SSCE/NECO 18 years limit: No, Prof Mamman, No! - ITREALMS

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Professor Tahir Mamman, Nigeria's Minister of Education, recently announced a policy setting the minimum age for writing the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) at 18 years, starting from 2025. This decision has sparked widespread criticism from education stakeholders, who view it as a regressive step that fails to consider the realities of modern education. The new age limit rather than enhancing educational outcomes, risks stifling student progress and diminishing the quality of education in Nigeria.

Setting the minimum age for SSCE at 18 years is out of step with the global trend toward encouraging early academic achievement. Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 educational system, which anticipates students finishing secondary school by age 18, does not account for the diverse academic paths students might take. Many students, particularly those who are gifted or started school early, complete secondary education well before turning 18. Imposing an age limit would unfairly penalize these students, forcing them to wait unnecessarily, which is both a waste of time and an impediment to their academic and professional growth.

No increase in PMS prices, says NNPC Ltd - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has assured the public that there is no imminent increase in the cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, reports ITREALMS

The Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd, Mr. Olufemi O. Soneye in a press statement available to ITREALMS in Abuja urged Nigerians to disregard unfounded rumours and assures them that there are no plans for an upward review of the PMS price.

INEC: No voting in 6 polling units in Anambra, 234 others nationwide - ITREALMS

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A total of six polling units and 234 others nationwide would not be active during the 2023 general elections, reports ITREALMS .

Disclosing this, Monday, was the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a meeting with political parties held at INEC conference room in Abuja.

No to proposed excise duty on telecommunications services - ITREALMS

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Nigeria is Africa's largest ICT market, accounting for 82 per cent of the continent's telecom subscribers and 29 per cent of internet usage. This is according to Wikipedia. It goes on to say that globally, Nigeria ranks 11th in the absolute number of internet users and 7th in the absolute number of mobile phones.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has equally established that the telecommunications sector is the largest segment of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. Today, Nigeria has one of the largest telecoms markets in Africa, contributing over 17 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

'No Nigerian journalist in detention' - ITREALMS Online

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has debunked the report by the press freedom organization, Committee To Protect Journalists (CPJ), that a certain Nigerian journalist has been in detention for the past two years, reports ITRealms.

The Minister, who issued the rebuttal at the Gala/Award Night of the International Press Institute (IPI) in Abuja on Friday, said the person the CPJ was referring to was never a journalist.

“Let me state here, without equivocating, that contrary to the report by the Committee To Protect Journalists (CPJ), no journalist is in detention in Nigeria. Clement Abiri, who is being referred to as a journalist, is not one. He does not belong to any chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists. He was arrested for pipeline vandalism and crude theft, including militant activities in the Niger Delta,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed restated the commitment of the present administration to press freedom and gave the assurance that the media has nothing to fear under the present dispensation.

“In my opening comments at the 2016 IPI Congress in Doha, I said we as a government view the media as a partner. That remains true. I also said the media in Nigeria has nothing to fear from this Administration, and that - if anything - we as a government are the ones who have to fear the media. Also, that has not changed.

''We are proud that the Nigerian media is one of the most vibrant in the world. We are proud of the role that the Nigerian media has played in our long march to democratic governance. This administration will continue to provide the enabling environment for the journalist to function unmolested,” he said.

While speaking on the theme of the 67th IPI World Congress, which is “Why Good Journalism Matters,” the Minister said apart from alerting the government to the indispensable role of the media in the society, it reminds it of the purpose of journalism which is to serve all citizens in a democratic society and to tell the truth.

“If we all agree about this obligation, then it behoves the media to tell the truth, not just to power, but to the people, making it easier for them to get the facts in the right context, thus facilitating their decision-making process. But in an era of growing cases of fake news and disinformation, can we still say the media – whether traditional or new - is living true to this dictum? If the answer is no, what does this portend for the profession in particular and the society in general? I am sure this congress is examining the issue critically in the course of its deliberations,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed appealed to the media to always report the government in the right context in order to give the people the opportunity to make informed decisions.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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‘No going back on Broadcasting Code’

ITRealms:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has declared that there is no going back on Broadcasting Code, reports ITRealms.

According to the Minister, the Federal Government will not be stampeded into abandoning the ongoing efforts to amend the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to ensure the production in Nigeria of 'Nigerian content or local content' programmes.

The Minister stated this in Abuja on Friday when he received a delegation from the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOC), led by its Nigerian representative, Dr. Tunji Asaolu John.

He said those who deliberately twisted his comments to allege that the Federal Government will ban the shooting of films and music videos abroad are being mischievous, and reaffirmed government's commitment to protecting local creative talents and generating employment.

"We will not be intimidated or stampeded by anybody," Alhaji Mohammed said.

He said the amendment of the Code will also encourage people to invest in the establishment of world-class studios in Nigeria to guarantee that producers get the same quality of work as obtained abroad.

"We are not going to export jobs to other countries and say our economy will grow. Most of the arguments which are being proffered, honestly, are unrealistic. One of them said where in Nigeria are we going to produce our music and our films when there are no studios.

What they don't understand is that nobody is going to invest in (building studios) in Nigeria if the law allows you to go and do the same thing outside Nigeria," the Minister said.

He said the Federal Government is consciously developing the Creative Industry in its renewed drive to diversify the economy away from oil.

The Minister pledged the ministry's support for the African Festival of Arts and Culture, to be hosted in Nigeria in November.

Earlier, Dr. Asaolu said the AU is currently implementing Agenda 2063, which is a framework to promote growth and social development in Africa.

"Out of this Agenda 2063, Aspiration No. 5 talked about Africa with strong cultural identity, common heritage, values and ethics. Sir, even this aspirations alone if you put it out to the market it can solve the problems that we are facing in Africa," he said.

The AU-ECOSOC, which is the AU's platform for the Civil Society, used the opportunity of the courtesy visit to confer the Distinguished Fellowship of African Arts and Culture on the Minister.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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