Education
LAUTECH Will be Envy of Other Nigerian Universities—Aregbesola Boasts
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor of Oyo State, Mr Abiola Ajimobi and his Osun State counterpart, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, have lamented the non-resumption of academic activities at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, in spite of their spirited efforts to restore normalcy.
The owner-states governors bared their minds during the submission of the report of the Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN)-led visitation panel, set up over the crisis rocking the university, at the Governor’s Office, Ibadan, on Friday.
Also at the event were the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Prof. Wale Omole; Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin, and others members of the governing council and the visitation panel.
The panel was set up in October, last year, to chart a fresh path forward for the institution, which had been thrown into crisis for more than eight months due to the industrial action embarked upon by its academic and non-academic staff.
Although the school was reopened by the management on January 27 following the injection of over half a billion naira by Oyo and Osun States, the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had refused to return to classes citing unresolved issues with the management.
Mr Ajimobi commended the panel for what he called a thorough and in-depth job done, assuring the panel of full implementation of the recommendations.
He, however, harped on the need for the collaboration of corporate bodies and individuals to set up a trust fund for the funding of the institution giving the pervading reality of paucity of funds in the country.
The Governor said, “Awolowo was a realist and he saw the need to finance education while alive. He also had the resources to apply to the vision then and we all benefitted from his gesture. Today, oil revenue, which is the mainstay of sustaining education funding through federal allocation, had dropped.
“Oyo State that used to get N5.2billion as monthly allocation now gets as low as N2.5billion and we have to pay salaries of workers and finance social infrastructure. How do we survive that without looking inward?
“The reality on the ground requires that we look at different ways of doing things. There is need for repositioning of the university, especially on the structure. The non-resumption of academic activities after our (governors) efforts is worrying.
“LAUTECH should be the flagship of the South-West. There is nothing wrong in the whole South-West states buying into the ownership, relying on the internally-generated revenue from the school alone cannot help.”
On his part, Mr Aregbesola said the whole crisis was regrettable, but inevitable having been allegedly brought about by a sharp drop in the states’ financial power, occasioned by the crash of petroleum price in the world market.
He disclosed that the next assignment would be to set up a Technical Implementation Committee that would draw up a white paper from the report of the visitation panel.
Mr Aregbesola said, “The whole situation is regrettable, but I’m of the opinion that the academic staff and students of the university are not unaware of the present financial challenges facing the states, which culminated from the drop in our monthly federal allocation.
“We are happy the panel has done a marvellous job and the next step is for the two states to put up a technical implementation committee that would work on a white paper from the visitation panel’s report.”
The chairman of the panel said the panacea to the crisis bedevilling the academic institution was the establishment of a trust fund and strategic funding by the owner-states governments in the form of subvention.
Mr Olanipekun said it was a well-known fact that throughout the world, funding of university education did not rest squarely on government, but with support from corporate individuals and bodies in the form of trust fund.
He said, “Government alone is incapable of funding university education. Talk of great universities all over the world, you will talk of Harvard. The budget of Harvard University is more than that of Nigeria.
“How did they come about this? It is through trust fund and we are also recommending same as a solution to the funding crisis of LAUTECH. Maybe Nigerian universities would start to learn from LAUTECH if our recommendations are implemented.
“But, we are recommending that for now the university need money; the immediate thing is for the university to reopen. It has been out of session for eight months.
“Therefore, we are recommending that for now, the university must be given some subvention for it to reopen in the short term and after that the implementation of the other steps and recommendations could be also followed.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Some learning materials have been donated to the Alidinma Mixed Secondary School in Agbor Alidinma in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State by the Dr Philomena Onoyona Foundation.
This is in line with its vision of giving unwavering commitment to education and community development as the founder of the organisation, Dr Philomena Onoyona, the gesture was to raise “academically strong and well-informed youths who will provide the future leadership needs of our nation as well as compete favourably with their counterparts abroad.”
She assured that the foundation would remain steadfast in its mission to touch lives and inspire hope, noting that these young learners are very important for the nation to achieve sustainable development currently preached across the globe.
“Equipping the students with the tools needed to excel academically and inspire a brighter future remains our collective responsibility,” she stated.
Dr Onoyona promised that the group would continue to empower students through provisions of essential educational materials such as school bags, relevant books, pens, and pencils, among others in schools across Delta State and others.
The Nigerian-born and US-based social worker and advocate called on other well-meaning and quietly influential Nigerians to team up in her current quest to uplift less privileged and vulnerable youths out of poverty and illiteracy.
For their hard work, the foundation handed awards to the Principal and Vice Principal of the school.
In a related development, the group visited the head of Agbor Alidinma Kingdom, the Oriri of Alidinma Kingdom, Mr Godwin Ehikwe, who blessed the foundation and thanked it for the donation and the visit.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has been commended for recruiting about 19,500 teachers since he assumed office about five years ago.
This commendation came from the Oyo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) through a statement signed by its chairman, Mr Oladimeji Raji; and its secretary, Mr Salami Olukayode.
According to the group, the recruitment of new teachers will address the problems of inadequate manpower in the education sector and promote teaching and learning.
The leadership of the union thanked the Governor for employing 14,500 qualified teachers within one and a half years of his second term, and 5,000 teachers in his first term, into the teaching service of Oyo State through Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).
“Your disposition towards turning the tide of the education system of Oyo State remains unprecedented and unmatched not only in the anal of the recruitment history of our dear state in recent times but also across the entire 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.
“Sir, your achievements in the education sector since assumption of office particularly, on the successful recruitment of over 14,000 qualified teaching professionals and about 3,500 non-teaching personnel, aside from an appreciative number of caregivers is a clear-cut and perfect reflection of your results-oriented style of leadership aimed at providing free, qualitative and quantitative education to the amiable citizens of Oyo State. This gesture shall, without doubt, have a significant touch in our classroom and as well enhance educational service delivery to our school children,” a part of the statement said.
Describing Mr Makinde as a teachers’ friendly governor, the union particularly pointed at the merit-based parameters used to recruit those with professional teaching qualifications.
“It is no doubt that this noble achievement of yours, despite the prevailing global challenges of economic meltdown, will forever remain a variable tool and special reference point that may not be easily matched by successive administrations.
“Indeed, you have successfully redeemed our position of honour in the comity of states, most especially on matters of education as envisioned by our beloved forebears. Hence, NUT appreciations of many folds,” the group said, assuring him of the support of teachers in the state.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Top cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has announced a partnership with AltSchool Africa to provide full-tuition scholarships to 500 young Africans for next year.
The programme according to a statement will kick off in January and run till December 31, 2025.
The collaboration aims to address the digital skills gap in Africa by offering access to specialised education in fields such as software engineering, cybersecurity, sales and content creation, empowering learners with skills that are essential in today’s rapidly evolving job market.
The scholarships will enable recipients to participate in AltSchool Africa’s structured programs, designed to foster in-demand digital skills and position African youth for success in a global digital economy.
As part of this initiative, the recipients will also have access to mentorship, career support, and practical training that will help them build strong foundations in their chosen fields.
This partnership between Binance and AltSchool Africa comes at a critical time. According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) by 2030, 230 million jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills, yet only 2 per cent of the workforce currently possesses them.
“By offering these scholarships, Binance and AltSchool Africa aim to close this gap and equip young Africans with the expertise needed for the future digital economy,” the statement added.
Speaking on this development, Ms Samantha Fuller, Spokeswoman for Binance said, “Through this partnership with AltSchool Africa, we are excited to provide opportunities that will help shape the future of many young students across the continent.”
“Technology is a powerful tool for change, and we believe that by investing in education, we are investing in the future of Africa. Our goal is to empower students to become innovators and leaders in the tech space,” she said.
Binance’s scholarship initiative forms part of its broader commitment to supporting educational programs across Africa, helping young people gain the skills necessary to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
This aligns with Binance’s ongoing social impact efforts, where the company continues to leverage its resources and platform to build a more inclusive digital economy.
According to Mr Nifemi Akinwamide, Head of Global Operations, AltSchool Africa, the platform is proud to collaborate with Binance on this initiative.
“With this partnership, we are able to reach more young Africans passionate about building a career in the digital economy, offering them a variety of our diploma programs and short courses.
“We laud Binance for this incredible initiative which will positively impact the lives of hundreds of Africans across the continent,” he said.
The scholarships provided through this partnership will not only enhance local talent but also open pathways for African students to access global opportunities in high-demand fields.
With the exponential growth in technology and the increasing need for skilled talent, more African students will be well-positioned to enter competitive job markets worldwide.
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