Education Minister, Ruqayyatu Rufa’i,
has declared the government’s
willingness to partner with states
to reposition the education sector.
Prof. Rufa’i said this while receiving
a delegation led by the Katsina
State Commissioner for education,
Aminu Kurfi, in her office yesterday.
According to her, the government is
prepared to provide the framework
towards ensuring improvements in the
sector.
She commended Katsina State for
placing Education first on its
development agenda.

Nigeria's foreign exchange
reserves have risen to
34.67 billion dollars,
making it the highest
level in four and half months.
According to central bank
data released, the rise
raises hopes of a
more stable exchange rate on
the naira.
The bank said outlook for
oil prices in the short-term
suggested that forex reserves
would continue to recover.
The central bank added that
Forex reserves at current
level could finance
more than 6 months of imports
of goods and services.

The negotiation between the
representatives of the
Federal Government and
the Academic Staff Union of
Universities has once again
ended in deadlock.
Both parties could not
immediately make concessions
and reach an agreement
after more than four hours
of deliberations.
ASUU President Ukachukwu Awuzie
says the leaders of the union
must meet to assess the proposal
made by the government.

Meanwhile, Education Minister,
Ruqayyatu Rufa'I, who debunked media
reports that she had promised an
end to the strike Monday; reiterated
the fact that the strike might
soon be called off going by
the extent of deliberations between
both parties.

Similarly, Senate Committee on
Education has queried agencies
under the Ministry of Education for
spending Internally Generated Revenue
without the approval of National Assembly.
Registrar of Joint Admissions and
Matriculation Board- Dibu Ojerinde, who
appeared before the committee, said the
agency used its IGR to augment the
shortfall in its 2011 budget.
Committee Chairman, Uche Chukwumerijie,
said it was not proper for
agencies of government to spend their
revenues without approval.

Education Minister, Ruqayyatu Rufa’i,
says visitation panel to
Federal University of
Petroleum Resources,
Effurun, Delta State, was
set up to investigate allegations
against the institution’s management.    
Prof. Rufa’i lamented while
inaugurating the seven member
panel in Abuja yesterday that
the institution had been
engulfed in a management crisis
since its inception in 2007.   
She also expressed worry that
the university, which was set up
to provide training programs for
students in the field of
oil and gas, had fallen short
of expectations.

The Federal Government has directed vice-chancellors to stop retrenching
non-academic staff of universities at the age of 60 pending the passage of
the bill by the National Assembly and assent by the President.
According to the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyah Ahmed-Rufa’,
the move is to prevent the non-academic staff in the nation’s universities
from joining the ongoing strike by the academic staff.
SSANU President, Samson Ugwoke, said the ministers have showed evidence
that the issues would soon be resolved and that the government was doing
everything to ensure accelerated passage of the bill on the 65-year
retirement age and other related issues.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers have called on ASUU and the federal government
to return to dialogue to end the ongoing one week strike that has seen a
majority of government owned universities shut down and students forced to
return home. Buka Ibrahim says due process must be followed for the
dispute to be amicably resolved. He also said a high profile committee
will be set up to address the key challenges that prevail in the country’s
education sector.