Having passed through the educational system in Nigeria, i must say a lot is still lacking ranging from infrastructure, books amongst others. I don’t even want to talk about the university lectures and what goes on in the system.

I have always criticized people who fly there kids abroad but along the line i asked myself, would you blame them. My answer is NO. Its a shame that here in Nigeria Education is not top most priority.

I could remember about a year ago, during the campaign specifically, our very own President Muhammed Buhari, made a lot of promises on the educational sector.  When i listened, i said to myself if the president could do all of this , as little as it sounds then its more like clearing the way for a better educational system in Nigeria.

I took  note of all the promises and i kept my list according to his promise. Do you know i started counting down to when the promises would be kept.(I don dey grow grey hair self when i dey wait for promise).

Its a year now and still counting and nothing has been done, do i take it that the President forgot his promises or would i just say he is been so busy and Education is not his to do list.

Campaign Promises

Nigerians may no longer have to send their children abroad or private schools to access quality education if the president elect, Muhammdu Buhari, implements all his campaign promises in the education sector.

Mr. Buahri has promised to invest 20% of the annual budget in education, establish well equipped ICT centers, six new universities of Science and Technology with satellite campuses in various states, cub examination malpractice and forgery, and provide at least one free meal to pupils in primary schools amongst others.

The Nigerian education system is in a mess. Nigeria’s education sector is plagued by poor infrastructure, endless strikes and low staff morale. Overtime, it became a tradition in the Education sector, where teachers, lectures go on endless strike over non-payment salaries. The distorted education system has made parents send their child abroad to school. But with the implementation of the Mr. Buhari promises; the education sector should be transformed.

I collected his promises (though through the help my of my journalist friends) to help the public check the fulfillment of these promises during his campaign and they are listed below

1. Fully review provisions of the Universal Basic Education Act with emphasis on gender equity in primary, secondary school enrollment whilst improving the quality and substance of our schools, through outcome based education, that address the individual, family, and societal roles in education; and the associative skills and competencies that go with these responsibilities.

2. Targeting up to 20% of our annual budget for this critical sector whilst making substantial investments in training quality teachers at all levels of the educational system.

3. Implement a performance-based education, predicated on outcomes, skills, and competences as against the current certificate based qualification. I will adjust the reward system accordingly too. This way, exams malpractice and certificate forgery will be resolved once and for all. Young men and women interested in real liberal arts education, based on a true understanding of scientific, the humanistic, and the social sciences will fill our classrooms to be prepared for future leadership of the nation.

4. Enhance teacher training and improve the competence of teachers in the light of the 21st Century and beyond understanding of the learner types, intelligence types, as the multiple assessment types, in order to open up learning for all our children types. The era of one student type will give way to an all learner type for our children and young people as well as adults who want to return to the classroom to sharpen their skills, competencies, and sensibilities. This re-engineering of our education will be followed with a clearly thought out and vigorous national inspection programmes.

5. Make learning experiences more meaningful for children as the nation’s education will no longer be a preparation for life, but life itself. Our children will be democratized for education, rather than be educated for democracy. This view of education will make educating our children more cost-effective in the long run.

6. Provide One Meal a day for all Primary school pupils. That will create jobs in Agriculture, Catering, and Delivery Services.

7. Develop and promote effective use of innovative teaching methods/materials in our schools.

8. Ensure a greater proportion of expenditure on university education is devoted to helping our youth to understand the juxtaposition of Science, Technology, the Humanities and the Social Sciences.

9. Establish at least six new universities of Science and Technology with satellite campuses in various states. These six universities should be fully equipped with ICT technologies in order to attract and encourage small and medium scale ICT enterprises after their university education.

10. Establish technical colleges and vocational centers in each state of the federation.

11. Provide more conducive environment for private sector participation in all levels of education. Re-authorised the NUC, TETFUN, JAMB, etc, Acts to enable Private institutions of Higher learning to benefit from research funds and programmes that will serve the national good

12. Establish six centers of excellence to address the needs of special education.

I am still relaxed and waiting for all the promises maybe with my cup of tea on my right hand and pen and paper on the other hand (so i go dey thick as them fulfill the promise)

The senior Social Development Specialist West Africa Social Development of world Bank, Edda M Ivan -Smith, has called on all Civil society organisations (CSO) to have full participation in various project.

Ms Edda, made this known at the World Bank Workshop titled “Social Assessment of the Impact of Power Sector Reform on Users.

“The Voices of CSOs are more like voices of an advocate,and so we are happy to work with CSOs,” she said.

Also speaking, the social Development Specialist, Michael Gboyega, called on CSOs to help support Bank project by dialogue with government  to tap into various projects.

He said that there are lots of opportunities for SCOs to get engaged in helping sending the necessary messages across to the people at large.

The purpose of the workshop was to provide an opportunity for a range of stakeholders to consider the social impact of electricity services. The workshop further presented preliminary findings and recommendations of a social assessment, undertaken by World Bank consultants.

The assessment further considered impacts on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, as well as the opportunities for electricity consumers to be heard and to hold organisations to account.

The workshop also identified how to maximize benefits to low-income electricity consumers, the population that currently lacks access to electricity, and socially disadvantaged groups.

The world bank supports the Federal Government of Nigeria in developing the power sector in Nigeria. World Bank supports is in the form of direct investment support and in the form of indirect support for private sector investment.

Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, who has been one of the major influencers of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched late last year in New Yok has reiterated her stance on SDGs once again at the inaugural town hall meeting tagged ‘Buharimeter’in Abuja yesterday.

Amina posited that the role environment plays in actualising each of these Global Goals (SDGs) cannot be overemphasised hence it’s important that all Nigerian citizens get involved in its implementations so as to accelerate and maximise its impacts on our nation’s overall economic growth.  ‘We cannot leave everything for the government to do, Yes, Ministers are public servants and it is a privileged to be one, but things would only work perfectly if we can earn your cooperation and work together in achieving all these goals. She stated that this administration would ensure that its delivers on all its promises at addressing security issues, ensuring steady infrastructural development and revamping the economy.

The Minister, who had earlier visited the lead poisoning affected communities in Niger State like Shikira, mentioned that the emergency response to remediation of these communities would commence as soon as the fund for the remediation is approved by the Federal Government. “In collaboration with Ministry of Solid Minerals, we will commence the remediation of these affected communities in Niger State’ she alluded.

The Buharimeter Townhall Meeting was organised by Centre For Democracy and Development (CDD) aimed at assessing the one year in office of President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) government. The event had five federal Ministers in attendance namely: Lai Mohammed (Information and Culture), Babatunde Fashola (Power, Works, and Housing), Audu Ogbeh (Agriculture and Rural Development), Amina Mohammed (Environment), and Udo Udoma (Budget and National Planning).

In celebration of the world environment day, i choose to come up with this little write up, aside from hygiene. this is also a means advocating for safe, green and habitable environment

Five ways to avoid public urination in Nigeria.

I have always wondered why a well-dressed man, apparently driving in an expensive car, would pull up by the roadside, unzip his trousers and pull out his manhood to urinate.

The funny part is you see them using their hands to cover the side shaft of the manhood on both sides while the urine projects into the earth below.Thereby polluting the air, and  killing our beautiful green plants . Some just bend their upper body backwards a bit, pushing their waist out while supporting it with their right hand and the other left holding the manhood. Some just pull down their pants and bend down.

Little did I know that ladies also urinate by the roadside, I freaked out when I saw a lady in Abuja around 2pm doing the same on top the the beautiful green grasses by the road side. She was dressed in her pink skirt and a blue top, she stood by the expressway, opened her legs while standing with her hands beneath the skirt.

From afar I watched the long urine gush out from between her legs. The sight of it got me so irritated and curious.The relief you often find on their faces suggest most people who urinate in the open, in public area, possibly have held the urine for so long and just couldn’t go an inch further with their heavy bladder.

For men, once they are done, they angle it to shake off the last drops before returning it  back to their trousers. Sometimes, urine droplets lands on their hands, and even their trousers. Many would just go ahead and rub their hands on their trouser and then walk away. This is highly unhygienic.

Most women would stamp their feet on the ground twice for the last drop of urine to fall out then they clean with tissue papers or rinse through with water

Nature calls are sometimes difficult to cheat.  But passing it out for the public to see is a no no, aesthetically and hygienically.  More so it is highly not lady like for women to be seen squatting by the roadside to pass urine.

Avoiding public defecation is a huge challenge in Nigeria as most city planners do not provide for such emergencies. Many cities are without public toilets and restroom. But here are five simple things you can do to help you avoid being pressed in places you may not have access to toilets, and how to react if nature calls unexpectedly.

1. Use the toilet before stepping out: This is very important to all of us.No  matter where ever you are, once you know it’s time to step out from where you are ensure you use the toilet to pass out whatever it is from your body system.This should be done a second before you walk out of the door to your car.

2. Self Discipline: This has got to to do with the mindset, once you can discipline yourself from every other thing, then you could discipline yourself from Urinating by the road side.

3. Parental Upbringing: Growing up as a child, my teacher will tell me “Charity begins at home”. Parents should learn to teach their kids that Urinating by the roadside is wrong and they shall grow up with such training and of course pass it on to their own kids.

4.Make use of Eatery or Bank: Over time I have heard babes say they are shy of telling people they want to use the toilet,but really though we are all use the toilet no matter how classic we are. When you feel pressed walk into a bank or an eatery and head straight to gents or ladies and I can assure you,no one will stop to question.

5. Make use of a secluded area: This will fall in place of when you can not locate a bank or an eatery. Once you get so pressed ensure you look for a well secluded corner where no one can see you but then again be conscious of secluded areas.

Let help save our plants in our environment.  Happy environmental day all.