…Insist on 26% UNESCO recommendation
President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposed N426.53 billion for the Education sector in the 2013 budget has been greeted with commendations from stakeholders in the sector, who described it as a step in the right direction towards meeting the 26 per cent UNESCO minimum recommendation for education in every country’s budget.

Engineer Orlando Ize-Balogban is a chief lecturer in the Department of Industrial Maintenance Engineering and also the chairman of Yaba College of Technology Exhibition Committee in charge of showcasing research works in the college to the outside world. In this chat with Vanguard Learning in his office, he said most of their researches are in areas that can be directly applied to take care of local needs. He spoke on three of such innovations in the areas of energy and transportation. Excerpts:

Written off as dim-witted, lazy or even bewitched, Nigerian children with learning disabilities have over the years endured failure, and have been largely misunderstood especially by those closest to them. Understanding such special children, and helping them understand, has been the language of Cogniskills, a learning enhancement centre that has helped many of such special children sharpen their cognitive skills.

Panelists at a one day seminar organised by the Lagos office of the National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB) have observed that examination malpractice has contributed to the devaluation of certificates awarded by educational institutions just as they made wide ranging recommendations to overcome the menace.

Amidst political intrigues bordering on the call for creation of more states, establishment of state police, incessant bombings, corruption, call for Sovereign National Conference (SNG) and true federalism rocking the nation, Prof. Lai Oso, Dean, Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication (AASOC) has called on media owners and practitioners to always pursue public interest in their reportage of issues.