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Experts brainstorm, Seek true University Autonomy to tackle challenges of higher education in Africa

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To tackle the challenges facing higher education in Africa experts in the education sector have advocated for true University autonomy as one of the solutions.

This was happening at an international symposium convened to mark the birthday of Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) on Wednesday..

The experts agreed that African higher education is confronted with a host of challenges that must be tackled to ensure the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Agenda 2063.

Over 160 higher education experts from 14 countries took part in the virtual event organized by the Okebukola Science Foundation in partnership with NUC Strategy Advisory Committee (STRADVCOM), the Africa Progress Group (APG), the Office of the AAU Ambassador for West Africa, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and the Virtual Institute for Capacity Building in Higher Education (VICBHE)

Lead speakers at the symposium on the theme ““Grand Challenges Facing University Education in Africa: Taming the Dragon: were Professor Peter Okebukola (moderator); Executive Secretary, National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority of The Gambia, Professor Gibril Jaw.
Others are Chairman, National Commission for Higher Education of Burundi; Professor Juma Shabani.
President, National Authority for Quality Assurance in Education of Egypt Professor Dr. Youhansen Eid, Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Federal Universities; Professor Emeritus Nimi Briggs, Director of Pan African University Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS), in Cameroon; Professor Elizabeth Sarange Abenga, Secretary General, Association of African Universities and an Australian Professor Olusola Oyewole.

The special guests of honour were Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, former Honourable Minister of Education and Professor Laraba Gambo Abdullahi, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja and former Honourable Minister of Women Affairs.

Twelve grand challenges were agreed on as inhibiting quality delivery of university Education in Africa which include the absence of true University autonomy; depreciating quality of higher education teachers and research capacity deficit.
Others are use of outdated teaching methods and slow adoption of ICT for delivering quality university education; capacity deficit of quality assurance agencies; infrastructural/facilities inadequacies in the midst of massification of higher education institutions.
Others are management inefficiencies; poor quality of entrants into higher education from the secondary level; curriculum irrelevance- academic programmes not aligned to labour market needs; weak regional integration and language barriers; absence of an African Credit Transfer Scheme – hindering comparability of certificates and diplomas, mobility; and poor welfare scheme leading to low morale and low motivation of university staff.

Significant attention was paid to the discussions to proffer solutions to the challenges. The speakers and participants agreed that the solutions rest with all stakeholders and not shifting the burden on the government alone.

They also agreed that parents, students, teachers and other staff in the university, university managers, regulatory agencies, the private sector, the media, development partners, community leaders, religious leaders, political elites and actors, indeed all beneficiaries of the products of the university system have roles to play in taming the dragon of the challenges.

Specifically, the participants called for the granting of true autonomy to Universities which is driven by the universities being less dependent on government for funding; strengthening teaching and research capacity of academic staff through the implementation of intensive and sustained training programmes like those offered by VICBHE.
Others are improved resourcing of facilities for teaching and research to ensure that African universities shift from being glorified secondary schools to matching their counterparts in the developed world; improving the relevance of the curriculum (curriculum re-engineering) to enable it produce nationally and regionally-relevant and globally competitive graduates; improving the delivery of basic education so that entrants into universities are of better quality; political commitment to regional integration for south-south collaboration; development of an African Credit Transfer Scheme (ACTS); speedy establishment of the Pan African Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (PAQAA); and improvement in the welfare of university staff.

There was agreement among participants on the introduction of blended learning to reduce space constraints, strengthening of intra-African collaboration and compulsory teacher training programme for all teachers in higher education.

Participants further stressed that there should be an increase in the sources of financial inflow into universities and that these should include the payment of tuition fees that are adjusted to the course of studies with bursaries and scholarships for indigent students.

Furthermore, they urged that universities should be more proactive in exploring other avenues of securing funds that are open to higher educational institutions – grants, endowments, consultancies, research – and should reduce their over-dependence on government funding.

Additionally, governments should hold universities to account to source for aspects of their funding requirements. Governments should allow university managements and governing councils to be totally responsible for the running of the affairs of universities including hiring and firing of staff and the payment of differential salaries, where necessary, within clearly stipulated government guidelines. Public universities should be allowed to deploy their resources by themselves and as they deem fit to establish facilities for teaching, learning, research and innovation within their areas of interest, competence and specialization.

Lastly, participants were in agreement on the need to tighten the recruitment process, especially for the teaching staff so as to hire only bright and committed staff who should be appropriately remunerated to retain such staff and avoid brain drain.

Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed was celebrated at the event for his creativity and innovativeness in triggering the Rasheed Revolution in the Nigerian and African higher education systems.

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Education

Don urges teachers to learn, deploy AI tools in teaching

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By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

Professor Kehinde Victoria Fatokun, a Professor of Science Education, has called on teachers to adapt to changes, learn and deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the teaching profession.

Prof. Fatokun made the call at the 18th Inaugural Lecture series of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) as part of her advocacy for resourceful teaching and productive learning.

The Inaugural Lecture had the topic: “Transforming Chemistry Instructional Practices: Navigating through Resolving Learning Intricacies and Integration of Innovative Pedagogy.”

She said that the world was evolving as methods and procedures continue to change with innovations and technological breakthroughs adding that the teaching profession should also adopt new technologies including the Artificial intelligence tools.

The Professor of Science Education called for the development of intensive research and knowledge transfer culture, permeating all teaching and learning activities.

She said that the development of appropriate skills in students should be paramount and learning should be made appealing to them, in order to produce competent graduates.

Prof. Fatokun stressed that Educational research findings on current pedagogical issues should not be ‘kept in the shelf’ but be made available to the ‘implementer’ in an applicable manner for solving most of the instructional challenges they often encounter.

The former HoD, Department of Science Education, Anchor University, Lagos, tasked Curriculum developers and Authors to strive at tackling issues of “difficult concepts” during curriculum reviews with the application of novel approaches.

She suggested that emphasis should be placed on simplifying instruction to demystify misconceptions while there should be flexibility in adapting the curriculum content to the global trend.

“Published books should be clear, simple to understand and all ambiguity that create additional learning concerns should be removed”, she urged.

She however urged the FUL Management team to organize workshops for all teaching staff with the aim of familiarizing them with innovations in teaching especially the use of modern techniques and learning technologies for their pedagogical skill development.

She charged the Quality assurance directorate to ensure proper monitoring of academics through specific metrics to ensure quality teaching.

Prof. Fatokun charged students to be intentional about learning, not just cramming and passing examinations adding that conscious effort should be made henceforth to ensure understanding and retention to aid the application of the knowledge gained.

Speaking earlier, the
Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi noted that the Inaugural Lecture series of the University had become “a beacon of intellectual discourse and academic excellence, showcasing the groundbreaking research and innovative thinking of our academic Staff.”

He described the Lecture topic, “Transforming Chemistry Instructional Practices: Navigating through Resolving Learning Intricacies and Integration of Innovative Pedagogy,” as both timely and apt.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that in navigating the complexities of modern education, the need to evolve teaching methodologies that would better address the diverse learning needs of students had never been more pressing.

“In the rapidly changing landscape of higher education, the integration of innovative pedagogy is crucial for preparing our students to meet the demands of the future”, he said.

The Vice-Chancellor who declared the Lecturer as “Discharged and Acquitted” after the delivery, described the 18th Inaugural Lecture as much a celebration of Prof. Fatokun’s achievements as it is “a testament to her collective contributions.” (Ends)

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Education

Inculcate critical thinking, Inspire, guide your Students – Poland Ambassador tasks teachers

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By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

Ambassador of Poland to Nigeria, Her Excellency, Ambassador Joanna Tarnawska has called on teachers to encourage critical thinking, inspire and guide their students or listeners to become innovative problem solvers.

Tarnawska made the call as a Guest Lecturer at the 6th Distinguished Public Lecture of Federal University Lokoja titled: “How to Effectively Pass Knowledge and Inspire Students in the Contemporary World.”

The Guest Lecturer said gone are the days when teachers were seen as encyclopedia and repository of knowledge. saying, “A teacher is not an encyclopedia anymore, a teacher is a book mark, a beacon who points to the relevant paragraph.”

Tarnawska stressed that teachers must be well grounded and knowledgeable in their respective disciplines, and urged them to guide, teach on how best to gather information and get the gist.

She said, “Know your subject matter and be ready to deepen your knowledge continuously, Know your audience, adapt your language and content to the listeners.

The Envoy said that with the influx and abundance of information with the world turned a global village, it is important to know the authentic from the fake and safekeep facts, especially now that everything can be checked online.

“Encourage questions, building an atmosphere of trust will be helpful to achieve this. Modern lessons should not only be teacher centered, Keep a balance and make time for student centered lessons.

“Never ask the question, “Do you understand?”, instead, ask questions to check your students understanding, always give practical examples,
be engaging and make sure your listeners are following you”, she said.

Speaking earlier in his address, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja, commended Ambassador Joanna Tarnawska for the promptness with which she accepted to deliver the Distinguished Public Lecture.

Prof. Akinwumi noted that the topic of the lecture, “How to Effectively Pass Knowledge and Inspire Students in the Contemporary World” is not just timely but imperative.

He said, “In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, societal transformations, and global interconnectedness, the role of education transcends mere dissemination of facts.

“It therefore behoves upon us to instill in our students a hunger for knowledge, a love for learning, and a sense of purpose that extends beyond classroom boundaries.”

The Professor of History said as Vice-Chancellor of the esteemed institution, he was keenly aware of the profound impact that effective teaching and inspirational mentorship can have on the lives of our students.

Akinwumi urged all stakeholders to reflect on how we can collectively shape the future of Education, and recommit to the noble pursuit of empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators.

He enjoined all to embrace the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and lifelong learning as we listen to the lecture together. (Ends)

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Education

22 NTIC students to participate in 3-day NMC’s Olympaid Camp

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The National Mathematical Centre (NMC) has selected 22 students of the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) to participate in a 3-day Olympiad Camp.

The Olympiad competition covers subjects such as Mathematics, Science, Arts, Music, Literature, History, Culture, Information Communication Technology among others.

The Managing Director NTIC, Feyzullah Bilgin, in a statement on Tuesday said, “In a remarkable display of academic prowess, 22 students from Nigerian Tulip International Colleges in Nigeria have been handpicked by the prestigious National Mathematical Centre (NMC) to participate in a rigorous 3-day Olympiad Camp.

“The selection of these bright minds not only highlights their exceptional mathematical abilities but also underscores the dedication and commitment they have shown towards their education.”

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