[Must Read]: Pres. Buhari’s Speech To Young Nigerians To Mark International Youth Day

It is a great pleasure for me to address you this morning at this important occasion as we join other nations across the world to commemorate the 2015 International Youth Day. I am aware that it is in line with the United Nations Resolution 54/120 (19th Dec. 1999) to observe 12th August of every year as a day to celebrate and appreciate the contribution of the youth to their various communities. The appointment of an Envoy on Youth by the United Nations Secretary General is a clear indication of the attention youth issues are accorded around the world.

2.?The International Youth Day, therefore, constitutes part of the United Nation’s broader World Programme of Action for Youth. This is a laudable initiative targeted at promoting the general wellbeing and livelihood of young people with its priority focus on education, employment, poverty and hunger, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, inter-generational issues amongst others. This year’s theme tagged youth “Civic Engagement” is very apt. We strongly believe that the engagement and participation of young people is necessary in order to accelerate economic growth and sustainable development.

3.?As we commemorate this year’s International Youth Day, let me use this moment to once again pay tribute to all the young people who played significant roles in making the 2015 General Elections a model for democratic governance in Africa. The role you played, individually and collectively, in not only being peaceful members of the electorate but also galvanising the social media platform and mobilizing your peers to make the right choice. Your role contributed in no small measure to having a credible election in an atmosphere that was hitherto tense and volatile. The outcome is today being celebrated worldwide. Your role is greatly appreciated.

4.?I can assure you, my young compatriots, that you have written your names in history and you will be remembered as true heroes of our democracy and as architects of change.

5.?Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, you may wish to note that Africa is the most ‘youthful’ continent in the world. According to the figures I have been presented with, at least 20 percent of the continent’s population of 1.2 billion is between the age bracket of 15 – 24 years, with about 42% below 15 years of age. As the rest of the world gets older, Africa is getting younger. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. It all depends on what we make of it.
Therefore, one of the greatest challenges facing governments and policy makers in Africa today is how to provide opportunities and meet the needs of young people, the vast majority of whom need to be empowered to enable them to lead decent lives and contribute their quota to the socio economic and political development of their countries.

6.?Correctly harnessed, this tremendous labour force could propel us to take a quantum leap in developing our infrastructure so that Nigeria can join the 21st Century.

7.?Some of you may recall that African leaders, at the Malabo 2011Summit, committed themselves to providing employment, whether directly or indirectly, for at least 3% of its unemployed young people every year. For us, the meeting in Malabo 2011, marked another turning point in the continent’s quest for development. The summit adopted that all member States should advance the youth agenda and adopt policies and mechanisms towards the creation of safe, decent and competitive employment opportunities. This would be achieved by accelerating the implementation of the Youth Decade Plan of Action (2009 – 2018) and the Ouagadougou 2004 Plan of Action on Employment Promotion and Poverty Alleviation. African leaders have since stepped up efforts to give voice, visibility and platforms to the youth to advocate for more investments in their future.

8.?It is, however, an issue of serious concern that in Nigeria, so far, economic growth has not translated into commensurate and improved social outcomes, especially for our 60 million young people who made up the majority of the population. Consequently our youth migrate from rural to urban areas and from this country to other countries across borders, in search of greener pastures.

9.?Distinguished ladies and gentlemen and my beloved youth, I want to assure you that the new Administration will place high premium in tackling challenges facing the youth sector.

10.?According to the National Bureau of Statistics, unemployment remains a major concern in Nigeria, with rates rising from 6.4% in 2006 to 24.20% in the first quarter of 2015. The unemployment rate among youth is even more disturbing and considered to be over 50% due to the sheer number of unemployed graduates and a huge number of youth who have had no chance to go to school roaming about the streets.

11.?It is worth noting that although educational attainment by Nigerian young people has increased significantly in the last decade, the relevance of curricula, quality of education and the fit with skills required by the job market, still remains a challenge for us as a country.
Unsuitable qualifications limit our young peoples’ employment prospects and potential to contribute to national development. Our new Administration is poised to providing an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive so as to ensure greater opportunities for jobs to be created for our young people.

12.?This we believe will assist in reducing criminal activities and terrorism. We have resolved to provide adequate infrastructure and strengthen our job creation institutions in order to increase opportunities for our young people. For Nigeria to sustainably create jobs and ensure growth, we will pay special attention to the growth of our Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. This can be achieved through boosting the intervention funds as guaranteed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

13.?In order to ensure that young people are healthy, skilled and educationally empowered, we will strengthen our academic and vocational training institutions as well as significantly improve our healthcare delivery system.

14.?Young Nigerians, let me conclude by reiterating that we are very much committed to fulfilling all our campaign promises. We, therefore, seek your cooperation and patience in this regard. Be assured that “change” for us is not a mere political slogan but the beginning of a new era desired by the majority of Nigerians. The youth must therefore be vanguards of this change and at the same time be the change that they wish to see. To this end and knowing that sustainable development cannot take place in the absence of peace, we must all work together towards the actualization of sustainable peace and harmony to enable this administration to build an enduring legacy. It is on this note that I wish the Nigerian youth happy 2015 International Youth Day celebration.

15.?Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

I thank you all

Auchi Polytechnic Post UTME Form is now on Sale – 2015/16

Auchi Polytechnic invites suitably qualified candidates to her 2015/2016 academic session National Diploma (ND) course of two (2) years duration.
Only candidates that made Auchi Polytechnic their first/second institution of choice in the last UTME and score 150 and above are qualified for the screening exercise.
How to Apply for Auchi Polytechnic Post UTME
Eligible candidates are to proceed to any of the following banks; Ecobank PLC, Unity Bank and Fidelity Bank in Auchi, Edo State and make a payment of N4,000.00 (four thousand naira: N3,500 for the form and N500 for bank charges) only for the post-utme screening form. Then visit http://www.auchipoly-online.com /jambregform2.htmlto fill the online form.
Courses Offered at Auchi Polytechnic
SCHOOL OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
*.Polymer Technology
*.Science Laboratory Technology
*.Catering and Hotel Management
*.Food Technology
SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN
*.Sculpture
*.Ceramics
*.Painting
*.Textiles
*.Graphics
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS STUDIES
*.Accountancy
*.Banking & Finance
*.Business Administration/Management
*.Marketing
*.Public Administration
SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
*.Computer Science
*.Mass Communication
*.Office Technology and Management
*.Statistics
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
*.Chemical Engineering Technology
*.Civil Engineering Technology
*.Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology
*.Mechanical Engineering Technology
*.Agriculture Engineering Technology
*.Mining Engineering
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
*.Architectural Technology
*.Building Technology
*.Estate Management
*.Quantity Surveying
*.Survey/Geo-informatics
*.Urban & Regional Planning
Auchi Polytechnic Post UTME Screening Exercise Schedule.
To be announced later……..
Candidates that did not register for the screening test online will not participate in the examination.
Good Luck!

Kogi State University Post UTME/DE Form is Out – 2015/16

Kogi State University, KSU post UTME and Direct Entry screening exercise application form for the 2015/2016 academic session is now out. Kogi State University post UTME minimum cut-off mark is 180. Candidates who made KSU their second choice need not to register. Ability to read and click or move the mouse on the computer are the only requirements for the test.
This is to inform all candidates who applied for admission into Kogi State University, Anyigba, for the 2015/2016 Academic Session and who made the institution their FIRST CHOICE (MOST PREFERRED INSTITUTION ONLY), that they would be screened through a Computer-Based Test (CBT), in their subject combinations similar to UTME, starting from Tuesday 1stand ending on Tuesday 8thSeptember, 2015 for UTME candidates only.
Candidates who made the University their SECOND CHOICE NEED NOT TO REGISTER for the Screening Exercise.
Candidates, parents, guardians, and the general public are to note that ability to read and click or move the mouse on the computer are the only requirements for the test.
KSU Post UTME Screening Exercise Eligibility.
UTME CANDIDATES (100 LEVEL). Only candidates with UTME Score of 180 and above and with requisite minimum of Five (5) O’Level Credit Passes in the relevant subjects, including English Language (and Mathematics for programmes in the Faculties of Natural Sciences, Management Sciences, Agriculture, Medicine, and some programmes in the Faculties of Social Sciences and Education) at not more than two sittings, are eligible to attend the Screening Exercise.
KSU Post UTME Screening Registration Details.
Registration for the Screening Exercise will commence from Monday, 10thAugust, 2015 and closes on Thursday 27thAugust, 2015 at midnight.
Details of the registration procedure are as follows:
*.Candidates are to pay into Kogi State University Post-UTME Account No. 1130036448, Bank Name: Any branch of Zenith Bank Pic through the X-PATH platform, Amount: N2,700 (Two Thousand Seven Hundred Naira Only) (i.e One thousand Five Hundred Naira for Registration/Screening and One Thousand Naira for result checking) and bank charges of Two Hundred Naira Only.
*.Candidates are to obtain a PIN (Personal Identification Number) from the bank after the payment of &2.700 (Two Thousand Seven Hundred Naira Only).
*.Candidates should visit any cyber cafe to register on-line on the institution’s portal: http://www.ksuportal.edu.ngand follow the instructions accordingly.
*.Candidates will be required to upload a scanned copy of their passport photographs (file size: not more than 20KB) with RED Background.
*.Candidates are to print out their respective Schedule Slip or Registration Slip containing Date and Time Schedule for the test.
*.The print out of the Schedule Slip or Registration Slip and the print out of the UTME result MUST be brought to the Screening Venue for submission to Screening Officers. The print out MUST be in COLOUR.
*.Candidates MUST arrive at the Professor F.S. Idachaba Lecture Theatre ONE HOUR (1HR) before their Scheduled screening time, to ensure proper briefing and accreditation.
*.Candidates are to adhere strictly to their schedules.
*.Candidates are prohibited from coming into the Examination Hall with phone(s) (Handsets), flash drive, modem, biro, pencil and/or any electronic gadgets.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
All candidates who have not met the required JAMB subject combination for the courses applied will not be short-listed for the POST-UTME Screening Exercise. Therefore, endeavour to check your name on-line before payment for the screening test, please.

Arewa Students Voice ‘Educate poor, hopeless Northern youths and save the future’

A Northern students group, theArewa Students Voice, has called on governments, corporate organizations and individuals in the region to assist in educating indigent youths.
According to the group's secretary general,Ramadan Yusuf, who wrote an open letter on the issue, providing necessary support for youths without the means of funding their education is a way of safeguarding the future.
“We are appealing to government, corporate bodies and wealthy individuals to intervene and consider the lives of the hopeless children and youths within their immediate environments," Yusuf wrote.
“Allowing the destitute children to live a hopeless life leads to immoralities in our society and in return jeopardizes the lives of the future generations.
The group stated that the advantage of educating such youth will be enjoyed by the society at large.

“Our society can only be better when the younger ones are provided with quality education to become more productive and have a responsible means of living."
The Northern region has been widely said to be the most academically disadvantaged in Nigeria.
In July, the students group had raised alarm over increasing drug abuse among Northern students in tertiary institutions, calling for vocational training and awareness campaigns to help stem the trend.

National Universities Commission 11 private universities denied full operational license, granted 2-yr extension

Eleven private universities in Nigerian have lost their bids for full operational licenses due to their failure to meet requirements set by theNational Universities Commission(NUC).
According to the Executive Secretary of the Commission, ProfessorJulius Okojie, said the requirements covered staff, facilities and land amongst other things.
“Interim accreditation was given for 3 years, then we visited and inspected the university`s facilities, staff quality and distributions especially in parameter structure, we also check the governance structure and requirements and the hectares of their land if its 100 hectares,” Okojie said.
“Precisely accreditation is a monitoring process which enables the commission to keep academic programmes of a university in check and for necessary advice to be given if any challenge arise.”
He revealed that the universities have been given an extension of two years to reassess its staff strength to student ratio and its facilities in order to get full accreditation for all their programmes.
In a related development, the NUC boss presented full operational license to and nine private universities, including Caleb University, Veritas University, Afe Babalola University and Nigeria Turkish Nile University.

JAMB, Post UTME, CBT UNIJOS don says computer based test discriminate against rural students

Computer based tests discriminate against rural students who have had little experience with computers, saysUniversity of Jos(UNIJOS) don,James Bature.
Speaking with theNews Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Kaduna on Wednesday, Bature said theJoint Admission and Matriculation Board(JAMB) introduction of the computer-based test (CBT) mode in the admission process cheats out rural students.
He argued that most of the students from rural communities have no computer proficiency and are thus at a disadvantage through no fault of theirs.
"These students tried so hard to get the required number of credits for admission into tertiary institutions, and they are now compelled to write JAMB and post-UTME using computer," Bature said.
"Most of these children never saw a computer throughout their primary and secondary school education, but they are now subjected to compete with other children that use computers as toys.
"We are talking about building an egalitarian society, but structurally we are scheming the rural population out of the process."
The don noted that the admission process must be modified to take in the differences in computer proficiency.
"If we really meant to carry everybody along, then the government must incorporate local circumstances to admission process.
“Otherwise, some people will be completely excluded from the having access to tertiary education."
"Government must intervene in the admission process, by making it less expensive, less cumbersome and less sophisticated."
The 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is the first time that JAMB conducted its examination in the full CBT mode.

FUTA Post UTME No admission for 5,698 students who failed our exam— Deputy VC

More than half of those who sat for thePost Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME) of theFederal University of Technology, Akure(FUTA), Ondo State, failed to score enough points to be considered for admission.

According to the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the institution,Tunde Arayela, only 4,298 of 9,996 candidates scored 50 per cent and above.
The official said the remaining 5,698 who scored less than 50 per cent will not be considered for admission.

Arayela, who chairs the University Admissions Committee said the institution will still have to select from the successful students because it can only admit 2,834 candidates.
This means that nearly 3000 of those who passed will join those who failed the Post UTME test.

Arewa Students Voice ‘Educate poor, hopeless Northern youths and save the future’

A Northern students group, theArewa Students Voice, has called on governments, corporate organizations and individuals in the region to assist in educating indigent youths.
According to the group's secretary general,Ramadan Yusuf, who wrote an open letter on the issue, providing necessary support for youths without the means of funding their education is a way of safeguarding the future.
“We are appealing to government, corporate bodies and wealthy individuals to intervene and consider the lives of the hopeless children and youths within their immediate environments," Yusuf wrote.
“Allowing the destitute children to live a hopeless life leads to immoralities in our society and in return jeopardizes the lives of the future generations.
The group stated that the advantage of educating such youth will be enjoyed by the society at large
“Our society can only be better when the younger ones are provided with quality education to become more productive and have a responsible means of living."
The Northern region has been widely said to be the most academically disadvantaged in Nigeria.
In July, the students group had raised alarm over increasing drug abuse among Northern students in tertiary institutions, calling for vocational training and awareness campaigns to help stem the trend.

KASU 2015/2016Post-UTME Screening Date, Procedure Announced.

 This is to inform candidates who chose Kaduna State University as their first and second choice and score 180 and above in the 2015 UTME conducted by JAMB that the 2015/2016 Post-UTME sales of form has commenced.
Eligibility
All candidates who chose the university and scored 180 points and above.
Method Of Application
Candidates are to obtain PIN upon payment of N2,200 as screening fee and bank administrative charges at Unity Bank Main branches in Kaduna, Kafanchan and Zaria or KASU Consult Main Campus.
Steps to Apply:
Candidates are to visit the registration portal: http://utme.kasuportal.com
Enter your JAMB/UTME number to login. (This number is usually 10 alphanumeric characters which may be found on your UTME slip.)
If this is your first time, you will be prompted to Pay by PIN. Enter your correct 12 digit PIN number to continue. You should see message saying: “Successfully Paid”, then proceed to fill your application form.
Fill the application form by following the steps below:
Upload your scanned passport photo. Photo should have a WHITE or RED background in JPEG format. Your photo should not exceed 200KB in size.
Fill the form and click save and continue button.
Review your details to ensure they were correctly entered.
Click ‘Submit Application’ button.
Lastly, view and print out your exam SLIP immediately. Your slip should contain exam venue, scheduled date, and time. Please keep this slip and bring it with you to the examination hall.
When you are done, an email will also be sent to you. If you do not receive an email within 24 hours, no need for alarm. Email is just to say thank you for coming here to apply. You may also check your SPAM email box.
This Post UTME Application officially commenced on August 11, 2015 and will be closed on August 25, 2015.
Screening Details
Post UTME exercise comes up on August 26, 2015. You are advised to come for your exam only on the scheduled date and time – at least 30 minutes before start time

BUK 2015/2016 Post-UTME Screening Date, Procedure Announced

BUK 2015/2016 Post-UTME Screening Date, Procedure Announced. This is to inform the general public that Post UTME Screening Exercise for 2015/2016 Academic session will commence on the 17th of August 2015 and close on the 28th of August 2015. Portal registration and printing of examination card will close by midnight of Sunday, 30th August, 2015.
Post-UTME Registration Procedure
STEP 1:At the homepage of the Bayero University website, www.buk.edu.ng, click POST-UTME Application Portal
STEP 2:Login using your UTME Number and UTME Aggregate (total score), then upload your passport-sized photograph. Note that the photograph uploaded will be the only valid ID for all admitted candidates throughout their stay in Bayero University, Kano
STEP 3:Fill-in the Applicant’s Particulars Form.
STEP 4:Print your personalized Payment Invoice and use the invoice to make the payment of N2,500 (Two Thousand Five Hundred Naira Only) at any branch of Banks Listed on your Invoice nationwide.
STEP 5:After making the payment, return to the website, www.buk.edu.ng, login again. Your payment will be validated after which you can print your personalized Examination Card.
NOTE:No Applicant will be allowed to sit for the Post-UTME test without a valid Examination Card.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Prospective candidates must have sat for the 2015 UTME Examinations, chose BUK as her/his first choice, and must have scored an aggregate of 180 or higher in the relevant subjects as advertised in the UME Brochure.
Prospective candidates are required to have a minimum of Five (5) relevant passes at Credit level in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO) in not more than two (2) sittings, including a pass at credit level in English.
SCREENING EXERCISE AND POST – UTME TEST
The date of the screening exercise and Post UTME examinations will be announced in the media as well as communicated to all registered applicants via their gsm and email addresses. The Venue, Time and Sitting Arrangement for the test will be on applicants’ Examination Cards.
NB
Applicants are to come to the screening venue with the following:
*Exam Card
*Writing Materials (2B Pencil and Eraser)
*Four Figure Table (where applicable)