ISSN 0795-3089 24 August, 2015 Vol. 10 No. 34 Uphold Journalism Ethics - Prof. Okojie Charges Reporters he Executive Secretary, Professor Okojie stated that TNational Universities the training was a way of Commission (NUC), Profes- building the capacity of the sor Julius A. Okojie, OON, education correspondents has charged members of the for optimum productivity press to uphold the ethics of and also acquainting them journalism in their report- with the activities of the age, in order to earn and Nigerian University System sustain the confidence of the (NUS). He added that the public. He gave the charge Commission was always during a capacity build- willing to interact with the ing workshop and Monthly press, both at the formal and Press Luncheon, organ- informal fora so as to pro- ised by the Commission for vide the public with useful members of the Education information on the activities Correspondents Association of the NUS. He decried the of Nigeria (ECAN), FCT activities of “fake journal- Chapter, at the Nicon Lux- ist who go about harassing ury Hotel, Abuja, on Thurs- members of the public with day, 20 August, 2015. He the motive of extorting mon- said that objectivity was a Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON ey”. He advised the press necessary ingredient in any Executive Secretary, NUC men to always strife to be reportage as “it guides the the best in their profession, reporter against bias”, adding rise to the pinnacle of their profession. He charging them to endeavour that good reportage would stated that as members of the fourth estate to visit Nigerian universities enable the journalists to of the realm, a lot was expected of them. for first-hand assessment. in this edition... pg. pg.4 pg. 6 pg. 9 10 FG Committed to R&D in Navy Partners Private Firm on Prof. Okojie Interacts With Nigeria Society of Education Sector Proposed IUSAMS Varsity Pro-Chancellors of Federal Physiotheraphy Visits - Ag. Perm. Sec. - NUC Pledges Support Varsities. NUC. Vol. 10 No. 34 - 24 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary Professor Chiedu Mafiana Mallam Ibrahim DanÍya NUC Deputy Executive Secretary I NUC Deputy Executive Secretary II The Executive Secretary stated although the Commission had for them, due to various mecha- that Nigerian universities were been trying to address the chal- nisms that the Commission had in doing well as evidenced by their lenge by introducing the Nigerian place. He disclosed that the Com- performance, which led to the Research and Education Network mission had been clamping down selection of 10 out of the 19 Af- (NgREN), its subscription was yet and prosecuting illegal university rican Centres of Excellence, from to be renewed. He regretted that operators in order to sanitise the West and Central African Coun- since the 3-billion naira research NUS. He also said that the Com- tries. He observed that most Af- grant was provided, not much of mission was trying to partner with rican universities paraded Nige- it had been accessed by scholars. other African countries to clamp rian professors among their best down on illegal universities. academics, adding that Nigerian Professor Okojie reiterated the graduates were also globally com- fact that illegal university opera- Responding to questions, Profes- petitive, as witnessed by the per- tors were finding it very difficult sor Okojie said that the recent formance of some scholars of the to operate as the environment presentation of operational licenc- Presidential Special Scholarship had become very unconducive es to nine private universities was for Innovation and Development a way of ensuring that they oper- (PRESSID) who were studying in ated within the laid-down guide- top 20 universities in the world. lines, adding that the Commission He maintained that the university was willing to revisit those yet to system was the only system that be given full licenses. He stated was not corrupted until the “gown that some of the criteria for the went and fused with the town”. granting of operational licenses included academic stability, con- Professor Okojie informed the stitution of a University Gov- journalists that the Commission erning Council, among others. was not bothered about global ranking of Nigerian universities In his lecture titled: “Journalism, for now, due to the fact that the Ethics, Professionalism and Beat parameters used were peculiar to Reportage”, the former Executive their environment, adding that Secretary, Nigerian Press Coun- the internet bandwidth which cil, Mr. Bayo Atoyebi, emphasised provided adequate visibility on the the need to abide by the “ethics of internet had been a major chal- journalism which includes analy- lenge in the NUS. He stated that Mr. ‘Bayo Atoyebi sis of correct, responsible prac- Guest Lecturer 2 Monday Bulletin Vol. 10 No. 34 - 24 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary IN FRONT ROW: Some NUC Directors, L-R: Dr. N. B. Saliu; Mr. Sam Onazi; Dr. Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf; Mrs. Constance Goddy-Nnadi and Mallam Ibrahim Usman Yakasai. tice and fair human interaction ports were broadened to include needed to be diligent, discrete in in the light of the best available analysis, interpretation and re- seeking other sources of informa- principles in purveying informa- search for enriched output in in- tion, that such a reporter should tion”. He maintained that being vestigative journalism, adding not be timid and patronised. ethical of journalists was essen- that beat performance ought to tially a sign-post for professional be rated, not only by quantity but The resource person said that the dispositions on how issues were also by the quality of contribu- beat reporter needed to be con- treated and decisions reached in tions in strict cognisance of accu- fident, presentable and tactful the pressure fraught chamber of racy, fairness, balance and human in order to earn the respect and interests stories for variety. He confidence of his contacts and disclosed that the beat reporter public. He charged the journalists A cross section of journalists at the Press Luncheon. Mr. Chuks Ekwuatu Chairman, ECAN journalism, all in a bid to uphold the truth, to be factual, accurate, to be fair, balanced and credible. He stated that as beat reporters of the education sector, they were expected to ensure that their re- Some cameramen at the Press Luncheon. 3 Monday Bulletin Vol. 10 No. 34 - 24 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary to be steadfast and noble as way tive Secretary and the NUC Man- positive issues that would advance of becoming a veritable and re- agement for the workshop. He the sector rather than the negative. spectable watchdog for the nation. observed that the relationship be- tween NUC and ECAN had been At the event were the Depu- Earlier, in his opening remarks, the very cordial, challenging members ty Executive Secretaries and Chairman of ECAN, Mr. Chuks of ECAN to dwell more on the Directors of the Commis- Ukwuatu, appreciated the Execu- sion and members of ECAN. FG Committed to R&D in Education Sector -Ag. Perm Sec. he Acting Permanent Sec- Tretary, Federal Ministry of Education (FME), Hajia Hindatu Abdullahi, has said that the Fed- eral Government was committed to the advancement of Research and Development (R&D) in the education sector for the over- all development of the country. Speaking at a two-day workshop, organised by the Tertiary Educa- tion Trust Fund (TETfund) from 18th to 19th August, 2015, at the National Universities Com- mission (NUC), with the theme, Hajia Hindatu Abdullahi Ag. Permanent Secretary, FME “Institutionalisation of Research and Development in Tertiary In- stitutions as a Launch Pad for ment”, Hajia Abdullahi stated research to national development Nigeria’s Technological Advance- that the importance of education had always been recognised, not- ing that the success of the coun- try was dependent on trans- forming its citizens into assets, through the education sector. The Acting Permanent Secretary declared that the funding of the ed- ucation sector was one of the focal areas of the 4-Year Strategy Plan for the improvement of the educa- tion sector, by which Government was determined to build strong institutions to support all educa- tional systems in the areas of in- frastructure, learning resources as well as research and development. Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission 4 Monday Bulletin Vol. 10 No. 34 - 24 August, 2015 A Publication of the Office of the Executive Secretary Hajia Abdullahi maintained that sessment Committee’s Reports it was important to explore all of the Federal Government on opportunities to ensure that Ni- public universities in the coun- gerian tertiary institutions were try. He explained that TETFund strengthened to produce world- had succeeded in coordinating a class quality graduates with rel- rescue mission that would help evant skills and competencies reposition the tertiary educa- for national development and tion sub-sector in the country. global competitiveness. He said that the Workshop provided the Professor Okojie, who commend- participants the opportunity to ed the Management of the Fund have greater focus on the nation’s for its accountability, transparency educational objectives, as TET- and prudence in the discharge of Fund was effectively intervening, its functions, urged the benefitting in the tertiary education sector. institutions to outline how and where to spend their allocations, to In his presentation, the Execu- Professor Suleiman Bogoro ensure that priority projects were tive Secretary, TETFund, Profes- Executive Secretary, TETFund executed within specified time sor Suleiman Bogoro, said that frame and available resources. the Fund had elected to promote and support the institutionali- In a paper presentation titled: In a goodwill message, the Execu- sation of R&D through innova- “Commercialisation of R&D Pro- tive Secretary, NUC, Professor Ju- tive best practices in all Higher jects in Nigeria: RMRDC Experi- lius A.