Education

FG Set To Establish Aviation University In Abuja

Published

6 months ago

September 17, 2022

The Federal Government, through the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has disclosed its intention to establish an aviation university.

The FidelinfoNews reports that the government said the University would address the research and development deficit, which is apparent in the aviation sector.

The institution, African Aviation and Aerospace University, will be situated in Abuja and is expected to commence academic activities this year with BSc Aviation Business and BSc Meteorology courses.

Disclosing this in Abuja on Friday at a briefing in Abuja, the minister said the government will eventually privatise the University for efficiency’s sake.

He noted that the need to establish the University was due to the government’s desire to contribute more to the aviation sector, which would expand the country’s economy.

The Minister clarified that Buhari’s administration wants the country to go beyond churning out pilots, engineers, cabin crews, and others.

Sirika also hinted that the federal government is in partnership with NILE university to use its space pending the completion of the University structure.

According to the Minister, land has been allotted to the University within the Abuja airport area for it to build.

He said why establishing an institution is important: “All the things that we are seeing that is going wrong with our aviation is largely due to lack of capacity and understanding of the business itself.

“Aviation is a very thought out and dynamic industry with changes frequently. So, we need to keep up with the speed and have people who have the capacity and requisite knowledge to run the business.

“It is not enough to be a pilot or an engineer like me to run an aviation business, it is an art by itself and a profession, so Buhari’s government seeks to change that and because of how fast aviation and aerospace are changing the world over, we need to participate in it to be able to go into huge research and development in civil aviation. We should not be left behind.

“Aviation has been in Nigeria for a very long time and by now, we ought to be on top of the world with innovation in aviation and aerospace.

“We have had people who were born in the early 1930s and became pilots in Nigeria like Captain Rob, so from their time till now, nothing has really changed beyond the production of pilots, engineers, cabin crew, radio engineers, traffic controller, and others.

“So, we need to move from these basic skills into real knowledge so that we can contribute immensely to the GDP of the country and the general and socio-well being of Nigeria. We do feel that it is a very good venture.

“As a minister, this is the most important legacy that the government will leave behind.”

While delivering more details about the University, the Minister said: “We think that it is high time that the country goes into huge research and development in the areas of aerospace and aviation.

“We need to establish a university dedicated to that and it has taken a very long time. Since 2016, we have been on it because it is a rigorous exercise, we need to go through all of the requirements by the National Universities Commission(NUC), they have been very cooperative and supportive and guided us through the process.

“So, here we are today with the University about to start. The name of the University will be the African Aviation and Aerospace university.

“So, the component of Africa is to make it Pan-African and it is not limited in terms of experience to Africa, Nigeria will be the focus and centre and Africa will be the catchment area.

“The University has been given a location very close to the airport area by the government and it will be established there. This University is supposed to be a hybrid university, work on campus as well as an online university”.

The Minister also disclosed when academic activities would commence and some courses the school will major in. Sirika said: “We have the provisional approval by the NUC to continue, and once we satisfy the requirements, we will start.

“For the start-up, because we will be needing dormitories, laboratories and so on, we will be partnering with Nile University of Nigeria in Abuja.

“We have an MoU which will be signed hopefully by Monday for official partnership but we have discussed and agreed and it is just the formality for the signing.

“The lectures will be done at the temporary headquarters at Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB-N) building at the airport and some of the lectures will also be done in Nile University of Nigeria”.

“So, the first year which is this year, we will be doing BSc Aviation Business and the second will be Bsc Meteorology and these are the two that will start.

“The second year which is 2023, we will be doing Masters in Air Transport Management, this is all part of what we discussed with the NUC and we have gotten approval for that.

“Our website will be open for registration from the 26th of September to the 18th of November.”

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Education

OAU Announces New Resumption Date

Published

2 weeks ago

March 12, 2023

H B. Ray

The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Sunday, announced a change in the resumption date for the students of the institution.

Fidel Info reports that the management said the students were earlier expected to resume March 15, 2023, but would now return to campus on March 21, 2023.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewwaju, explained that the change was caused by the shift in the date for the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

“Consequent upon the postponement of the governorship and House of Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the university administration hereby notifies the general public, particularly students, that the resumption of academic activities earlier scheduled for March 15, 2023, has been shifted to March 21, 2023.

“Consequently, students are expected back on campus on Monday, March 20, 2023, and to resume academic activities accordingly. We wish our students a safe trip back to the campus,” the statement partly read.

Education

UNILAG Extends Resumption Dates Following Election Postponement

Published

2 weeks ago

March 10, 2023

H B. Ray

The University of Lagos has said it has shifted its resumption date to Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

Fidel Info reports that A statement signed by the university stated that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, approved that the resumption of academic activities be postponed to Tuesday, March 21, 2023, adding that all other activities of the university, including inaugural lectures and meetings (excluding teaching), should continue as scheduled.

It explained that the postponement of resumption to Tuesday, March 21, 2023, was due to the re-scheduling of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections from Saturday, March 11, 2023, to Saturday, March 18, 2023.

It read, “It would be recalled that the federal government had directed that students of higher institutions across the country should vacate their schools ahead of the 2023 general elections. As a result, the University Senate had approved the suspension of academic activities (teaching) from Tuesday, February 21, 2023, to Tuesday, March 14, 2023.”

“Once again, members of the university community are implored to remain safe and security conscious as well as orderly, civil and responsible in utterances and engagements, online and offline.

“Further updates would be provided as the need arises in the coming days.”

Education

Kwara Gov Names Emir of Lafiagi, Others Board Members Of Education Trust Fund

Published

1 month ago

February 24, 2023

H B. Ray

Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has appointed a board for the state’s Education Trust Fund, with members drawn from great backgrounds.

Fidel Info reports that the Governor appointed philanthropist Abdulhakeem Uthman Mustapha (SAN) as the chairman of the Fund that is a strong component of the Kwara State Education Transformation Agenda (KWETA), and is designed to mobilise resources to support infrastructural development and growth in the public sector education in the state.

KWETA had been borne out of the state’s Kwara Education Futures summit in 2021. Another component of it is the KwaraLEARN, which introduces technology and improved accountability and transparency to the basic education sector.

A.U. Mustapha, as he is fondly called, is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, Manchester Business School, Suffolk Law School, Business School Netherlands, Nigerian Law School, and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

He is the principal partner at the A.U. Mustapha & Co. law firm headquartered in Abuja, and is currently a member of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s Advisory Committee on Digital, Literacy, Productivity and Emerging Skills. He is President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal’s Board.

He is the 2nd Vice President of the Third Estate Foundation Ilorin, a coterie of statesmen who continually discuss public issues, community development, and offer support and advice.

The Emir of Lafiagi Alhaji Mohammed Kudu Kawu, a strong advocate of eduction, is another influential member of the Fund.

Kudu is renowned for his wealth of experience in the financial sector.

Kemi Mary Adeosun, Permanent Secretary representative of the Ministry of Education Human Capital and Development, is also a member of the board as the representative of the Ministry.

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, holder of the national honour Officer of the Order of Niger, co-founder of Andela and former managing director of Flutterwave, is also on the board of the Fund.

Iyinoluwa, general partner and co-founder of Future Africa that provides support for mission-driven innovators, is a renowned entrepreneur reputed to be one of 62 global founders of unicorns the size of Andela and Flutterwave.

Deborah Adekeye (Ph.D), a senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, University of Ilorin, is another board member of the Fund.

The Fund will also kick-off with Oluwadamilola Fatimah Amolegbe as the Executive Secretary.

Damilola, who collaborated with the Ministry of Education on the Kwara Education Futures Summit in 2021, has worked on some of Kwara’s transformational changes in education, including KWETA and KwaraLEARN.

An alumnus of Manhattan College, New York City, and Vivian Fowler Memorial College, Lagos, Amolegbe is the founder of ‘W. Amolegbe Consulting.

She sits on the boards and is a member of Dar Al-Awqaf, Okeya Community Development Association, Okeya-Ipo 100, She Builds Lives, and Reach Nigeria, among others.

The Kwara State Education Trustfund board will grow to include more members to accommodate different demographies. The Fund can be reached at www.KWETF.NG along with its social media handles.