The state’ Commissioner for Education, Mr Wemi Jones, restated the ban during a stakeholders’ meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, on Friday in Lokoja.

The meeting was a follow-up on government’s ban on incessant graduation ceremonies in basic and secondary schools across the state, on September 3.

At the meeting, Jones commended NAPPS’ contributions to the growth and development of the state education sector.

He stressed that the move aimed to reduce the financial burden on parents and promote a more standardised approach to education.

The government also banned “students’ signing-out” ceremonies in tertiary institutions within the state.

He explained that while customised textbooks and notebooks might be allowed, they must be sold at prevailing market prices, and parents were not obligated to buy them from schools.

He emphasised the need for textbooks to be transferable to younger siblings and for parents to provide separate notebooks for class work and homework.

He reiterated that the newly introduced policies aimed at sanitising the school system and restoring the core values of education.

Jones emphasised the importance of private schools registering with NAPPS or Association of Model Islamic Schools, AMIS, for effective coordination and communication.

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He also highlighted the state government’s commitment to addressing issues of multiple taxation and other challenges faced by private schools.

Jones assured private schools of government’s commitment to implementing the State Education Law, 2020, and urged them to familiarise themselves with the law.

The commissioner also promised to engage private schools on the implementation of the new school curriculum.

NAPPS chairman, Mr Reuben Jimoh, commended the commissioner for his leadership quality and promised cooperation from private schools in implementing the new policies.

The Director, Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Mathew Salami, commended the private schools for their contributions to education development.

Salami called for a good working relationship with the ministry.

The ministry’s Acting Permanent Secretary, Mrs Omolayo Onasare, commended the commissioner for his commitment to duties and urged participants to comply with the new policies.

Source: NAN

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The state’s Commissioner for Education, Mr. Wemi Jones, made the disclosure during a meeting with some principals and supervisors who were indicted by WAEC for the examination malpractices.

The commissioner also disclosed that the council had blacklisted 14 supervisors for various degrees of malpractices in the 2023/2024 West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, in the state.

According to him, government has vowed to sanction school principals, teachers and supervisors who engaged or aided examination malpractices in the state.

Jones emphasised that examination malpractices remained a criminal offence and would be treated in accordance with the Law.

He said that thenceforth, exam malpractice offenders would be prosecuted in accordance with Kogi State Education Law and Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2020.

He stated that a committee would be set up to be headed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary to investigate personalities indicted by WAEC.

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The commissioner warned that whosoever was found wanting would be prosecuted in the law court.

“Kogi State has invested so much in education and will no longer tolerate the attitude of the ‘bad eggs’ drawing back the gains already made in education sector,” Jones said.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Dr. Seidu Jibrin, admonished the principals and the supervisors to desist from any act of examination malpractice.

According to him, such actions were not just robbing the state but destroying the future of the students.

“I urge you to have a sober reflection of your actions as posterity will judge everyone according to his/her deeds.

“While some teachers are being called out for awards, it will be wrong for you to be called out for condemnations.

“It is unfortunate that this is happening when Kogi State is investing so much in education; whosoever is found culpable will be severely sanctioned,” Jibrin said.

Source: NAN

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The Grammy nominated singer, who took to her social media pages to surprise her fans with an artwork and track list for her upcoming sophomore album, said she looked like a bag of money as she snapped on the artwork.

According to her, picturing in a highway setting while leaning on a vintage car made her to look like a bag of money.

“Track list ‘The Year I Turned 21’ otherwise called ‘TYIT21’ is now available for preorder and will be released officially on May 31, 2024,” she wrote.

The music star already has many anticipating her album, including fellow superstars such as Nigerian music star, Wizkid, who reposted her artwork unveiling and showing support with a tag, “Love it”.

The album features some heavyweights across different countries in the world like Nigeria’s Asake and Seyi Vibes, America’s Giveon and Coco Jones, and Brazil’s Anitta, amongst others.

Starr is a Nigerian singer and songwriter, who  began a fashion career at the age of 16 with Quove Model Management before deciding to pursue a career in music.

After covering several songs by popular artists on Instagram, she posted her first original song on her page in December 2019.

The posting brought her to the attention of record executive, Don Jazzy, who  later signed her to his record label  Marvin Record.

The singer later achieved mainstream international recognition in 2022, with the release of her song “Rush”.

The song charted in several territories, including Switzerland, Ireland and the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 24.

The song earned Starr her first nomination at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for Best African Music Performance.

With the song, Starr became the youngest African female artist to surpass 100 million views on a single video on  YouTube, and also the first to do so within five months.

Source: NAN

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All three have been out since missing the 3-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United on December  16 having tested positive but they have been pictured back with their team-mates.

The postponement of Liverpool’s Sunday match at Leeds United due to coronavirus issues within the home squad gives those players additional time to get back up to speed.

This will be before the trip to Leicester City on Tuesday.

Midfielder Thiago Alcantara is unlikely to feature at the King Power Stadium as he remains in isolation.

The knock-on effect of rescheduling the Leeds United match means left-back Andy Robertson will now miss the January 2 clash at Chelsea.

This is because he will be serving the final match of his three-game ban for a red card at Tottenham last weekend.

Source: dpa/NAN

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While there were no ringside judges to score the eight-round contest between two of boxing’s all-time greats, both over 50, and no official winner, the World Boxing Council formed a set of judges that remotely scored the bout.

“I’m used to doing it for three minutes,” 54-year-old Tyson said of the shorter rounds.

“Sometimes, that two minutes felt like three minutes. I’m happy I got this under my belt to keep doing this and go further.”

Tyson, 15 years removed from his ignominious defeat to Irishman Kevin McBride in the last professional fight of his career, came out firing and was in control of the bout the entire way.

Jones Jr, 51, was the more visibly fatigued of the two fighters, but managed to pick up the pace in the later rounds enough to earn the win on one scorecard and a draw on the other while Tyson took the third scorecard.

When the final bell rang, the two fighters shared a hug.

“The body shots definitely took a toll,” said Jones Jr. a former world champion in four different weight classes whose last professional fight was in 2018.

“The body shots are what make you exhausted.”

The two boxers were introduced by legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer, who delivered his famous “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble” inside the Staples Centre which was devoid of fans given the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the fight, Tyson, who was once the most feared fighter on the planet, shot down any idea of making a return to professional boxing.

“This is bigger than fighting and winning the championship,” Tyson said of exhibitions where he donates earnings to charity.

“We’re humanitarians and we’re helping people.”

Source: Reuters/NAN

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