The Bauchi State government on Wednesday, warned that it will stop payment of external examination fees for Senior Secondary Three (SS3) students involved in truancy.

The state Commissioner for Education, Dr Jamila Dahiru gave the warning in Bauchi during her school resumption inspection and monitoring visits to some schools.

It could be recalled that Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state in February 2024, released a sum of N396.9 million to pay for the 2023/2024 external examinations of 14,170 students in the public schools.

The external examinations paid for included the West African Examination Council (WAEC), the National Examination Council (NECO), National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

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However, the Commissioner, who was furious with the low level of attendance of especially the SS3 students in some schools, recounted how she met not up to 20 per cent of the SS3 students who were around when she visited a particular school.

“We just realized that most of these students, after being taught from JSS1 to SS3 and with Gov. Bala Mohammed paying for their external exams, and as soon as they were done with their mock exams, they left school and won’t return until the first day of their external exams.

“It is sad to acknowledge that we are not responsible as parents because I want to believe that they have parents who are seeing them attending schools simply because they are getting ready to just write their external examinations.

“We want to make them come back to class, we want to emphasize that we are investing in the right people because it is just telling us that it is the government that bothers about their education while they don’t care and probably their parents that are allowing them to stay at home also don’t care.

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“If they don’t care, we want to channel our energy to those that care. That is why I gave a directive that each and every child that we are sponsoring must be in school throughout this term before they commence their examination.

“If they don’t want to come to prepare so that they can pass with ease, then we should give those that are ready by revoking theirs and that’s why we are emphasising that the parents are responsible,” she said.

Dahiru also warned the teachers across the state to be wary of truancy or lateness to school, adding that such misconduct would not be further tolerated and would be met with serious sanctions.

She directed that no teachers should be allowed to gain entrance into any school premises by 9am, warning that teachers must be on ground by 7:30am.

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“Based on the registers that we checked, we observed that some of the teachers are resuming work by 9am and the school management are not taking any action.

“We are paying you for your job and you also have passion for the job, so why would you be coming to school by 9am.

“We have spoken with school management to strictly monitor and ensure compliance of the national standard for teaching and learning. Therefore, any teacher that is found guilty, we will take action,” said the commissioner.

Ahead of the 2024 Edo State governorship election, Edo indigenes under the auspices of Edo Progressive Indigenous Association (EPIA), a.k.a. Edo Indigenous Movement Worldwide, has called on the candidates of various political parties to include in their manifestos the establishment of Edo Indigenous Commission or Ministry of Edo Indigenous Affairs in order to gain Edo indigenes’ support worldwide.

This call was contained in a press release signed by President of EPIA, Dr. Omogiade Enoyiogiere Edokpolo.

According to the release, “this will help to prioritize the interest of Edo indigenes in the areas of employments, contracts, empowerment, and promotion of Edo heritage.

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“This will also help in eliminating marginalisation of Edo indigenes in Edo lands by the State government and foreign investors in the State. It will also go a long way in promoting promoting the local content Act of Nigeria.

“So, we are calling on all political candidates of various political parties to take seriously, issues concerning the empowerment of Edo indigenes, thereby prioritizing Edo indigenes in their portfolio through setting up of the above Ministry or Commission.

“This is the only way that Edo indigenes will support them in the forthcoming governorship election, considering the fact that Edo Indigenous people for decades, have suffered so many set back in terms of marginalization of its Indigenes and has also been less prioritised in the areas of contracts, employments, bursary, medical aids, and order benefits entitled to them, just to mention a few, both in government space and the various multi-billion foreign companies and investments in the State.

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The said ministry will help to monitor and serve the interest of Edo Indigenes at large.

The press release also added that Edo indigenes need a technocrat that has promising track records and global exposure, above all, that have excelled in his chosen career to take over from Gov. Godwin Obaseki.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, on Wednesday, handed over 14 recovered assets to Governor Peter Mba of Enugu State.

During the handing over ceremony held at the EFCC Headquarters, Jabi, Abuja, Olukoyede revealed that the assets recovered by the commission was forfeited to the Federal Government.

He added that the EFCC began an investigation into the development since 2007, and had achieved the conviction of persons in relation to the matter.

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He also noted that the President, Bola Tinubu, ordered the handover of the assets which includes – real estate, radio and television transmission equipment, and medical facility, amongst others, to the Enugu State Government, following a request by the EFCC.

Details later…