FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPOINTS REGISTRAR AND BURSAR FOR KADUNA POLYTECHNIC

The Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqqayatu Ahmed Rufai (OON), has approved the appointment of Alh. Zayyana Ibrahim Kukasheka as the Registrar and Alh. Sani Sahabi Bodinga as Bursar of Kaduna Polytechnic for a single period of five years with effect from 9th July, 2012 ...read more
KADPOLY IS 50 (1956 to 2006) As the polytechnic intensifies efforts towards the much talked about golden jubilee (this year), several committees have swung into action to ensure that the grand event befits the 50th anniversay of the largest technical institution in sub-saharan Africa.
KADPOLY SHINES IN CANADA Kadpoly came third in the recent SIFE (students in free enterprise) international competition. It represented Nigeria at the competition held in Toronto, Canada. The kadpoly team competed in two different leagues and came first before qualifying to the finals where it clinched the third overall position.
Briefing the Rector on return from Canada, the leader of the delegation and coordinaor of the team, Prof Sanee Sulyman Ugya said "with this victory nigeria is now rated number three (3) out of over 1800 Universities and Polytechnics around the world that teach and practices entrepreneurship education". He later presented three trophies won by the team to the Rector. .
BIG, STRONG, RELIABLE FRIENDS OF KADPOLY Union Bank of Nigeria PLC recently donated new branded computers to the department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science. In his speech at the occasion the Rector Kaduna Polytechnic Engr. Dr Danjuma Ismaila Isah noted that the donation is a testimony of Union bank's commitment to execute its social responsibilities in boosting the fortunes of education in Nigeria.

Students take over Kaduna Polytechnic, give FG 48-hour ultimatum

Thousands of students of the Kaduna Polytechnic yesterday protested over the seeming intractable stand-off between the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) branch and the management of the institution, sealing all the entrances to the institution and giving the Federal Government 48 hours to take action on the issue. 

Staff and management of the institution were barred by the students from entering the school premises as the students insisted that the school remain locked up until the Federal Government intervenes by calling off the strike and ordering ASUP to resume academic activities.

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Some of the students came with mattresses to the gate of the institution to sleep, indicating that they would not open it for any worker or the management until the problem is resolved, threatening to “wage war” if the government does not   intervene.

Officers of the State Security Service (SSS) who came to address the issue were denied access to the school while those who gained access were not given audience because the students referred to them as bankers and not SSS. “If truly they are SSS operatives, let them address us before the media,” the students said.  Also during the protest, the students lamented that the Federal Government had neglected them, adding that if it had intervened from the beginning of the crisis, it wouldn’t have lingered on.

“Is the management bigger than the Federal Government? Is ASUP bigger than the Federal Government? So if the Federal Government believes in the transformation they have been talking about, let them intervene with immediate effect, else, there will be war in Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State and Nigeria,” they said.  Placards with different inscriptions which include: “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers”, “Enough is enough, we want the school opened”, “President Jonathan should prevail on management and union to make peace for the best interest, else...”, “The idle mind is the devil’s workshop,” were displayed by the students who kept shouting, “We want the school opened, we are tired of staying at home.”

Speaking on behalf of the students, the Vice President, Students Union Government (SUG) of the College of Science and Technology (CST) in the polytechnic, Comrade Ibrahim Omotosho, said the management and ASUP were playing with their future.

According to him, over 45,000 students of the institution have been on strike for about six months now, and many of the students died in the post-election crisis while some could not go for their national youth service due to the strike.

“We have refused to engage in any form of riot or protest since the crisis started in January because we know our school is located in a volatile area, so that some people outside the school will not hijack the situation and take it as an opportunity to cause chaos in the state and that was why we called on the students to maintain absolute decorum but now our silence has been taken for granted,” he stressed.

According to him, they had met with several authorities including Kaduna State SSS, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, management of the polytechnic and ASUP.

“We told them we are not going back on our action until they resume work”, he said.  He added that they were told that without the white paper, they cannot resume academic activities.

“We don’t know why government is delaying the white paper, we have given them a 48-hour ultimatum after which we will block not only the entrances but all roads that lead to Kaduna Polytechnic because we have exercised enough patience,” he said.

He appealed to President Goodlusck Jonathan to start the transformation he promised from Kaduna Polytechnic by ordering ASUP and the school management to come to a consensus and go back to work with immediate effect.

Addressing the students outside the school gate, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Alhaji Masud Adamu Kazaure accompanied by the Director, Academic Planning, Kaduna Polytechnic, Ambassador M.J. Mohammed, commended the students for their patience and urged them to continue to be patient.

He said he had spoken with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, saying he promised to get across to him before the end of yesterday.

He assured the students that something would be done before the end of yesterday.

Killings: Nigeria on brink of anarchy —ACF, Anglican Church, Labour

HERE was a public outcry on Tuesday against the spate of terrorist attacks in the country, particularly the Monday killings at the Deeper Life Bible Church in Kogi State. Many people who spoke to our correspondents on Tuesday said the country was on the brink of anarchy.

Groups and individuals, including the Church of Nigeria Anglican communion; the northern socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum; and some former police bosses condemned the growing wave of violence in the country.

The Prelate of the Anglican Church, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja, warned that the country was drifting to anarchy.

He said, “At the rate we are going, the country is drifting fast into anarchy and if people now capitalise on that situation, it will degenerate to dog eat dog.

“If dog eats dog, that is the end of the country. So for me, we go back to government whose responsibility it is constitutionally to provide defence for the people.”

The cleric called on the Federal Government to utilise the taxpayers’ money to “provide protection for the people.”

He said, “The attack on the church is a damnable thing; it is evil. Again, it is not something people should feel that the church should be the one responsible to act. The church has no soldiers.

“It is the Federal Government and state governments that collect revenue from people and control the security organisations that can act.”

Also, the ACF, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, noted that the current attack on Okene was dastardly.

He said, “They (the gunmen) desecrate the holy month of Ramadan meant for sober reflection.

“The attacks and killings of police in both Damaturu and Sokoto as well as of some churches in Kogi State are very disturbing and horrible not because the killings are more dastardly than those of the past but because they desecrate the holy month of Ramadan.

The ACF spokesman urged terrorists who were behind the attacks to embrace peace.

He stated, It (ACF) calls on all those who kill themselves in order to kill other people for whatever reasons to lay down their arms and embrace peaceful approaches to addressing concerns/perceived grievances and attaining their goals.

“This is because in peace, it is very possible to make the most of our diversity, respect them and love them for common good.”

Commenting on the killings, the President of the Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said that the government had lost the war against terrorism.

“Government has lost the war totally. There are only two options: Jonathan should either get his act right and deal with the situation or step aside and let the country sort itself out,” she added.

Also, the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress, Chief John Kolawole, described the killings as abhorrent.

He called on the Federal Government and the security agencies to take decisive steps to stop the attacks to prevent the country from serious turmoil.

He said that it would not be right for the government to pretend as though everything was okay, knowing that things were going wrong.

He wondered what would happen in the country if Christians revenged the mindless waste of human lives.

Kolawole stated, “They (terrorists) are getting out of the North-East; they have crossed the Niger. We have had one or two incidents in Kogi in the past and the security agents contained them,

“However, I think trying to eject them from Kogi is not working. The political class must sit up and the security agencies must check their advances, and stop the incessant killings.

“I don’t want to predict anything, if Christians begin to retaliate, you know what will happen, but these people are also killing Muslims.

“ I think some people are trying to create massive unrest in the country and we must move fast to prevent it.”

On his part, a former Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Mr. Abubakar Tsav, noted the insecurity in the country was getting out of hand.

Tsav, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said the police and the Joint Task Force lacked the capacity to tackle terrorism in the country.

The former police commissioner stated, “This thing is getting out of hand. From all indications, it has become clear that both the police and the JTF lack the capacity to provide security for the citizenry.”

Tsav said that security agencies should be on the alert, since the attacks had been consistent.

 “The primary objective is to provide security. Government has not done that,” he added.

The former police commissioner advised the government to recruit more policemen because the ratio of one policeman to 400 citizens had not been achieved.

“ I think Jonathan’s administration has failed to provide security and the government has failed,” he said.

A former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, described the attack as devastating.

 “I am still sad about it that such a thing happened to Nigeria, I don’t know what comment to make about it,” the ex-IG said.

The Senator representing Kogi Central, Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Michael Jegede, condemned the attack on Deeper Life Church, Okene.

The Senator expressed shock that such a gruesome, barbaric and impious act could take place in the holy month of Ramadan.

 “We really need to be security conscious. Furthermore, the security agencies must beef up their efforts to uncover the perpetrators and bring them to book,” he said.

Advising the government, Newstime, a United States of America-based non-governmental organisation, said that there was the need for Nigerian leaders in the three tiers of government to ensure good governance.

Newstime National President, Tony Oyatedor, at a news conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, said that the reason behind the current insecurity in the country was because of the “wickedness and thieving attitudes” of Nigerian leaders.

   

Auchi Polytechnic 2012/2013 Post UTME Application is On

The Auchi Polytechnic (AuchiPoly) is currently accepting 2012/2013 Post UTME application from candidates who made them first or second choice in JAMB and scored between 160 and above.

Due to the incompleteness of the information made public by the school, we suggest that all candidates who have interest in this school should take a trip to the campus in Auchi, or call friends to help them get registered.

Registration closes 8th of July and screening exam will take place between

Varsities, polys get N95bn intervention fund

Federal Government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund has earmarked N95bn for intervention in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

Out of this figure, N70bn is the TETFund’s annual allocation to  institutions, while the remaining N25bn is for the Special High Impact project in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, said  this in Abuja on Tuesday at the TETFund annual strategic planning workshop with federal and state beneficiary institutions.

She said the allocation had  increased by 46.33 per cent for universities, 44.17 per cent for polytechnics and 72.11 per cent for colleges of education compared to last year.

The minister warned against misapplication of the fund, stressing government’s zero tolerance for corruption.  

According to the breakdown, each beneficiary university will receive  N598m; each  polytechnic N339.5m; and college of education, N321m.

She urged the institutions to  apply  the fund to teaching and learning as  well as  research and scholarly publications.

 Rufa’i said, “Over the last couple of decades, the right priorities in education were not addressed. Our institutions continue to grapple with enormous expenditure outside their core mandates.

“To restore the vibrancy of our institutions and to achieve the desired outcomes, we must get our priorities right and manage our institutions transparently.

“The onus is now squarely on the institutions to apply the fund in  core areas of their mandates. Our institutions can no longer complain that their major problem is funding. Government is doing its uttermost within available resources and we shall continue to work hard to ensure that there is value for money.”

On the TETFund special high impact introduced in 2009, the minister said the intention was to  upgrade the infrastructural and instructional facilities in the institutions of higher learning  to encourage the training of high level manpower for the nation.

Rufa’i said  the N25bn allocated to the  programme, was for intervention in 12 institutions across the country, with each zone having a university, polytechnic or college of education.

According to the breakdown, each university will get  N3bn, with college of education and polytechnic N1bn each.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, called for proper planning  for  quality education in the country.

He said the  increase in allocation to the institutions this year was as a result of improved Education Tax collection by the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

ply gets 98bn from govt

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Federal Government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund has earmarked N95bn for intervention in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Out of this figure, N70bn is the TETFund’s annual allocation to  institutions, while the remaining N25bn is for the Special High Impact project in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, said  this in Abuja on Tuesday at the TETFund annual strategic planning workshop with federal and state beneficiary institutions.

She said the allocation had  increased by 46.33 per cent for universities, 44.17 per cent for polytechnics and 72.11 per cent for colleges of education compared to last year.

The minister warned against misapplication of the fund, stressing government’s zero tolerance for corruption.

According to the breakdown, each beneficiary university will receive  N598m; each  polytechnic N339.5m; and college of education, N321m.

She urged the institutions to  apply  the fund to teaching and learning as  well as  research and scholarly publications.

 Rufa’i said, “Over the last couple of decades, the right priorities in education were not addressed. Our institutions continue to grapple with enormous expenditure outside their core mandates.

“To restore the vibrancy of our institutions and to achieve the desired outcomes, we must get our priorities right and manage our institutions transparently.

“The onus is now squarely on the institutions to apply the fund in  core areas of their mandates. Our institutions can no longer complain that their major problem is funding. Government is doing its uttermost within available resources and we shall continue to work hard to ensure that there is value for money.”

On the TETFund special high impact introduced in 2009, the minister said the intention was to  upgrade the infrastructural and instructional facilities in the institutions of higher learning  to encourage the training of high level manpower for the nation.

Rufa’i said  the N25bn allocated to the  programme, was for intervention in 12 institutions across the country, with each zone having a university, polytechnic or college of education.

According to the breakdown, each university will get  N3bn, with college of education and polytechnic N1bn each.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, called for proper planning  for  quality education in the country.

He said the  increase in allocation to the institutions this year was as a result of improved Education Tax collection by the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

kent state student arrested after tweeting plans to shoot up school

19-year-old Kent State University sophomore William Koberna was arrested yesterday at his parents home in Brunswick, Ohio, after posting a tweet threatening to "shoot up" his school.

Brunswick police booked Koberna into Portage County Jail on charges of felony inducing panic and misdemeanor aggravated menacing. He is expected to be arraigned in court this afternoon.

Koberna also faces possible suspension or expulsion from Kent.

"Any threat to our campus community is taken seriously and immediately investigated," said university president Lester Lefton. "Our students, employees, and all those who come to campus should know that their safety is our top priority."

On Twitter, friends of Koberna expressed shock at his arrest.

"Holy sh*t I can't believe bill got arrested for a tweet," said Ashley Mikulec. "If they saw half of his tweets and took them seriously he'd be in a mental asylum."