November.

It said “80 per cent of the lecturers in attendance agreed that they should ignore ASUU’s nationwide strike and return to class.
“The lecturers are not happy that the strike is lingering and therefore gave their full support for the resumption of school on Tuesday”, the source said.

The source, however, said that Chairman of ASUU in the university did not attend the meeting.

The chairman, Prof. Ndubuisi Idenyi, in an interview with NAN, dissociated the branch of ASUU from the decision to resume studies.
“The strike is still in progress until we get directives from our national leadership”, he told NAN.

Idenyi said the leadership of ASUU in the university was ready for a showdown with the school’s management if it decided to punish lecturers who defied the return-to-duty order.

ASUU Agrees to Call Off Strike, Gives conditions as they Meet with FG Today

VARSITY teachers have agreed to suspend their five months old strike, The Nation learnt yesterday.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given three conditions to be tabled before President Goodluck Jonathan today. If the terms are acceptable to the Federal Government, the union will call off the strike.
The ASUU leadership has banned its local chapters and zonal chairmen from talking to the media until after the session with the President.

ASUU President Dr. Nasir Issa Fagge and other leaders of the union were being expected in Abuja last night.

According to a source, who was part of the ASUU session at Mambayya House in Kano, the conditions are: •commitment from the President that any review or reconsideration or renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement will not substantially affect the pact which is the cause of the ongoing strike;

•immediate payment of all outstanding salary arrears and allowances of varsity teachers without victimization; and

ASUU STRIKE: Official Confirms NEC Meeting Will Be Held Friday

The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Dr Lawan Abubakar has debunked media reports that the union had postponed its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting slated for tomorrow.

According to him, the Union had previously postponed the scheduled NEC meeting to mourn the death of Festus Iyayi, a former President, who tragically passed last Tuesday in a motor accident along the Abuja-Lokoja highway.

Abubakari also denied that the striking lecturers had accepted the over N1trillion offer by the Federal Government, adding that the Union is agitating for the full implementations of the 2009 agreement, and "nothing less".

ASUU STRIKE: ESUT Dissociates Itself from ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has dissociated itself from the planned resumption of academic activities at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, tomorrow (Monday).

In a statement signed by the Chairman of ASUU, ESUT chapter, Prof. Agu Gab Agu and others, the union said its attention had been drawn to the announcement by ESUT management that students were resuming academic activities on Monday November 18, 2013.
“The academic staff of ESUT dissociates itself from the above announcement”, the union stated.


It added that “while ASUU-ESUT mourns the demise of Professor Festus Iyayi, a former President of ASUU, it awaits the direction of the NEC on the ongoing strike”.

Prof. Agu described the demise of Iyayi as a big loss to ASUU, saying his death was a big loss to the union, the academia and the country in general.

The ASUU-ESUT boss prayed that God should grant the family of the late ASUU President the fortitude to bear the loss.
Meanwhile, a condolence register has been opened for the late Professor Iyayi at the ASUU Secretariat in ESUT Agbani Campus.

STRIKE Latest: ASUU’s NEC meeting still indefinite, Iyayi to be mourned for 7days – ASUU

Contrary to media reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU was to hold it’s National Executives Committee meeting yesterday, the union leader of university of Ibadan, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye has claimed that there was no plan for such meeting.
Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye claimed that stories which made the rounds on Saturday, that the National Executive Council, NEC, would hold an emergency meeting in Kano, were false.


Ajiboye was speaking in an interview on Diamond FM, University of Ibadan and stated that no meeting was scheduled for yesterday, as they were still in the middle of a seven-day morning, which was declared in honour of the late Professor Festus Iyayi, a former national chairman of the Union.

It would be recalled that Iyayi lost his life in a fatal crash, on his way to Bayero University, Kano, where members of ASUU were to meet and reach a final decision, on whether to continue with the strike or accept the federal government’s offer.

It is hoped that at the expiration of the 7days mourning of Iyayi, the union will reconvene to ratify decision on the lingering strike that has paralysed the academic activities of public universities in the country

ASUU Strike May Be Called Off At Tomorrow’s NEC Meeting

According to Osun Defender, the 4 months old ASUU strike action by the Academic staff Union of Universities, ASUU may be suspended tomorrow, after positive negotiations between leaders of the Union and the President Jonathan Led Federal Government, Last week monday.
The suspension became more positive, following the higher number of Universities who voted in favour of the suspension of the 2013 ASUU strike, at monday’s Varsity Chapter meetings, where Universities like UNILAG, UI, UNIPORT, ABU Zaria and many others seek the suspension of the 4 months old action, and the resumption of academic activities across the Nations Universities.
Despite the tragic incident on tuesday morning, where the Union lost her past leader, VNTI strongly believe, that the National Executive Council, NEC meeting of ASUU this Saturday, would be positive, especially in honour of the Past Leader, Professor Iyayi, and the Nigerian students, in the nations Varsities should be prepared to resume activities, as soon as Monday, 18th November, once a declaration is made on saturday evening, or sunday.

BREAKING: ASUU Postpones NEC Meeting Scheduled Today After Iyayi’s Death

After the tragic passing of the former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Prof. Festus Iyayi, who died on Tuesday in a car accident on Lokoja-Abuja Expressway, it was decided to postpone the planned NEC meeting.

Yesterday, as Iyayi was returning from the meeting in one of the Northern ASUU chapters, a dire car accident occured, which led to the former ASUU president death.

He was in company with some ASUU leaders and they were said to be returning from Kano where they sought the views of members on ending the four-month-old ASUU strike.

Thus, it was decided to postpone of ASUU‘s executive meeting, scheduled for Wednesday. The aim of the meeting is to decide whether to continue or to call off the 4-months strike.

Details coming soon