NITDA IDENTIFIES UNIVERSITY AS KEY STAKEHOLDER IN ACHIEVING DIGITAL ECONOMY

NITDA IDENTIFIES UNIVERSITY AS KEY STAKEHOLDER IN ACHIEVING DIGITAL ECONOMY

The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE has disclosed that the Agency has identified university as a key stakeholder in achieving digital economy.

The DG made this known while receiving a delegation from Yusuf Maitama Sule, North-West University, Kano, led by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Aliyu Musa. The delegation was on a courtesy visit to the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters to seek for the Agency’s intervention in area of IT deployment and training.

Mallam Abdullahi stated that the greatest resources needed in achieving a developed country in terms of technology, innovations and entrepreneurship is human capital and University produces those human capitals.
He emphasized that there is a need for a close collaboration between Higher Institutions, industry and government to enable a smooth flow of information on what is required, so that the students can been trained accordingly.

The NITDA boss asserted that “we drive knowledge based economy and we need your support to develop the sector. The higher institutions are the primary place for anybody coming to the work place as they have to pass through you to get all the knowledge to be in the work place.”

He explained that “Never before has the need for strong partnership between the industry and the university become more critical as it is today because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nigeria before rely on some many things from other countries but with the pandemic we have realized that every country need to build its capacity internally.”

Earlier, Professor Aliyu noted that the university was at the Agency to seek for collaboration and interventions in terms of virtual learning, IT infrastructure and training with the objective of developing ICT education through the University.

NITDA

THE SADNESS AND PATHETIC NATURE OF OUR EDUCATION STANDARDS, MY EXPERIENCE

THE SADNESS AND PATHETIC NATURE OF OUR EDUCATION STANDARDS, MY EXPERIENCE

A few weeks ago I was contacted sit in an interview panel for an international development agency. I was surprised they were hiring but was told the recruitment process started before the Covid-19 outbreak.

I knew that they had completed the shortlisting process and conducted online written test. The test was to ascertain the candidates writing and analytical skills as well as grasp of the subject matter. I participated in the grading of the papers. And I was shocked, totally flummoxed! I got paid for my work and forgot about the whole thing believing that the process died with COVID-19.

So I was surprised when I got an email asking if I would participate in the interviewing process via zoom ! They reduced the eligible candidates to fifteen and they needed five!

Each candidate was given the link and time to log in to be interviewed. I agreed to participate since that’s another additional income for me. But I also wanted this Organisation to get the best candidates for the job. The written test didn’t give me much joy and hope. I prayed the interview would be better.

Among the fifteen were five Nigerians. The rest came from other countries. My concern is with my fellow Nigerians. I heard all five didn’t make it when the total scores were collated. I knew without being told that the three ladies and two boys from Nigeria wouldn’t make it.

Keep sleeping with lecturers and keep watching bbnaija and group chatting and silly Nollywood movies with terrible contents and bad grammar.

One simple question my Nigerian brothers and sisters couldn’t answer was to name one book they have read since leaving school that dealt on this aspect of development! None ever read any book. None ever mentioned one. None even recognized prominent authors in this area when prodded further including naming the husband and wife that recently won the Nobel prize for their work in creating an “experimental approach to alleviating Global Poverty” in 2019.

None could even speak like an economist with understanding of poverty issues. Yet all of them possess MSc in Economics.

I am weeping. Let me go watch bbnaija jooor. After all, there are many ways of earring a living. Still I hold out hope for those other Nigerians who out from nowhere show amazing brilliance that sets the country apart.

Charles Chidi Achodo

(PHOTO STORY) ST PETER’S SEMINARY, OKIGWE HOMECOMING

(PHOTO STORY) ST PETER’S SEMINARY, OKIGWE HOMECOMING

The Prestigious St Peter’s Seminary Okigwe, Imo State an educational institution known for raising top notch citizens and priest inclusive, established in the 1980s. The school has grown in leaps and bounds having produced notable people in the society from well known Catholic Priest that are practicing their vocation around the world, from Vatican to Germany and also produced technocrats and businessmen.

The school recently buried their foremost Rector who died at a prime age. The Old Boys Association used the opportunity to bid the Rector (Fr. Ilonu) a befitting farewell. A true testament of the impact the late priest has made in their lives.

The association also used that opportunity to give back to the school that made them buy building a befitting chapel for the students. A project worth million, they Old Boys spared nothing in ensuring that the students have a nice place of worship.

With words of encouragement coming from the Old Boys Association, the students of the school where in high morale and ecstatic knowing that they have role models. The home coming was a very successful one, with many of the members making pledges on how they will give back to the school that made them.

Anthony Emeka Nwosu

ABIA STATE: SCHOOLS LIKELY TO REOPEN AUGUST 10TH

ABIA STATE: SCHOOLS LIKELY TO REOPEN AUGUST 10TH

The need to get the commercial hub of South Eastern Nigeria ,Abia State running has become imperative. With the closure of schools due to Covid 19, the state is seriously reconsidering reopening of schools next month which is August. This position was made known to the public after stakeholders consultations and meeting.

The state government used the verified social media handle to announce this. In its statement the said “Breaking News
Stakeholders in the education sector in Abia State have tentatively fixed August 10, 2020, for reopening of schools to enable students in exit classes prepare and write relevant examinations.”

“The planned reopening is subject to verifiable compliance with all the proposed COVID-19 prevention and control measures agreed at the summit convoked by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu today at Michael Okpara Auditorium of Government House Umuahia.
Details later”,they announced.

Abia is a state that doesn’t play with education, ranked ammong the top educationally performing states in Nigeria,it is assumed that the state would want to be on the path of educationally advantaged state. Though, some people are asking if this moves isn’t too fast? As it stands now the statement is a tentative one and the citizens would await for an official position to that effect on few weeks time.

Anthony Emeka Nwosu