Education

Education Will Not Remain The Same-Mrs Dr Olonisakin

Published

5 years ago

October 15, 2020

Joel Ajayi

The President Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Dr (Mrs) Omobolanle Olonisakin has averred that the educational system will not remain the same until the cure for COVID:19 pandemic is discovered. The DEPOWA President made the disclosure at a three-day capacity building workshop organized for teachers and instructors of the DEPOWA Schools and Skills Acquisition centre, in Abuja.

According to Dr Olonisakin, “we are all aware education cannot remain the same until a cure for coronavirus is available. So with this workshop on Post COVID-19 blended teaching techniques, our teachers have been updated on how to complement face to face learning with online learning option.”

Mrs Olonisakin said the training and retraining of teachers is a panacea in the teaching profession towards optimizing the academic performance of students in external and internal examinations, as well as meeting the dynamics of the ever-changing world.

On the theme of the workshop, which was “Post COVID-19: Customized Blended Teaching Techniques,” the wife of the Defence Chief explained that due to the pandemic, schools around the world are adopting blended learning as a new normal which is part of curriculum restructuring and redesigning efforts.

She explained that blended learning strives to provide students face to face and online experiences, describing blended classroom structures as instructive techniques which include: direct instruction, lecture group discussions and small group work, as well as the application of technology to aid in-class online learning to enable students to study while at home.

Dr Olonisakin appreciated the IB8 Ventures resource persons for updating DEPOWA teachers with the requisite skills on how to complement physical and online learning while urging the teachers to inculcate the knowledge gained on their students to enable them be creative and innovative in solving issues. She commended the teachers’ resilience in imparting knowledge to the students as reflected in their performance in previous common entrance examinations.

In his remarks, the Lead Consultant of IB8 Ventures, Mr Kunle Olatunji, COVID-19 pandemic has enforced individuals and organizations in adapting to the global change, adding that is the reason IB8 ventures is working closely with DEPOWA in order to ensure its teachers are well trained with this new reality.

Mr Olatunji who commended the DEPOWA leadership for the partnership pointed out that DEPOWA school teachers were now better informed and equipped on the implication of blended teaching technique.

The Commandant of DEPOWA Schools, Lieutenant Commander Caroline Njoku, expressed her appreciation to the DEPOWA President for her commitment and support towards ensuring that the school retained its feats as a centre for academic excellence.

The Commandant expressed optimism that the DEPOWA schools were keying into the post-COVID-19 dispensation learning process, noting that the knowledge acquired by the participants during the workshop would further enhance their technological skill.

Lectures delivered during the workshop include An overview of blended teaching techniques and the new normal, blended learning strategies, transitioning to blended learning – the duties and roles of the creative teachers, the teacher and blended teaching/learning techniques-teachers roles and duties, among others.

It would be recalled that DEPOWA in 2019 held a three-day teachers’ workshop with the theme, “Higher Orders Thinking and Teaching Skills – A Recipe for National Development.”

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Education

NELFUND assures students of smart system to improve loan access

Published

1 month ago

May 7, 2025

The Gleamer

Mariam Abeeb

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has assured students it was working assiduously towards building a technology driven system that would improve easy access to its loans.

This was as the FUND disclosed that no fewer than 320,000 students have thus far been paid with many more currently undergoing verification process to enable their payments.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr gave the assurances in Abuja, while addressing Polytechnics , Monotechnics and Institutes at a Stakeholders Engagement Session/ Technical Workshop on NELFUND System Automation and Loan Application Processes.

Sawyerr noted that the FUND was targeting a platform where students could access loan with confidence and without stress in a manner that was transparent and accountable.

He said: “At NELFUND our mission goes beyond giving loans. It’s about opening doors, it’s about making sure every young Nigerian who is willing to learn and grow has a real shot regardless of their background, location, or chosen path of study.

“For too long, many students, especially in technical institutions, have faced steep financial barriers; some drop out, others have never even applied. This is the gap we at NELFUND are here to close. But we know we can’t do it alone.

“This is a shared mission. It belongs to all of us, government institutions and the private sector alike. This technical workshop marks a major step forward.

“We’re not only providing financing, we’re building a technology-driven system that makes it easier for students to apply, for institutions to verify, and for funds to be disbursed with speed, fairness, and accountability.

“We’re aiming for access without stress, a platform students can use with confidence; transparency and trust so that no one is left wondering where their application stands; partnership with purpose because your feedback, your data, and your cooperation are critical to making this work. We rely on you as our institutional partners to help us bring this vision to life.”

Sawyerr who commended the institutions for providing technical expertise, practical hands-on training that fuels industries and empowers communities over the years, said besides teaching skills, they have built careers, created employers and strengthened economies.

“You know your students, you understand their struggles, your insights will help us tailor this system to reflect the realities on ground, not just assumptions on paper.

“To NBTE, we value your steady leadership in shaping and regulating technical education. Your collaboration is key as we move forward fully.”

The NELFUND boss urged the institutions to partner with the FUND to deliver a system that was not just functional or sustainable, but one that was transformative

“As we move forward fully, integrating NELFUND processes with institutional systems and standards, let us remember at the heart of all of this is a student, a young Nigerian with dreams, with ambition, and the courage to pursue them. Everything we do must serve that student.

“The only way to make it happen is by working together, listening to one another, and staying grounded in real-world challenges. I encourage you all to engage fully today share what’s working and what is not, and together let’s build something that lasts.”

NELFUND ‘s Executive Director, Operations, Mr. Iyal Mustapha, disclosed that apart from the 320,000 students who have so far been paid, more verifications are currently ongoing.

Mustapha, who explained that the failure of not having the number of registered students tally with the number of students whose application process was deemed successful was from the part of students and not NELFUND, said there was an urgent need to bridge the gap.

He also disclosed that the FUND was considering connecting directly to institution’s portal to get the data they need, and how student could apply to their institutions portal without necessarily reaching out to NELFUND.

“One other thing that we’re trying to do going forward is to send some of our IT to all the institutions so that we can see how possible it is we connect directly to your portal instead of saying please send us data. How can we connect using an API which makes it easier to get the data of any student coming to us directly from your portal and not from our portal. So we don’t need to be collecting any data again.

“At the same time, we’re thinking of seeing how is it possible that a student can apply to your portal without coming to us. So it makes it so easy for the student when they’re doing registration, when they’re doing payments, they can select either to apply for NELFUND loans and the process will go through your portal. So you have all the data without ever reaching to NELFUND. All we need is for you to give assurance these are your students and if we have that, we pay you directly. It makes it simpler and faster for all the students.”

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