Blog

The  Kenyan Government has made available Sh14.5 billion to Primary and Secondary schools  in the countryin  furtherance of its policy on  free education.

This disclosure was made by the Education Principal Secretary, Dr. Bellio Kipsang  who gave  the breakdown  as Sh10.8 billion  to secondary schools  and  primary schools for Sh3.65 billion.

"The funds have started to reflect in schools bank accounts," Dr. Kipsang disclosed.

Dr Kipsang said the funds will enable principals and headteachers to serve learners effectively,  while stressing  that the funds were transmitted through the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) unlike in the past when the Ministry of Education relied on the information that principals of secondary schools provided.

The government  makes available Sh22, 244 annually for every secondary school student and Sh1, 420 for each pupil in primary school.

In his views, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha said NEMIS will facilititate the provision of quality, reliable and timely education statistics to enrich the government's planning processes.

"The unique identification issued to schools, learners and all members of staff in our institutions of learning will improve the management of resources in the education sector and allow all efforts to be directed at achieving quality education for sustainable development . ''

"Through this system, education sector players will get to know the status of education in regard to access, quality, equity, relevance, efficiency as well as institutional development," said Prof. Magoha

The Federal Government has been called upon to review the legislation  stipulating that ex-convicts cannot be employed by the three tiers of government due to their status.

This call was made on Wednesday by the Oyo state Controller of Prisons, Mr. Tosin Akinrujomu  in a chat with Poverty Line in Ibadan, Nigeria.

''There is a clog in the wheel and it is the government legislation against convicts. A convict cannot be employed by the Federal, State and Local Governments. For example a convict released into the society, such as a Professor cannot go back to  the university again. The tendency is for such a person to go back to crime. Government should look into this'', Mr. Akinrujomu stated.

The Controller appealed to government to make more funds available to the Prisons Service saying '' government should look into the funding of prisons. The prisons are growing in arithmetical progression while crime is growing in geometrical progression. Funding for the prisons should be improved. Government should also look into the Judiciary and Police in terms of funding because we work hand in gloves.''

A 50 year old Lberian woman has accused the Police of  covering up the murder of  her son.

Madam Elizabeth Kamara dismissed police investigation report that her son,Exodus S. Kamara, was mobbed to death by an angry crowd, while insisting that the murder of her son was premeditated.

 The deceased lost his life  April 24, 2019, on the Smythe Road, in Sinkor, Monrovia."Cllr. Johnson and her security officers took my son in her compound where they beat him to death, and later dragged his body outside of her fence, and dumped it on the street like a dog," Madam Kamara alleged in her statement to reporters on Thursday, May 2, at the grounds of the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hill''.

Cllr. Johnson is reported to be an employee of the Dean and Associates Law Firm owned by Justice Minister, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean.

Madam Kamara made this allegation when she e interacted with newsmen at the Temple of Justice after two of Cllr. Johnsons' private security guards, Junior Sayee and Abraham Gardour of the Alarm Security Service, were arraigned before the Monrovia City Court on a charge of negligent homicide brought against the pair by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP).

Kamara said she was not satisfied with the police investigative report that did not charge Cllr. Johnson with murder, "because I feel she was the brain behind my son's death."

 Kamara was arrested at Cllr. Johnson's residence  prior to his death

The police report had earlier claimed that the victim (Kamara) was arrested by the defendants, while stealing planks in Cllr. Johnson's fence. According to the report, an angry crowd forcibly took him away from the hands of the two security officers.

Thereafter, his lifeless body was found lying unconscious on the Smart Road, Vai Town Community.

However, Madam Kamara tearfully claimed that Cllr. Johnson employed her son as a driver, but was later dismissed due to misunderstanding that erupted over unpaid salary.

"My son was not a criminal, but the one who tried to collect his just pay from Cllr. Johnson who had refused to pay his salary when she ordered her boys to beat him, a situation that led to his death," Madam Kamara stated while weeping.

The Oyo state chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors(ANA) has appealed to the Federal Government to curb the activities of book pirates in the country.

The ANA made this appeal recently, through its Chairman Mr. Funsho Omotosho at an event to commemorate the World Book and Copyright day in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Nigerian authors are not business people, only a few of us earn our living through writing. We have other things we do. Our appeal to government through the Nigeria Copyright Commission is for government to intensify the battle against book piracy. Without remuneration coming, the authors will languish’’, Mr. Omotosho disclosed.

In her remarks, the Zonal Director of the Nigeria Copyright Commission, Mrs. Bisi Ogundiran called for concerted efforts among stakeholders to eradicate book piracy.

‘’We must jointly say no to piracy. Pirates eat where they have not sown and they kill rights owners. As Teachers we must ensure that all those books supplied to our schools are from the right source and are original, so that the benefits would go back to the rightful authors and publishers. We don’t want our authors and publishers to die before their time. Please do not patronize pirates, they are economic saboteurs, please do not encourage book piracy’’, Mrs. Ogundiran warned.

As Muslim faithful prepare for the commencement of the 30 day Ramadan fast across the globe, concerned citizens in different countries are of the opinion that the fasting period should also be used by all to fervently pray for members of outlawed groups and their sponsors who have derailed and are responsible for the unabating rate of kidnappings, killings, ritual killings, armed robberies, violence and other crimes in several countries of the world, to retrace their steps and embrace the teachings about God.

The citizens are hopeful that the fasting period shall usher in a new era of peace and stability globally. In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke calls on Nigerians to use the fasting period to cleanse themselves of evil and cultivate integrity based behaviors. Excerpts

The Ramadan fast is only some few days away, what is your message to the Muslim Faithful ?

Nigerians generally need to change their attitude towards all festivals and seasons, since in most cases they declare holidays which always have economic implications on the nation.

Suffice it now to say that such holidays need to be justified through the benefits of the exercises for which the holidays were always declared, be it traditional, Christian or Muslim.

For the Ramadan session, the nation starts to benefit a lot if the design and the purpose are respected accordingly, because the goal for which it is divinely designed is to educate and reform the animal called man; to raise his bestial status into that of a person with high level of integrity.

The expectation is for all Muslims to follow the behavioral objectives which is centered on achieving the culture of fear of God-which happens to be the bedrock of attitudinal reform towards achieving the four codes of life based on the positive mindset.

The adherents,during and after observing the Ramadan fast, must assume a permanent characteristics of positive self image where he or she sees himself or herself as been ever relevant in the scheme of selfless service, community peace and nation building.

He must equally have that sense of confidence to individually perform tasks without supervision and with an endowed gift of a prime mover team work spirit.

Thirdly, he or she must become an epitome of self esteem, who is expected to role model an established code of conduct with overbearing measure of discipline and integrity.

The fourth, achievable must, must dominate exemplary life style through positive mental attitude for ease of relocation. Such a person is never found wanting when it comes to the issue of trust, accurate and precise decisions, before putting up any action.

Such a person naturally will be awesome in identifying and recommending solutions, through his or her spiritual endowments, which bothers on social assignment activation and articulation.

Unfortunately, going by the past antecedents of Ramadan fasting exercises, generally, it had always been a case of annual ritual of ceremonial importance contrary to the designed goal of Saomu.

Ramadan fasting which is to facilitate the establishment of the culture of the fear of God, which must reflect in using due process in procurement for the purpose of transparency and accountability in management, administration and good governance.

Ramadan fasting remains a spiritual Doctor to mankind, an antidote for corruption and indiscipline and a reliable solution to the best way to achieve justice in the system to avoid disaffection and violence, equity in material distribution through common availed opportunity to have access, which acquisition of marginalization to promote inclusive society, in order that the individual and the nation would be able to have functional Democracy with full benefits for sustainable development, peace and security.

We shall continue to cheat ourselves as mankind, if we fail as individuals and collectively as a nation, to goal set with adequate sensitization effect on the seriousness and messages of the Ramadan fasting exercise.

We need the same attitudinal change and focus towards availed opportunities of seasons and festivals from all facets of our natural life-tradition, religion and social.

Read Also : 1.7 Million to Experience Food Shortage in Somalia-UN @ http://1stguide.over-blog.com

The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday empowered 1,000 women entrepreneurs living with disability, under the Presidential Empowerment for Women Entrepreneurs with Disability.

President Akufo Addo, who presented  GH¢2 million  to the women , said ''Having set a fund target of some GH¢4 million, over the next two years, to support disabled women in business, the Ministry of Business Development has so far raised GH¢2 million of the amount. The one thousand (1,000) beneficiaries will not be required to pay any interest on the amounts they are going to receive."

"They will only pay back 50% of the principal advanced to them. This gesture is part of my government's support to our disabled women entrepreneurs, to help them scale up their businesses, and employ more people. We anticipate that, with the monies being given to them today, they will and should be able employ, at least, two persons", the President stated.

Then Kenya Teachers Service Commission is set to recruit about  919 Teachers  for both Primary and Secondary schools.

Of the figure 659  Teachers will be for primary school while 260 will be for secondary schools.

At the present time the teacher shortage stands at 87,737; some 57,380 in secondary schools and 30,357 in primary schools.

The recruitemtn shall commence in May, according to the TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia,candidates for primary schools will not have to apply but will be selected from the last year's application list.

"Applicants for vacancies in primary schools must be holders of P1 certificate and will be selected from the county merit lists compiled during the May 2018 recruitment," Mrs Macharia stated.

Applicants in the secondary school category , are  to submit their applications through county directors and Boards of Management by May 10.

Mrs. Macharia also said that the candidates are required to possess a minimum of Diploma in Education and are  required to apply to Board of Management of the school where the vacancy has been advertised and submit a copy to the TSC county Director.

"Successful candidates will be deployed to serve in stations in any part of the country and not necessarily in the county where they were recruited," she concluded.

The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has called on workers in Nigeria to be ready to confront any state Government that would refuse to pay the new national minimum wage.

The AWC made this call through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

‘’As regards the implementation of the new national minimum wage, workers must not rest on their oars because some states might want to prove difficult. All necessary mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that any state government that refuses to pay must be confronted’’.

‘’Every state in Nigeria has the capacity to pay. And if there is any Governor that refuses to pay, the AWC is calling on such a Governor to resign. It is equally very important for labor to give conditions which include, government and employers of labor must not retrench workers, government must not increase the pump price pf petrol, under any guise and government must not also increase or introduce any form of taxation or devalue the national currency by any means’’, Comrade Emelieze stated