oleh admin | Apr 17, 2025 | colleges and universities, education, higher education, scholarships and fellowships, schools
Among the twenty student recipients chosen from Nigeria’s public higher education institutions, twelve scholarships were granted to students from the University of Ilorin.
At the third scholarship ceremony for students from public higher education institutions organized by the Mojirola Educational Foundation in Ilorin, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole (SAN), stated that over five decades, Unilorin and its pupils have garnered significant support due to their steadfast commitment to maintaining an exemplary record untarnished by scandals.
The Vice Chancellor, speaking via the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Alex Akanni, also expressed gratitude to the educational foundation for allocating more than half of the scholarship positions to Unilorin University.
He urged the recipients of the grants to view the funding as an initial investment, strive to achieve their goals, and later contribute back to the system so that future generations can also benefit.
Discussing the core purpose of the scholarship program, CEO of Mojirola Educational Foundation, Engineer Joseph Duntoye—a graduate of the University of Ilorin’s Faculty of Engineering—stated that the Project Director, Dr. Ruth Abiola Adimula, an Associate Professor at the Center for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS) at Unilorin, emphasized that the foundation aims primarily to support economically disadvantaged but academically talented students hailing from Kwara State.
An 18-year-old Nigerian-American has received acceptance letters from all six Ivy League universities. The governing council of FUOYE has approved a six-month leave for the vice chancellor, V.C., Fasina. JAMB has cautioned newly established tertiary institutions about avoiding unauthorized enrollments.
“This would assist in mitigating the impact of school fees and essential educational requirements,” she stated.
The leadership at Mojirola observed that the societal demand escalated due to rising tuition costs; hence, they expanded the number of recipients to 20 students, awarding each a scholarship worth N200,000.00 under the Mojirola Scholars program this year.
It is a co-ed scholarship open to both Christian and Muslim boys and girls. The recipients all come from public schools. This year, we received more than 200 applications, which underwent screening to verify strong academic records and family circumstances, as well as to evaluate their levels of need among other criteria.
Among the top 20 candidates who fulfilled all criteria, the distribution was as follows: 12 recipients are affiliated with the University of Ilorin; 3 come from Usman Dan Fodio University in Sokoto; one each hail from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi, Ahmadu Bello University located in Zaria, Bayero University situated in Kano, University of Jos, and Federal University of Technology in Minna.
An educational charity urged other benevolent citizens of Nigeria to assist the government and community by leveraging their assets to bolster education within the nation.
The government alone cannot address all needs, particularly with many young people requiring assistance to complete their education and numerous others seeking job opportunities post-graduation. Thus, we urge individuals, corporations, and organizations to prioritize sponsoring educational pursuits and offering employment to our youth. Doing so would decrease the number of talented and exceptional young people migrating to more developed nations.
Regrettably, in recent years, we have been losing these young individuals not just to contribute to the growth of other countries but also to the harsh reality of premature death and insignificance due to their embarrassment at returning home.
As a representative for the group, Mr. Emmanuel Olalajulo, a 400-level Medical and Surgical student at Unilorin with a GPA of 4.94, expressed his gratitude on behalf of everyone else. He conveyed thanks to the Mojirola Educational Foundation and encouraged fellow beneficiaries to make full use of their scholarships.
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oleh admin | Mar 30, 2025 | education, politics and government, public education, school children, schools
Campaigners claim that one out of every eight families with special educational needs (SEND) children attending private schools has had to relocate their homes because of what they describe as Labour’s tax assault.
Education Not Taxation (ENT), a parental organization, conducted a survey of 1,600 households that pay fees for their children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Among these participants, 12 percent indicated that they had relocated or reduced their living space to cover the costs associated with Labour’s 20 percent.
VAT
Regarding tuition costs for private schools, which were implemented in January.
In the meantime, 21 percent of those surveyed indicated that they refinanced their home to cope with increased expenses.
The findings showed that 57 percent limited their use of heating, 71 percent decreased their expenditure on food, and 72 percent curtailed their travel to manage the impact of the VAT.
As families gear up to contest the VAT policy in the High Court tomorrow [Tuesday], they argue that it disproportionately affects children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Approximately 100,000 students in private schools require special educational needs support, as numerous parents choose to withdraw from the public education system due to insufficient provisions for these needs.
Conditions range from autism,
ADHD
Along with dyspraxia, individuals may face severe hearing, vision, and mobility problems.
The ENT stated that the VAT is increasing family bills by approximately £300 per child each month on average.
Loveena Tandon, spokesperson for ENT, stated: “It is unfair to compel families to sell their homes or forego essential needs like heat and food just so they can shield their children from challenges and provide them with the best possible beginning in life.”
‘The only individuals turning a blind eye to what’s occurring are the ministers, thus they should be ashamed for causing hardship to young children.’
Last week, ENT carried out an online survey focused on fee-paying parents of SEND children through their campaign Facebook group, which has 25,000 members.
Out of those who participated, 98 percent felt that their child’s requirements cannot be adequately addressed within the public education system.
Nevertheless, 46 percent indicated they might still transfer their child to a state school due to the higher expenses.
The Shadow Education Minister, Neil O’Brien, stated: “A tax on education proposed by Labour will have devastating consequences for parents, students, and educators.”
‘Tens of thousands of special education needs and disabilities (SEND) students face potential disruptions to their education. They might be compelled to leave the private sector and enter an overburdened public system that cannot accommodate them, forcing parents to make agonizing decisions.’
‘Labour seems more focused on following their flawed ideology rather than taking the correct course of action.’
Munira Wilson, the spokesperson for education from the Liberal Democrats, stated: “This policy is jeopardizing the educational opportunities for children with special needs.”
‘The educational tax amid the crisis of the state’s special needs system is adding further strain to an already faltering framework.’
A limited number of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) manage to obtain an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which offers a more extensive form of government-supported assistance.
A government representative stated: “Less than 0.1 percent of students are anticipated to switch schools this year due to the removal of tax exemptions for private institutions, compared to more than a million available slots in educational facilities nationwide.”
Eliminating tax exemptions for private institutions could boost funding for public education, potentially generating an additional £1.8 billion annually by 2030.
‘In our Plan for Change, we are reconsidering how the SEND system should be structured to broaden opportunities, rebuild the trust of families nationwide, and provide the enhancements they desperately seek.’
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oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | education, news, politics, school children, schools
Children who exhibit violent and disruptive behavior should be removed from schools in order to reinstate disciplinary standards, according to Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth.
She stated that poor conduct was the most significant issue for educators—and encouraged principals to expel students who consistently violate regulations and create chaos in the classroom.
The minister likewise admitted that the ‘atmospheric soundtrack’ associated with declining student behavior could be deterring possible applicants from pursuing teaching positions.
Following years of worry that principals were instructed to consider expulsion as a final option—with only one student facing permanent exclusion in the 2022-23 academic year—her intervention has come into play.
Last night Scottish
Tory
Miles Briggs, an education spokesperson, stated: “Jenny Gilruth has finally acknowledged that teachers are dealing with unacceptably bad behavior.”
‘This is something they’ve been raising concerns about for years, however, she fails to mention why, despite being the Education Secretary, she hasn’t taken any steps to address this problem.’
‘The
SNP
has overseen a downturn in our educational institutions and immediate steps need to be taken to turn it around.”
Numerous educators claim that exclusions are not increasing since the punishment has essentially been banned; however, Ms. Gilruth maintains that schools still have the authority to exclude students.
She stated: ‘It is acceptable for you to exclude—clearly, you have the right to exclude.’
‘Clearly, both at the national and local levels, we anticipate that different approaches will be employed; however, inevitably, this leads to exclusion, which is indeed appropriate.’
Ms. Gilruth stated that she wouldn’t mind seeing exclusions increase because this could signify better incident reporting by employees.
She informed TES Scotland, the educational publication: “Encouraging more reports is something we greatly wish for.”
‘Yes, this could lead to an increase in exclusions; however, they serve a purpose as a measure that teachers can use as a consequence.’
‘That’s why we don’t want them to feel discouraged from utilizing it since it’s meant to assist them with their tasks.’
Regarding student behavior and teacher hiring, Ms. Gilruth stated: “We aim to make teaching an appealing profession for individuals. However, I realize that the prevailing attitude towards discipline could be deterring potential teachers. Still, it’s important to recognize that even with these difficulties, most of our students behave appropriately at school.”
When asked about the position of student behavior in her list of priorities, Ms. Gilruth stated, “Regarding challenges, I believe the biggest one is definitely maintaining good conduct.”
The stricter stance of the SNP on behavior comes after alarming statistics revealed escalating violence in educational institutions.
Earlier this month, reports from the Mail indicated that educators requested self-defense courses due to growing worries about an increase in classroom violence within Scottish schools.
Principals at schools in Aberdeenshire and Edinburgh were requested to offer additional instruction aimed at boosting teacher safety as staff expressed feelings of fear.
SNP ministers have been encouraged to adopt a stricter stance on addressing harassment, bullying, and aggression in educational institutions following recent disclosures.
The NASUWT teaching union recently stated that children as young as four are participating in an upsurge of classroom aggression, resulting in almost 40% of educators experiencing assaults involving weapons such as knives, hockey sticks, and chairs.
About 83 percent of employees stated that ‘violent and aggressive’ behavior had escalated, even though the SNP government initiated a ‘national action plan on relationships and behavior’ last year.
Patrick Roach, the general secretary of NASUWT, stated: “The well-being and protection of educators and students must not be left to luck.”
Startling statistics from last July showed that educators face an attack by a student approximately every four minutes, totaling over 16,000 incidents during the preceding school year.
Last year, Ms. Gilruth faced criticism following the release of new guidelines from the Scottish Government, which advised teachers to exhibit ‘warmth’ and ’emotional responsiveness’ towards disruptive students in the classroom.
A ‘course of action’ document released by the Education Secretary acknowledged that school personnel have cautioned about the ‘absence of significant repercussions for unruly behavior’.
However, it demanded ‘great warmth and support, high standards, and significant expectations regarding socially responsible behavior’.
The Scottish Government guidelines instruct educators not to use the term ‘bully’ to prevent causing distress among students. Instead, they should involve law enforcement when children are believed to have committed a hate crime.
In the TES Scotland interview, Ms. Gilruth also expressed worry about the increasing number of students departing from school after their fourth year.
In 2023-24, 14.4 percent of students who left schools were in S4, an increase from 11.6 percent in 2013-14.
Ms. Gilruth mentioned that the feedback she got from principals indicated the cost-of-living crisis is ‘causing young individuals to leave their educational pursuits for entering the workforce’.
This investigation is currently being handled by the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, which represents local authority education heads.
Yesterday evening, Tory MSP Mr. Briggs stated: “With the SNP in charge, standards have declined, the number of teachers has decreased, and the examining authority has faced multiple setbacks.”
‘Teachers have been forced to deal with inappropriate and sometimes aggressive behavior, disrupting the learning of other students.’
Read more
oleh admin | Mar 24, 2025 | education, school teachers, schools, teachers, teaching
Stuart Youens states that when he began teaching at a secondary school 20 years ago, he was passionate about his work.
However, slowly but surely, the impact of budget reductions, the decrease in classroom aides, the surge in extra support requirements, along with an uptick in bureaucratic processes began to be felt.
Two years back, he decided to step away from his former career and start working as a truck driver – and he claims that he feels much more content with his new occupation.
Data obtained by LIFEHACKScotland News indicates that the number of days teachers have taken off due to stress has significantly increased over the last six years.
Labor unions and education professionals indicate that numerous educators are departing the profession entirely due to these issues.
The Scottish government has stated that they are implementing measures to ensure school staff receive the required assistance.
Stuart Youens, aged 47, who hails from central Scotland, mentions that he previously worked at a reputable school. However, he began experiencing anxiety about heading into his workplace each day. He also stated that he felt compelled to leave before becoming cynical and disillusioned.
He mentions that teachers should be capable of managing stress within the classroom environment; however, he also points out that issues like mobile phones, disruptive behavior, and student apathy have increasingly become significant problems.
Stuart mentions that the level of stress originating from outside the classroom has surged significantly because of qualification demands and an escalating volume of documentation.
“As I see it, teaching ought to be fairly straightforward, but when you pile on more and more data collection and bureaucratic tasks, it only increases pressure,” he explains.
The excessive red tape needs to be reduced so that teachers can focus on their work. Teaching is indeed a highly rewarding profession, but we must be allowed to carry out our duties without being bogged down by such extensive bureaucratic processes.
He mentions that he enjoys his career as a lorry driver and doesn’t look back at his time as a geography teacher, despite the higher pay.
He states that it’s hard to draw comparisons between lorry driving and teaching, as these are entirely distinct occupations.
I genuinely enjoy driving because of its straightforwardness. It feels far more laid-back.
I want to make it clear that every job has its stresses, including operating a large vehicle, but the people I work with are excellent. Any issues that come up are handled by the mechanics.
I’ve regained that simplicity in teaching that I believed I should have possessed from the start.
Approximately 53,000 educators were working in Scotland during the 2023/24 academic year.
Queries regarding the frequency of teacher absences attributed to stress were dispatched to all Scottish councils by Reform Scotland, an organization that characterizes itself as a nonpartisan independent think tank, with Lord Jack McConnell, a former Labour first minister, serving as chairman.
It garnered replies to its freedom of information queries from most local authorities; however, several entities—including Glasgow—either did not reply at all or merely offered the average number of teacher days lost.
Across the 14 councils that submitted complete data for each year, the overall count of teacher absences attributed to stress increased from 30,380 days in the 2017/18 period to 41,629 days in the most recent year.
In Edinburgh, the figure has more than doubled during this time span, increasing from 3,594 to 8,879. Other regions like Angus have also seen significant rises.
Educators have informed LIFEHACK that their tasks are becoming more challenging due to worsening student behavior in classrooms, an increased number of children requiring substantial assistance, and reductions in funding for classroom aides, support personnel, and overall educational budgets.
Education experts say that having so many experienced teachers being off long-term sick or leaving the profession altogether has a hugely detrimental impact on pupils who will then get ad hoc supply teachers or have to share teachers with other classes.
Alison Payne, who leads research at Reform Scotland, mentioned they aimed to gain clearer insights into how teaching has been affected following hearsay about increasing stress among educators.
She stated: “Although the varying recording techniques employed by the distinct councils complicated efforts to obtain an overall view of Scotland, the individual local government responses were distressing.”
Mrs. Payne stated that the Scottish government ought to look into the matter more deeply.
“Although the rising number of educators severely impacted by stress is clearly concerning from an individual perspective, this increase also leads to greater disruptions in learning for students,” she noted.
The statistics do not reveal if few teachers have been absent for extended durations, which might be simpler to handle when arranging coverage, or if there’s a rise in the number of teachers taking short leaves frequently, making it harder to schedule effectively.
‘Making meaningful progress’
The previous year, the EIS union initiated research focusing on workload and stress. The findings revealed that teachers were, on average, putting in an extra 11 hours per week without pay beyond their contracted hours.
A representative from the EIS mentioned that extremely high levels of stress and stress-induced illnesses are a matter of grave concern.
The Scottish government and local councils, being the employers of teachers, have a responsibility to take action in accordance with their duty of care to alleviate the significant work overload currently faced by educators.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, who leads the Edinburgh City Council’s education, children, and families committee, expressed her sadness over the absenteeism statistics.
“The well-being of more than 3,000 teachers working for the council is extremely important to us,” she stated.
She mentioned that various forms of assistance and resources are provided to aid them, and instructors experiencing worries regarding their workloads or mental well-being are urged to discuss these issues with their direct supervisor.
Angus Council acknowledged the difficulties faced by teachers and stated they have implemented various strategies to assist employees who experience stress.
A representative from the Scottish government stated they were implementing measures to guarantee that school employees received the required assistance.
Over the past few years, we have dedicated over £2 million to particularly bolster the well-being of the educational staff.
Scotland still boasts the highest teacher salaries and the smallest student-to-teacher ratio within the UK.
We are equally committed to boosting the number of teachers in our schools. To achieve this, we are allocating £186.5 million to local authorities this year under a pact with Cosla. This funding aims to bring teacher counts back up to 2023 levels, along with maintaining current learning hours and significantly cutting down class interaction periods.
-
Could the decrease in student enrollment justify a reduction in teaching staff?
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Under new guidelines, schools might prohibit mobile phones.
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Teachers ‘ethically coerced’ over workloads – union
oleh admin | Mar 24, 2025 | education, educational systems, gender, schools, social issues
Given my roles as an educator for high school students, a scholar in educational psychology, a mentor with certification in mental health counseling, a leader of a school club, a resident of Morocco, and a parent, I feel compelled to address the concerning trend of many male students showing little interest in their studies.
Furthermore, I urge those in leadership positions to address this aggravating problem. The primary concern for most male students—which I emphasize does not imply all—is focusing intently on their studies and establishing goals aligned with the school curriculum.
The time has come for us to examine this trend, as it continues to permeate every facet of our lives, including professional roles. This shift is evident in societal attitudes, with women increasingly at the forefront. It’s undeniable that female students are surpassing their male counterparts both academically across multiple disciplines and socially through varied engagements. Young females demonstrate greater engagement in educational settings and additional activities outside class (although it should be noted that not all girls have ideal learning conditions).
According to various data points, girls outperformed boys in subjects like literature and advanced courses over the last three years. Certain reports suggest that the disparity between genders in proficiency levels for both Arabic and French has widened recently; specifically, 68% of girls view reading as an interest versus just 54% of boys. Moreover, at the tertiary level, women dominate: from 2017 to 2022, 60% of enrolled college students were female, whereas men constituted merely 28%. Additionally, current information indicates that a greater proportion of females successfully cleared competitive examinations compared to their male counterparts.
To make something clear, the dedication and effort put forth by young women is a matter of great pride for all Moroccans. We—as a nation, encompassing both genders—need to continue supporting our female students and encouraging their progress. However, I also aim to bring awareness to the challenges faced by male students with regard to our Ministry and policymakers. The elevated position of females within society should not be seen as responsible for boys dropping out of school-related activities or pursuing interests beyond academics.
It’s evident that women are putting in tremendous effort to achieve prestigious positions across various domains. Their success can be attributed both to their unwavering resolve and to broader social transformations. In Morocco, policies tend to favor empowering girls over boys. Women have indeed gained considerable support through incentive schemes in sectors like education, economics, community development, and political participation. The “Plan for Gender Equity 2017-2030” encompasses measures designed to assist girls throughout their academic journey and foster equal opportunity between genders. Additionally, the government has initiated the “National Initiative for Educating Girls in Rural Zones,” which seeks to enhance schooling prospects for young ladies in remote regions by constructing nearby facilities and providing financial aid. Informal projects like “DigiGirlz” also strive to bolster female engagement in STEM disciplines. Nonetheless, overlooking the needs of boy students represents a substantial misstep.
The success of these previously mentioned initiatives is commendable and commands our admiration. We, as educators, deeply appreciate the work aimed at assisting numerous young women with their academic pursuits. Nevertheless, we should pose some queries: Shouldn’t boys also be entitled to motivational programs? Is there sufficient awareness among them about their futures? In essence, aren’t they youngsters who require guidance to navigate through life’s myriad temptations?
Many boys dedicate significant time to playing football, watching matches, socializing, and similar activities. Additionally, they tend to invest more hours into gaming at their homes. Parents find this behavior tolerable due to prevailing cultural norms that grant greater liberty to boy children relative to girl children, who frequently assist with household chores and focus heavily on academic pursuits.
Conversely, certain male students today think that schools are obsolete and fail to keep up with technological progress and market demands worldwide. They perceive that schooling doesn’t ensure a better future, considering how many individuals holding BAs or MAs remain jobless. Furthermore, numerous instances of self-made successes can be found across various social platforms, showcasing figures who either avoided formal education entirely or left school prematurely.
Furthermore, boys tend to be more swayed by superficial influencers who employ youthful vernacular that offers fleeting comfort. Additionally, many believe they can achieve quick financial gains at a young age without having to endure prolonged periods in educational institutions. Such factors, along with others, lead to diminished engagement and enthusiasm among male students toward their academic pursuits.
On the contrary, girls are more engaged with schooling as they aspire to achieve financial and social independence. They have grown weary of being seen as a drain on men. This empowerment has made them more conscious of both their present circumstances and future prospects.
Who should be held accountable? No single entity bears responsibility for male students’ negligence; however, we collectively bear culpability if we do not strive to implement strategies aimed at motivating them. It is essential to demonstrate that both personal and societal progress towards success hinges upon the strength of our educational systems. As Nelson Mandela once stated, “Education is the most potent tool with which we can transform the world.” Other instances of triumph around the globe remain mere anomalies.
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Opinion: Why Are Male Students Lagging Behind?
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oleh admin | Mar 24, 2025 | education, educational systems, incident, news, schools
On Sunday, a blaze ignited by a thunderstorm devastated a school structure at Saint Peter’s Primary School in Igbemo Ekiti, completely destroying five classroom blocks.
During a heavy rainstorm that lasted for more than an hour, the event compelled educators to move students to a neighboring institution, the AUD Pilot Nursery and Primary School, so they could carry on with their studies.
On Monday, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who was represented by Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye, toured the location and guaranteed that the administration would swiftly reconstruct the building.
Oyebanji stated, “The demolished structure will be reconstructed in time so that both students and educators can feel relieved following the fire incident.”
I feel disheartened about this fire that occurred due to an enigmatic lightning strike. Even though the building has been destroyed, we are relieved that nobody was injured since the students and staff were away at their homes.
What caught my attention most was how quickly you transferred the students to a close-by school. This demonstrated the dedication of the State Universal Basic Education Board towards the educational development of these students and highlighted the importance of ensuring they remain competitive with peers from other institutions.
“We are assuring you that the structure shall be rebuilt back to normal shape so that the pupils and teachers can return to their original school in no distant time.”
In the meantime, following complaints from educators regarding unsanitary behaviors, the governor instructed to halt open defecation and waste disposal at the AUD Pilot School grounds.
The Education Secretary of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, Mrs Adesola George-Ojo, emphasized the importance of finishing the school’s boundary fence to avoid additional environmental risks.
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