LearnAfrica lauds 2013 NECO performances

LearnAfrica Plc (former Longman Plc) has congratulated the candidates of the 2013 June/July National Examinations Council  (NECO) SSCE and the council itself for the significant improvement of performances and reduction in examination malpractices.

Results released recently by NECO indicated that about 70 per cent of candidates obtained five credits and above - an improvement  of about 18 percent compared to the 2012 figure of about 52 per cent.

In a press release which was signed by the Head of Marketing, LearnAfrica Plc, Mr Allwell Nwakwo, and made available to newsmen on Wednesday, the company attributed the improved outcomes to quality teaching by teachers, hard work by students, availability of quality resources and seamless organisation by the examination body.

“We have no doubt that there is still room for improvement. That is why we are investing in motivating Nigerian students through the LearnAfrica-NECO Excellence Awards and other initiatives of our foundation.”

It will be recalled that in 2012, the corporate social responsibility arm of the company, the LearnAfrica Education Development Foundation, instituted the Excellence Awards to recognise and reward outstanding NECO candidates, schools and teachers in all states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

Alvan Ikoku Federal College Of Education, Merit/1st Admission is Out for 2013/2014!

The long awaited admission list of Alvan Ikoku Federal College Of Education, Owerri is out.

The list according to the stamp on it was pasted on Monday, 23rd September, 2013. To check your name, visit the school campus, Orlu road, Owerri.

This list is for those who applied for four year degree programme and not Direct Entry.

Unlike other years where the number of admitted students is high in English, Economics, and Political Science Department, this year in this first list, Health department has the highest number of admitted student. Rush now and start your screening exercise.

Congrats to those who has gotten admission and Good luck to those who are still expecting.

JAMB registrar laments poor quality of education, teacher training

REGISTRAR of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Dibu Ojerinde, has lamented the sorry state of education and poor quality of teachers in the country, calling on stakeholders in the sector, particularly colleges of education, to help improve on the quality through standard admission criteria.

Ojerinde said these, on Tuesday, during the first technical meeting on the 2013/2014 admissions to colleges of education, national diploma and national innovative diploma-awarding institutions, at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.

He said: “You are reminded to strictly follow the guidelines as outlined by the proprietors of your institutions and the Technical/Non-technical ratio for polytechnics and mono-technics. The quota for each course and the criteria used in admitting the candidates must be indicated on the print-outs.”

He attributed the decline in the quality of education and teacher training to poor funding and deteriorating learning environment, saying the Western Region did its best to put those conditions in place.

“Those days were great. Teachers in training had full scholarship, even a stipend of five pounds per month. We had free accommodation, free meals and in fact, free textbooks supplied by the Western Regional government under the government of Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi of blessed memory. He encouraged teachers and teacher training.

“At the end of Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE) training, we could teach GCE Ordinary level to the top classes of secondary schools without any problem. Now, what is the matter? What is happening? Why is it so bad in education nowadays? NCE graduates at this time cannot defend their certificates. They indulge in destructive and meaningless protests,” Ojerinde said.

Provost of the Adeyemi College of Education, Professor Adeyemi Idowu, said examination malpractice was one of the factors working against quality education, expressing optimism that the five-year jail term recently stipulated against offenders would go a long way in reducing the menace at secondary and tertiary education levels.